Lecithin as a soap ingredient

[Guest]

I've seen lecithin in some soap.
Read about it -- emulsifier, emollient, slows oxidation of fats,
ester of glycerol, wax-like, limit 3%, mild preservative


Anyone used it or know anything about potential benefits of using it?

 

[artisan soaps]

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[Guest]

Why was lecithin in the coconut? Preservative?

 

[IrishLass]

I've used it in a few batches to see if it would help to slow down acceleration in a few FOs (as a few soapers were reporting), but it didn't work for me with the accelerating FOs that I tested it with. Other than adding a nice sheen, appearance-wise, the added lecithin really didn't seem to do much of anything else in my finished soap that I could detect. I used the liquid kind.

IrishLass

 

[artisan soaps]

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[carebear]

lecithin is a surfactant and is used as an emulsifier.

it has helped slow trace for me, but it also resulted in soaps that took a week to harden up. so I don't play with it any longer. except in gravy.

oh and it can also help things absorb better into the skin.

 

[Guest]

If lecithin is wax-like, seems it would speed trace instead of slow it.
Heck, I don't know --just thinking too much. LOL

 

[rebeccasartsstudio]

I've used it in a few batches to see if it would help to slow down acceleration in a few FOs (as a few soapers were reporting), but it didn't work for me with the accelerating FOs that I tested it with. Other than adding a nice sheen, appearance-wise, the added lecithin really didn't seem to do much of anything else in my finished soap that I could detect. I used the liquid kind.

IrishLass

When did you add it to your soap recipe?

 

[IrishLass]

When did you add it to your soap recipe?

I add it to the liquid oils.
IrishLass

 

[rebeccasartsstudio]

I add it to the liquid oils.
IrishLass

Thank you! Do you use cold or hot process soap recipe when you add the lecithin? I have a liquid sunflower lecithin, do you think this will work? Did you hydrate the lecithin before adding? What were your results with your recipe? How did it affect your process? (If you don't mind me asking). Did it make the process more challenging? Have you done this more since you used it in 2009?

 

[desiredcreations]

I found this thread while searching for how lecithin might impact cold process soap. I'm looking because I'm about the make a very small test batch CP soap using cream cheese and white baking chips, which is comprised of sugar, milk, non-fat dry milk palm kernel, palm oil and soy lecithin. If anything interesting happens, I'll report back.