Aakash Institute of Medical Sciences, Nalagarh, 174101
A natural skincare product, herbal soap is made using extracts from organic products or plants. There are no harsh chemicals in it. In this we made herbal soap using turmeric, tulsi, aloe vera, neem oil and curry leaves. Each of these plants have their own medicinal and skincare properties such as antibacterial, antifungal, anti-inflammatory, skin rejuvenating, repairs acne, moisturizing etc. These properties help in skin repairing and glowing. Therefore, herbal soaps are more beneficial as compared to synthetic soap.
Cosmetics-The term cosmetic is derived from the Greek word "kosm tikos," which means to have the power, organize, or ability in beautifying. The drug and Cosmetics are defined under D&C Act as substances intended to be given to the human body by friction, dripping, sprayed, or sprinkling or a section of it for cleaning, enhancing, promoting beauty, or changing the style. (Amrutkar SV)
Soap-As per the definition soap is a compound made from chemical that is created when a fatty acid a metal radical reacts. (Kuntom A) Soap is used to remove impurities from the body, such as allergens and bad smells. (Arun SK)
Disadvantages-
Herbal soap-Herbal soap is created with natural components sourced from various herbs and plants. (Kareru PG) Herbal soap does not include synthetic colors, flavors, fluorides, or other additions.
Advantages
Ingredient Profile
Curry leaves-
Curry leaves, a fragrant botanical native from the Indian subcontinent, are frequently utilized in South Asian culinary arts. The incorporation of curry leaves in herbal soap provides a number of benefits due to its high concentration of bioactive substances such as antioxidants,
vitamins and essential oils (Jain) )
Botanical Name- Murraya koenigii
Family- Rutaceae
Fig.No. 1 – Curry leaves
Table No. 1- Curry leaves activity with its active phytoconstituent
Activity |
Active phytoconstituent |
Antioxidant activity |
Carbazole alkaloids |
Anti-inflammatory activity |
Carbazoles |
Antimicrobial & Antifungal activity |
Carbazoles, essential oil, flavonoids and phenolic compounds |
Skin brightening & tanning |
Carbazoles, vitamin C, Flavonoids and beta- carotene |
Tulsi- Tulsi is a cherished herb in Indian traditional medicine and considered a sacred plant in hindu culture (Singh, G) The presence of Tulsi in soap improves its capacity to purify, cleanse,
and repair skin. (Bhattacharyya, S.)
Botanical Name- Ocimum sanctum
Family- Lamiaceae
Fig.No. 2- Tulsi
Table No. 2- Tulsi activity with its active phytoconstituent
Activity |
Active phytoconstituent |
Antioxidant activity |
Rosmarinic acid & eugenol |
Antifungal activity |
Flavonoids & Urosolic acid |
Skin healing |
Tannins & eugenols |
Skin toning |
Rosmarinic acid & vitamin C |
Stress relief |
Eugenol & flavonoids |
Turmeric: Curcuma plant roots are used to make turmeric a bright yellow spice that is frequently used in traditional medicine and cosmetics. Turmeric, when used in soap, provides a natural way to improve skin health (Al-Dosary)
Botanical Name- Curcuma longa
Family- Zingiberaceae
Fig.No.3- Turmeric
Table No. 3- Turmeric activity with its active phytoconstituent
Activity |
Active phytoconstituent |
Antimicrobial activity |
Curcumin & desmethoxycurcumin |
Antimicrobial activity |
Curcumin & Bisdemethoxycurcumin |
Skin healing |
Curcumin |
Skin Detoxification |
Curcumin & turmerones |
Evens skintone |
Curcumin & bisdemethoxycurcumin |
Aloe vera-The succulent plant aloe vera is well-known for its thick, meaty leaves that contain a gel-like material that has several health and skin advantages. Aloe vera offers many skin benefits such as skin healing, moisturizing, repairs acne and healing etc. that’s the reason it is
used in soap. (Dweck)
Botanical name-Aloe barbadensis Miller.
Family- Asphodelaceae
Fig.No. 4- Aloe Vera
Table No. 4- Aloe Vera activity with its active phytoconstituent
Activity |
Active Phytoconstituent |
Moisturization |
Acemannan |
Soothing & Healing |
Glycomannan & Aloin |
Antioxidant Activity |
VitaminC (Ascorbic acids) &VitaminE (Tocopherol) |
Antimicrobial activity |
Aloin ,emodin, saponin |
Gentle cleansing |
Saponins |
Neem Oil- Neem oil is derived from the seeds of the Azadirachta indica plant, plus also named neem tree which is located near the subcontinent. It is frequently used as an addition within certain soap compositions are intended to heal skin issues or provide gentle natural treatment
(Kumar A)
Table No. 5- Neem oil activity with its active phytoconstituent
Activity |
Active Phytoconstituent |
Antimicrobial & Antiseptic activity |
Azadirachtin, Nimbidin, Nimbin Salannin & Meliantriol |
Anti-inflammatory activity |
Nimbidin, nimbin & salannin |
Moisturization &Skin nourishment |
Oleic acid, linoleic acid, tocopherols, salannin. |
Balancing oil |
Azadirachtin, nimbin & oleic acid |
Color &fragrance |
Oleic acid nimbidin |
CONCLUSION-
Herbal soap’s benefits extend beyond just cleansing; herbal soaps often possess additional therapeutic properties that can nourish, hydrate, and protect the skin. In this we made a soap using tulsi, aloe vera, turmeric and neem oil which possess many beneficial activities and are free of harmful substances. The ingredients used in this herbal sopa have many properties some of them are antibacterial, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity etc. These plants also help in giving moisturizing, cleansing, nourishing, and also prevents premature ageing. Further in vitro and invivo studies can be carried out for its safety and efficacy.
REFERENCES
Payal*, Munish Goyal, Nasira Abbasi, Sharandeep Kaur, Formulation and Evaluation of Herbal soap, Int. J. of Pharm. Sci., 2025, Vol 3, Issue 4, 9218-9222. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.15225582