The production of coconut oil produces a by-product called blondo that is not used by producers anymore. Blondo turns out to have quite a lot of coconut oil substance. Coconut oil is not only for cooking but it can be used for beauty skin care products such as soap, creams and lotions.
Coconut oil can be used for moisturizing dry skin, treating skin infections, preventing exfoliation, preventing wrinkles, and even tightening the skin. While blondo as one of vegetable proteins which also functions as protein synthesis. It has the potential to boost protein in supplying nutrition that will moisturize and cover the skin for smoother and supple skin.
Abundance unused blondo has given the idea for Bhagavad Gita from Chemistry study program, Afif Oktavia Putri Sakti from Physics Education study program, and Bagas Isdiyantara Putra from Biology study under the guidance of Ratnawati, M.Sc.; to utilize blondo as a natural skincare soap.
Bhagavad Gita explained that the fatty acids produced from blondo and alkali in the form of sodium hydroxide (NaOH) with antibacterial additives derived from patikan kebo(euphorbia hirta) were able to become solid soap formulations. With the cold process method, it took two to four weeks to pass the saponification process so that solid soap is produced which is ready to use.
"Our research includes making extracts of patikan kebo leaves, then making soap from coconut oil refining waste, followed by standardization of solid soap SNI: 3532: 2016. After that, an antibacterial activity test was carried out with the Kirby Bauer method,” Gita explained further.
Gita added, from the SNI Test, all soaps had fulfilled the requirements for total fat which was above the minimum value. The soap also had value on ethanol insoluble material, non-soaped fat and also free fatty acids below the maximum value. The reaserch also confirmed that optimal concentration of patikan kebo leaf extract for use as an additive to soap is 2%. (witono)
