Beeswax in Soap

[Bubz]

I am getting some bees this Saturday, super excited to start my bee keeping journey. I am trying to think of some ways to incorporate some beeswax or honey potentially into some soap. Now from what I have been reading seems like there's some mixed reactions to it. I was thinking of adding beeswax it at 1% for now until I had more hives.

How does the wax make bars feel? Would 1% affect the lather much? I use coconut oil at 20% and castor at 5%

I currently use sorbitol to help with lather too. I don't find that it affects the hardness or make it sticky. Will honey make soap feel tacky?

What temperature would I need to soap at so the beeswax doesn't solidify in the batter? I currently soap between 90 and 100F.

What are some of yalls experience using beeswax and honey in cold process soap?

 

[Relle]

Maybe @Sting https://www.soapmakingforum.com/threads/zings-apprentice.92635/
and @Zing can help with the information you need.

 

[IanT]

From my notes I have 1oz /1lbs of oils adds a silky texture I believe honey can be added to the lye solution however I would wait for @Sting and/or @Zing to confirm!

 

[dibbles]

@Nona'sFarm also makes beeswax soap. You could try searching her posts as well as those from @Zing and @Sting if they don’t see this to help out. Beeswax is nice in soap. I don’t use it too often, but I think I have used it as high as 5%.

 

[not_ally]

From my notes I have 1oz /1lbs of oils adds a silky texture I believe honey can be added to the lye solution however I would wait for @Sting and/or @Zing to confirm!

I would raise a caution here, an oz/ppo is 6.25%, which is a lot of beeswax. I find that going over 3% makes melting more problematic, less lather, the bar feel, um, too waxy. Of course reasonable minds may differ on most things soap related, but @Bubz, you may want to start lower and then increase your usage and see what you think and where your own cutoff is.

 

[Ford]

As for the honey. It will cause your batter to heat up. (added sugars will do this). So, use it sparingly. I only use it in my OMH recipe. And only 1-1.5 ounces for 55 ounces of oils. AND! I watch my loaf after the pour like a hawk. In case of overheating.

 

[not_ally]

@Bubz, this is the guide I usually follow when I make honey beeswax soap, it is by Irish Lass who is a great soaper and poster but rarely drops by these days. I found it extremely helpful, as have many others. It is really detailed/specific and fun to read and follow: https://www.soapmakingforum.com/threads/my-experimental-honey-beeswax-soap.55689/

ETA: I think you can use any relatively well-behaved oil mix with it, I've used it with my normal 60-20-15-5 Lard-CO-OO or Avo -Castor mix and it's been fine.

 

[Zing]

@Bubz, this is the guide I usually follow when I make honey beeswax soap, it is by Irish Lass who is a great soaper and poster but rarely drops by these days. I found it extremely helpful, as have many others. It is really detailed/specific and fun to read and follow: https://www.soapmakingforum.com/threads/my-experimental-honey-beeswax-soap.55689/

ETA: I think you can use any relatively well-behaved oil mix with it, I've used it with my normal 60-20-15-5 Lard-CO-OO or Avo -Castor mix and it's been fine.

@Bubz Ditto. Read this thread and scroll down for step by step guidance. I printed it out. @Sting really needs to get on the ball and post because he's been on a honey/beeswax soap making marathon! He has good info to share with our community.

Honey is tricky. Once I made my lye solution and immediately poured honey into it. Thank goodness I was using a tall pitcher in a deep utility sink and wearing safety gear because there was a volcano. If you add honey to lye solution, it must be room temperature.

Also, the other freaky deaky thang is your honey/lye solution turns kind of an ugly shade of deep red BUT has no effect on the final color.

Have fun with it and keep us posted.

 

[Bubz]

@Bubz Ditto. Read this thread and scroll down for step by step guidance. I printed it out. @Sting really needs to get on the ball and post because he's been on a honey/beeswax soap making marathon! He has good info to share with our community.

Honey is tricky. Once I made my lye solution and immediately poured honey into it. Thank goodness I was using a tall pitcher in a deep utility sink and wearing safety gear because there was a volcano. If you add honey to lye solution, it must be room temperature.

