Aloe vera juice

[kbn]

I've been eyeing the gallon of aloe vera juice at Trader Joe's each time I shop there and am curious if anyone has soaped with it as the liquid for CP? Did it add anything to the lather/texture of the soap? Thanks in advance!

 

[ewenique]

I've used it in place of full water and partial water. Not sure what it adds to the soap other than name appeal.

 

[krissy]

i use it for my liquid all the time. i too think it is mostly label appeal but would love to hear if there is any real benefit from it.

 

[kbn]

Thanks so much for your responses, guys. My curiosity is somewhat satisfied now, but I may end up giving it a try just for the heck of it. Thanks again for your help.

 

[reallyrita]

I have the same one....from Trader Joe's. You need to refrigerate it after opening. I really can't tell the difference in the soaps made with this and with just distilled water. My lye solution gets a little murky looking with the aloe juice but works just fine. Since the water content of the soap evaporates out during the cure process, the liquid aloe, which is water after all, will evaporate out and leave behind in the soap some small amount of residual aloe. Not much, I would imagine. I would love to soap with a bit of the aloe leaf and its gooey gel sometime. Now that could make a real difference.

 

[Farm Soaps]

I like using it in rebatches (hand milling if you want to be fancy); its skin soothing qualities stay intact when it doesn't have to go through the saponification process.

 

[kbn]

Thanks Reallyrita and Farmsoaps, I appreciate your experiences. i hadn't thought of rebatching, that might be worth giving a try!

 

[Jerry S]

Using aloe vera

You all have my curiosity up on using the aloe vera juice from Trader Joe’s. I really have had some good luck rebatching soap shavings and trimmings. Using the juice or aloe vera sounds like it might give the soap some nice quality since it won’t have to go through the saponification process.

“Farm Soaps”, did you use the juice as reallyrita or did you add some straight aloe vera to the rebatch hash? I have a lot of shavings and trimming that I’m just dying to try something new on.
Jerry S

 

[Farm Soaps]

I've added the aloe vera juice to the trimmings instead of water with wonderful results.

 

[xyxoxy]

I've been using that aloe juice from TJ's for almost 100% of my liquid for a long time... but now I'm worried they're going to raise their prices with so many of us using it

I pre-mix my lye with it and almost always use it for the remaining liquid I add later.

I have not done comparison tests but I like to believe it makes a difference... and I agree it certainly has it's label appeal.

 

[BakingNana]

Thanks for asking this question. I've been curious about aloe, too. Hope I'm not hijacking this thread, but what about aloe butter in the fats? Anyone use it? I have some here I haven't used yet. Aloe juice for liquid plus aloe butter sounds soothing.

 

[smartinoff]

I use aloe juice in all my batches except laundry soap. My logic is that I'm gonna put whatever I can in there that will have a benefit of some kind. I figure water adds nothing, but the aloe probably does

 

[Lindy]

I don't use it in soaps because I really do find there isn't any difference between water & aloe in my soaps. I do use in my lotions because it does make a difference there.

 

[tlm884]

Aloe juice contains some proteins and minerals. Granted that lye will denature any proteins present in the aloe, the amino acids should still be intact. Sort of like adding silk. Not near as much protein will be available but it may add some benefit. As well, minerals shouldn't interact with the lye too much and make increase benefit.

 

[carebear]

i have used in in cream soap - but since I've never NOT used it, I cannot speak to what it adds.

Do refrigerate it. And don't keep it around forever.

 

[kmarvel]

I don't use it in soaps because I really do find there isn't any difference between water & aloe in my soaps. I do use in my lotions because it does make a difference there.

Lindy, do you use the aloe vera juice in your lotions?? What oil do you substitiute for the aloe juice?? Just curious. Thanks.

 

[redhead1226]

I used the Aloe Butter from New Directions in a recipe and I liked it. However after really analyzing the ingredients I realize it is hydrogenated veg oils ( Coconut & Soy) which is most likely Crisco. And the addition of Aloe Extract is now "Aloe Butter". I had never used Crisco in my soap so I dont know how it compares but I may do that experiment and see if its the same. These so called designer butters are just combinations of ingredients we already use IMO.

 

[shunt2011]

Lindy, do you use the aloe vera juice in your lotions?? What oil do you substitiute for the aloe juice?? Just curious. Thanks.

This post is from 2010 and Lindy hasn't been here in well over a year. You may want to start a new thread and I'm sure somone will jump right in.

 

[cmzaha]

Aloe Juice is used as a water replacement or part water phase addition in lotion. I have had a few lotions start bubbling after a month or two and the only thing in common the lotions have is aloe juice, so I have backed off from using it. I really do not know if the preservative system in the aloe juice fights or kills my preservative but I do not trust it. I do use it in soap

 

[SheLion]

I found this post on Modern Soapmaking which tests a whole bunch of additives, including aloe juice. Per her lather results, it increases both bubbly and creamy lather.

http://www.modernsoapmaking.com/updated-lather-lovers-additive-testing/