After 9yrs of soaping...

[honeysuds]

I think I finally found out what works for my face! I made a batch of whipped 100% lard soap a couple of years ago (whipped cold process so it would float, and it does!) for kids but they don't do baths anymore, so I put it away to shred for laundry detergent. I have always tried to make everything we need, FINALLY found a shampoo bar recipe I like but never in 9 years of making soap has any bar agreed with my sensitive facial skin! I have had person after person tell me this bar or that cleared up their skin issues, and it annoyed my life that I couldn't get something to work for me :twisted: !!!Last night I remembered that whipped lard soap, and also remember reading how animal fat soaps can be some of the most gentle cleansing bars around. Decided to use it this morning to wash my face and no red itchy bumps, eczema flare ups...just smooth happy skin! YAY! :clap: Hoping it continues to work well and wasn't a one time thing.

 

[Stakie]

Let us know how it goes. I've only used lard once, but hopefully will be able to again.

 

[kattobrn]

For my face I like to use equal parts coconut oil and baking soda. It works great. It leaves my face so soft.

Would you be willing to share your shampoo bar recipe? I am still working on my shampoo bar recipe.


KattOBRN

 

[Sapwn]

I understand you.

I love animal fats! They give a really superior soap.

 

[hlee]

Me too. My eczema prone legs just love the lard.

 

[kdaniels8811]

Kattorbrn -search for Thanks Lindy! shampoo bar recipe. It is the only one I have been able to successfully use on my hair. I have a great (I think) complexion bar recipe, will post if anyone is interested.

 

[honeysuds]

My shampoo bar is really just a lot of research into what oils are good for dry curly hair. I found avocado and jojoba oil to be among the top mentioned, as well as shea butter. But I had to sub oils with what I had so I did olive, coconut, castor, argan and sweet almond oils, and shea butter which I have plenty of. I made a strong tea of rosemary and nettle leaves and used half tea, half flat beer in place of water for extra hair nourishment. I also added henna powder which is supposed to be great for hair and scalp health, added enough of that to make sure I could see the color of henna when I rinsed out. It cleans very well, leaves my scalp itch and residue free. I always use leave in conditioner (usually light rinse out conditioner) and so far my hair is shiny with great curl pattern. I did order the jojoba and avocado oils to try in my next batch, as well as to use weekly for deep conditioning on my ends. Trying to let my hair grow out so a lot of work involved in maintenance.

I do use the coconut/baking soda about once a week its a great exfoliant but my skin is just too sensitive for more than weekly use. It definitely does get the dead skin off and my face feels super soft afterwards.

 

[DeeAnna]

I have made some mostly lard bars and like how long they last -- a nice balance of hardness and low solubility. And definitely mild! I use lard in my shampoo soap, and it's on my short list for an ingredient in a facial soap recipe. Hadn't considered it at 100% for face use, however.

Lard soap does seem to take a while to make a reasonable amount of lather, though, which is why I find myself gravitating toward adding other ingredients to make a little more of the fluffy bubbles and also make more creamy lather.

KDaniels ... would you share, please? I'm trying to figure out a facial bar recipe for myself, so I would really enjoy seeing yours. Thank you for your kind offer!!!!

 

[kattobrn]

Thanks honeysuds and kdaniels. I too have long kinky curly hair, I do not use conditioner. Every once in a great while I will put straight coconut oil in my hair, leave it in for 30 minutes then wash out. It is a great deep conditioning treatment.


KattOBRN

 

[Robert]

I made a batch of whipped 100% lard soap a couple of years ago (whipped cold process so it would float, and it does!) for kids but they don't do baths anymore,

Was floating the whole point of it? If not, why couldn't they use it in the shower?

 

[honeysuds]

Yep, floating was the whole point of it :smile: I thought given the consistency of lard as a solid it would be easiest to try it out with the floating soap idea. Would probably work just as well with Crisco. Honestly now that I think back, I don't think I bought the lard with the intention of making whipped soap, I bought it to make laundry bars but came across a tutorial for floating soap and had to try it; lard was just what I had on hand at the time.

