Teach Soap

I went outside of my comfort zone and began experimenting with brewed coffee to be added to my soap. Does anyone know if there is any added benefit to the soap. I also added coffee grinds too. I un-molded the soap this morning and noticed that some grinds had a weird "oil" ring around it. Is that normal? The soap didn't go through the gel phase.

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http://blissfulsoaps.wordpress.com/

I make a coffee soap with grounds as a kitchen soap, for getting garlic and other smells off your hands. Works well, and has a following

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Lesli Sagan
Avital's Apiaries
Like us: http://www.facebook.com/AvitalsApiaries

Those halos are from the moisture of the coffee grinds.

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

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

The caffeine may be beneficial. There are documented reports that caffeine, applied topically, causes 'dodgy' skin cells - the ones that could mutate - to go into apoptosis (cell suicide). Caffeine is well documented for use as a scalp tonic in shampoo, as is quinine.

Does the caffieine survie suponification? I have made some with coffee before and I have some coffee butter I want to use.

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Dawn

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

They have shown that caffeine in soap does penetrate the skin. I looked in to it a year ago because the bulk store I worked at sold "wake me up" caffeine soap. I was surprised that it does in fact wake you up! Just a few seconds on the skin was enough for dermal absorption.

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~~Heather~~
Mad [soaping] Scientist

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

I made coffee soap with the grounds and superfatted at 6% instead of my usual 7%. It works great for the mechanics also. In Wisconsin, their hands get so dry in the winter. Using pumice only takes off their skin and the commercial soap leaves their hands cracked. So they go around with black cracked hands. The coffee soap is lots more gentle and helps get out the grease with the grounds. I used crisco, coconut and castor in it. It stinks for about three weeks so expect that.

Is there any reason not to use dried grounds? If I made a pot of coffee in the morning and then allowed the grounds to dry, would that work or do they need to be moist?

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Haven

I've used them both ways with no problems.

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