I found this on another site and I have done some of these for a few years now. It's a long list, hope nobody minds. The list was started by someone name prairieannie and many others chimed in with their ingredient list.
"Let's list the things we've added to M&P soap. I'll start, and hopefully everyone will keep adding. This is for everyone, but especially newbies to the MP world who are wondering just what can be added.
Jojoba Oil - This is actually a wax rather than an oil. It's a very silky feeling addition to soaps!
Emu Oil - This oil tends to get very greasy in soap and not a lot is needed. It does have WONDERFUL properties and my research has shown that it doesn't take very much at all to provide these benefits! You may want to research it yourself.. I love using it and it goes in every batch I make.. but in small amounts! Approximately 1 T per pound of base at the most!
Avacado Oil Evening Primrose Oil TeaTree Oil
I use approximately 1 tablespoon per pound of base for the above additives. I've used more Tea Tree.. up to 2 tablespoons. Teatree is a very strong smelling oil which needs to be taken into consideration. It can get overpowering very quickly. ________________________
Coffee grounds - I use these wet, and don't use many.. they are VERY scratchy, even if they are wet. For a four pound batch I only use a few Tablespoons total.
Oatmeal - ground quite finely for use as an exfoliant. I also have used whole oats on the top of the loaf for aesthetics.
Honey - 2 Tablespoons per pound of soap
Goat Milk- I use 1/2 to 3/4 cup of fresh goat's milk per four pound batch of soap. You can start with 2 or 3 T per pound. Keep in mind that if you are adding liquid you may need to balance with hard oils or butters. If you don't have access to fresh, you can use powdered or canned. I don't dilute the canned at all, and I make the powdered extra strength! To reconstitute the powdered, use distilled water. (Put it in a gravy shaker and shake the soap out of it to get the lumps out! ) You can whisk the heck out of it too if you don't have a gravy shaker or a cup with a lid.
Cream- 2T per pound of base
Shea Butter 1 1/2 - 2T per pound of base depending on other liquids being added
Mango Butter 1 1/2 - 2T per pound of base depending on other liquids being added
Beeswax- 1-2 T per pound of base - This helps to make your bar nice and hard!
Cocoa Butter- same as shea and mango
Veggie glycerin - helps big time with lather and a little with bubbles
Liquid Soap - helps hugely with bubbles!
Peppermint Leaves- I sprinkle them on top.. Adding them in soap turns them dark black.. I think it looks cool, but it has to be the right kind of soap of course. I just sprinkle a tablespoon or two to my full batch of cooling soap and stir them in to suspend
Spearmint Leaves - Same as peppermint leaves
Calendula Petals- 1 or 2 T per pound of soap. They look cool in soap!
Chamomile - A T or so per pound of base.
Lavender Buds - Added to soap base these will turn black and your soap will look like it has mouse turds in it!! I sprinkle a few on top sometimes and it looks nice while holding some of it's color.
Herbal Teas: You can buy teabags and break one or two open into your soap.. suspend by stirring until soap begins to thicken and harden. Keep in mind that large pieces can be very scratchy.. I like to use mainly leaves. _______________________________________________________________________
yogurt powder- 1 or 2T to a lb ...it likes to clump up so i sift it over my cut up base then melt and stir alot
strawberry seeds..just a small amount goes a long way
vanilla bean seeds- gets expensive though _________________________________________________________________ Kelp or any seaweed - dried, from the health food store; added for aesthetics on top of sea scented soap
Cinnamon, ground - swirled throughout and more on top; made an awesome looking addition to a Halloween soap that was dyed orange
I've got a book by Marie Browning called 'Melt & Pour Soapmaking' that has tons of ideas, but it's too much to type out here. I do recommend the book if you're looking for one on m&p. ________________________________________________________________________ Ground orange peels Ground rose hips coffee powder Once I experminted with a caffine powder because I read that it was supposed to perk up the skin and refresh you. I think it was a dud. ______________________________________________________________________ I don't have time to do each of the additives I listed, but here are a few main additives and advantages:
Butters: most every butter I have ever used has been for it's moisturizing and softening properties, as well as to balance out the ratio of soft and hard oils in soap. This helps to keep the bar from being too soft. It is my personal belief that cocoa butter helps the most with making a hard bar if I don't want to add bees wax or stearic to make it even harder.
Honey is a wonderful natural humectant. This means that it can draw moisture in, and also retain moisture. It has been used for hundreds of years.. think Cleopatra's milk and honey baths!
