Adding fresh ingredients?

[SoapMom]

I was wondering if you guys could answer this question for me. I would like to make a pumpkin soap but am wondering how long the soap would last with fresh pumpkin in it. Does it have a shelf life and if so, what is it?

Also how much FO is max per pound of soap?
Oh my, I still have much to learn about soaping! *lol*

 

[LomondSoap]

I haven't used pumpkin but have soaped prickly pears, raspberries, strawberries and recently carrots. Have never had a problem with them going mouldy, lasts the same as all my soaps. That said our climate is cool (bloody freezing actually) so that may have an affect. I always err on the cautious side when adding fresh stuff, less is more.
Can't really help with FO, it may be different for you. In the UK the max FO is 3%, EO's 2%.

 

[SoapMom]

Thanks! Any advice is very helpful!

 

[Lindy]

When using fresh make sure you puree it so the lye can "cook" it all the way through which is what will keep it from going bad.

I've used strawberries and they worked just fine....

Cheers
Lindy

 

[mandolyn]

When using fresh make sure you puree it so the lye can "cook" it all the way through which is what will keep it from going bad.

I've used strawberries and they worked just fine....

Cheers
Lindy

I haven't tried the pumpkin, but I know someone used canned & it gets cooked, I'm thinking during gel phase.

 

[SoapMom]

At what stage would I add fresh ingredients?

 

[Lindy]

I'm not sure just when it gets cooked but I believe it is simply through the saponification process itself whether it gels or not. As long as the lye can reach all of the fruit/veggie it's fine. Which is why it's best to puree so you can know it got through it completely.

I add mine right at the beginning as I mix everything together. I also reduce my water to allow for the liquid within the puree.

Cheers
Lindy

 

[mandolyn]

I'm not sure just when it gets cooked but I believe it is simply through the saponification process itself whether it gels or not. As long as the lye can reach all of the fruit/veggie it's fine. Which is why it's best to puree so you can know it got through it completely.

I add mine right at the beginning as I mix everything together. I also reduce my water to allow for the liquid within the puree.

Cheers
Lindy

Thanks for clarifying that Lindy.

 

[SoapMom]

Thanks for the helpful advice! Now I'm open to all sorts of possibilites!

 

[Lindy]

Canned would work beautifully because it's already in the form needed. I actually want to try some pumpkin.... :?

 

[SoapMom]

Pumpkin does sound yummy doesn't it! Even though it isn't really the season for it, who cares...still sounds great to make!

 

[Barb]

i've use pureed cucumbers as my liquid for mixing my lye and never had a problem with the soap going bad.

i've also used canned pumpkin mixed with coconut milk ( each one making up half of the required liquid amount needed to mix with the lye )

for me it is easier to freeze this into cubes and add the lye to the frozen cubes and stir the willies out of it till the cubes have melted. it helps to keeps it from becoming hot, hot, hot and i've never had anything smell foul doing it this way.

 

[IrishLass]

I haven't used pumpkin yet, but I've used fresh/bottled carrot juice, freshly juiced & strained cucumber, as well as pureed avocado. As long as the foods are pureed you'll have no trouble with nasty, growing things.

I try to keep my amount of pureed foods to 1 tablespoon per pound of soaping oils (I read that that was a sufficient amount somewhere on one of the soaping forums).

I really love avocado puree. It adds a nice, creamy 'oomph' to my soap, as well as a beautiful shade of green when mixed with a little Titanium Dioxide to lighten the natural olive color up a bit.

As for FO, 3%-5% per pound of base is what most manufacturers recommend here in the USA. That comes out to .5 oz to .75 oz of FO per pound of base oils in your soap formula. I know of some people (me included, at times) that have gone as high as 6% (1 oz ppo), but that's as high as I've ever gone or ever will go, and I only ever do it if and only if the FO is way too light in my CP.


IrishLass

 

[SoapMom]

Thanks guys for all the great tips!! It is very helpful!!

 

[ilovethe80s]

Can you use fresh ingredients when you rebatch?

These pumpkin and avocado soaps sound so good. I only rebatch though - I'm thinking I can't use it because the lye needs to do something to the food so it won't spoil?

 

[mamaT]

I've got some frozen elderberries, leftovers from making jelly, wonder if I could use some of these for coloring soap? The jelly comes out a dark grape color. Maybe use some in lavender soap for coloring?

 

[Lil Outlaws]

I used canned pumpkin in mine - if you search for pumpkin you'll probably find it. It was pumpkin spice, I used 3oz mixed in with the oils, and discounted the water by 3oz to compensate for the moisture in the pumpkin.

I'm going to make a batch tonight with pureed prickly pear fruit, then if i feel like washing up and doing another batch I'll be doing peach maybe..

 

[dagmar88]

Hi
you could also cut a fresh pumpkin in slices, then slowly dry it in your oven. When it's dry, cut or powder it.
Dagmar

 

[Deda]

Hi
you could also cut a fresh pumpkin in slices, then slowly dry it in your oven. When it's dry, cut or powder it.
Dagmar

What a fantastic idea! I think we have a dehydrator somewhere in the garage.
I'm much more comfortable adding powdered herbs and/or foods to my soap batter.
Thank you!

 

[kellistarr]

When using fresh make sure you puree it so the lye can "cook" it all the way through which is what will keep it from going bad.

I've used strawberries and they worked just fine....

Cheers
Lindy

Thanks Lindy, this is good advice. I'm thinking of using pureed bananas. Will I still have an issue with them turning black, if pureed?