# Sorbitol



## HuyNguyen (Jun 21, 2015)

Hello fellows,

I'm a newbie to this forum but I've been making soap for 5 years up to now.
Few months ago, I read a blog/test report or whatever we call about lather testing in CP with additives from Modern Soapmaking. (If you haven't read it yet, here it is: http://www.modernsoapmaking.com/lather-lovers-additive-testing/).

According to the blog, the combination of sorbitol and sodium citrate gives the best result. But from what I know, Sorbitol is a type of sugar, an alcohol sugar (?) and sugar boosts the lather as well as sodium citrate. On the other hand, sorbitol someway works like glycerin means it sure is a humectant-ish also.

Now is my question. Have you guys ever tested or added sorbitol to your CP soaps? I did, and I feel a little hummm humid on my soap. It's like sorbitol is drawing water from the air to the soap. I looked up in the Internet for the information. Some articles say sorbitol is an moistrurizer, some says it's like glycerin and can be use to replace glycerin in cosmetics since sorbitol is less expensive. I'm kinda confused about this.

Can you share some of your experience with sorbitol in CP soap?

I use 5% of sorbitol in my CP along with 3% of sodium citrate as recommended in the blog above.

Thank you in advance!


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## not_ally (Jun 21, 2015)

Kind of interesting.  It would have been awesome if that study had included some of the results of the feel in use of the ingredients as well as (solely) lather, but I guess that would have made it a massive reporting job, she did a huge amt of work as it is.  I'm interested in this as well, although it looks like almost all of them produced enough lather to get the job done.  For those who are interested in seeing the pics:  

https://www.flickr.com/photos/amathiasoapworks/sets/72157629324839760/


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## cmzaha (Jun 21, 2015)

Can't help you out there, I only use it in my m&p along with glycerin. I find it more expensive than glycerin, please let me know where you purchase sorbitol. Interesting, I find my m&p sweats less when using sorbitol versus sugar for part of the solvents


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## mintle (Jun 21, 2015)

I use sorbitol regularly after reading lather lovers report  I add 5% just like you do, without sodium citrate (calculated on the basis of weight of oils). I never noticed any stickinness or anything strange about the soap apart from really nice lather and bubbles. However, to be honest, I get almost similar results with 5% of icing/powder sugar. And totally comparable results if I use beer as a liquid in my soap (at the cost of a darker soap, however). 
The downside with the sugar is that the lye water sometimes gets yellowish if I do not pay attention to temps (and I think it may cause a more yellowish soap, too), which has never happened to me with sorbitol. And sorbitol is easier to use.


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## PapsSoaper (Oct 13, 2021)

When do you add sorbitol.. is it to the distilled water before adding the lye or in the oil? Ps. I have liquid sorbitol


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## ResolvableOwl (Oct 13, 2021)

Solid sorbitol – dissolve in water _before_ adding lye. Just like about any water-soluble additive.
Pre-made sorbitol syrup (“liquid sorbitol”) – stir into lye water at some point, timing isn't important.


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## PapsSoaper (Dec 5, 2021)

HuyNguyen said:


> Hello fellows,
> 
> I'm a newbie to this forum but I've been making soap for 5 years up to now.
> Few months ago, I read a blog/test report or whatever we call about lather testing in CP with additives from Modern Soapmaking. (If you haven't read it yet, here it is: http://www.modernsoapmaking.com/lather-lovers-additive-testing/).
> ...


Hmmm so added 5% sorbitol to my lye solution and made a mint soap and a orange patchouli soap. Both having same percentage of oil n butters. The Patchouli soap took some time to harden. And yes i did find the soaps sweating after 4 wks cure... Mint soap was ok after 6 wks... Patchouli was still sweating a bit... I added sodium lactate as well...


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