This document describes an experiment to make soap using extracts of rose and champaka flowers. Objectives were to understand the saponification process for making soap and properties that make soap suitable for skin. Materials used included oils, sodium hydroxide, salt, alcohol and flower extracts. The procedure involved heating the mixture until reaction was complete then adding extracts and salt. The resulting soaps had a pH of 8, making them skin compatible. Flowers were chosen for their fragrance and medicinal benefits.

1. TITLE: Preparing soap using extract of Rose and Champaka flowers.
ABSTRACT:
The experiment was designed to make a soap which is produced by the reaction of fatty
substances with sodium or potassium hydroxide. A more basic explanation is oils or fats
combine with Sodium Hydroxide or “Lye” in a process called saponification to produce soap. In
chemistry, the fatty substances are named fatty acids, while the sodium hydroxide (NaOH) and
the potassium hydroxide (KOH) are known to be very strong bases. The reaction of these
substances produces a salt the soap. Usually, soaps have a basic reaction. The frequent use of
soap tends to increase the pH of the skin and to cause harm. To reduce this problem, neutral and
even acid soaps are produced. The pH of both soap is 8 which is compatible to skin. Normally,
the skin pH is from range 5 to 8. The soap was mixed together with the flower of Rose and
Champaca for the purpose of fragrance. One of the best advantages of making our own soap is
that we are in charge of quality control. We decide which ingredients to use and how much we
want it. We decided to choose the extraction of rose and champaca flowers.
OBJECTIVES:
1. To know how to make soap through saponification process.
2. To know the function of soap before until now.
3. To study the properties in soap that compatible to skin.
4. To know what important and benefit by using flower in soap.
5. To know the pH value of soap that suitable for skin.
6. To know the traditional knowledge about existence of soap.

2. INTRODUCTION:
Soap, from a chemical standpoint, is a salt (or a mixture of salts) of fatty acids. As with
all salts, soap contains a positive ion, usually Na+ or K +, and a negative ion, usually the anions
of long-chained carboxylic acids obtained by the hydrolysis of animal or vegetable fats. These
fatty acids, of which there are about 20 naturally occurring members, are carboxylic acids
containing 14, 16, or 18 carbon atoms in an unbranched chain. The even numbered chains result
from the fact that fats are synthesized in cells by the polymerization of a 2-carbon acetate unit. In
addition to the normal (straight chain) saturated acids, there occur several with hydroxyl groups,
and/or one or more double bonds in the carbon chain. the presence of unsaturation (double
bonds) in molecules of fatty acids, fats, or soup tend to lower the melting point of these
compounds and to cause them to be in the liquid state at room temperature.
The reason why double bonds lower the melting point of a fatty acid chain, is that the sections of
the chain attached to the double bond are attached cis-wise to each other (probably because the
double bond cis configuration produces a bent chain which does not easily adhere to a
neighboring chain by a Van der Waals attraction hence a lower temperature (lower mobility) is
required for these molecules to adhere in order to form a solid crystal lattice. It is interesting to
note, that straight chained carboxylic acids having an odd number of carbon atoms melt lower
than even chained acids of comparable molecular weights.
Soap is prepared by hydrolyzing a fat under alkaline (basic) conditions. The reaction is called
saponification, and produces one molecule of glycerin and three molecules of soap, for each
molecule of fat taken.

