Aloe vera...

[Steve85569]

A local health food store sells aloe vera. Not juice but gel. That's all there is on the ingredient list.
Since there is no SAP value that I can find my mind goes to what if....
Can it be used in soap, how, what effect will it have etc.

Does anyone here have experience with using aloe in soap?
I tried some juice in a HPCP batch a few months ago and it didn't work out too well. Would the straight aloe vera prohibit set or gel?

Curious soapers want to know:mrgreen::twisted:.
TIA!
Steve

 

[SoapBroseph]

It should be pretty easy to get your hands on some real aloe vera plants, or grow your own.

 

[SoapBroseph]

I have used several soaps with aloe in it, but I have never made it specifically myself.

 

[whitewitchbeauty]

I use aloe right off the plant and blend it. I use it at trace.

 

[cmzaha]

Yes you can use the gel as part of your water replacement. I cannot figure out what type of problem you could have possibly had using Aloe Juice. Recently I used up a partial gallon of gel in soap to get rid of it. I just hate throwing out anything. I masterbatch my lye 50/50 and use Aloe Juice as my full liquid instead of water. Some us have found aloe seems to add some lathering factor to soap. Fresh aloe is another I use often and it is also used as a water/liquid replacement. The way I prepare my aloe is to filet off the clear aloe gel, blend it up well in the blender with a little citric acid or fruit fresh to help keep it from turning pink. When using fresh I usually use half the liquid I want whether milks or water and the fresh aloe. If fresh aloe is added to the lye solution it will turn yellow.

 

[dibbles]

I almost always use aloe juice for my liquid, and haven't had any problems. I agree with Carolyn, it does seem to help the lather. Did your aloe juice have anything added to it, like flavoring or other juices?

 

[LisaAnne]

Aloe Vera juice goes in every batch I make. Not always a large percentage but it's always there.

 

[Obsidian]

I've used fresh aloe but found its easier to just buy the aloe juice in a big jug. I like it at full water replacement, I definitely see a increase in lather with it.

 

[Steve85569]

I almost always use aloe juice for my liquid, and haven't had any problems. I agree with Carolyn, it does seem to help the lather. Did your aloe juice have anything added to it, like flavoring or other juices?

The juice I used was not pure. I only found that out after the train wreck. The soap did eventually harden but it took a long, long time.

What I was wondering about was the aloe gel ( plant extract). It is not adulterated and is the gel straight from the plant.
If I am reading the replies correctly, I can substitute gel for some of the water in a batch and not have any odd reactions. I'll probably SB it in to the oils before adding the lye water ( like milk) so I don't scald any natural sugars that may be there.

It's a good excuse to do something besides a slab and spin and I'm in the store at least once a week for veggie shopping.

I'll keep you all informed as to my progress and thanks for the input!

 

[cmzaha]

Yes, gel will work

 

[MsHarryWinston]

Hmmm I don't use they gel but I use they juice for my entire water. It makes for some lovely soap.

 

[CaraBou]

I used av gel from a bottle once... no problems. I'm sorry but my notes don't say how much I actually used. It wasn't a lot I'm sure (knowing me, "a hefty squirt"). Did the av make a difference to my soap? I have no idea. But it didn't hurt!

 

[Steve85569]

Time will tell now. I made a small batch for oval bars ( 570 grams of oil) and it's in the mold now. I use juice for the water at 1.6: 1 and added an ounce (29 grams) of gel to the oil. I''l report back in a day or two since this is full on room temperature ( no gel ) CP with a fairly soft recipe (41 on hardness). I did also add salt to the juice at 20% to try and boost the hardness and lasting properties of the finished soap.

 

[Steve85569]

We have lather!
A small piece for testing has just been added to the bathroom sink menage of soaps.
Sorry it took me so long to get back to this but I had other soaps that were calling to me.:shifty:

 

[traderbren]

Thank you for this post. I have an aloe plant that is taking over my windowsill (Audrey III) and I think I need to cut her down to size. I've learned a bit from all the responses.

 

[Debscribner]

Aloe Juice

Do you all freeze the juice when using it as a replacement for the water?

 

[kchaystack]

Do you all freeze the juice when using it as a replacement for the water?

I do not. I do not find it scorches like milk or create more heat than water

 

[Debscribner]

Great! Thanks!

 

[cmzaha]

Do you all freeze the juice when using it as a replacement for the water?

No I do not, but I also no longer add it to my lye water. I soap 50/50 lye solution and add it into my extra liquid into the bucket of oil. It will turn yellow or pink if adding it to the lye solution and cause the lye solution to thicken. I do use purchased aloe juice for replacement of water in one of my master batched lye solutions. The juice I purchase from Walmart will usually turn the lye solution a dark beige to tan color. Aloe seems to help with bubbles and mine need all the help they can get with my low coconut oil use

 

[Steve85569]

Do you all freeze the juice when using it as a replacement for the water?

I did not freeze the juice used and I did stick blend 30 grams of gel in to a 20 ounce batch of oils. It is a nice mild soap ( not drying) and as of two weeks in to the cure has very good lather.

I did not see evidence of scorching and use juice right out of the fridge in the lye. Then again I did use light green colorant in the soap so it wouldn't show through.

Steve