How does this look???

[cmzaha]

Another thing you can try, but this takes a few months is either a high 70% shea butter bar or a 100% Almond Oil Bar. The problem with 100% Almond Oil soaps is the min 6-month cure before you will get even a hint of lather with a year cure the best, and the same goes for the 70% Shea Bar. Although the shea bar you can start trying for lather at the 4-month cure point, normally it still will not lather much at that point. Both soaps are really nice on fragile skin and are what I use when my hands are giving me trouble. Avocado oil in soaps is wonderful but even with long cure times, I found it just would not lather as a 100% AVO soap.

I agree with Dibbles making her a nice lotion bar to use adding in a percentage of Avocado Oil with includes its own healing properties. I made a diaper rash balm for my grandkids that worked better than anything on the market or what the doctors prescribed which included Tacuma butter and avocado Oil infused with chamomile. Lotion bars with leave a nice protective layer on the hands. I sold a lot of solid lotions to nurses at the Kaiser hospital and also at City of Hope where I did an outdoor market once a week.

ETA: stick with the low superfat in the low CO soap it will also help with the lather. If you can spring for the cost I would get some Sorbitol and use it at 1% of your total batch weight, I found it really worked better than sugar in the low CO soaps which I made and sold. sorbitol powder of course like everything I see the brand I used to buy has almost doubled in price but I just found one that is less per ounce from Spicy World.

 

[Barefoot Farm Girl]

@Barefoot Farm Girl You mentioned goat milk in your first post. The sugars from that will help a bit with lather. However, I’d still add a bit more. Anywhere from 1 tsp to 1 T per pound of oils should be fine. Just be sure to dissolve it in some water before adding any NaOH.

You read my mind! I was just about to ask that

Do you have any cucumbers? Cucumbers have skin soothing properties. I have pureed cucumbers and used the puree as part of the required liquid.

I just remembered I have cucumber seed oil, but it’s not in soap calc, not sure how I could add that in

I think that the recipe you have above is good start for someone who is experiencing sore and itchy skin from frequent hand washing. The numbers show that it should be gentle soap with a low cleansing number (which you want in this case), and the conditioning number is good too. You can play around with the soap calculator and it can drive you crazy (I know, as I've been there and do it too - ) However, this recipe is one that I would consider a good start for what you are looking for, for your friend. I agree with the other comments, that Aloe Vera juice would be a nice addition to this recipe, however if you don't have that on hand, and as you mentioned, adding the goat milk (or coconut milk powder) will help add a bit of conditioning. The one thing that I would add (besides AVJ & goat/coconut milk) to the recipe if I was making it for myself, is that I would also add colloidal oatmeal. My skin is sensitive and I do notice a difference if I leave it out. I add approx. 2 teaspoons per pound.

i was contemplating adding that in, thanks for the amount!

 

[lsg]

Cucumber seed oil has a saponification value (Sodium Hydroxide): 0.132

 

[BDab]

I agree with Shelly D.....a small amount (about pea size) shea butter rubbed in when your hands are still slightly damp from washing can help a lot. I have found it creates a barrier that protects my hands at my next washing and has kept my hands from cracking in the winter. She can play around with the amount to find what works best for her. It should leave her hands feeling soft and smooth, not greasy.

I just ran your recipe through soap calc and your cleansing vs. conditioning numbers look great. To make your soap more nourishing I would increase the superfat to 6%. It does make for a slightly softer soap but your bar will be more conditioning. You can also use oat infused water or canned pumpkin for your liquid. Both will make your skin feel very soft. Make sure you freeze them before you add the lye though.

I hope you find the perfect mix of ingredients to help her!

 

[Barefoot Farm Girl]

Cucumber seed oil has a saponification value (Sodium Hydroxide): 0.132

Thanks!

 

[Barefoot Farm Girl]

I agree with Shelly D.....a small amount (about pea size) shea butter rubbed in when your hands are still slightly damp from washing can help a lot. I have found it creates a barrier that protects my hands at my next washing and has kept my hands from cracking in the winter. She can play around with the amount to find what works best for her. It should leave her hands feeling soft and smooth, not greasy.

