Kelp soap

[uzmatq]

hello friends, just wondering if anyone got experience in making kelp soap, hp/ cp.
I am not sure how much kelp powder I should add per pound of oils, and which fragrance will go better with kelp soap to over come it’s fishy smell?
Thank you

 

[Magic7M]

Hi Uzmatq. I have made HP kelp soap, also a mixture of kelp and spirulina. It makes a lovely bar of soap. I used about 1 tsp per lb of oils. I mixed it with a little glycerine to moisten it and added it after the cook. Let the batch cool down a little then stir it in well. I did not notice any fishy smell after about 1 week cure but I suggest adding eucalyptus essential oil to fragrance if you are worried about the natural smell. Good luck

 

[cmzaha]

I do the same as Magic 7m although I quite using Spirulina because it fades quite badly in color. If you use much more kelp your soap will smell fishy or kelpie. I like Tea Tree in kelp soap since the scent holds well. I find Eucalyptus does not hold well in soap. Sure some will disagree, but I have tried several different Eucalyptus EO's from various suppliers and none hold well over 5 months for me

 

[uzmatq]

Thank you so much Magic, I was so unsure how much to add the kelp powder, I’ll make it today and will add glycerin in it too, good idea.
Really appreciate your help

 

[cmzaha]

Do not add to much glycerin, just enough to wet the AC if you are going that direction. To much added glycerin can make a sticky soft soap. I mix my AC directly in separated batter. It will thin out the batter temporarily but will start to thicken soon after

 

[uzmatq]

Thank you cmzaha, this forum is great, lots of new stuff to learn. I’ll try with both EO’s.
I think it will smell great cause it’s a good combination, I have tried it before but never in kelp soap, let’s see what comes up, thank you for the glycerin tip.

 

[Zany_in_CO]

I'm too late, but thought I would add this in case someone else is looking for a good FO for Kelp Soap. The Soap Dish sells a lovely fragrance oil to match/mask the scent of kelp in soap. It's called "Kelp" A fresh spa-type scent which captures the essence of the ocean with crisp green watery notes and fresh floral ozone notes. Mid notes of gardenia, coriander, lilac, and parsley. Base notes of clary sage, fir needle and oakmoss. Test notes: No acceleration, ricing, or discoloration. FP: >200°F.

http://www.thesoapdish.com/fragrance.htm

 

[uzmatq]

Thank you zany... it’s never too late, I’ll buy this one, thank you for the link

 

[earlene]

Not a fragrance, but I find that Hemp Oil lends a sea-type fragrance to soap when used in high percentages. This is with no added fragrance at all. In fact, I have been thinking of giving it a go with desiccated nori in soap.

Since I rarely use nori, I'll have to go buy some to give it a try, though. The types of kelp I use for cooking are not at all like the processed nori, and would dry too scratchy and sharp in soap.

 

[Saponificarian]

Ha! Thanks earlene. So it’s not just in my head. I have a recipe that has 20% Hempseed oil and it smells fishy in use, I was thinking it’s in my head, or maybe the critic acid I used as a chelator to prevent rancidity , I didn’t think hemp seed oil could smell fishy, so thank you for this. You just solved a mystery for me.

 

[uzmatq]

Great... before I start making it, now I have multiple ideas, gonna try hempseed oil. I use it in lotions and body butters and it comes out great.
Thank you

 

[Obsidian]

Not a fragrance, but I find that Hemp Oil lends a sea-type fragrance to soap when used in high percentages. This is with no added fragrance at all. In fact, I have been thinking of giving it a go with desiccated nori in soap.

Since I rarely use nori, I'll have to go buy some to give it a try, though. The types of kelp I use for cooking are not at all like the processed nori, and would dry too scratchy and sharp in soap.

I use nori in a salt soap, it works quite well. I basically do the split lye method, use enough water to dissolve the lye then soak a sheet of nori in the remaining water. Once its soft, I blend it really, really well and add it to the lye solution. Its never been scratchy and adds subtle flecks.

 

[Misschief]

I use nori in a salt soap, it works quite well. I basically do the split lye method, use enough water to dissolve the lye then soak a sheet of nori in the remaining water. Once its soft, I blend it really, really well and add it to the lye solution. Its never been scratchy and adds subtle flecks.

I've done the same. Be warned, though, the flecks can look a bit like DOS. Gave me a bit of a scare when I saw it so I put the bars aside for a week or two. Nothing spread and I realized it was the nori.

 

[earlene]

Obsidian, I have read that others who use nori don't get scratchiness in their soaps. I never thought of adding it to the lye solution to dissolve it like with silk. I wonder if it would work with the kinds of kelp I normally use for cooking (thicker, sharper why dehydrated, un-processed - see Kombu to get an idea of one such type of kelp I use). I'll have to experiment and see what I can come up with. Thank you for the feedback. It gives me something to work with!

 

[Obsidian]

Just make sure to blitz the heck out of it, a bullet blender works well. I wasn't really try to dissolve, more like cook it with lye.