# Silk water



## Dana89 (Mar 2, 2015)

Last weekend something mighty strange happened here in Texas. Strange, white, cold stuff fell from the sky!
I gathered a lot of the snow and and saved it for soaping.  I am out of a few must-haves for soaping, lye for one, I ordered my supplies on feb 15. UPS basically shut down because of the snow and my package has been delayed 3 times! AARG!:evil:: It is supposed to be here tomorrow.
So I am preparing things tonight to make a couple of batches. I decided to boil my snow water to kill any impurities and I had just bought some tussah silk fibers (I have never made soap with silk) and decided to throw a couple of cotton ball size peices that I shredded in with the boiling water.
After it boiled for about 5 minutes about half had disolved in the water, when it cooled I poured the water through a strainer and as very suprised how the water felt, it has a great slippery feeling. I will add a little more to it when I mix it with the lye, but I think I will do this from now on when I make soap with silk. Has anyone else tried this and if so did you notice a difference in your final soap?


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## Dorymae (Mar 2, 2015)

I have tried but never had any success will dissolving any of my silk into water, boiling or otherwise.


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## snappyllama (Mar 2, 2015)

I use silk all the time. It gives a bit of a smoother feel to the bar. 

Water alone won't dissolve silk. I just put a pinch into my lye water. If I'm keeping it very cold for milks, I make sure to strain as sometimes all of the silk strands don't dissolve.


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## Dana89 (Mar 2, 2015)

Well I am going to re-strain it, now I am worried I may have silk fibers floating in the water if it does not disolve. I am really happy with the way the water feels though, if the silk didnt disolve the boiling took something from it, possibly a little oil, oh well I dont know, but it does feel nice.


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## Cactuslily (Mar 2, 2015)

I just started using silk in my lye water. I know you aren't supposed to inhale the fumes...and I don't intentionally, however, I did notice it has a lovely fragrance when added to the water. Anybody else notice this? I was told that a little goes a long way, and to add @ 1/4 of a standard sized cotton ball to the wated ( in a 10" BB mold), and to stretch it out like a web to aid in dissolving. I do strain, but rarely have anything in need of straining.


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## Seawolfe (Mar 2, 2015)

Cactuslily said:


> I just started using silk in my lye water. I know you aren't supposed to inhale the fumes...and I don't intentionally, however, I did notice it has a lovely fragrance when added to the water. Anybody else notice this? I was told that a little goes a long way, and to add @ 1/4 of a standard sized cotton ball to the wated ( in a 10" BB mold), and to stretch it out like a web to aid in dissolving. I do strain, but rarely have anything in need of straining.


Mine just smells like caterpillar butt :twisted:


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## Cactuslily (Mar 2, 2015)

Seawolfe, that cracked me up! Not sure exactly what that smell like, but I can only imagine. Mine really smells great! It doesn't hold its aroma in the soap, and I do use fo's, but I may try not using anything in a test batch to see if it holds up by itself. Probably not, but it's worth a shot.


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## janzo (Mar 3, 2015)

Can anyone in UK tell me where I can find silk for using in soap.  I am currently on holiday here and want to take some back with me.  Thanks


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## Saponista (Mar 3, 2015)

I have only ever found it online 

http://www.gracefruit.com/additives/actives/proteins/tussah-silk-protein.html

You could try a shop that sells wool and yarn though perhaps?


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## Dorymae (Mar 3, 2015)

Seawolfe said:


> Mine just smells like caterpillar butt :twisted:



I'm curious to know HOW you know what caterpillar butt smells like!! :Kitten Love:


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## fuzz-juzz (Mar 3, 2015)

I made my first two silk soaps this last weekend. They do appear to be smoother and shinier,  but I guess I will know more in few weeks.
I dumped silk in my lye water as soon as lye went it in. Everything was hot so silk dissolved just fine. Water was a bit murky but I didn't strain it, it was going to be blitzed by SB anyway.
I did to notice "caterpillar butt" smell but none of it came through the final soap. Lye water also had weird silky look to it.


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## abc (Mar 3, 2015)

I've been to a silk factory when I was a student ambassador with People to People. I'm not sure what caterpillar butt smells like. The only smell I noticed was the leafy green scent as they noshed on leaves.


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## Sislea (Mar 4, 2015)

Dorymae said:


> I'm curious to know HOW you know what caterpillar butt smells like!! :Kitten Love:




Lol I couldn't find the like button on the app


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## cmzaha (Mar 4, 2015)

I use cocoons and find they will only dissolve in hot lye and turn my lye water yellow. They can be boiled to unwind the silk but not to dissolve them. I personally prefer the freeze dried cocoons over tussah silk as they as much cleaner. Any tussah silk I have used was dirty and murky when dissolved. The downside with cocoons is they are more expensive


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## Luv2Soap (Mar 4, 2015)

LOL Dorymae - was thinking the same thing


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## rip55jcp (Mar 4, 2015)

Do you have to include silk in the ingredients list, if you are selling your Soap?


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## snappyllama (Mar 4, 2015)

Yes, I believe you do need to include it. But the bigger question is... why wouldn't you? I'd guess that silk has serious label appeal.  I don't sell but just got done sending out some bars to friends and family. Two different people asked me about the silk on the label.


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## hmlove1218 (Mar 4, 2015)

Yes. If you make an ingredient label, you should list ALL ingredients. What if a vegan bought your soap assuming it was vegan and then found out there's silk in it? You can bet they'd be pretty upset with you. Also, what if someone was allergic to it (if that possible)?


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## cmzaha (Mar 4, 2015)

rip55jcp said:


> Do you have to include silk in the ingredients list, if you are selling your Soap?


Yes, it you are labeling your soaps and not selling naked soap. Also if you make both vegan and non-vegan it needs to be on the label since it is a non vegan additive. Of course someone could be allergic to it. I happen to be allergic to cotton in some forms


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