3. For centuries, the rose flower has been synonymous with love, romance, beauty and pleasure, as
well as with healing, personal growth and spirituality. Few flowers can boast such a broad
assortment of meanings and purposes to such a variety of cultures throughout the world. But the
rose, also known as "the Queen of Flowers," is a truly singular creation. This most beloved of
blooms possesses several recognizable characteristics that distinguish it from many other
flowers.
Roses are part of the Rosaceae family, which is composed of 3,000 different plant species,
including raspberry plants, strawberry plants and almond, cherry, apple and pear trees. Species
within this family share certain characteristics, including alternate, composite or simple leaves
flowers with five segments, and many stamens. Roses are renowned for their heavenly fragrance.
Different varieties of roses have different scents; some are fruity, some are flowery; others are
even reminiscent of tea. Roses classified as old garden roses are generally more fragrant than
modern roses, which are any roses identified after 1872. Old garden roses include China roses,
tea roses, moss roses, Damask roses and bourbon roses. The first roses, which were wild roses,
were round in shape and had five petals. Today's roses, some of which have hundreds of densely
packed petals, are a result of breeding. All roses, however, have retained the round shape of the
first roses, no matter how many petals they have. Roses are radially symmetrical---their petals
are evenly distributed around their centers. Roses come in a kaleidoscopic assortment of colors,
with more colors to choose from than any other flower. From pure, simple white to boldly two-
toned orange and red flowers, roses are available in enough hues to suit virtually anyone's taste.
Some rose colors are associated with different sentiments; for example, red roses represent love
and passion, while yellow roses symbolize friendship. Roses are perennial flowers. This means
that, unlike annuals, they grow back year after year. With proper care, rose plants can live

4. extremely long lives---sometimes hundreds of years. Roses thrive in well-drained soil where they
can be exposed to optimal sunlight. In cool climates, they do not bloom in the winter, and benefit
from regular pruning.
EVOLUTION OF SOAP
Soap has been around for thousands of years, although the popularity of the cleansing nature
Of soap has only occurred in the past few hundred years. The Phoenicians were the earliest
known inventors of soap dating back over 2500 years probably using wood ash and goat fat. The
Arabs, however, were the first to recognize the cleansing action of soap. From the Arabs, the
Turks eventually spread the knowledge into Europe during the Byzantine Empire. The popularity
of soap as a human cleansing agent never really caught on in ancient history. Some aristocratic
Egyptians, Romans, and Greeks used scented oils and perfumes hide body odor. Most people
probably smelled quite unpleasant. The early use of soap was in laundering fabrics. Dyed clothes
were a symbol of wealth and power. Wool could not absorb dyes until a natural outer layer of
grease was washed off. Soap was useful in stripping this outer layer to permit the dyeing of
wool. The Middle Ages continued soaps popularity as a laundry detergent. Cities evolved as soap
making centers such as Merseilles (France), Genoa, Venice, and Castila (Spain). During the 18th
century the use of soap increased as people began to use it for human cleansing. It was first
prescribed as a medicinal bath treatment. As adequate plumbing evolved, bathing became a
common occurrence in much of the world. The evolution occurs until human create the flower
soap to give fragrance smell and medicinal benefits which aromatherapy. There are many several
types of flowers that give a very good smell to us like rose, champaca, kenanga, kemboja and
many more. From the good fragrance smell of the flower, flower soap are designed that not only
can clean our body but give a good smells and give spirit in life. People also can use a few type
flowers that have goods smell in bathing. They believe that it can increase face radiance.

5. MATERIALS:
1. Oil
2. 6M Sodium Hydroxide (NaOH)
3. NaCl / table salt
4. Ethanol - alcohol
5. Glass beaker and stirring rod.
6. Hot plate
7. Mold for making soap bars
PROCEDURE:
1. 10 grams of oil was placed (or any other fat, such as oil or butter) in a beaker
2. 15mL of 6M sodium hydroxide was added SLOWLY AND CAREFULLY into oil.
3. After that, 50mL of ethyl alcohol was added into the solution.
4. This mixture was heated gently under low heat, stirring with a glass stirring rod until the base
has completely reacted with the oil (about 20 to 30 minutes)
5. After all of the base has reacted, 20mL of extract water of rose flower and was stirred.
6. The mixture was cooled. 12g of sodium chloride (table salt) was added into 50mL of water.
The cooled mixture of base and oil was poured into the NaCl mixture (not the other way around)
7. This new mixture was letting to cool completely. The solid cake that forms is the soap (what’s
left, if you do it out chemically, is glycerol)
8. After that, the soap was tested by using pH paper.
9. The experiment was repeated using extract of champaca flowers.

