# Adding Oatmeal and Honey



## lunchlady2009 (Feb 21, 2009)

I made my first batch of soap using a simple recipe with olive oil, sunflower, canola, and lard (no coloring or fragrance). I have yet to find coconut oil where I live. I'm just making soap for me and family and friends, more as a hobby/gifts than anything else. My question is, can I use these oils and add other things like oatmeal and/or honey or do I need different oils for this. I also have buttermilk powder. Could I use this? I don't have the money to buy more oils, but have enough of the above oils and I want to make more soap. I was just wandering if I could use what I have and make variations of the same soap. I also have lavender and cucumber FO. I also purchased some soap dye from Joanne Etc. also.

Thanks - Rene

Here is a picture of my first batch










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## IanT (Feb 21, 2009)

excellent soaps!!


yes you can use those oils to make wonderful recipes. you dont need other oils to use additives, with things like oatmeal, honey, or your buttermilk powder i would add them in at trace. 

also there is a 1-bar soap recipe if youd like to do ALOT of experimentation somewhere on the forum... I dont remember which thread but i have it saved from my records...

"One-Bar Soap Recipe 


0.6 oz lye 
1.5 oz water 

1.5 oz olive oil 
1.28 oz coconut oil 
1.5 oz palm oil 
Combine at 120°. May take as long as 20-30 minutes to trace. Can pour into styrofoam cups which will insulate for you. 

courtesy of "Soap Nuts" recipe nook
" 

you can sub the palm for the lard and coconut oil, use a soap calculator to determine the exact numbers but given your ingredients you can make plenty of great soap!....


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## lunchlady2009 (Feb 21, 2009)

Thank you very much! I was thinking about 1 bar batch to experiment. I'm very excited!

Rene'


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## IanT (Feb 21, 2009)

no worries , I am glad I could help you!


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## JuBean (Feb 25, 2009)

Walmart sells Coconut Oil. Look in the oil section it is one the top self. 

Your soaps look wonderful! Great job!


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## carebear (Feb 25, 2009)

please ensure you have a VERY accurate scale if you are going to do such a small batch.

you can add honey and oatmeal to any recipe.

(I wish any WalMart I'd ever been to sold coconut oil... but alas)


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## andreabadgley (Feb 26, 2009)

Great job on your soaps - they're beautiful!


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## SoapMedic (Feb 27, 2009)

nice looking soaps! Definitely experiment with some oatmeal, buttermilk powder and honey.  My OMH soap is high-olive oil and has no coconut oil, no added fragrance or color, it is for sensitive skin. Here's what I do for a small batch: when measuring out my water for my lye mix, I hold back 1-2 ounces in a separate cup. Then while my lye is cooling I take oatmeal (I use babyfood oatmeal, no hard edges to feel scratchy, or you could grind it in a coffee grinder) and buttermilk powder and mix it into the held-back water. I use 1 oz per pound of oils of both the buttermilk powder and the oatmeal, so it's pretty slushy/thick once it's in the  cup of water. I add the "slush' and honey at trace and stickblend in really well.  If you want contrast you can also add a small amount of oatmeal that is not finely ground, it will show up as darker specks in your soap. Milk and honey can heat up quite a bit so I don't insulate my mold, in fact sometimes I don't even cover it or I stick it into the freezer for a couple hours. Play around with stuff til you find what works for you!


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## Etelka (Feb 27, 2009)

Beautiful and creamy looking soaps.   I firmly belive that we dont have to use complicated recipes to make great soaps,  one of the best soaps I have used (from a friend) is 90% lard 10% coconut, nice bubbles and hard as a rock, left a really nice feel on my skin.  It is on my to do list to make a 100% lard,  it has been discussed on another forum and everyone raved about it.  
Etelka


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## sweetbamabrown (Feb 27, 2009)

*Coconut Oil*

Hey Lunchlady they carry coconut oil in Walmart. They have it over by the vitamins and it is on the aisle with the vegetable oil. Where I live it is on the top shelf above the vegetable oils in a smaller container. It is cheaper if you get the one that is over by the vegetable oils than the one that is on the aisle with the vitamins.


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## lunchlady2009 (Feb 27, 2009)

Thank you all for the information about CO at Walmart. I will check next week. I hate our Walmart! I need to go early in the morning when the crowd is low and the cashiers are friendlier!  I found CO at Kroger yesterday. 14oz for $5.99 (USD)! It's organic and I found that price outrageous! It's such a tiny bottle! I'm hoping Walmart's is much better priced!

Thanks again!

Rene'


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## Guest (Jul 11, 2009)

Raw oatmeal in soap can be abrasive (scrubbing bar).
For skin conditioning, use baby oatmeal cereal.


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## ezeriuke (Feb 9, 2010)

How did you make them so pretty and the same size? They look like clones  What kind of mold did you use? cutters?
I am also just starting out, but I don't want to buy those expensive wooden molds, so far I can afford nice cutter and thats all. Any suggestions ?


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## RoseMarie (Apr 4, 2010)

yeah they ARE very pretty aren't they! Good job! Is that one of those down spouts you used for the mold? I saw some where that you could use those for molds. 
Thank you Castor for that tip! I made my second batch I believe it was with ground up oatmeal and man it IS scratchy. When I first start using the bar it isn't, but when it starts getting thin where the oatmeal is, it will give you a workout! lol


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## craftgirl08 (Apr 13, 2010)

*Yes indeed, nice looking soap! * I've made some with that same shape but I have trouble getting it out of the tube.  Go figure.


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## ToniD (Apr 13, 2010)

Wanted to say also,    NICE looking soap!


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## Lazy Bone (Jul 7, 2010)

IanT said:
			
		

> excellent soaps!!
> 
> 
> yes you can use those oils to make wonderful recipes. you dont need other oils to use additives, with things like oatmeal, honey, or your buttermilk powder i would add them in at trace.
> ...



Can you add fragrance to the one bar recipe? If so, how much?


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