# Vegetable Glycerine in CP Soap?



## skyfarms (Nov 18, 2011)

I've been finding vegetable glycerine on the ingredients lists in many handmade artisan cp and hp soaps.  What is the purpose of it/its contribution to cp soap?  How and when do you add it?  This ingredient has me very curious....I know it's a humectant, but does it do something to the lather or soap stability as well? :?:   


Thanks in advance


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## tlm884 (Nov 18, 2011)

Glycerine is a by-product of CP/HP soaps. It isn't normally added to soap, unless it is a shaving soap. It is a humecant which means it draws water to the skin. 

You will also find it listed as an ingredient of melt and pour soaps. So if a soap is melt and pour it usually lists glycerine as an ingredient. I have not seen it listed as an ingredient on CP or HP soap before to be honest.


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## carebear (Nov 18, 2011)

Can you show me such an ingredient list?  I ask because perhaps people, misguidedly, are trying to list the END PRODUCTS of saponification instead of including the lye on their ingredient list.

See, you technically have two options when listing ingredients - you can list what goes in (liquid, lye, oils) or you can list what is in the soap after the reaction - which would mean not listing lye, but instead listing the saponified fat (e.g., sodium tallowate) and by-products of the reaction (including glycerin).  This is wrong, because it assumes that all the fat is saponified.  And because it's done to hide the lye.

And if they use only plant oils I guess you could call it vegetable glycerin.

Or maybe they just add extra - for label appeal or something.

OR - maybe it was used to help mix in the colorants - if they use micas or oxides then glycerin is very helpful.

I'd like to see a list that includes it.


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## Soapy Gurl (Nov 18, 2011)

I have seen it to in my many Etsy wanderings.  If I can find one I will post it.  But I have seen crazy stuff listed as ingredients.  It makes sense it would need to be listed if it was used in the colorant.


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## skyfarms (Nov 18, 2011)

http://www.etsy.com/listing/79507064/peppermint-rosemary-soap-vegan-handmade?ref=cat2_list_30

Above is the link to one such ingredient list I've seen on Etsy.  I do know it's a by-product of soap, but think I've seen some shaving soap threads on this forum with posts from people who said they actually add the glycerin too.  (Pardon my incorrect spelling in my first post and thread subject!  oops)  

Thanks for the responses so far!  I'm quite curious about this ingredient![/url]


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## soapbuddy (Nov 18, 2011)

There are many at Etsy that don't know what the heck they are doing. I'm not saying it's anyone here. Since soap makes its own glycerin, I don't add more.


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## Hazel (Nov 18, 2011)

skyfarms said:
			
		

> http://www.etsy.com/listing/79507064/peppermint-rosemary-soap-vegan-handmade?ref=cat2_list_30
> 
> Above is the link to one such ingredient list I've seen on Etsy.  I do know it's a by-product of soap, but think I've seen some shaving soap threads on this forum with posts from people who said they actually add the glycerin too.  (Pardon my incorrect spelling in my first post and thread subject!  oops)
> 
> Thanks for the responses so far!  I'm quite curious about this ingredient![/url]



I'd say the soap is made from a melt and pour base since the ingredients also include sorbitan oleate and soy bean protein. Another tip off are the statements on her page whiich state the soap is "individually handmade" and is "made fresh daily".


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## carebear (Nov 18, 2011)

yes, that's MP.  soybean protein, sorbitol, sorbitan oleate - these are good clues.


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## ericllucas (Nov 18, 2011)

Is there a way to remove the glycerin from the CP soapmaking process?

I know glycerin is a byproduct of making biodiesel and is easily and desirably separated out from the fuel.

Is there any way to do that with CP soap?


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## skyfarms (Nov 18, 2011)

Okay, that makes more sense that they are M&P most likely - I know notta about that.  

However, below is a quote from a thread about shaving soap and the link to the thread:  

http://www.soapmakingforum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=22063&highlight=shaving


"My 'secret' ingredient is 10% vegetable glycerin ppo. I learned from another soaper named Hanle that glycerin, along with a high stearic amount, helps to create a stable creamy shaving foam that that will stay suspended for a fairly long time without fizzling out. According to the guys over on Badger and Blade (a men's shaving forum), a good shaving lather should stay suspended for at least 10 minutes. Mine stays suspended for at least 15 minutes and could probably go on for longer if I had the patience to let it do so before washing it away. "

I do believe they're talking CP in the above discussion.  Apparently this is not common practice to add the glycerin and many think it is useless to add it too, which was kind of my thinking.  But I definitely wondered if I was missing something after seeing the ingredients lists in others' soaps and then seeing some of the shaving bar threads.

Thanks for all the input!


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## ericllucas (Nov 18, 2011)

skyfarms said:
			
		

> I do believe they're talking CP in the above discussion.



If making shaving soap, and adding 10% glycerin, would you add it at trace or just mix with the oil at the beginning?


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## Cirafly24 (Nov 18, 2011)

Many of my soaps have vegetable glycerin in the ingredients...it's because I use it to mix my colorants . It's usually a small amount, and so far I haven't had it affect the properties of the final soap.


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## IrishLass (Nov 19, 2011)

skyfarms said:
			
		

> Okay, that makes more sense that they are M&P most likely - I know notta about that.
> 
> However, below is a quote from a thread about shaving soap and the link to the thread:
> 
> ...



Hey, I recognize that post! That's me!   

I add a whopping 10% vegetable glycerin to my CP shaving soap formula only, and for a very specific reason- to make the creamy/foamy shaving lather stay suspended for at least 10 minutes on one's face for a good shave. I don't add it to any of my other soaps.

IrishLass


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## fiddletree (Nov 19, 2011)

I have a milk soap  making book someone gave me ages ago that has added glycerin in all the recipes.  It's kind of sketchy looking overall, so it stays on the shelf....


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## Fragola (Nov 19, 2011)

Glycerin added to HP is supposed to make it easier to work with and more pourable. 

Homemade transparent soap contains added glycerin. 



> This is wrong, because it assumes that all the fat is saponified.


Would it better to include the actual fat aswell ? 

For your tallow soap example, the ingredient listing may sound like: _sodium tallowate, glycerin, distilled water, tallow_



> Is there a way to remove the glycerin from the CP soapmaking process?


I believe there is, but can't give you exact details. We were talking in another thread, about salting and washing grated soap.


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## carebear (Nov 19, 2011)

yes you can boil the soap and the glycerin is supposed to float to the top.


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## DmdJoe (Nov 19, 2011)

*solid vegetable glycerin or liquid*

The formula that Im isung calls for solid vegetable glycerin. The only thing I can find is liquid vegetable glycerin at vegetableglycerin. com. Does anyone have a source for solid vegetable glycerin or can I just use the liquid version. They did not have the solid type and I have searched everywhere. Any suggestions???


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## Hazel (Nov 19, 2011)

What is the recipe? Could you copy it here? I'm guessing that by solid glycerine it means melt and pour base but I don't know for sure without seeing the recipe.


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