Increasing longevity

[Obsidian]

I need some help guys. I make soap for a family member and he recently told me that he showers excessively and a bar is only lasting about 4 days. I would like to figure out a way to increase the longevity, even if its just by a little bit.
Any suggestions as to a oil/fat/wax to add or even additives? I was thinking about 2%-3% beeswax. I can't change the recipe too much, he has finicky dry skin. Recipe used is

lard 50%
safflower or OO 25%
coconut 20%
castor 5%

Maybe something like this?

lard 58%
saff 20%
coconut 20%
castor 5%
beeswax 2%

what about salt? Does it help with longevity or only hardness?

 

[newbie]

Oooooo, that might be a difficult one. OO instead of safflower gives you a little edge but likely the real problem is that the bar is constantly wet, if he showers excessively. It probably hardly has time to dry and is dissolving much more rapidly than if it had a good chance to dry between uses. HAs he ever tried alternating between 2-3 bars, so any one bar has 1-2 days to dry between uses?

Also, if he's showering so much because of a compulsion, taking NAC (n-acetyl cysteine) can decrease compulsive behaviors.

 

[Dean]

Interesting challenge. Animal fats (disclaimer...I don’t use them) provide a broad fatty acid profile. It seems the liquid oil, beyond castor, is not necessary. Would you consider the following?

 

[newbie]

A soleseif bar seems to be harder but does it last longer than a bar made with just water?

 

[Obsidian]

@Dean, I actually make a bar similar to that. I should give him one to test.

@newbie I don't know if its a compulsion or not, would kinda feel weird asking about it. I asked if the soap could dry out and he did say he uses a good rack with airflow. I will suggest alternating bars, that could help.

I have really bad luck with soleseif, they are always so harsh. I'm sure its just my recipe but I don't like them enough to experiment.

 

[KiwiMoose]

Are you in the 'for' or 'agin' camp for soy wax? They last pretty well I've found. I can share one of my recipes if you're keen.

 

[Primrose]

How does his skin go with tallow? I have found subbing half my.lard for.tallow helps

 

[The Efficacious Gentleman]

I know that your bars will generally last a decent time, so 4 days sounds like the issue is really him. Like sudsing up for 30 mins with the water still running, the sorts of things which would kill a bar.

So we are talking about making a bar which would be less than ideal for most people but better for him.

Drop the co to 10%. No castor. Put the balance in to the lard and/or tallow. With the beeswax. It won't be the most bubbly bar you will ever use, but it will have more legs than before

 

[Saponificarian]

I would half the lard and replace with Tallow.

 

[newbie]

I think the excessive showering is the issue and no matter what you do, the bar will only last so long. Even if you get it to 5 days instead of 4, which is a huge increase, it will not feel like that to him. He may just be your very best soap client ever.

 

[Obsidian]

I'm on the fence with soy but I really should try a batch. He won't care at all.

EG, good to see you again. How is the family? I need to go through my stash and find some higher lard bars for him to test.
I do have some tallow/lard bars I made a couple months ago. I haven't tested them myself yet though. Need to get on that.

Yes, its the excess showering that is the problem not my bars but I was hoping I might be able to reformulate and help a little.

 

[The Efficacious Gentleman]

We're good. Up on the slopes today, Leonard learning to ski and Ivy-Maxine desperately wanting to! [emoji7]

 

[HowieRoll]

I agree that I would try dropping the castor oil out of the recipe. It's something I've stopped using entirely, and feel my bars are more durable and last a little longer in the shower (I do add 5% ppo sugar to every batch, though, for added oomph of bubbles).

 

[Dean]

Yes, its the excess showering that is the problem not my bars but I was hoping I might be able to reformulate and help a little.

What is “excessive showering” exactly? I shower twice day which is prob excessive. A bar lasts me at least a week. I would think he could get week too with increased stearic and/or palmitic in the recipie.

 

[redhead1226]

I do not use Beeswax , don't like it as its draggy and deceases lather. I personally do not think it has any place in soap IMHO. I use a tbsp of Salt in my lye water for hardness. I have never had an issue with hardness. Maybe because I always have a long cure to my soap. Minimum 3 months. I like longer

 

[The Efficacious Gentleman]

What is “excessive showering” exactly? I shower twice day which is prob excessive. A bar lasts me at least a week. I would think he could get week too with increased stearic and/or palmitic in the recipie.

As I said, it could be more about shower technique (duration, how the soap is used etc) rather than number of showers.

 

[Obsidian]

What is “excessive showering” exactly? I shower twice day which is prob excessive. A bar lasts me at least a week. I would think he could get week too with increased stearic and/or palmitic in the recipie.

From what his mom said, its up to 4 times a day. I have no idea how he uses the soap but I imagine he just rubs it around on his body and if he is like the rest of the family, he is hairy.

I actually like beeswax in soap, I've used it at 5% before with minimal reduction in lather.

 

[gloopygloop]

I also dont mind bees wax in soap but I would be inclined to add stearic @ about 5% or even 8% I find it hardens up a bar a good bit and lather fine but more creamy than bubbly, I love stearic in soap personally.

 

[Suz]

Hello Dean, what online calculator do these numbers come from? I would like to check it out.

 

[Dean]

From what his mom said, its up to 4 times a day. I have no idea how he uses the soap but I imagine he just rubs it around on his body and if he is like the rest of the family, he is hairy.

I actually like beeswax in soap, I've used it at 5% before with minimal reduction in lather.

That is excessive! Better clean than dirty tho. I imagine all that showering could be drying. So maybe low on myristic + lauric too.