Help! How do I make a maximum sweaty soap? For an art project

[needsoaphelp]

Hi all,

I've never made a soap from scratch before, so apologies if anything I'm asking is nonsensical!

I'm trying to make soap for an art project, so unlike a soap product, I'm really not concerned with the usability of the soap. I really just want a soap that is super sweaty. I don't care at all about color and I would like it to be as scentless as possible.

I want to try two soap bases, so I have two main questions:

1. Before, I've used a generic glycerine soap base that I purchased on amazon, but I noticed that it starts to shrivel and the surface starts to crystallize after a while. The sweating was also quite slow to start and stopped once the soap started to crystallize. Ideally, I would like something that starts to sweat as soon as it's popped out of the mold and can continuously sweat for at least a few months. Is this something that can be changed in the recipe, ie; adding additional liquid glycerin to the soap base, or is it really an atmospheric variable?

2. Conceptually, I would prefer to use a beef tallow base for the soap. Based on what I'm seeing online, I can make a soap with just beef tallow, lye, and water. Is that correct? Also, it seems like just this wouldn't be enough to make a sweaty soap, so can I just add tons of glycerine? Are there other ways to make it hydroscopic? As long as I can take the soap out of the mold, I don't care about hardness.

Thank you for any tips or help that you might have!

 

[Nona'sFarm]

The only soaps I've had to sweat are MP and then it was the beads of glycerin dew. The MP that is NOT low sweat is more likely to sweat and being in a humid environment encourages the beads. So sitting the soap on the bathroom counter will encourage the sweating.
If you're looking for a soap that stays looking sudsy all of the time for this project, I don't have a suggestion for that.
Maybe others will have a suggestion.

 

[Maddiesiler]

I have no idea about the glycerin and making a “sweaty” soap, but I’ve made a few 100% tallow soaps with just lye and water (I used milk but same deal), and they definitely work! They’re high on the “creamy” side though and really don’t have a huge lather like commercial soaps.

 

[bookworm42]

I'm trying to make soap for an art project, so unlike a soap product, I'm really not concerned with the usability of the soap. I really just want a soap that is super sweaty. I don't care at all about color and I would like it to be as scentless as possible.

Is there a certain look you're going for? Beads or droplets of sweat? Lather or foam that stays on it?

Maybe if you explain or provide an example of what you want your soap to look like we can better understand what you are trying to do.

 

[A-Polly]

As @Nona'sFarm said, most melt & pour soaps will sweat in a humid environment., and so will salt bars. I imagine the more salt the better. Would the gallery or art space for your display have enough humidity in the air, though?

 

[Ekuzo]

I think if you're a beginner the easiest way for you to achieve something like that would be using soap base and make M&P soap. But, as the others pointed out (and as you noticed yourself), the sweating depends highly on the conditions where the soap is kept.

https://www.soapmakingforum.com/thr...s-soap-is-condensating-after-packaging.93542/

Here's a thread from not long ago, where OP was having problems with excessive sweating from their soap and we were trying to troubleshoot and help with that - the opposite of what you are searching for. Basically, there was not additional glycerin added, it was normal CP soap, but because of the hot and humid climate sweat was all over the bars. I think you may find the thread interesting and it may even help a bit with the theoretical part of your project

 

[akseattle]

I really just want a soap that is super sweaty.... .. Ideally, I would like something that starts to sweat as soon as it's popped out of the mold and can continuously sweat for at least a few months. ..

@needsoaphelp , move to the northwest?

I'm thinking the combination of glycerin and humidity in the air would create maximum sweating.
I'm not much on the scientific side but does a humidifier put humidity in the air? If so, maybe try that?

 

[needsoaphelp]

Is there a certain look you're going for? Beads or droplets of sweat? Lather or foam that stays on it?

Maybe if you explain or provide an example of what you want your soap to look like we can better understand what you are trying to do.

I'm thinking droplets and dripping sweat

 

[Nona'sFarm]

I don't know how to make soap keep that form, but maybe you could fashion something with a bar of soap and add droplets. If you're not already a CP soap maker, I wouldn't take that on for this one project, I would stick with melt and pour.

Check out this LINK for a droplet mold.

 

[Soaped]

I'm thinking droplets and dripping sweat

Does it have to be actually sweating or can you use a dropper and a melt and pour soap to create this effect on a soap?

 

[artemis]

Does it have to be actually sweating or can you use a dropper and a melt and pour soap to create this effect on a soap?

This is what I was thinking. Any bar of CP plus clear MP drips and beads of "sweat" could look pretty convincing.

 

[ScentimentallyYours]

Does it have to actually be soap, @needsoaphelp? Or could it just look like a sweaty bar of soap? What is the point of the art? How long does it have to last?