Science graduate Raviraj S combines natural ingredients like cow milk, coconut oil, turmeric and lemon grass to create soaps that bestow considerable health benefits
BHARATI PAWASKAR
A BSc graduate in Instrumentation, Raviraj S hails from Kaniyooru, Belthangady, Dhakshina Kannada in Karnataka. He travels across his home state partaking in exhibitions and selling his handmade soaps which he makes in small batches at home along with his wife Akshata. Determined to spread awareness about the wonderful benefits of natural products, he also enjoys travelling places to sell his soaps. This January, he crossed borders to try his luck in Goa and those who visited his stall at the recent agri-exhibition at Ravindra Bhavan Margao, fell in love with his concept of homemade soaps using turmeric, coconut oil, cow milk and lemon grass.
What led Raviraj to experiment and make natural soaps? The largest organ of the body : skin. It is the first line of defence for the internal systems and protects the internal body from or dehydration, heat, allergens, microbes and all the other environmental and chemical compounds that can cause harm, so one has to choose wisely what is externally applied on the skin, felt Raviraj who wanted to use natural ingredients to make soap.
“I experimented, using coconut oil and cow milk to make soaps at my home and succeeded. It’s been two years now. We make maximum 100 soaps per day by hand,” shares Raviraj who was happy to receive good response in Goa.
Why cow milk soap? Raviraj discloses, “The pH of milk soaps is very close to the natural pH of human skin, resulting in a naturally gentle product that cleans without the addition of harsh chemical additives. All milk contains lactic acid. In high concentrations, lactic acid is used in chemical peels. In lower concentrations, such as those found in milk soap, lactic acid is a natural exfoliating agent, helping the skin shed dry skin cells. Gentle exfoliation results in healthier looking skin.”
Claiming that his soap making formula is different from that of most commercial ventures, Raviraj states that he uses cold process method - common for handmade soaps. “My soap composition is my own invention. The turmeric soap is totally unique and such handmade soaps are not available elsewhere in India or abroad,” he boasts.
Turmeric possesses anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant properties, turmeric has also been used for thousands of years to treat various skin diseases and heal wounds. They offer glow and luster to the skin. “As direct turmeric application on skin on a daily basis is difficult, one can use natural turmeric oil soap for every day bath. It is as good as applying turmeric on the skin,” claims 42-year-old Raviraj. Turmeric soap is his latest creation, which has received overwhelming response from people suffering from chronic skin ailments, allergies and pimples.
How natural are his soaps, people often ask and he smiles, “A natural handmade soap is, well, completely natural. There are no harmful synthetic ingredients. Lye (Sodium Hydroxide or caustic soda), essential oils (eg coconut, turmeric) and cow milk added in different proportions. I use lemon grass for scent - no preservatives, no synthetic fragrances, no harmful chemical compounds - nothing else but pure, natural ingredients taken from Mother Earth.”
Raviraj explains that Lye is not harmful after saponification (a process which involves conversion of fat into soap and alcohol) as he uses cold process method. Rekha Pai, a homemaker who is using these soaps for more than a year, admits, “The turmeric soap is healthy. It helped me in clearing rashes on my leg and I got a glow on my skin after using it.”
Glycerine is a compound that soothes and moisturises the skin. Since glycerine can draw moisture out from the air and into the skin, it helps the skin to remain soft and moist for a long period of time. You need your soap to do this for your skin. And this is not something most commercially-manufactured soaps do.
Main ingredients are caustic soda and fat. While commercial soaps use animal tallow as fat, and harmful synthetic chemicals, Raviraj uses natural oils and cow milk as fat for his soap which is what makes them different. And after the successful experimentation with turmeric oil, Raviraj who is working on Tulsi, Aloe Vera, Neem and other herbs in the making of his homemade soaps, is open to suggestions from people.