Also, the other freaky deaky thang is your honey/lye solution turns kind of an ugly shade of deep red BUT has no effect on the final color.

Have fun with it and keep us posted.

I was really hoping @Sting would reply since he's using it in his soaps too. I am going to check out that thread and look at some of nonas stuff too.

 

[Zing]

I was really hoping @Sting would reply since he's using it in his soaps too. I am going to check out that thread and look at some of nonas stuff too.

@IrishLass has never steered me wrong! Check out her lip balm recipe if you're going down rabbit holes.

Yeah, here's hoping @Sting will respond soon. I did get an actual text from him today so wonders never cease. He'll also haveta share his hack for cleaning up beeswax lava flows from the floor, counter, curing rack, molds, radio, paper shredder, yoga mat...and...MY FAVORITE TRUSTY HOTPLATE, the hotplate that got us through the time we bought a house without a kitchen.

 

[Nona'sFarm]

I use honey in most of my soaps. You can add 1-3 teaspoons per pound of oil. I generally stick to the low end, unless I have HONEY in the name of the soap. It does turn the batter reddish, but that dissipates with time. I have tried adding it various ways and have found this to be my favorite - mix a little of your liquid for the soap with the honey, warm it in the microwave, stir well, then add this to your oils and stir well. When you add your lye water to the oils, it will initially turn an odd red.
I don't use beeswax in my soap. I tried it a few times, but wasn't happy with it. Can't remember all the details, just remember I decided that wasn't for me.
I do use beeswax in candles and balms.

 

[Firefly24]

Curious? Today for the 1st time, I made a soap using 3% beeswax and 3% hydrogenated soy wax. I know a few of you use these ingredients. My question is~ what temp do you mix your oils & lye together at? If it gets to cool it hardens. It began thickening pretty quick and riced a bit. I kept blending. It chilled out and thankfully the FO I used was pretty well behaved. However, I was stuck making a different design than I wanted to. However, as in using any new formula I always keep my options open. The soy was was 415 btw.

 

[KiwiMoose]

I use soy wax at 20% with no problems. It's the beeswax that's making it harden quickly. I soap around 40 degrees - your 100.

 

[AliOop]

3% beeswax is a lot to me. I’d keep it at 1% max if the combined P&S number is 29 or above, and maybe go up to 2% if the P&S number is lower than that.

 

[Firefly24]

3% beeswax is a lot to me. I’d keep it at 1% max if the combined P&S number is 29 or above, and maybe go up to 2% if the P&S number is lower than that.

P&S as in Palmitic & Stearic? Combining those numbers = 17

 

[AliOop]

Yes, palmitic and stearic. If you want to bump up that number to increase longevity, I'd raise the soy wax to 20% as @KiwiMoose suggested. It's a lot easier to work with than beeswax, and it doesn't give the waxy feel that beeswax can create in soap.

 

[Firefly24]

Yes, palmitic and stearic. If you want to bump up that number to increase longevity, I'd raise the soy wax to 20% as @KiwiMoose suggested. It's a lot easier to work with than beeswax, and it doesn't give the waxy feel that beeswax can create in soap.

I will give it a try. Thanks.

 

[AliOop]

Let us know how it turns out! I think you will like the soy wax. Then you can save the beeswax for honey-themed soaps (label appeal), or other bath & body products.

 

[Bubz]

I use soy wax at 20% with no problems. It's the beeswax that's making it harden quickly. I soap around 40 degrees - your 100.

I have been wondering for the last few days about what temperature you soap at with soy wax. I have been toying around with trying a palm free recipe. I was using lard but some family members were icked by that. Hate using palm because of the orangutans but I can make some nice designs with it before it thickens.

@KiwiMoose What's the lather like on your bar using 20% soy wax?

 

[KiwiMoose]

I have been wondering for the last few days about what temperature you soap at with soy wax. I have been toying around with trying a palm free recipe. I was using lard but some family members were icked by that. Hate using palm because of the orangutans but I can make some nice designs with it before it thickens.

@KiwiMoose What's the lather like on your bar using 20% soy wax?

I think it's pretty good. I use 20% CO and usually aloe as water, or coconut cream or something ( never just water with no additives). It's not big bubbles, but it's more of a creamy lather with the high stearic.