Shaving base Crystal Shaving Base (SSB) 200 g

Crystal Shaving Base (SSB): The Foundation for Your Perfect Shave

Elevate your grooming routine with our Crystal Shaving Base (SSB), a premium white semi-solid soap mass expertly crafted by Stephenson Personal Care in the UK. This innovative base simplifies the creation of luxurious shaving products, delivering an exceptional lather and a smooth, comfortable shave. With a melting point of 60-65°C and a balanced pH of 7.5 – 8.5, it's the ideal starting point for crafting custom shaving soaps for all skin types.

Description and Key Features

Crystal Shaving Base (SSB) (INCI: Aqua, Sodium Chloride, Dimethicone, Stearic Acid, Sodium Stearate, Sodium Cocoate, Tetrasodium Etidronate, Glycerine, Pentasodium Pentetate, Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, Coconut Acid) is a ready-to-use melt-and-pour shaving soap base designed for ease of use and superior performance. Unlike traditional soap making from scratch, this base eliminates complex chemical processes, allowing you to focus on customizing your shaving product with nourishing oils, delightful fragrances, and vibrant colors.

Key features and benefits:

• Exceptional Lather: Formulated to produce a rich, dense, and creamy lather that provides excellent cushioning and glide for a close, comfortable shave, reducing razor burn and irritation.
• Gentle on Skin: Contains Glycerin and Coconut Acid, known for their moisturizing properties, leaving skin feeling soft and hydrated, not stripped or dry.
• Easy to Customize: Its semi-solid form and neutral white color make it incredibly versatile for adding your preferred base oils, essential oils, fragrance oils, and liquid colorants.
• Optimal pH Balance: With a pH of 7.5 – 8.5, it's gentle on the skin, contributing to a comfortable shaving experience.
• Reliable Brand: Manufactured by Stephenson Personal Care, a reputable UK-based brand known for quality soap bases.
• User-Friendly: Simply melt, customize, and pour, making it perfect for both beginners and experienced crafters in home cosmetology.

Versatile Applications and Usage Areas in Personal Care

The Crystal Shaving Base (SSB) is primarily designed for soap making and home cosmetology, offering a fantastic foundation for various personal care products that require a rich, creamy lather and skin-loving properties. (Note: This base is not for use in candles).

Primary Applications:

• Shaving Soaps (Solid & Potted): This is its core application. You can create traditional solid shaving pucks for use with a brush, or pour into jars or containers for direct application. Ideal for crafting bespoke shaving soaps tailored to specific skin types (e.g., sensitive, dry) or preferences (e.g., cooling menthol, soothing lavender).
• Shaving Creams (Melt & Pour): While a semi-solid, it can be slightly softened with additional liquids (within formulation limits) to create a creamier consistency that can be squeezed or scooped from a container.
• Gentle Facial Cleansers/Shampoo Bars: Due to its excellent lather and moisturizing properties, this base can be adapted to create solid facial cleansing bars or shampoo bars, particularly for those who prefer a rich, conditioning lather. It's especially useful for formulations targeting cleansing while maintaining skin or scalp hydration.
• Body Wash/Shave Bars: Can be molded into bars that serve a dual purpose as a body wash and a shaving aid, offering convenience and a luxurious feel in the shower.

Areas of Use:

• Men's Grooming Lines: Perfect for crafting high-quality, artisanal shaving products for men, including custom scents and skin-benefiting additives.
• Women's Shaving Products: Create moisturizing and soothing shaving bars specifically formulated for women, often incorporating more feminine fragrances or skin-calming ingredients.
• DIY Cosmetic Projects: An excellent choice for hobbyists and small businesses looking to produce handcrafted personal care items for sale or personal use.
• Sensitive Skin Formulations: With careful selection of additives (e.g., fragrance-free, hypoallergenic oils), this base can be used to create shaving products suitable for sensitive or easily irritated skin.

Recommended Inclusion Rates (per 100g of base):

• Base Oils: Up to 1 teaspoon (e.g., Sweet Almond Oil, Jojoba Oil for extra skin nourishment).
• Essential Oils: 5-7 drops for natural fragrance and therapeutic benefits.
• Fragrance Oils: 3-4 drops for synthetic scents (do not mix with essential oils).
• Liquid Colorants: 1-5 drops for desired visual appeal.

Always ensure additives are compatible with a melt-and-pour soap base and perform small test batches to perfect your custom creations.

Cosmetic Recipe: "Cool Comfort" Soothing Shaving Soap Bar

Create a refreshing and soothing shaving soap bar perfect for a close and comfortable shave, leaving skin feeling cool and revitalized.

Instructions for Preparation:

1. Prepare the Base: Cut the Crystal Shaving Base (SSB) into small, uniform cubes. Place the cubes into your heat-safe container.
2. Melt the Base: Melt the soap base slowly using a double boiler method or in a microwave on short bursts (15-30 seconds at a time), stirring frequently to prevent scorching. Aim for a temperature around 60-65°C (do not exceed 70°C). The base should be completely liquid and clear.
3. Add Base Oil: Once the base is fully melted, add the Sweet Almond Oil. Stir gently but thoroughly until it's fully incorporated into the melted soap.
4. Add Essential Oils and Colorant: Let the melted base cool slightly to around 50-55°C before adding the essential oils to help preserve their volatile compounds. Add the Peppermint Essential Oil and Tea Tree Essential Oil, and the liquid colorant (if using). Stir gently to combine all additives evenly.
5. Pour into Mold: Carefully pour the mixture into your chosen soap mold.
6. Remove Air Bubbles (Optional): If you see any small air bubbles on the surface, lightly spritz with rubbing alcohol to dissipate them.
7. Cool and Set: Allow the shaving soap to cool and harden completely at room temperature, which can take several hours depending on the size of your mold. For faster setting, you can place it in the refrigerator for 30-60 minutes after it has slightly cooled at room temperature.
8. Unmold and Cure: Once fully hardened, carefully unmold the shaving soap bar. While melt-and-pour soaps don't require a cure time like cold process soaps, letting them sit for a day or two can help them firm up further and improve lather.

Recommendations for Application and Use:

• Optimal Temperature: Always melt the Crystal Shaving Base (SSB) between 60-65°C to ensure smooth incorporation of additives without overheating.
• Additives Temperature: Add essential oils, fragrance oils, and colorants when the base has cooled slightly (around 50-55°C) to prevent the evaporation of volatile compounds and maintain color integrity.
• Storage: Store your finished shaving soap bars in an airtight container or wrap them tightly to prevent moisture loss and preserve their scent and properties.
• For Shaving: Wet your face or desired area with warm water. Using a shaving brush or your hands, create a rich lather from the soap bar. Apply the lather to the skin and shave as usual. Rinse thoroughly after shaving.
• Skin Compatibility: This base is designed to be gentle. However, always perform a patch test on a small area of skin before full use, especially if you have sensitive skin or are using new essential oils/fragrances.
• Customization: Experiment with different nourishing base oils (e.g., Jojoba, Argan), clays (e.g., Bentonite, Kaolin for extra glide), or other skin-loving extracts (ensure they are water-soluble and added at cool temperatures). Always adhere to recommended dosage guidelines.