Goat's milk just plain loves your skin. I'd say the same for creams, and milks. Very good nourishment for the skin... awesome label appeal as well!
The many different herbs that can be used will each have their own advantages, however, I'm not sure how well we can expect them to perform in soap.. For me the are usually added more for the aesthetic appeal, but of course, some of them will have beneficial properties regardless.. you may have to do a little research on the ones that interest you the most! __________________________________________________________________ Olive Oil - 1-3 tsp (or 1 tbs) per lb Gives extra moisturizing and is loaded with vitamins and minerals that you skin loves. Too much OO in your base will make it greasy so add sparingly.
Castor Oil - 1-3 tsp (or 1 tbs) per lb Adds great moisturizing to you soap skin. Your skin beads up with moisture if you use this in your soap. It also gives your base a super rich creamy lather.
Herbal Tea - 1/2 tsp per lb I simply open up a tea bag of herbal tea and add about 1/2 tsp to a lb of base. You can use any type of tea really. I like adding herbal tea to create an herbal spa type soap. Tea will provide texture, exfoliation, and an organic or 'green' appeal to your customers. My customers buy the herbal soaps 4-1 over the regular plain ones.
Oatmeal - 1 tbs per lb Oatmeal has natural skin soothing properties including anti-itch. I grind mine in short blasts in my blender. Its also a natural exfoliate and super gentle on your skin. I add it to my goat's milk soap with locally produced honey for an all natural OMH soap.
Lemon Esstential Oil - 1-2 tsp per lb Lemon EO is used for renewal and the fragrance is clean and natural and refreshing. I love using it to make my sugar scrub soaps. I sometimes add a small amount of Tea Tree oil to the base for its cleansing properties.
Lemon Peel - up to 1 tbs per lb Lemon is known for its ability to renew and rejuvenate. I love adding it to my soap. I've found 3 types so far:
1) Powdered Lemon Peel - found this at my local health food store. 2) Course Lemon Peel - use 1/2 to 1 tsp per lb. I use this a lot. Its a natural exfoliant and pairs nicely when adding lemon EO as your scent 3) Lemon Zest - I zest about 1/2 of a lemon for natural lemon zest. It works great in my soap and makes it smell heavenly while adding texture, and exfoliation
Turbinado Sugar - up to 1 tbs per lb Turbinado is the natural sugar you find in most health food stores. I even find it in the grocers as well. I use it create a sugar scrub soap. Because of its natural light brown color you will want to make soaps that compliment that. Be careful not to add too much sugar as it compromises the lather.
When I am making a lemon sugar scrub I sprinkle some T. sugar into my mold and pour my melted base over it.
Vitamin E Vitamin E is good for reducing the signs of aging and works nicely in your base. Its also a terrific selling point. You can use vitamin E capsules you get from the store if you don't have any from your soap suppliers.
Ground Cinnamon - 1-3 shakes Adds texture and eye appeal. My number #1 selling soap has ground cinnamon and ground nutmeg in it. Customers are drawn to the eye appeal of the ground spice.
Ground Nutmeg - 1-3 shakes See above. I also add ground cinnamon and nutmeg to my fall and holiday pumpkin soaps. Again, gives your soap texture and eye appeal.
Dried Basil & Parsley Flakes - 1/2 tsp per lb Gives your soap an herbal appeal and adds a nice texture to it. I added some dried basil flakes to my Tuscan Lace (Flickers) soaps and sold out on the first day.
Paprika - 1-3 shakes I like the color and it gives your soap a nice color variant and some added texture. Keep in mind that if you remelt the soap the paprika will color the base a reddish color. Best if added to a scent like pumpkin, gingerbread, etc. that compliments the color.
________________________________________________________________ rosemary camomile calendula cocoa powder poppy seeds pumpkin pie spice thyme ____________________________________________________________________ Salt for a salt bar FBB Silk powder Apricot Kernel Oil Green Tea Extract Nettle Extract Rosemary, yarrow, horsetail Home made Vanilla Infusion in jojoba Vanilla Stabiliser Australian Native Herbs, Sea Parsley, Wattleseed, Rosella Flowers, Lemon Myrtle Leaves, Saltbush Bee Propolis Aussie and French Clays, Ultramarines, oxides, pop colors, glitters, neon colors, lakes poppyseeds, luffa jojoba beads all colors sesame oil - gave it a strong smell
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