How would I use aloe vera in soap??

[Jrachae]

Hi everyone!! I'm a newbie who is interested in making an aloe vera soap. However, I am not sure of which aloe vera product to use. Natural plant, gel, or liquid. Is one better than the other and how would I incorporate into a recipe?

 

[DeeAnna]

There are many threads on this topic. You may find good answers here:

https://www.soapmakingforum.com/search/23925/?q=aloe+vera&o=date&c[title_only]=1

For example:
https://www.soapmakingforum.com/threads/aloe-vera-juice-percentage-in-soap.63279/

And:
https://www.soapmakingforum.com/threads/aloe-vera.58588/

 

[lsg]

You can substitute aloe vera juice for the water, just make sure that you freeze it until slushy before adding the lye. When I had an aloe vera plant, I would just cut off a 4-5 inch leaf and puree it, then add it to my thinly traced soap.

 

[Obsidian]

No reason to freeze juice, I use it at room temp and the lye doesn't react at all. No excess heat, weird smell or discoloring.

I use the juice that is made for drinking. You can get a one gallon jug at Walmart for around $6.

I've also used puree but prefer the juice, it's easier and faster.

 

[cmzaha]

Sometimes I masterbatch my lye solution with Aloe Juice and also replace some of the water/liquid with pureed aloe. As Obsidian mentioned there is no reason to freeze it first

 

[earlene]

The only time I used frozen aloe, was when I had an open bottle of aloe juice and no room in the fridge to store it. I put it into cubed trays and then stored them in plastic baggies until I had a desire to use aloe in soap. A gallon of aloe juice just takes up too much space in my fridge.

 

[jcandleattic]

I have a gallon of aloe (that I'm actually not going to use because of my next question)

There is an expiration date on it, how far out of date can you go and still be good? Or is once it's expired it shouldn't be used?

 

[Jrachae]

Thanks for your replies!!

 

[amd]

I have a gallon of aloe (that I'm actually not going to use because of my next question)

There is an expiration date on it, how far out of date can you go and still be good? Or is once it's expired it shouldn't be used?

My two cents: if it smells normal and doesn't have mold, I wouldn't be concerned about using it in soap (other bath products would be a different story) because of the chemical reactions during the soap making process. My aloe vera juice often sits at room temp for 2 months before I use it all. I smell it and check for mold every time I use it with no problems to date. I've never checked expiration dates, FWIW.

 

[jcandleattic]

My two cents: if it smells normal and doesn't have mold, I wouldn't be concerned about using it in soap (other bath products would be a different story) because of the chemical reactions during the soap making process. My aloe vera juice often sits at room temp for 2 months before I use it all. I smell it and check for mold every time I use it with no problems to date. I've never checked expiration dates, FWIW.

Thank you. I am going to buy new, because what I have has been sitting there at least a year - LOL (don't ask, I don't use it often) so I'll toss that but keep what you said in mind for future uses.

 

[earlene]

I have a gallon of aloe (that I'm actually not going to use because of my next question)

There is an expiration date on it, how far out of date can you go and still be good? Or is once it's expired it shouldn't be used?

Is that an expiration date or a sell by date or best used by date? They are not the same thing at all. And has it been opened yet?

 

[jcandleattic]

Is that an expiration date or a sell by date or best used by date? They are not the same thing at all. And has it been opened yet?

It's an expiration date. I know there are differences between all the dates you mentioned. And yes, it's been long opened. I'm going to throw it away regardless and get a new jug, I'm just curious for future use.

 

[In My Soap Pot]

Like others said, I would use the fresh plant or juice. I would discount the water in the lye solution to the amount of fresh product or juice used, but instead of adding it to the lye, I will add it to the soap at trace.

Here’s a soap I made substituting nearly half of the water used in the lye solution with puréed cucumber. It turned out so beautiful! You could use aloe instead of cucumber.

 

[Obsidian]

I had a jug start to smell like vinegar after sitting around too long. Now I freeze the extra in ice trays so it won't go to waste.
I didn't mold at all, only the scent to show it went bad.

 

[goat soap rulz!]

So do y’all cut open the plant and use the inside jelly stuff, or do you just purée the green outside and put it in the soap too

 

[amd]

So do y’all cut open the plant and use the inside jelly stuff, or do you just purée the green outside and put it in the soap too

Yes you can do both.

 

[DeeAnna]

Amd is right, you can fillet it to remove the skin or you can use the leaf whole, but I think the most common preference is to use the inside flesh only, since the green skin can make scratchy bits in the soap if you don't get it pureed well enough.

Also Carolyn (cmzaha) says after you cut off a leaf, you should stand the leaf upright with the cut side facing down, so a brown, bitter sap can drain out. I stood my cut leaf in a cup or so of water, and I was amazed to see the water turn brown. It doesn't take long. I'm not 100% sure if it makes a difference for soap, but I can see why you'd want to do this for medicinal or food purposes.

 

[Wendlebee]

Has anyone used Aloe vera powder in their soaps? If so did it work well? I have some powdered aloe vera and want to use it in soap and/or lotion/creams.

 

[SeaSuds]

I use the powder in almost every batch. I add it to my water and dissolve before adding the lye. It behaves well and boosts lather

 

[Wendlebee]

Great! Thanks