Honey and baking soda

[Jezzy]

A girlfriend of mine asked me to make her a soap

She is seeing a naturapathic dermatologist., she has suffered from acne since she was a teenager.

He told her to wash her face in honey and baking soda. This is working for her and she wondered if I could make a soap for her with baking soda and honey.

Does the antiseptic/anti-inflamatory values of the honey survive the lye?

Anyone know?

Thanks so much

 

[Bubbles Galore]

I can only tell you that the smell of honey makes it through to the final product. :wink:

 

[Muzhik]

Try mixing the honey and baking soda together before making the soap, then adding it after trace, or even JUST before putting the soap into the mold.

 

[cwarren]

All you can do it make a batch and let her be test subject..

 

[nattynoo]

I technically/scientifically can't give u a correct answer with the honey.
All I know is my honey soap leaves me feeling amazing.
No other soap leaves my skin like this.
The ezcema on my legs has gone.
So IMO the answer would have to yes the benefits would still b there
& the smell....devine!!

 

[SmellyKat]

Try mixing the honey and baking soda together before making the soap, then adding it after trace, or even JUST before putting the soap into the mold.

How much honey do you use? Can you just swirl the honey in the trace?

 

[Lindy]

I also believe that honey makes it through to the final product. It doesn't really matter when you add it because it is still going to go through the saponification process.

I add mine at trace and for a 6 pound batch of soap I add a couple of ounces.

As for the baking soda I don't know how that will react with the lye. Remember what it does with vinegar so I would do that with caution if at all. Actually I personally wouldn't be adding it because I am concerned about the chemical reaction.....

 

[Muzhik]

Try mixing the honey and baking soda together before making the soap, then adding it after trace, or even JUST before putting the soap into the mold.

How much honey do you use? Can you just swirl the honey in the trace?

I have absolutely no idea. I recommended adding it after trace to minimize its effects in the saponification process. So, just to think out loud here...

Both lye and baking soda are bases. My concern would be that the baking soda would somehow interfere with the saponification, so you should probably consider extending the cure time of this soap.

As for how much honey to add, that's why soapmaking is an art, not a science. One advantage to adding the honey/baking soda mix after trace is that you can make several mixes up ahead of time, then add each to a portion of the base soap before putting in the mold. What is the recipe for the mix that your client washes with? Start with that, then work out the amounts to add that your client prefers for the final bar.

Finally, like a fine wine, make sure you know the provenance of your honey. There have been a number of scandals lately in the US where national brands have been buying honey from overseas (particularly China) and learning later that it was honey-flavored sugar syrup. (and not even very pure sugar syrup at that...)

This is not a problem limited to the US: Apples dipped in honey are traditional for the Jewish New Year, and there has been a big problem in the last couple of months with fake honey being sold in Israel ahead of the holidays. Check out these articles:

Con man stings Israeli towns with fake honey scam ahead of Rosh Hashanah

Phoney Honey being Sold in Israel
(Note: this one raid confiscated over 11 Tons of product, which all had to be destroyed.)

If at all possible, to avoid these problems you should buy your honey from a local apiary.

Finally, does your client express a preference for a particular kind of honey, i.e., clover honey or orange-blossom honey?

 

[carebear]

I don't believe it will be anti-anything in soap. you need to use it at a pretty low level (about 1/2 ounce per pound of oils, for starters.

if you try to swirl it in, you'll get oozy pockets of it.

to add honey, you need to mix it in very very well. I recommend diluting it - dissolving it completely and adding at light trace.

 

[soapbuddy]

Honey is very nice in soap. I don't know about the baking soda. It might interfere with lye.

 

[holly99]

I agree that I'd be cautious about adding the soda.

I love the scrubby texture of baking soda in scrubs. I think I'm going to try the baking soda and honey like your friend is doing. Cool!

 

[DottieF.]

I've used both in soap but not at the same time. (I use honey frequently.)

You can use up to 1 tbsp. of baking soda per pound of oils but I don't use that much. I would set aside some of the water (before adding lye) and mix the baking soda into that. After pouring the lye solution into the oils and mixing for a minute or so, add the baking soda slurry.


I add honey at very thin trace and make sure it's completely mixed in. I use a little less than 1 tablespoon (of honey) per pound of oils. Honey can cause soap to over heat so soap at lower temps and keep an eye on things. (I've never had a problem though.)

Post your results and let us know how it turns out. Dottie

 

[nattynoo]

AUSTRALIAN HONEY...its the only way to go...not that I'm being biased or anything just cause I live here.....

 

[Jezzy]

I am SURE of my honey. I can walk out to the fields and visit the bees that are making the honey I buy any time. :wink: I buy from a bee keeper here in town.

I am going to try the soap. It may take me a while go get to it. I have to make up a couple batches of dog shampoo and christmas soap first I will post my results

Thanks for all the input. I am glad to see that DottieF has used the baking soda. I wasn't sure what it would do with the lye. Did the soap turn out a little scrubby?

 

[Bubbles Galore]

I've heard positive comments from acne-prone people who have used salt bars made with 100% coconut oil. Just saying. :wink:

 

[Jezzy]

Thanks bubbles galore
, I have sent her a couple of my salt bars. She is testing them right now :wink:

 

[holly99]

Salt bars never worked for me unfortunately. I had such high hopes too.

 

[tespring]

I technically/scientifically can't give u a correct answer with the honey.
All I know is my honey soap leaves me feeling amazing.
No other soap leaves my skin like this.
The ezcema on my legs has gone.
So IMO the answer would have to yes the benefits would still b there
& the smell....devine!!

The first time I put honey in M&P, I used cinnamon & honey and the soap did not harden like M&P normally does, but that soap...OH that soap! My skin felt SO soft afterwards that I was in awe. I was hooked on soap, right there and then.
The honey I used was straight from the honey comb and wasn't pasteurized, the beekeeper said, as long as I am not eating it, it should be fine in soap. The honey cost me a pretty penny but it was SO worth it.

 

[carebear]

Salt bars never worked for me unfortunately. I had such high hopes too.

don't feel bad. I have about a 66% success rate with salt bars - I've stopped wasting $$ and time.

 

[jarvan]

Just being devil's advocate, but why couldn't this just be a honey/baking soda washing paste? Oh, did I make something up there? Hehe. Wondering because then you could eliminate the chance of a lye/baking soda reaction and keep the ingredients that are supposed to work.