# Glycerine-Based Not Very Lathery



## Moneer81 (May 2, 2009)

Hello, 

I am new to making soap and to this forum as well. I made my first batch using blocks of glycerine from Hobby Lobby that I melted in a pot, then added some vitamin E oil, lilac essential oil, and yellow coloring. It turned out fine, but the soap did not produce much sud when used. I tried a second batch with similar ingredients and also added some olive oil. I think I might have added too much oil but the soap still doesn't have much lather when used. 

Does anyone have suggestions on how to improve my soap? I know that the best soap is made from lye and other bases but we're just trying to make some wedding favors and have already invested quite a bit in ingredients, so we would like to use the glycerine blocks if at all possible, and make somewhat decent soap. Any advice/recipes/links will be appreciated! 

Thanks


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## Guest (May 3, 2009)

I've read that melt and pour soap can be notoriously non-lathery.

Try adding sugar or castor oil to your base.  I wouldn't add olive oil though, it won't do anything for the lather.


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## Tabitha (May 3, 2009)

Low suds is a big complain about M&P. The customers do not seem to mind, but the maker do. You can purchase M&P shaving soap base online & it is formulated to have extra lather. You can even blend it 50 50 w/ standrad base. You will save a lot of money ordering online too. You will pay for shipping but the product cost will probably be 1/2 of a hobby shops retail price.


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## cindymeredith (May 3, 2009)

When I first started, I used a craft store base and found it to be really bad as far as lathering went.  I think adding the vit. E cuts down on your lather too.  As far as lathering boosters, someone once suggested to me to add sugar to the base to help, I believe it was equal parts regular sugar to base but can't quite remember.  

I've now moved on to using a goats milk base from wholesalesuppliesplus.com and it lathers really well on it's own. I do however make a brown sugar soap using equal parts base and sugar and it seems to lather more than my regular soaps.  As someone else suggested, you may want to try getting a different base and adding it to what you already have...that might help the lather too.  If you get the right base, you won't need or want to add vit. e to it.

Hope this helps....


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## Moneer81 (May 3, 2009)

Thanks for all the answers!

Equal parts sugar and base?  Am I understanding this correctly?  So if I am using 1 block of glycerine that has a volume of roughly 1 cup when melted, I need to use 1 full cup of sugar?


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## cindymeredith (May 3, 2009)

Moneer81 said:
			
		

> Thanks for all the answers!
> 
> Equal parts sugar and base?  Am I understanding this correctly?  So if I am using 1 block of glycerine that has a volume of roughly 1 cup when melted, I need to use 1 full cup of sugar?



That's what I do for my brown sugar soap....I would imagine that's what you'd do with regular sugar too but I'm not 100%.  But I go by weight and not volume so I'm not sure if that matters either...like..if your using 5oz. of base, use 5oz. of sugar.


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## carillon (May 4, 2009)

I've only seen 1 Tbs sugar recommended per pound of base.


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