Brewed coffee grounds or straight from the can?

[glenolam]

I have wanted to make a mocha bar with actual coffee grounds and cocoa, but I'm not sure if it's better to use coffee grounds that have been brewed or if I can just use the grounds from the can (or ground at the store for more freshness).

Anyone use either? Both?

I wouldn't be using the coffee to mix with lye as I make GM soap and I mix the lye with the frozen milk, so I don't want to waste the coffee and water if I don't have to. Not to mention I'm cutting myself off from coffee for good!

 

[southernheartsoaps]

Brewed... less scratchy that way, but exfoliating enough

 

[soapsmurf]

Use brewed/spent grounds.

 

[Sunny]

Brewed!

 

[glenolam]

Well alright then!

Anyone split the batch and put cocoa in one part and the grounds in the main batch? Will the cocoa color the soap enough or will I need to use a colerant?

 

[Bukawww]

I'm also curious if brewed grounds will color the soap? I want to make a peppermint mocha soap for feet/kitchen but I'd like to do a white soap swirled with the cocoa powder brown soap and then grounds throughout - I'd like the white to stay white though.

Sorry to hijack but excellent questions!

 

[agriffin]

I'm also curious if brewed grounds will color the soap? I want to make a peppermint mocha soap for feet/kitchen but I'd like to do a white soap swirled with the cocoa powder brown soap and then grounds throughout - I'd like the white to stay white though.

Sorry to hijack but excellent questions!

I've found that if the grounds are used and well rinsed off they don't add color to the soap. The last bar in the below picture has coffee grounds.

Cocoa colors the soap nicely.

 

[glenolam]

Sorry to hijack but excellent questions!

Hijack away! I can only think of so much on my own

I've found that if the grounds are used and well rinsed off they don't add color to the soap.

Do the grounds maintain their scent or would I need to add FO?

 

[agriffin]

No, they don't maintain their scent.

 

[carebear]

either is fine. i used brewed cuz I'm cheap...

but I find no matter how finely ground, it's too sharp for my taste - even as a scrubby kitchen soap.

no scent, neither from soaping brewed or fresh nor from using coffee as the liquid. just ain't gonna happen.

 

[Sunny]

I added some cocoa to my last coffee batch and I think it helped.. otherwise the soap was looking gray from the grounds.

The coffee in the soap doesn't hold scent, but I added some coffee grounds to the top of the soaps, for decoration, and those still have a little bit of scent to them (but I only made these two weeks ago, the scent may not stay).

 

[soapsmurf]

One thing that I have heard about grounds is that they will EAT scent to some degree. Depends on the scent, but coffee definitely masks/absorbs, which one reason it's seen quite a bit in kitchen soap recipes.

 

[xyxoxy]

If you want to color your soap with coffee you can make a triple strength brew and use it for part of your liquid. No matter how much you use you will not get a coffee scent... you need a FO for that.

Start small... some people like scratchy soap but a little goes a long way. You can always add more to the next batch.

 

[amiphant]

wow I didn't know that! I was hoping that if i use espresso as liquid it would give my soap a little bit of scent at least...

alrite, it's time for me to get a coffee FO then~~

either is fine. i used brewed cuz I'm cheap...

but I find no matter how finely ground, it's too sharp for my taste - even as a scrubby kitchen soap.

no scent, neither from soaping brewed or fresh nor from using coffee as the liquid. just ain't gonna happen.

 

[glenolam]

One thing that I have heard about grounds is that they will EAT scent to some degree. Depends on the scent, but coffee definitely masks/absorbs, which one reason it's seen quite a bit in kitchen soap recipes.

Do you mean FO scents or natural scents? Just trying to think of how I can create a mocha bar and get the same scent....

 

[soapsmurf]

One thing that I have heard about grounds is that they will EAT scent to some degree. Depends on the scent, but coffee definitely masks/absorbs, which one reason it's seen quite a bit in kitchen soap recipes.

Do you mean FO scents or natural scents? Just trying to think of how I can create a mocha bar and get the same scent....

The accounts I read didn't draw a distinction between the two.

 

[agriffin]

One thing that I have heard about grounds is that they will EAT scent to some degree. Depends on the scent, but coffee definitely masks/absorbs, which one reason it's seen quite a bit in kitchen soap recipes.

Do you mean FO scents or natural scents? Just trying to think of how I can create a mocha bar and get the same scent....

The accounts I read didn't draw a distinction between the two.

I've never had a problem scenting soap made with coffee and grounds with either FO's or EO's. I make a TON of coffee soap.

 

[soapsmurf]

One thing that I have heard about grounds is that they will EAT scent to some degree. Depends on the scent, but coffee definitely masks/absorbs, which one reason it's seen quite a bit in kitchen soap recipes.

Do you mean FO scents or natural scents? Just trying to think of how I can create a mocha bar and get the same scent....

The accounts I read didn't draw a distinction between the two.

I've never had a problem scenting soap made with coffee and grounds with either FO's or EO's. I make a TON of coffee soap.

I'd read that somewhere, but I can't remember if it might have been with fresh grounds. In any event, I'd definitely go with what you said

 

[BakingNana]

You couldn't have posted this question at a better time...just finished first coffee soap. Turned the color of chocolate pudding without any color added, but I used WSP Fresh Brewed Coffee and so far IT STINKS. Anyone use this? What do you use for FO? Someone please tell me coffee soap ends up smelling like coffee with the FO. :?

 

[glenolam]

Sorry to hear that!

I didn't get a chance to make my mocha soap, but I think I'm going to just use plain old grounds, no FO and cocoa. I'll use the cocoa as my colerant and put the grounds in the main base.

Did you use cocoa in your entire batch or as a swirl? I'm wondering how much cocoa to use.