6. RESULT:
The pH test:
Types of soap Rose soap Champaca soap
pH value pH 8 pH 8
This pH show that this soap is suitable for skin and can be use to wash our hand.
Produce a very fragrance smell soap.
DISCUSSION:
Soap has a pH more than 7. Alkaline substances have a pH higher than 7. Soaps are the
sodium (or potassium, if it's soft soap) salts of long-chain carboxylic acids. As these acids are
weak acids, the solution of a soap will have a pH above 7 because of the reaction:
(R-COO)- + H2O <=> R-COOH + OH- [R = alkyl group]. Soap turns red litmus paper blue. If
the soap is basic, the paper becomes blue, if the soap is acid, the paper becomes red. Soaps are
basic. Basic cleaners are often formulated to remove greasy materials. They are readily broken
down by bases. The water-loving end can be positively charged, negatively charged, or neutral
but polar. It is especially easy to make negatively charged ends by making the conjugate base of
a strong or weak acid, which results in a weak or strong base.
Soap is an excellent cleanser because of its ability to act as an emulsifier. Water has a
property called surface tension. In a body of water, individual water molecules are hydrogen
bonded to each other. However, molecules at the surface are only hydrogen bonded to other
molecules on the water side. Consequently they join together more strongly to those directly
associated with them on the surface causing water to bead up on the surfaces of the fabric. This
tension slows wetting of the surface and inhibits the cleaning process. In the cleaning process,
surface tension must be reduced so water can spread and wet surfaces. Soap has the properties of
a surfactant. Chemicals that are able to break surface tension are called surfactants. Surfactants

7. perform other important functions in cleaning, such as loosing, emulsifying (dispersing in water)
and holding soil in suspension until it can be rinsed away.. The soap molecule, the sodium salt of
a long chain carboxylic acid, has two distinct ends. The end with the acid group is hydrophilic
and is soluble in water; the carbon chain at the other end is hydrophobic and is more soluble in
fatty substances such as grease and dirt. This allows the grease to form globules called micelles
which are surrounded by the hydrophilic acid groups and hence become soluble in water.
Soap is an anionic surfactant (negative charge). Soaps are salt of long chained fatty
esters. They are completely miscible in water. Soaps exist as micelles which are spherical cluster
of carboxylate anions that packed together with the non-polar hydrocarbon chains in the interior.
The sodium ions are scattered throughout the aqueous layer. Because the surfaces of a micelle
are negatively charged, individual micelle repel each other and remain disperse through the
aqueous phase.
Soap is produced from saponification process which is a chemical reaction between
various oils and fats and caustic soda (lye or NaOH). It can be washed by water. There may be
fragrance or dye added for desirable scent or color. In our experiment we use rose and champaca
to give the soap good fragrance. Pure natural soap will use only natural compound. Glycerin
which is in pure natural soap wills moisture the skin. Today pure natural soap is more popular.
As a consequence, fake natural soap is produced. Some manufacturers maybe add synthetic
compounds and mislead consumer that it is pure natural soap. So how can we know if they are
pure natural soap? So, we must test the naturality of the soap. We can test the pure natural soap
by dissolve the soap in clean water with 10 guppies (fishes) . Dissolve soap until we get lather.
After that, wait for 5-10 minutes and notice the change. If fishes don't die, it is real pure natural
soap (or less than 50% of fishes die). Our soap is categorized as pure natural soap because we
don’t add any synthetic compound but we use natural ingredients like rose and champaca.
As we know, soap is categorized in alkaline. Alkaline pH is higher than 7. We already
test the pH of our flower soap which is 8. Alkaline stronger than pH 8, such as pH 10, is very
irritating to the skin. So, in range pH 5-8 is the suitable pH for skin. From the experiment, the
soap we got is in pH 8. So, it shows that it is suitable for our skin. Strong acid will hurt our skin.
A pH from about 8 to 10 seems fairly optimal for hand soap. Our soap can be use to wash our
hand. The use of ordinary soap not only would alter the pH of the skin to be more alkaline, but it

