Teach Soap

Ok so I was looking around at soap porn which I do almost daily- LOL and noticed a ton of MP soapers saying things like:
I added Sugar, Castor Oil (for bubbles), Fresh Milk (yikes), etc...

The only thing I ever add is a little oil like Avocado or whatever. So maybe it will deposit onto the skin- though BB bases don't really need it.

Anyway, being a CP/HP soaper- I always thought saponification was needed for oils like Castor for bubbles.

Does Castor actually create bubbles in MP soap and what is sugar supposed to do?

Forgive me if this is a stupid question but I was just curious to find out if these things actually lend anything to MP soap. I just don't see the point of adding anything to MP if you are using a quality base which according to ingredients on listings many MP'ers were using SFIC/BB bases already...Am I wrong here?

TIA

It's my understanding that castor and stuff like that wont do much, but adding sugar/salt/pumice will make a scrubby soap. M&P doesn't really need anything added to it, especially if you're using a good quality base.

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~Krystal~
Sweet Destiny Candle Company

Castor needs to saponify in order to create bubbles. Since MP soap is already a soap, castor won't add bubbles. Fresh milk will go rancid in MP soap. I would think adding sugar would make it sticky. It won't add bubbles either. MP bases are best used as is. Just add color and fragrance.

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

Label appeal is probably the big reason as people love the sound of Shea butter, etc. I finally got my order in to BB for some MP bases, including their sampler. Can't wait!

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Linda

I learn so much when I can't leave well enough alone!

I add stuff to my MP all the time. The key is that you can only add 1 T per pound of oils/butters otherwise the soap will be soft. I often add shea butter, and adding exfoliants is popular too (poppy seeds, ground walnut shells, pumice, etc.). I do notice that when I add an extra moisturizer that there is a noticeable difference to how my skin feels. Is it necessary? Of course not, the soap base is great on it's own. Does it add an extra selling point? Yes, and I often have people ask for it.

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~Krystal~
Sweet Destiny Candle Company

Maybe this is taking it off topic, but I've heard the reason why some people prefer sugar scrubs over salt scrubs is because salt will sting if it gets on a cut or scratch and sugar won't. (Think shaving nick or something.)

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

Yep, seen a lot of MP sellers on Etsy who claim that their soap has added castor oil or sugar for bubbles, beeswax or salt to make a harder bar or even describe their soaps as cold process when the ingredient list is clearly for MP. I remember reading a while back a product description by a popular MPer on Etsy who claims "with a special blend of oils for a harder, longer lasting bar with lots of lather". I checked later and it seems like that person stopped including that part in her product descriptions. The thing is, her soaps are gorgeous and sound like she does make unique fragrance blends. But come on people, using the LCP (like cold process) bases doesn't make your MP soap CP. If you make MP, then say so. Don't make your products seem like what they're not. I know that some people do clever wording for label appeal but I'm an MPer and this just irritates me. The problem is when some customer is gullible enough or not familiar enough with handmade soaps to know the difference.

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Armi

I agree w/ you Armygrl, soap makers that aren't upfront about what they're making give the rest of us a bad name. As to what customers are or aren't familiar with - I rarely have anyone ask what kind of soap it is. I'm not trying to hide what I'm making, or somehow disguise my soap to be something it's not! Not at all. But all the same, it seems like to most people soap is soap. And they don't really care what process or method you used to make it nor do they understand the difference. Does it look nice, does it smell good, does it do the job? That's all they want to know. Only once in a blue moon do I have someone ask about the process, and when they do it's usually because either they dabbled in soap making themselves or they used to (or they want to, but haven't tried yet).

Hi Ariagirl77! Yes, you got that right! I don't know why some MPers feel the need to mislead. Either they're ashamed of the fact that they make MP and/or misinformed or uneducated about what different additives do in their MP soap.

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Armi

I don't get it either. If you're ashamed of what you do, then don't do it! lol

Personally, I just see it as two completely different artistic mediums - you can do things with one that you can't do with the other, and that's pretty much that! Both are still going to be better than factory produced soap!