Another new addition to my handmade soap collection is the tamarind & aloe vera bar. Besides it’s popularity in the (Asian) kitchen, tamarind fruit extract has also been shown to be very helpful in lightening those freckles on your face. So that is why I decided to make my first handmade facial soap with tamarind. I also added fresh aloe vera gel too. The aloe vera is soothing and moisturizing to the skin. And finally I finished it off with a little bit of food grade coconut milk powder too. Milk powder provides skin softening benefits.

The tamarind I used is in powder form, while the aloe vera is fresh aloe gel. I added all the powders and gel at trace, which is during the end of my mixing. This way it can still retain it’s useful skin benefits. And instead of water, I subsituted it with licorice tea.

The ingredients include: Palm oil, Olive oil, Safflower oil, Coconut oil, Castor oil, licorice herbal tea, sodium hydroxide, tamarind powder, coconut milk power, and fresh aloe vera gel. Grapefruit seed extract as preservative. And freesia fragrance oil for a slight spring blossom scent.

I have used the tamarind and aloe vera facial soap for almost one week now. I like that it makes my skin feel fresh and clean after every washing. Not tight at all and leaves my face feeling soft and smooth too. The lather is good. The bar is medium in texture. Handmade soaps are best for those with sensitive skin.