# Newbie Poser: my soap is too harsh!



## kaelsidhe (Feb 20, 2017)

Yes I'm a poser.  I didn't actually make my liquid soap base.  For now I'm just trying to shortcut and create a simple foaming liquid with some E/O fragrances that I love.  So I bought a liquid foaming hand soap base and researched soap safe E/Os and mixing and coloring techniques.  My blend is clear, and consistency and fragrance is great.  My problem is that my soap works too well and it's harsh and drying!

I've been doing some reading and it seems that I might need some kind of oil or fat and I'm guessing it could be added before I add the E/O.  But before I go experimenting I thought I'd ask some experts for advice.  Obviously the chosen method/additive would have to be odorless so as not to compete with the E/O.

ANY help or advice would be most welcome!
Thanks in advance, 

If it matters, this is what I used for my base...
http://www.bulkapothecary.com/produ...ented-bases/unscented-foaming-hand-soap-base/


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## Susie (Feb 20, 2017)

That "soap" is full of synthetic detergents.  Adding oil is not going to help it.


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## DeeAnna (Feb 20, 2017)

The product isn't true soap, even though I know WSP calls it soap ... it's really a synthetic detergent (syndet) blend. 

Do you happen to know if you are sensitive to any of the first three detergents in this base? If you've used other products with one or more of these syndets and your skin doesn't do well, then maybe this product isn't for you either.

Here's a link to Susan's Swift Crafty Monkey blog. She's got tons of info about syndets. For example see these posts about the first two detergents in your product: http://swiftcraftymonkey.blogspot.ca/search?q=Ammonium+Lauryl+Sulfate

Ingredients from the website: Purified Water, Ammonium Lauryl Sulfate, Ammonium Laureth Sulfate, Lauramide DEA, Lauryl Glucoside, Ammonium Xylene Sulfonate, Citric Acid, Propylene Glycol, Diazolidinyl Urea, Methylparaben, Propylparaben, Sodium Chloride, Aloe Vera Gel, Argan Oil, Avacado Oil, Coconut Oil, EDTA


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## Arimara (Feb 20, 2017)

If you want to make a foaming soap that would be miles better than what you bought, you would first have to learn how to make a liquid soap paste. The real question is- do you WANT to go through the steps?


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## Susie (Feb 20, 2017)

Making liquid soap from scratch is easy, fast, and convenient.  Truly.


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## IrishLass (Feb 21, 2017)

Susie said:


> Making liquid soap from scratch is easy, fast, and convenient. Truly.


 
Very true! If I would've known how easy, I would not have waited so long to start making it. 


IrishLass


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## kaelsidhe (Feb 21, 2017)

Thank you all for the advice.  I guess I will call this batch a lost cause and move on to making my own.  I would have probably ended up there eventually anyway.

I will start reading up on making liquid soap paste!

Thanks again!


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## Susie (Feb 21, 2017)

Go to post # 8 of this:

http://www.soapmakingforum.com/showthread.php?t=46114

Awesome, awesome liquid soap.  My favorite recipe.


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## dingi (Feb 26, 2017)

Susie said:


> That "soap" is full of synthetic detergents.  Adding oil is not going to help it.



The very purpose of me joining and learning from this forum especially from the posts of Irish Lash, Susie and Dee Anna, is to completely avoid synthetic detergents including chemicals like SLS SLES etc...
After soap is formed from KOH + Oils, no more harsh chemicals are left in final product, provided KOH is calculated properly,  is what I have learned from other sources also of LS making process from scratch.


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## Susie (Feb 27, 2017)

Liquid soap, even when made properly, can be drying.  Don't be surprised when you end up with a less than ideal soap.  IrishLass has some awesome recipes for liquid soap.  Just enter her name in the search bar, and then look up her posts on liquid soap.


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