Soap Makers Help!

[Backyard Buddies]

Thanks so much, MullersLaneFarm, for your extensive answers to my questions! I enjoy the learning process of this and love knowing WHY something is one way or another. I have a lot of reading to do and I look forward to it. Thanks!

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There are no secrets in making soap, just knowledge. When I started soaping 10 years ago, the lady that mentored me told me she was more than willing to help IF I would continue to 'pay forward'. In other words, help anyone that asked for help. That is all I ask from anyone I help.

Now, I like that paying forward stuff. This is what I do with my genealogy hobby. I love helping others and passing on knowledge, sharing my research, etc. The similarity in the two is that often people like to hold on to their recipes/research and not share. Recognizing that is what I meant my not passing along trade secrets.

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Thanks! Now I know what I'll be reading today! I look forward to being educated.

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OK, I'll give it a try and compare the two soaps. Plus, there's the added benefit of avoiding palm and some of the issues surrounding its production.

Are there any other oils you'd recommend adding to my soaping pantry?

I remember when the 'buzz' started about castor oil increasing the lathering ... if you look far enough back on the Tallow_Soapers messages, you'll find it. I felt then and still feel that it was the combination of oils used that changed the feel of the lather.

Thanks for the explanation. I like the feel of the castor on the soap (at least that's what I *think* that I like) so for now I'll be keeping it in. But, once I learn to tweak these recipes some, I'll see what happens when I leave it out and add other oils and such.​

 

[Backyard Buddies]

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The Man Bar is one of the recipes that Dirk & Tina (of MMS) have on their site

My hubby is bugging me to make him a shaving soap.

Besides adding clay for a bit of slip, boost the Stearic FA in your shaving soap by adding about 3-5% Stearic Acid. Caution though, it will move your soap very, very Quickly!! (expect and plan on 'soap on a stick'). Use full water in your recipe, especially if you're adding clay (what type of clay?)

The reason for the additional stearic fa is to stabilize the lather, meaning the bubbles don't break down quickly.​

I'll go looking for the Man Bar today. I just love the title of it alone.

The clay that I purchased was Bentonite because that's what I found recommended in most of the shaving soap recipes that I found on the Net. Did I get the right thing? The recommendation is 1 T clay to 1 lb. of oils.

Can I buy Stearic Acid locally? Also, I notice that it's source is largely animal based. In order to stick to vegetarian sources (for those who prefer it) can one boost the Stearic Acids by adding cocoa butter?

 

[MullersLaneFarm]

Bentonite because that's what I found recommended in most of the shaving soap recipes

I used bentonite also at first. Some clays are more drying, some less so. koalin is one I ended up using the most. There's a green clay that is wonderful for a mask for oily skin.

Can I buy Stearic Acid locally? Also, I notice that it's source is largely animal based.

There is vegetable stearic available. Check Brambleberry.com or thesage.com or snowdriftfarm.com They're all out west.

Stearic acid is 99% stearic fatty acid, compared with cocoa butter which is only 33%.

Illipe Butter 43.5%
Mango 42%
Mango Butter 41.5%
Sal Butter 41%
Shea Butter 40%
Cocoa Butter 33%
Beef Tallow 21.8%

I like the feel of the castor on the soap (at least that's what I *think* that I like)

What I did when I was about 6 months into soaping and had switched from lard to palm and didn't like the results was to do 1-oil recipes & recorded the results from each. Then I combined equal parts of 2 oils, then 60/40, 70/30 of two oils, then added a 3rd oil and played with the percentages, et al

It took me about a year to play around with so many combinations and what I found was the simplist (and usually least expensive) oils made the best soaps. I use 5 oils for my soaps and 1 of them (the most expensive oil) is there simply for label appeal - it doesn't add anything to the final soap!

If you google around, there are some results of single oil soap results on the net.​

 

[Scrambled Egg]

I'll go looking for the Man Bar today. I just love the title of it alone.

I know that's soap but it did give me a flashback to younger..more SINGLE days, lol!!!

 

[chiknwhisperer]

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I know that's soap but it did give me a flashback to younger..more SINGLE days, lol!!!

Thats to funny.

 

[Backyard Buddies]

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I know that's soap but it did give me a flashback to younger..more SINGLE days, lol!!!

Thats to funny.

Should I have said I'd go trolling for the Man Bar, instead?

I'll never look at soap the same way again!

 

[Backyard Buddies]

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I had also considered buying Kaolin as I saw it mentioned as well, although far less often. They're inexpensive enough that it'll be worth ordering some Kaolin and Green Clay at a later time. Personally, I don't like the clays in soap as I find them more drying, which is what you want with oily skin. I imagine it would be nice in an acne bar. (Did you go to one of those, too, Scrambled?

)

There is vegetable stearic available. Check Brambleberry.com or thesage.com or snowdriftfarm.com They're all out west.

Thanks for all the Stearic Acid info. After looking around some more, I found that as well. When I place my next order, I'll add some to my list.

What I did when I was about 6 months into soaping and had switched from lard to palm and didn't like the results was to do 1-oil recipes & recorded the results from each. Then I combined equal parts of 2 oils, then 60/40, 70/30 of two oils, then added a 3rd oil and played with the percentages, et al

It took me about a year to play around with so many combinations and what I found was the simplist (and usually least expensive) oils made the best soaps. I use 5 oils for my soaps and 1 of them (the most expensive oil) is there simply for label appeal - it doesn't add anything to the final soap!

If you google around, there are some results of single oil soap results on the net.

Wow! That's a lot of work but it sounds like it's worked really well to play around with this and find out exactly what works for you. I'll check out the Net info and see what I learn. Thanks!​

 

[MullersLaneFarm]

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Thanks for your help

I am going to register my business on Tuesday

DH picked the name for it. Grand Kankakee Soap Co.
What do ya'll think? I like it......I think one of the biggest factors in going ahead with the business decsion is that my brother in law just loved the soaps I sent him home with and was amazed at the fact that I was making it from scratch. He just thought that was the neatest thing. Makes me blush lol

I love it that your bil loved your soaps. My DH (love of my life) although supports anything I choose to do, usually says about my soap scents, "Smells like soap." Though got to admit he really sat up and took notice of my Pepper Zest (combination of Sweet Orange, Lemon Grass & Lime EO with just a touch of Black Pepper EO)

DH used to live in Kankakee IL in a tipi for about 18 months, eons ago! (70's)

But back to the template. Kat (aka Remclave) no longer has her website for her soaps, (found out she took the same 12-step soaping program I did and is also in the world of fiber arts of knitting, crocheting and spinning her own yarn). But she did leave up a site with her downloads, including the word document for making soap label templates:

http://www.soulgazersundries.com/

 

[chiknwhisperer]

Oh thank you so much for that link!!!

That will help me so much. Thank you thank you thank you.

 

[Scrambled Egg]

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Thats to funny.

Should I have said I'd go trolling for the Man Bar, instead?

I'll never look at soap the same way again!

ROTFLMBO!!!! Just wait until until you see my first batches, soap will be seen in alot of new lights!!! lol!!! What a "bubbly" bunch you are!! I hope to have all stuff gathered up next weekend, lye included and maybe get to work on that first batch! You need some comic relief anyway so my learning will provide you that for awhile..well, hopefully for a while, who knows I could be horribly soap challenged forever, lol!!! Andnow that you have me thinking about soap pottery dishes...hmmm...maybe chicken or egg shaped......lol!