I think the low suds was what stopped me from letting them use the soap in the shower. My kids like bubbles and I could imagine they'd end up washing most of the lard soap down the drain trying to get a consistent lather. But the creamy cleansing works wonders for my face, kinda glad I didn't let them use it, or grate it up for laundry powder, or I wouldn't have found that out!

 

[sistrum]

I love my all lard soaps too! IMO so much better than a 100% olive bar. Back when my kids were little, over 30 years ago, I made floating soap for them too. They loved it.

 

[ZandarKoad]

Do you have a link to that floating bar soap tutorial?

 

[Donna]

KDaniels,

I'm with the rest. Would LOVE to have a good complexion bar recipe if you'd care to share!

 

[DeeAnna]

ZandarKoad -- These should get you started:

Just the facts, Ma'am: http://candleandsoap.about.com/od/coldprocesssoapmaking/ss/whippedsoap.htm

Nizzy rambles a bit but it's a worthwhile read: http://nizzymoulds.com/Whipped/index.htm
Nizzy's photos: http://nizzymoulds.com/Whipped/WhippedSoapGallery.htm

Soaping 101 video: [ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0muJtuhATH0[/ame]

 

[honeysuds]

Oh my Gosh! Soap Peeps! TOO CUTE!

 

[kdaniels8811]

Finally, here it is. From Brambleberry, I believe...

Rose Clay Complexion Bar

7.84 oz. Coconut Oil
9.24 oz. Olive Oil
2.52 oz. Argan Oil
4.2 oz. Cocoa Butter
4.2 oz. Avocado Oil
8 oz. Distilled Water
3.96 oz/112 grams Sodium Hydroxide
1 oz. Lavandin Essential Oil or 1/2 oz each rose and lavender
2 Tbsp. Rose Clay
3-inch PVC Pipe

Directions

• If using PVC pipe, prepare it by covering one end with plastic wrap held into place with rubber bands. You’ll want at least a 14-16 inch length on the 3-inch pipe. Secure with packaging tape or duct tape to prevent any leakage.
• Melt coconut oil and cocoa butter in a stainless steel pot. Add clay and stir or stickblend until it is well dispersed with no clumps. Now add room temperature oils to the pot. Next add lye to water in plastic container and stir until dissolved. At desired temperatures, add lye solution to oils and butters (recommended temperature is around 115F or cooler). Bring to light trace and add essential oil. Stir until fragrance is incorporated completely.
• Fill mold. Bang mold several times to release any trapped air bubbles.
• Let sit overnight and cover with plastic wrap to prevent any soda ash. Unmold and slice. Let cure for 4 weeks before use.
• Makes 3 pounds of beautiful pink soap.

 

[heartsong]

many thanks, KD for posting the recipe! looks yummy!

and DeAnna the whipped soapie links are much appreciated!

I love my lard soapies...IMHO I believe lard is the "poor man's shea butter" and on soapcalc they seem very similar.

 

[Robert]

and DeAnna the whipped soapie links are much appreciated!

Same here, thanks. Figured somewhere out there there'd be a practical low-tech way to do that. Just a matter of temperature and physical control to keep the bubbles from coalescing. I'd probably chicken out on the final whipping, though, going at too low a speed because I'd be afraid of splashing caustic all over. Maybe a more contained apparatus like a home ice cream maker could be adapted to the process with appropriate choice of melting points of fats. Maybe if the chilling feature of such an apparatus were used, a softer oil mixture could be used.

 

[heartsong]

Robert, I just use a deep sided mix and pour bowl...you've seen them, the ones that kinda look like a fat pitcher with a handle...here's a link to a whippie soap I made recently...forgot how much fun these things were to make! you really need to force gel on this one to get it out of the mold. http://www.soapmakingforum.com/showthread.php?t=36524