I just ran your recipe through soap calc and your cleansing vs. conditioning numbers look great. To make your soap more nourishing I would increase the superfat to 6%. It does make for a slightly softer soap but your bar will be more conditioning. You can also use oat infused water or canned pumpkin for your liquid. Both will make your skin feel very soft. Make sure you freeze them before you add the lye though.

I hope you find the perfect mix of ingredients to help her!

Will that high of a super fat with lard cause a soap scum issue?

 

[Barefoot Farm Girl]

Another thing you can try, but this takes a few months is either a high 70% shea butter bar or a 100% Almond Oil Bar. The problem with 100% Almond Oil soaps is the min 6-month cure before you will get even a hint of lather with a year cure the best, and the same goes for the 70% Shea Bar. Although the shea bar you can start trying for lather at the 4-month cure point, normally it still will not lather much at that point. Both soaps are really nice on fragile skin and are what I use when my hands are giving me trouble. Avocado oil in soaps is wonderful but even with long cure times, I found it just would not lather as a 100% AVO soap.

I agree with Dibbles making her a nice lotion bar to use adding in a percentage of Avocado Oil with includes its own healing properties. I made a diaper rash balm for my grandkids that worked better than anything on the market or what the doctors prescribed which included Tacuma butter and avocado Oil infused with chamomile. Lotion bars with leave a nice protective layer on the hands. I sold a lot of solid lotions to nurses at the Kaiser hospital and also at City of Hope where I did an outdoor market once a week.

ETA: stick with the low superfat in the low CO soap it will also help with the lather. If you can spring for the cost I would get some Sorbitol and use it at 1% of your total batch weight, I found it really worked better than sugar in the low CO soaps which I made and sold. sorbitol powder of course like everything I see the brand I used to buy has almost doubled in price but I just found one that is less per ounce from Spicy World.

@dibbles @cmzaha And off I went to find lotion bar recipes, I blame you both for another new obsession I am going to need a she shed soon, I have a small house and my soaping stuff is taking over. Yet another order coming in from WSP and Amazon and hubby getting me beeswax on his way home. I have no idea where all this stuff is going to fit! Any tips for cleaning the beeswax out of the melting pot? I use mine for the oils and probably have a false hope that I don’t need a second one.

 

[Firefly24]

When you decide on your formula, I recommend adding colloidal oatmeal as well.

 

[Barefoot Farm Girl]

When you decide on your formula, I recommend adding colloidal oatmeal as well.

I agree, I did tweak it to lower the CO as suggested and love the idea of the colloidal oatmeal

 

[Barefoot Farm Girl]

One last check before I make this tomorrow, I made a few adjustments/additions based on all of your wonderful advice, super fat still at 2% because of the lard. Will the sugar and sodium lactate accelerate the batter? It says oatmeal in the calc, but I’m going to add the colloidal oats dry at trace (I think that’s correct?) Thank you all again!

 

[Barefoot Farm Girl]

Maybe one more tweak! @KiwiMoose My Walmart has Aloe Vera juice, will any of the healing properties carry thru into the soap, or is it more to make bubbles? This is the first I’ve heard of using it, how much of the goat milk should I replace? Does it need to be frozen so it doesn’t scorch with the lye?

 

[AliOop]

One last check before I make this tomorrow, I made a few adjustments/additions based on all of your wonderful advice, super fat still at 2% because of the lard. Will the sugar and sodium lactate accelerate the batter? It says oatmeal in the calc, but I’m going to add the colloidal oats dry at trace (I think that’s correct?) Thank you all again!

Neither sugar nor SL cause acceleration, thankfully. I would add the colloidal oats either to some of your additional liquid, or blend it dry into the oils before adding the lye solution.

Maybe one more tweak! @KiwiMoose My Walmart has Aloe Vera juice, will any of the healing properties carry thru into the soap, or is it more to make bubbles? This is the first I’ve heard of using it, how much of the goat milk should I replace? Does it need to be frozen so it doesn’t scorch with the lye?

