# Coconut liquid soap so thin



## biarine (Jun 9, 2017)

I am not expert in liquid soap still a newbie and I love liquid soap in my cleaning but my problem is the more higher coconut oil the soap is so thin and won't thicken. Any suggestions? Thank you for the help.


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## DeeAnna (Jun 9, 2017)

Oleic acid is the star for making thicker liquid (KOH) soap just by careful dilution and also by the optional addition of table salt (NaCl) -- although adding salt can cut the lather, so use it with care. 

Coconut oil has very little oleic acid, so its nature is to make a thin liquid soap that cannot be thickened by adding salt. If you want it to be thicker, you will need to look at adding a separate thickener that works independently of the fatty acid composition of the soap. 

I have not used thickeners in liquid soap, so I can't help you much on this. Faith Gratz Oriold has shared info about thickeners -- she has a blog (http://alaiynab.blogspot.com/) and also has posted in the past here on SMF.


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## biarine (Jun 9, 2017)

Than you DeeAnna, I did used Crothix before but it doesn't work. Anyway I like the cleaning power just except of thin.


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## DeeAnna (Jun 9, 2017)

I don't think Faith uses Crothix either, although I'm pretty sure she's tried it a time or two. Read her tutorials on using HEC, HPMC, etc.


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## biarine (Jun 9, 2017)

Thank you, I don't either it's very temperamental sometimes it works and sometimes it does. It depends on the oil that  I used if coconut oil is higher and isn't working.


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## Seawolfe (Jun 9, 2017)

Did you use glycerin? I use glycerin for almost all of the water in my 100% CO liquid soap (I subtract just enough water to dissolve my citric acid and sugar - if you aren't using those you don't need to). This LS is still thin, but better than with all water.


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## biarine (Jun 9, 2017)

Thank you. I didn't I am still newbie in liquid soap making. I am still nervous using glycerin and water. I will use glycerin and water on my next batch. How it goes? More thicker than just water?



Seawolfe said:


> Did you use glycerin? I use glycerin for almost all of the water in my 100% CO liquid soap (I subtract just enough water to dissolve my citric acid and sugar - if you aren't using those you don't need to). This LS is still thin, but better than with all water.[/
> 
> 
> 
> ...


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## DeeAnna (Jun 9, 2017)

Don't be nervous. If you are comfortable dissolving KOH in water, then using glycerin for part of the water is easy and simple.

Dissolve the KOH in at least an equal weight of water. You can use more water than that, but you should not use less because the KOH will not fully dissolve in less water. Then add glycerin until the total weight of glycerin + water is equal to the "water" weight for your recipe. You can add the glycerin to the KOH solution or you can add the glycerin to the fats. Either way works fine.


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## Saranac (Jun 9, 2017)

biarine said:


> I love liquid soap in my cleaning but my problem is the more higher coconut oil the soap is so thin and won't thicken.



Personally, if I were making 100% coconut oil soap just for cleaning, I'd leave the glycerin out and just use the watery soap.

You might try reformulating and adding some high-oleic oil.  With careful dilution and a bit of salt, you might end up with a thicker product.


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## DeeAnna (Jun 9, 2017)

Or don't dilute the soap paste -- just smear a bit of paste directly on your wet cleaning cloth or scrub pad and go to work. Susie does this with her soap paste. She also buys those large sized lip-balm-style tubes and puts soap paste in them and keeps one in her purse. It's handy to carry for washing up in a public restroom.


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## cmzaha (Jun 9, 2017)

I use Hydroxypropoyl Methlcellulose (HPMC) from Lotion Crafter or Modified HE-Cellulose from Making Cosmetics.com. I find the Modified Cellulose is easier. Your can propably buy it other places but that is just where I purchased it. If you have some diluted to thin you can cook off the extra water, just keep an eye on it for boiling over or cooking down to thick


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## biarine (Jun 9, 2017)

DeeAnna said:


> Or don't dilute the soap paste -- just smear a bit of paste directly on your wet cleaning cloth or scrub pad and go to work. Susie does this with her soap paste. She also buys those large sized lip-balm-style tubes and puts soap paste in them and keeps one in her purse. It's handy to carry for washing up in a public restroom.




That's s very good idea because I don't like a public restroom soap.



cmzaha said:


> I use Hydroxypropoyl Methlcellulose (HPMC) from Lotion Crafter or Modified HE-Cellulose from Making Cosmetics.com. I find the Modified Cellulose is easier. Your can propably buy it other places but that is just where I purchased it. If you have some diluted to thin you can cook off the extra water, just keep an eye on it for boiling over or cooking down to thick




Thank you very much, all the advice is very helpful for a newbie like me.


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## Susie (Jun 9, 2017)

That thin liquid soap does dandy in a spray bottle...just sayin.

But mostly I just use the paste.  I keep a smallish amount in a small tub by the kitchen sink, and one in the bathroom.  Dip the cloth or brush in and get a dab, then use as is.


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## BattleGnome (Jun 9, 2017)

biarine said:


> That's s very good idea because I don't like a public restroom soap.



I'll note that a regular lip balm tube is the right size for my recipe, if you don't have the proper tubes and want to play now. The only issue is that I occasionally have to stop myself from soaping my lips when I reach for my balm. Different label types/placement helps with that.


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## biarine (Jun 10, 2017)

Susie said:


> That thin liquid soap does dandy in a spray bottle...just sayin.
> 
> 
> 
> But mostly I just use the paste.  I keep a smallish amount in a small tub by the kitchen sink, and one in the bathroom.  Dip the cloth or brush in and get a dab, then use as is.




I will try that Susie, I been using spray bottle. Thank you.



BattleGnome said:


> I'll note that a regular lip balm tube is the right size for my recipe, if you don't have the proper tubes and want to play now. The only issue is that I occasionally have to stop myself from soaping my lips when I reach for my balm. Different label types/placement helps with that.




I got a lot of lip balm tubes I never throw them. I will try use them when I am out and use the restroom.


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## DeeAnna (Jun 10, 2017)

Just use your fingers or a chopstick and pack the soap paste into the tube. It's a little crude, but it works.


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## biarine (Jun 10, 2017)

DeeAnna said:


> Just use your fingers or a chopstick and pack the soap paste into the tube. It's a little crude, but it works.




Yes can be beneficial for me if I use restroom. I don't like soap in public toilets.


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## Susie (Jun 10, 2017)

I am allergic to the soap in public restrooms, that is why I started making the paste that I put into tubes.


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## biarine (Jun 10, 2017)

Susie said:


> I am allergic to the soap in public restrooms, that is why I started making the paste that I put into tubes.




Me too. My hand become dry, itchy and flaky.


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