Teach Soap

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Linda
I know the voices in my head aren't real, but they sure have some great ideas!

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Linda
I know the voices in my head aren't real, but they sure have some great ideas!

The shea butter soap listed at the beginning of this forum has lard and it is wonderful!!

If I buy lard loosely wrapped at the local ethnic market, the soap stinks. If I buy it from a regular grocery store in a box it doesn't.

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Irena
Closed minds are like faulty parachutes; they refuse to open.

LOL - too funny about the stink issue w/lard. I've actually even noticed a soap-y smell with my veg soaps I don't necessarily care for (but I am WAY more sensitive to smells than a lot of ppl too). I think it's the palm oil when I use it at a high percentage. I know soap should smell like soap but ...

Karri

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I soap therefore I am.

Anita you're a woman after my own heart!

I am notorious for using up all the hot water which I realize isn't good for my skin but I can't help it! LOL.

Definitely didn't mean "soap is soap" in terms of the syn-det bars at the store (now I wouldn't even dream of buying them!). But more that a (well formulated/carefully crafted) "handmade soap is handmade soap" and that, like you say, whether you go exotic or not, it's still amazing!

Aaaand, we have something else in common because I am starting to feel that nothing can replace cocoa butter in bath and body products. It's just so wonderful in so many ways!

Thanks so so much for your in depth reply. This has possibly been the most educational thread to date in my soaping adventures!
Karri

PS: I'm in Alberta where the local culture isn't all that different from yours ... I highly doubt most people around here would care if a soap was made of lard or tallow not. Of course, there are always exceptions.

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I soap therefore I am.

interesting topic - I have thought the same thing. New to soaping and have been using pretty much, olive, coconut, palm and shea or apricot kernal or canola. Then after thinking bout that 10.50 for a lb. of shea - thought probably better use would be lotion or butter. I have been doing 5% only I thought more would be too soft.... ?? I did read canola oil was good for substituting some of the more expensive olive, but that canola takes longer to saponify. I have been letting soap cure for 8 weeks cause I keep reading it produces a longer lasting harder bar. But so far, if I tell someone I am making handmade soap using lye and goats milk - I get the "oh lye is really harsh" response. sigh....... But I have also seen online beautiful!! bars with elaborate captions of tropical islands, sea breezes, and blue skies - but bottom line the ingredients were olive, coconut, palm and fragrance..... ^^ ish lol - it was all in the pen....

Noahsoak
I don't even have the lye conversation anymore. You can't have soap with out lye, and that's just the fact. If someone doesn't want to believe you, or wants to argue, I just smile, and ask them if they'd like a sample to try for themself, more often than not, the do. If I'm lucky they come back for a full bar : )

I use canola, in almost all my batches. I love the qualities it brings. Some people don't use it because it's "cheap" lol Some people don't use it because they say it can go rancid. It takes longer to trace, that's for sure. I believe that if you have a good trace with canola, you're just fine. I've read that you can use it up to 30% or more of you batch, but I wouldn't use it any more than 15%, and some would suggest even a smaller amount. It does lead to a soft, sticky bar at larger amounts. I've only had DOS in 2 batches, and those were both batches that accelerated so quickly, I'm sure I had loose oils sitting around.
I also use shea, and I love it. However, it goes into my HP batches after the cook so I know that's what my bars are superfatted with.

My soap contains very simple oil content... olive oil and coconut oil. Keeps costs down that way. I have sensitive skin (and eczema that rears it's ugly head on occasion) and this soap has been just fine for me, even without the luxury oils.

EDIT: Though I must say, I might start adding castor oil for a better lather, and I've designed a recipe that would help cut costs and be more conditioning, but whether or not I experiment with that yet... not sure.

yep - I'm new - what does DOS mean? ^^