adding aloe vera

[catikit]

i would like to add aloe vera to my soap - how do i do this? Can i substitute some of the water for aloe vera juice...? or is there another way? Also, can you buy cosmetic grade aloe vera - or is there no such thing, and i could just buy some from the local health food store?

 

[Moonblossom]

I use a half water/half aloe vera juice mixture when I make mine with Aloe and add aloe right after I add lye to the oils. Works for me..

~Teri

 

[catikit]

brilliant thanks

 

[FreeRabbit]

gonna try myself tomorrow or the next day, I'm even gonna extract myself from a huge plant I just saw, and then mix with green clay, for a nice smoothing and relaxing soap, hope it works

 

[Soaplady22]

I, too, add the aloe vera as part of the water, mixing my lye with the rest of the water, and then adding aloe to the pot after the lye mixture.

It's interesting, but I didn't notice that much of a difference when all was said and done. I haven't used it in my recent batches.

 

[FreeRabbit]

today I did it!
I cut water in half and did water and lye, added to the oils and stirred, then I added the aloe fresh juice I crushed myself and stirred well, it got really nice!! I was worried I might have some small chunks still so I added some vitamin E just in case...
in the end I added green clay but I forgat to dissolve it first in water never mind now I have cute little dots

 

[Soaplady22]

Congratulations!! Let us know how it turns out.
Isn't soaping grand??!

Always something new to try - going to have to make this again for new comparision reasons.

 

[FreeRabbit]

turned out not so good I think, I saw drops of oil or water on the surface of the soap, is this what you guys call sweating? what do I do???

 

[Relle]

Don't do anything about the oil, it should re absorb, if it doesn't you can blot it with a paper towel. If its water you can blot it as well.

 

[FreeRabbit]

probably water because it definatly zap and when I blot a small corner and zap test the soap itself it doesn't zap

 

[kelleyaynn]

I've used aloe vera juice in place of water more than once, and it's worked fine each time. I just substitute aloe vera for the water in the same amount.