How to use beeswax in soap making?

[Lray]

Hi everyone, I have been making lye based soap for some time. Recently I read that adding beeswax to lye soap can help add hardness. I'm wondering if I could add beeswax to a soap recipe for hardness instead of using salt.

http://www.soap-making-resource.com/beeswax-in-soap-making.html
Have anyone tried adding beeswax to their soap formula before? What other benefits does beeswax add to the soap other than hardness?

As I'm located in a small tropical island called Singapore with no natural bee farm, I have purchased pure yellow beeswax pellets from a local soap making supplies store.

https://singaporesoap.com/supplies/beeswax-pellets-100-pure-cosmetic-grade/
I'm guessing that it works the same as natural beeswax? Thank you!

 

[earlene]

Yes, adding beeswax is fairly common. Maybe not done by some soapers in most of their recipes, but some use it in more recipes than not. It depends on one's niche, I suspect.

I have used it a 1-3% of the oils (per lye calculator) din HP soap and it does speed up the process quite a bit. I've only done it while making HP soap, so cannot address if or how it would work in CP soap recipes (I've never tried.) I don't use it anymore because I haven't made HP soap in quite some time.

I am not sure it made the soap any harder than it would have been without it, but that really depends on the rest of the formula. And yes, using beeswax pellets works the same.

 

[Cat&Oak]

One of my favorite bars is from a fellow soapmaker that uses beeswax in every batch. I used beeswax years ago but it is such a pain to work with IMHO.

You have to bring your oils up to 145-150° to ensure the beeswax is completely melted and fully incorporated. I personally don't like getting my oils that hot on the chance it can degrade and increase the chance of dreaded orange spots.

Does it make a harder bar? A bit? I never noticed any huge improvement by adding it.

You can get a bar that is plenty hard and long lasting by oils and butters alone.

 

[Lray]

Thank you so much for the info! I'll try it!

 

[Peachy Clean Soap]

I use BW in almost all my CP soap' I find it's a added kinda lock in moisture barrier for the skin, it also helps lesson the effects Soda Ash Greatly lastly add's some hardness to the bar as-well.