I don't think any healing properties of AVJ come through saponification, but it does create nice bubbles. You can skip the sugar if you use AVJ. You can replace as much of the GM as you want with AVJ - totally up to you. It doesn't scorch or heat up like fresh GM does.

You might also consider powdered GM, which is easy to stickblend dry into the oils with the colloidal oats. This avoid the need to freeze the fresh GM like most folks do to avoid scorching.

 

[Shelley D]

Maybe one more tweak! @KiwiMoose My Walmart has Aloe Vera juice, will any of the healing properties carry thru into the soap, or is it more to make bubbles? This is the first I’ve heard of using it, how much of the goat milk should I replace? Does it need to be frozen so it doesn’t scorch with the lye?

Hard to say what healing properties actually survive the saponification process, after all, it is a chemical action (or reaction ) taking place causing the oils to change into soap so If there is an ingredient you want to use specifically for the healing properties, it's best to make a leave-on product for that, and focus on keeping your soap recipe cleansing value low so it isn't too hash, like you are doing. Some people like the different feel of various liquids in soap ~ my skin likes oat milk better than goat's milk, go figure. It's not that it didn't like goat's milk, I just didn't get the results I was expecting, but the oat milk soap felt more soothing on my skin.
As for the goat's milk ~ I was replacing the total liquid amount with frozen GM. I would put the frozen GM cubes in a container, add the lye, give it a stir, let it sit a min, then alternate stir and rest until the cubes melted. It will take a little bit but they will melt.

 

[Barefoot Farm Girl]

Neither sugar nor SL cause acceleration, thankfully. I would add the colloidal oats either to some of your additional liquid, or blend it dry into the oils before adding the lye solution.


I don't think any healing properties of AVJ come through saponification, but it does create nice bubbles. You can skip the sugar if you use AVJ. You can replace as much of the GM as you want with AVJ - totally up to you. It doesn't scorch or heat up like fresh GM does.

You might also consider powdered GM, which is easy to stickblend dry into the oils with the colloidal oats. This avoid the need to freeze the fresh GM like most folks do to avoid scorching.

Thank you so much! You don’t know how much I appreciate your help and willingness to guide us newbies! I have a bunch of frozen goat milk and an up and coming dairy goat, so unless I get gifted an awesome freeze dryer I will be freezing a lot of milk! Knock on wood, I’ve had great luck so far with my goat milk soaps

 

[Barefoot Farm Girl]

Hard to say what healing properties actually survive the saponification process, after all, it is a chemical action (or reaction ) taking place causing the oils to change into soap so If there is an ingredient you want to use specifically for the healing properties, it's best to make a leave-on product for that, and focus on keeping your soap recipe cleansing value low so it isn't too hash, like you are doing. Some people like the different feel of various liquids in soap ~ my skin likes oat milk better than goat's milk, go figure. It's not that it didn't like goat's milk, I just didn't get the results I was expecting, but the oat milk soap felt more soothing on my skin.
As for the goat's milk ~ I was replacing the total liquid amount with frozen GM. I would put the frozen GM cubes in a container, add the lye, give it a stir, let it sit a min, then alternate stir and rest until the cubes melted. It will take a little bit but they will melt.

Thanks! Thats how I do my goat milk experiment's I mean soaps too. I just wish it didn’t stink so much! Fortunately it’s a quick whiff of yuck!

 

[melinda48]

Neither sugar nor SL cause acceleration, thankfully. I would add the colloidal oats either to some of your additional liquid, or blend it dry into the oils before adding the lye solution.


I don't think any healing properties of AVJ come through saponification, but it does create nice bubbles. You can skip the sugar if you use AVJ. You can replace as much of the GM as you want with AVJ - totally up to you. It doesn't scorch or heat up like fresh GM does.

You might also consider powdered GM, which is easy to stickblend dry into the oils with the colloidal oats. This avoid the need to freeze the fresh GM like most folks do to avoid scorching.

I have switched to powdered gm exclusively and will never go back. It has made my “soap life” life much easier.