Is this an okay recipe?

[j Roszak]

I'm so so new to making soap and I really like the shampoo bar formula I started with but would like to venture out a bit more and try maybe adding to it. My original recipe used sci, coconut oil, mango butter, avocado oil, castor oil, distilled water, and fragrance oil. I wanted to try adding maybe cetyl alcohol and hydrolized rice protein. Would this work? I'm trying to keep the ph as neutral as possible. Should I add a preservative? I use scg emulsifying wax in my conditioner bar but was curious if it should also be in the shampoo bar. Thanks in advance for any advice!

 

[AliOop]

Hi there,

People have different understandings of the term "shampoo bar." Most folks on this forum use that term to refer to a "syndet" bar that doesn't actually contain true soap.

However, it sounds like you are making lye-based soap with these ingredients added to it; is that correct? If so, please know that you can't lower the pH of true soap below 9 without causing it to break apart into an oily mess. If you are using inexpensive pH strips, and/or failing to create a 10% solution of soap in water for testing, then the pH readings that you are getting are highly inaccurate, and much lower than the true pH of your soap. Here is a good article about that.

Anyway, we can't really answer your questions until we know for sure what type of product you are making, and you provide entire recipe in percentages, including all additives. That will help us to help you.

 

[j Roszak]

Hi there,

People have different understandings of the term "shampoo bar." Most folks on this forum use that term to refer to a "syndet" bar that doesn't actually contain true soap.

However, it sounds like you are making lye-based soap with these ingredients added to it; is that correct? If so, please know that you can't lower the pH of true soap below 9 without causing it to break apart into an oily mess. If you are using inexpensive pH strips, and/or failing to create a 10% solution of soap in water for testing, then the pH readings that you are getting are highly inaccurate, and much lower than the true pH of your soap. Here is a good article about that.

Anyway, we can't really answer your questions until we know for sure what type of product you are making, and you provide entire recipe in percentages, including all additives. That will help us to help you.

Again I'm so new I might have no clue what I'm talking about but I thought I was making a syndet bar. I didn't add any lye. In the original bar, depending on the recommended percentage of fragrance oil used for each different one, it's generally 50% sci, 18% mango butter, 5% avocado oil, 5% castor oil, 10% distilled water, and 12% fragrance oil. Some of my fragrance oils need a lower percentage so I adjust the other ingredients accordingly. I just wanted to see if it's okay to incorporate cetyl alcohol and rice protein to this current recipe. I don't know enough though to know what can be mixed and what can't. The current recipe I use isn't mine so I figured it was a safe bet but I didn't want to just start throwing stuff together and putting it on my head.

 

[Mobjack Bay]

Based on your recipe containing SCI, which I assume is sodium cocoyl isethionate, it sounds like it falls into the syndet category that @AliOop mentioned.

The Humblebee & Me website is a good place to learn more about using SCI and making shampoo bars with various formulas and additives. She also has a YouTube channel.

SMF has a Bath & Body forum that is devoted to discussing B&B products, recipe modifications, etc.. I suggest that you post your questions and current formula there.

 

[j Roszak]

Based on your recipe containing SCI, which I assume is sodium cocoyl isethionate, it sounds like it falls into the syndet category that @AliOop mentioned.

The Humblebee & Me website is a good place to learn more about using SCI and making shampoo bars with various formulas and additives. She also has a YouTube channel.

SMF has a Bath & Body forum that is devoted to discussing B&B products, recipe modifications, etc.. I suggest that you post your questions and current formula there.

Thanks for the reply! I have watched a bunch of the humblebee & me videos and I really like watching. The problem I am having though is there are so many formulations with so many different ingredients. I was trying to just play around a bit with what I already had on hand without blowing up my head because I mixed stuff I wasn't supposed to . I mainly want to just make soap for my family so I'm trying to not go too crazy buying all kinds of ingredients. I tend to dive all in to things, my toxic trait , and then get overwhelmed. I'm trying to take it easy. We will see how that goes.

 

[AliOop]

Again I'm so new I might have no clue what I'm talking about but I thought I was making a syndet bar. I didn't add any lye. In the original bar, depending on the recommended percentage of fragrance oil used for each different one, it's generally 50% sci, 18% mango butter, 5% avocado oil, 5% castor oil, 10% distilled water, and 12% fragrance oil. Some of my fragrance oils need a lower percentage so I adjust the other ingredients accordingly. I just wanted to see if it's okay to incorporate cetyl alcohol and rice protein to this current recipe. I don't know enough though to know what can be mixed and what can't. The current recipe I use isn't mine so I figured it was a safe bet but I didn't want to just start throwing stuff together and putting it on my head.

Ok, whew! I am glad you are making a syndet bar. As @Mobjack Bay mentioned, and what confused me, is that this type of post would not normally be posted in the soapmaking threads, but in the bath & body threads. Of course, you are asking for recipe feedback, so maybe this is the best spot after all? I'll tag @Relle who is one of our moderators, and see if she wants to move it or leave it.

ANYWAY Yes, you can include cetyl alcohol and rice protein in this recipe. Where you have to be most careful is combining different types of surfactants, high electrolyte ingredients, and preservatives. Not all of them play well together.