Formulation and Acceptability of Philippine Catmon Soap Sheets

Abstract: Soap sheets represent an innovative advancement in personal hygiene products because they provide convenience, portability, and efficient cleansing. This experimental-developmental study developed and evaluated a portable soap sheet formulated with Philippine Catmon (Dillenia philippinensis) extract, a locally sourced natural ingredient for hygiene use. Specifically, the study determined the sensory qualities, general acceptability, and effectiveness of the soap sheets and tested whether significant differences existed among three treatments with varying concentrations of Catmon extract: Treatment A (50 mL), Treatment B (75 mL), and Treatment C (100 mL), while glycerin, clean cotton scent, and foam booster were held constant. The products were evaluated by 100 evaluators composed of cosmetology teachers, students, and consumers using a researcher-made five-point Likert evaluation sheet. Data were analyzed using descriptive means and Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) at the 0.05 level of significance. Results showed that all treatments had an appealing appearance, fine texture, and very foamy consistency, while Treatment C had the most pleasant scent and obtained the highest mean for general acceptability. All treatments were effective in providing smoothing and moisturizing effects, with Treatment C showing the best overall performance, particularly in moisturizing. Statistical results indicated no significant differences among treatments in sensory qualities and in the measured effectiveness attributes. The study concluded that Philippine Catmon extract is a viable ingredient in soap sheet formulation and that higher extract concentration can enhance product performance without compromising acceptability.

Keywords: Soap Sheets, Herbal Soap, Product Acceptability, Natural Products