8. also effectively removes the protective acids shield. If the soap is for laundry, a pH of 10 to 12 is
acceptable. Soap is one of the most important products which we should go natural on.
From Dr. Vidula Patel, Dermatologist with L H Hiranandani Hospital, Powai, they said
that soaps are harmful for the skin especially for those with dry and sensitive skin. The normal
pH of our skin is slightly acidic and soaps being alkaline which is increase skin’s pH which is
not good. Any soap which lathers much is alkali based and not suitable for our skin. She says
that is the reason that they recommend ‘soap free cleansers’ which do not lather that much and
clean the skin as effectively. So the lather that we feel makes us cleaner, actually strips the
moisture off our skin. Dr. Vidula recommends that those with dry skin should use soap free
cleansers and those with oily skin to use medicated soaps containing salicylic acid (a
hydrooxybenzoic crystalline acid that preserves skin surface). She adds that those with normal
skin can use any soap but they should cease to use it after the age of 40 since the skin starts
ageing then. The people before don’t know what pH that suitable for their skin. They just use all
soap on face and body. Now, the soap are already specific which one for face and which one for
body.
Why we must go for pure natural soap? Natural soap is obviously made of natural
ingredients which are not harsh on the skin. They are made of vitamins, minerals, amino acids
and enzymes which all have a purely nourishing effect on our skin. These ingredients pamper the
skin by moisturizing naturally, fighting dryness and dehydration and combating signs of aging.
With natural soaps, we do not only control the ingredients we put in. We can also choose the
scent which best pleases us. Pure and natural soap is best for those with sensitive skin and those
who simply want to give their skin the best. Mixing herbal essences and essential oils for
aromatic soap therapy has been proven to have wonderful effects against stress, insomnia and leg
pain. The soap we got are categorized in natural soap because we only using extract of rose and
champaca and making soap through saponification process.
Soap therapy with natural ingredients can invigorate, soothe, calm and heal the skin.
Adding in ingredients such as olive oil will give our natural soap a natural anti-bacterial or anti-
fungal property to make it effective against acne and eczema. Another factor that would help to
regulate the skin’s pH is the presence of microflora on the skin. The bacteria known as
Staphylococcus epidermis are implied in the breakdown of fatty acids and are therefore

9. somewhat responsible for turning the skin acidic. In addition, there are some kinds of soap with
different ingredients depend on objective. For example, soap with triclosan and triclocarban is
antibacterial soaps. Soap with lanolin is moisturizing the skin. So selecting soap depends on skin
type and objective. Nowadays, we use soaps that are full of chemicals. They make soap natural
like scent and color. And they cause some properties which look unnecessary such as disinfects
medicine, rich bubbly lather. This may cause allergy to our skin. In addition, they effect
environment such as causing the river rotten and harm life in the river. That why we can test the
pure natural of soap using fish.
Champaca and rose are selected because it will give a good smell to the soap. Champaca
pure natural soap is another auspicious tree in Thai culture. Champaca essential oils, distilled
from its flowers help relieve stress and calm our senses. The fragrance of flower also helps in
health through their aromatherapy. Different aromatherapy scents have opposite effects. So, we
can select the smell in our mind.Rosemary operate mental distinctness. Using pure natural soap
is not even good for our skin but it is also good for environment. Rose soap is specially
formulated to energize the heart, while its light sweet floral aroma will calm and relax our
senses. Rose has romantic fragrance and beautiful color and people since before always use it as
a symbol of love. Our soap flower is made of high quality materials. They are used for bath but
also are perfect items for gift and decoration. Usually, the flower soap is suitable for cleaning our
hands, our face and our body, as well as adding romantic fragrance in our whole body and our
room.
CONCLUSION:
From the experiment, the process is making soap is doing by saponification process. The extract
of rose and champaka are selected because of the frangrance smell that many people like. All
people before and people now like the smell. Besides that, people can know the soap pH that
suitable for their skin. We concluded that not all soap can be easily used for face and body. They
are categorized only for face or only for body. The difference range of their pH can show the
compatibility of soap on skin.

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