# adding oils and butters



## SiberianSF (Mar 3, 2009)

What is your favorite thing to add to bases? Shea butter? Jojoba? Several at a time?

Has anyone tried anything more exotic?


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## topcat (Mar 3, 2009)

Hi SiberianSF!  I like shea, mango and cocoa butters.  Also sweet almond oil, coconut oil and rice bran oil.  Read up on what each oil/butter can do for your skin and decide which you like the sound of, then try them!  I have found that I can add up to 1 Tablespoon of oil or butter per pound of base (500gm).  Much more and you will have decreased lather in the finished product.  I don't usually combine them, only because I am adding so little, so I create a soap called, for example, "coffee & cream" and add cocoa butter.....

Tanya


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## SiberianSF (Mar 3, 2009)

Tanya, thanks, I will start my research there 

Now, another question, I have read that some people would add Dr. Bronner's Liquid Castile soap to their mp in order to increase decreased (due to oils) bubbles. 

Do you think that's a good idea?


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## topcat (Mar 3, 2009)

Ahh....haven't heard of doing that!  I do know that the more product you add to your base, the more soft it will become.  I have added liquid glycerine occasionally to increase bubbles, but only about 1 tsp per pound.  I suppose the liquid soap will do something similar?  I only add up to 1 Tablespoon of water based additive per pound, so try adding *up to* that much? :? 

Tanya


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## pepperi27 (Mar 4, 2009)

I have heard of people adding liquid soap to the base to increase lather not sure if it works though. I have added sao/jojoba oil or oo/sao. Jojoba oil is good in clear bases because its actually a liquid wax and therefore makes the soap a bit more harder. I also add Olive oil to opaque bases to make it harder as well. No one believes me that it works but I found a test batch of mp soap from wow three years ago and it still lathers and is dry not slimmy or anything!


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## SiberianSF (Mar 4, 2009)

So I got some shea butter yesterday. But I got it in the jar, from the cosmetic isle in the health food store. Supposedly it is 100% shea without additives.  Would you use that? Or do I need some kind of other shea?


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## topcat (Mar 4, 2009)

If it is 100% shea then it should be fine....it may be a more expensive version that the stuff you can buy in greater bulk from soaping suppliers is all.

Tanya


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## SiberianSF (Mar 4, 2009)

Oh yeah, it was  "steal" of $10 for a small jar   

But I just HAD to have shea that night....  

I do plan to order bulk, but I saw there is different kinds. Should I get refined,l or unrefined?


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## topcat (Mar 4, 2009)

It depends on your intended use and your personal preference.  Many swear by unrefined for leave-on products....I use refined in my soap, mostly because my main supplier of all things soapy only stocks refined.  I will try the unrefined one day - probably in a body butter to start with. 

My refined has been processed without using any chemicals, using diatomaceous earth to remove impurities and colour and then steam injection to remove odour.....that is what some people object to in the unrefined shea - a bitter, sharp odour.  Haven't smelled it myself yet.

Tanya


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## SiberianSF (Mar 4, 2009)

Hmm... I think I like the sound of refined better  

Btw, I like your name. Is it common where you live, or are you Russian?


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## topcat (Mar 4, 2009)

Not really common, and I was named after Shakespeare's Titania from Midsummer Nights Dream....it is pronounced as if spelled with an 'r' - so 'Tarnya' :wink: 

Tanya


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