Soap Makers Help!

You don't press down on CP soap--we were talking about rebatched soap.

Most commercial detergent bars that you buy in the store DO contain lard, it just isn't labeled as "lard." Ivory soap contains animal fats, for example. Look for an ingredient such as "sodium tallowate." In other words, saponified animal fat. I don't think there's anything wrong with animal-fat soaps, per se, but MP is right in that for most people reading an ingredients label, there is an "ick factor" there.

You actually don't have to list ingredients on the label as long as you don't make any claims about your soap other than that it cleans. True SOAP is exempt from FDA regulation . HOWEVER-- Once you refer to it as "moisturizing" or "exfoliating" or anything else, you've moved into the realm of cosmetics, with much stricter labeling laws. Most makers of handmade soaps DO list their ingredients, simply because people who buy handmade do so because of what they're made of.

The reason that "soap" (like Ivory, Lever, etc.) you buy at the store has an ingredients label is that it does NOT fit the FDA definition of "soap." (See above link.) The "soap" on the shelf at Wal*Mart is actually "detergent."
 
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I make it habit of labling my soaps and lotions because people want to know what is there. I don't fudge either. If I use lard I lable the animal fats. Many vegans won't use anything with bee products either. So, sometimes, I make a batch of lotion bars with carnuba oil just to have something to offer.

You are correct on the commerical 'soap'. They take out all the glycerin in manufacturing and instead sell bars of 'detergent'.
 
I label mine, too. I put darn good stuff in there, so I want people to know what they're getting!
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Lotions, you must label according to FDA guidelines, because that falls under "cosmetics." I don't sell any cosmetics, because I don't want to get into all the red tape, but it's something I'm considering doing in the future, because I do make my own moisturizers. But the reason I make my own is so I can have something with no preservatives...but I wouldn't feel comfortable selling a lotion with no preservatives, and I darn sure can't afford the lab testing you're supposed to have done if you're selling cosmetics. But I have sold whipped shea butter, without making any claims of it being a moisturizer...I HOPE that gets me around all the federal requirements.

When you start investigating all the ridiculous red tape involved in making/selling skin products, it gets overwhelming quickly. I'm still trying to figure out where lip balm falls in all this, because I make a DARN good lip balm, but I've never sold it because I'm thinking it's technically a "cosmetic." I have a great cuticle cream, too, that I just use for myself and my family for the same reason.
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oh yea... I am doing my first batch of soap right now. I am waiting for the lye and the oils to cool to the same temp... everyone....

safe to say cool to 95 degrees???

my oils that I used for the cucumber soap are.. (i did run it through a lye calc.)

canola oil
coconut oil
olive oil
crisco
avocado oil..

will be adding the cucmber ... before trace and coconut milk at trace...
 
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I cool it so they are around 95-100 degrees.


What is the % that you use to superfat/discount? Ive been using 5%. Im going to be moving it up to 7%.

Also, how long do you let them cure? Im letting mine cure for 9-10 weeks, because they are for christmas gifts.
 
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not sure how long to let cure.. but that sucker took over 30 min to trace.. I am guessing traced but I was ready to stop used 2 whole batteries on the drill.. (thanks for the tip) it was like almost a custard consistancy.. thicker than cake batter... almost inbetween.. it would hold a line dripped across it for about 20 seconds..

i used 5% in my soap calc... it really didnt heat up again is it supposed to heat up again to sponify? how hot does it get then.. I filled 2 pringles cans and ran out so used 2 more juice concentrate cans.. so a total of 4 different things.. then put all 4 in a cooler.. will this work for insulation??

moms always have to "pay" for taking time to do other things than mothering.. thinking that my darling son was taking a nap I decided to try this endevor of soap making.. to my demise.. he was not naping but he was trying to paint his own toes, foot, arm, carpet. ect.. and got a hold of two of my lipstick tubes.. did the same.. so hopefully as my newly made soap has a wonderfull time "sponifying" I will be cleaning..
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the joys of motherhood..
 
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here is the "simple" def. (lol). Trace is the point when the liquid, lye, and oils come together. it kinds of looks like pudding. When you drip some back into the batch, it leaves trailings on top. That is the point you can add your EO and FO and whatever else, and then pour into the mold.
 

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