Just like every building needs a solid foundation, every personal care and hygiene product needs an equally solid base to build on.
At Kerfoot Group, we pride ourselves on being a trusted ingredient supplier to the personal care product sector. What sets our business apart is the unique combination of market and consumer knowledge, technical expertise, excellence in stockholding and logistics; and a diverse portfolio of products to choose from.
Whether our partners are developing premium hygiene products that take aromatic inspiration from nature or looking to reformulate soaps, shampoos or body washes for greater versatility or performance, it all begins with the ideal soap base.
We are proud to partner with Stephenson, one of the world’s leading manufacturers of high-performance speciality soap bases. The company shares our dedication to quality, diversity and consumer appeal, which means that Stephenson soap bases and Kerfoot Group are a marriage made in heaven.
So, what is a soap base?
It’s the initial starting material that a soap product is built on. Typically, they are provided as solid soap bases, liquid soap bases, melt & pour soap bases, or soft soap bases, which are similar in consistency to butters and waxes.
Soap bases are usually non-scented and there to do the ‘heavy lifting’ for functionality; much of a soap’s cleaning and antimicrobial qualities lie here. When product developers look to create liquid soap or soap bars with new scents, infusions, essential oils or ingredients, these are simply added to a robust base.
Versatility and stability are the keys to the perfect soap base
Innovation is the lifeblood of the personal care and hygiene product sectors, which puts pressure on brands to deliver new experiences through continuously innovating their product ranges. This drive means product technicians and formulators need to get creative with their soap ingredients, trying out new combinations or flavours in a bid to capture the consumer’s attention.
The focus on product creativity means that the ideal soap base must be versatile enough to lend itself to different applications and formats, but stable enough that it still performs at its best, no matter what is added to the formulation.
Soap bases are largely designed to be neutral, allowing the natural scents of other ingredients to shine through without influencing the consumer’s experience.
Why not explore:
Liquid Soap 2020
Developed in response to the changing needs of the market, Liquid Soap 2020 is designed for ultimate flexibility. Derived from natural vegetable oil, this soap is all-purpose and can be used in personal care applications such as hand washes, as well as cleaning products for floors and surfaces.
Organic Shampoo
This COSMOS-certified shampoo base is made from organic ingredients and is pre-thickened – simply add fragrance oils or essential oils. The based is enriched with Aloe Vera and includes gentle surfactants for a creamy lather.
Boost natural qualities
Like any category today, soap products must reflect what the consumer is looking for. Shoppers have made it known that they are seeking more natural and authentic products over synthetic alternatives.
While, to a certain extent, all soap bases contain at least small synthetic elements, there is a great deal of diversity to today’s soap base selection. Product formulators can select soap bases that keep as close to nature as possible, including components that are derived from the natural world.
There is fantastic opportunity on the table for brands to harness naturally oriented soap bases for real consumer appeal, particularly in combination with other organic ingredients.
Why not explore:
Crystal Goat Milk
Boasting natural materials, this melt and pour soap base is vegetable-derived and contains Goat Milk, which is naturally high in vitamins and minerals. In addition, Goat Milk contains butterfats, which provide fantastic foaming, lather, moisture and hydration.
Organic Lotion
Fully formulated and pre-thickened, this COSMOS-certified lotion base is suitable for all skin types. The base is enriched with skin-nourishing emollients and only requires the addition of organic fragrance or essential oils to create a certified organic end product.
Achieve high performance hydration
During the new product development process, it can be easy to get carried away trialling new ingredient combinations and potential routes for range expansion. However, it is the core function that delivers that lasting impression.
The ideal soap base is able to perform in any number of products and offers the consumer moisture, hydration and a quality lather, no matter what ingredients are built into the final product.
Why not explore:
Crystal ST & Crystal WST
A popular melt & pour soap base, Crystal ST and Crystal WST are vegetable-based soap bases with excellent foaming and lather, and the high glycerine content provides great on-skin feel. Available as transparent (ST) or opaque white (WST).
Crystal Triple Butter Soap
Containing a luxurious blend of Shea Butter, Cocoa Butter and Mango Butter, Crystal Triple Butter Soap is used to create solid bars that nourish and soften the skin. The combination of butters contains Vitamins D & E, as well as Provitamin A.
As with all ingredients in our collection, the soap bases we offer in our portfolio are supported by Kerfoot Group’s technical expertise, commitment to sustainability, enviable stockholding and logistical expertise.
Why not discover more about the benefits of partnering with Kerfoot Group to deliver your next product development? Click here to get in touch with our team today.
