First-Wash Phenomenon

[Susie]

I have thought and thought about this. My theory is that while commercially prepared soap bubbles right off, it is also not cured like ours is. To make "soap", they make it with syndets, grind it up, remove the glycerin, then mash the rest together, and sell it. The syndets and the lack of curing, IMO, gives it that "instant bubbles" that we lack on cured soap.

I think our soap, while curing, loses "something" to the air that can be recovered once we use it a few times. However, even on the first use, our handmade soap is better than any syndet bar out there.

 

[IrishLass]

I just read this thread for the first time, and I think I may be the odd soaper out, because I have never really noticed this with my soaps. :wtf: Out of curiosity, I just grabbed a never-used-before bar of soap that I made over the summer and tried it out at the sink to wash my hands, and it copiously bubbled right up as usual, and I have very hard water.

My lathering method, in case anyone is wondering: I turned my water on, took my soap in hand and swirled it/turned it over in my bare hands under the running water for 5-seconds maximum, and it kicked up plenty enough instant suds to satisfy Laurence Welk himself.

I'm kinda leaning towards this first-use/diminished suds phenomenon y'all are experiencing as being formula-dependent. For what it's worth, the soap I just used (one of my 2 main formulas) contains a 31.5% combo of coconut oil and PKO. My other main formula in case anyone is wondering contains a 28% combo of coconut/PKO. I should also mention that I use .5% tetrasodium EDTA in every batch of my soap that I make (as per the weight of my total batch), which really helps to boost the lathering abilities of my soap in my hard water.

The only times I have noticed any diminished suds with my 2 main formulas is when I have a layer of lotion or body butter on my hands, but as soon as it gets washed off with the first pass of washing, the second pass is copiously bubbly as expected.


IrishLass

 

[Susie]

Ah-ha! More CO or PKO makes more bubbles faster!

I could never go that high, my skin wants to leave if I use 25%.