I get my Aloe Vera juice at Walmart.
Aloe Vera Juice - is adding a little effective?
- Thread starter Stephd31
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Make sure it is 100% juice. this is what I buy
https://fote.com/product-category/h...D8l_CWgHRGd9LTJCOKOA0sVWlJGuCPloaAq8NEALw_wcB
https://fote.com/product-category/h...D8l_CWgHRGd9LTJCOKOA0sVWlJGuCPloaAq8NEALw_wcB
Yes, I buy the same brand!
My regular additives are EDTA, Sodium Gluconate, BHT in my Tallow/lard recipe, vinegar and sorbitol in all. Some get butters, milks clay, oatmeal etc.
If you happen to live where there is a Hispanic store you may be able to buy a large aloe leaf. I love Canola HO at 15% in soap and for many years used regular Canola with no problems at 15% max in my soaps. I do not go over 15% with the HO just because I do not like high Oleic soap. If I quit selling I will probably go back to regular Canola.
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Yes, My regular additives are sugar, salt, mulberry silk, citric acid, Edta. I change up my recipe depending on the design I have planned. For example a soap needing lots of colors, needs a very slow moving recipe and I plan for this. One or two colors are planned differently. Then I would add: goats milk, coconut milk or buttermilk, along with colloidal oatmeal and various clays.
Stephd31, I think aloe vera definitely helps with bubbles and lather. I grow aloe so I usually prep the leaves and freeze it in batches and use it around a third to half of the liquid. Aloe powder also works very well to help lather. I haven't used aloe juice but I think that would work well too.
God~Given Gifts
Member
I had tried using 100% aloe vera juice in my soaps and those particular soaps I noticed after the cure had little fine salt like crystals almost look like very fine dust. Has anyone else had this problem using aloe vera juice. I didn't do anything else different so I figured it was the AVJ.
I haven’t had this happen. When I use Aloe Vera Juice, I use as full water replacement. I use the Fruit of The Earth brand which I purchase at Walmart usually.
With cold process and a 2:1 liquid: lye ratio no, with hot process and a 3:1 liquid: lye ratio yes. I assume as the water is evaporating and it is leaving behind little bits of juice. You could lower your liquid: lye ratio a little or wipe off the bars with a damp cloth once they've had a chance to harden.
I have used a lot of Aloe juice and fresh Aloe gel as full water replacement with the Juice without ever having it leave any type of fine crystals. I would get that when using citric acid as a chelator. I now use EDTA and Sodium Gluconate.
I’m perplexed also, maybe God-Given gifts used sugar or salt which precipitated out?
I use sodium citrate in all my soap, so maybe I'm seeing that instead?
Maybe it precipitated out of solution. That’s my only thought.
Thank you, I appreciate your response, and it gives me something to think about. I need to get out of the box I've put myself in and experiment a little more. I haven't looked at additives very much and I'm not exactly sure why. The soap I make isn't bad, but I believe I can make it better.
After looking into it a little, it almost sounds like sorbitol will do the same thing....?
sarahmarah
Well-Known Member
In my bars so far I’ve noticed easier lather with full AVJ than those used with only distilled water and coconut milk powder. Of course now I’m out and have to go hunt some more down. I’ve been experimenting with just sugar but those bars are still curing.
Hi, for the 200x aloe powder, how much would you recommend for a 2lb batch?Hi there -
Could I suggest you could try powdered aloe vera concentrate? The concentrate I use is 200x so the amount used is actually super tiny - I think WSP have Crafters Choice 100x powder (1/2 oz for $9.60). Also it has a year shelf life - I always store it with a desiccant sachet though as it is inclined to clump. I've just used some in a goat milk, aloe and honey soap and I really like the feel of it. I always use kaolin clay too.
penelopejane
Well-Known Member
Make a solution of aloe Vera juice and use it to replace your water.
To re-constitute 200:1 powdered aloe so that it is a single strength Aloe Liquid you need to add 0.5g of Aloe Powder to 99.5g of Water (0.5% to 99.5%).
Or 5g Powder to 995g water. I use a jewlery scale to measure this accurately. You want to use it fresh not stored for ages so making a huge amount isn’t a good idea.
atiz
Well-Known Member
penelopejane is right, although to be honest I've never precisely measured. I usually put a ¼-½ tsp in my oils (for 2lb of oils) and stick blend it there. Or I have also done it in the lye water, makes no difference.
You can of course measure it precisely, and it's probably better, but a little more or less really shouldn't be a problem with this one.
