Lush-type Jelly soap

[tincanac]

Hi there

I havent been on here in ages - hello, hello and hello

I have a question about the Lush Jelly soaps - everyone seems to love them....

My question is - do you have to leave them in the fridge? From the videos I have seen - they just seem to have them hanging out in the store with no refridge!!! How does that work? Why does it not melt like regular jelly?

I have tried looking up recipes for jelly soap - but all the homemade varieties involve liquid soap and gelatine.....and they do melt?

So how does Lush not get them to melt? I'm curious because we dont have Lush in SA, but everyone is raving about them so very much that I wanna give them a shot - which means in the absence of the Lush chain here - I would have to make them up myself!

Would appreciate it if anyone could help me solve the non-melting room temperature jelly mystery!

 

[scout]

I just looked at the ingredient list cause I am thinking about making some for my granddaughter and it looks like what makes them gel is carageenan extract. (or basically a seaweed extract). They also contain sls, and list coconut infusion???

 

[tincanac]

hmmm Scout

Do you think we could make it up from Agar agar (I think that's what Carageenan Extract (Japanese Kanten) is or is similar to) and powdered SLSA? Maybe a liquid coconut oil soap to which Agar Agar and SLSA is added to give it, its jellyness? I know from those japanese bean jelly cakes that they dont melt once set up as opposed to gelatine. Oh, but I am super curious now.

 

[topcat]

I have made a similar soap - no quite so jelly-like - with M&P soap, water and carrageenan. It is lovely! Here is the recipe for any who would like to try this. I cannot remember where I found it on the net so I apologise for that:-

"BATH JELLY

This recipe is beginner level ONE, in other words Easy Peasy!! This is not a true formula, just a recipe as you will see by the measurements. However, do try and measure the Carrageenan Powder accurately so you will achieve the right gel consistency if you intend making a larger volume.
For scent for my jellies I love fun and fruity Fragrances such as Energy or Pineapple Cilantro or Strawberry. If using Essential Oils, please only use 1% for little ones, and stick to oils such as Orange, Lemon and Mandarin.
This recipe makes approximately 400g

What you need
• 150g Melt & Pour Soap Base of choice
• 250g/ml Water
• 1 tsp Carrageenan Powder (natural vegetable gellant)
• Approx 3-4ml/g Fragrance or Essential Oils



How to make the Jelly
• Warm the water in the microwave (or on the cook top) and then stir in Carrageenan. Stir well with a balloon whisk to remove any lumps
• Heat again until quite hot (not boiling) and remove from the heat and mix again
• Melt Soap Base and then combine with the water and Carrageenan mixture
• Stir in Colour to taste
• Add Fragrance or Essential Oils and stir well
• Pour into cups or wide necked jars and leave until set (can be refrigerated if desired)

To Use Jelly
Run Bath, Hop in, Scoop out some jelly (fingers are best!!!) and play!!!!
If you wish to have a more wobbly jelly, add 50ml more water.
Please Note: If you are making this for home use (i.e. your kids will use this up within a week or two) I wouldn’t bother adding a Preservative, however if you intend selling this product, it does require a preservative. We suggest Optiphen Plus at 0.75% or Liquid Germall Plus at 0.3%."

Tanya

 

[tincanac]

Thanks for that Tanya - I think I might try some tonight - except that I dont have any agar agar. Do you think gelatine in Mp base would work?

 

[topcat]

Now that is a good question....maybe try a small test batch? In principle it should work I think :?

Tanya

 

[scout]

Does anyone even know where to find carageenan extract?

 

[gekko62]

Hey Tanya That's from aussie soaps!
http://www.aussiesoapsupplies.com.au/Ba ... -p-88.html

I got some carageenan just so I could try that jelly,forgot all about it.Great chrissy prezzie idea!

 

[topcat]

Thank you Lisa! I thought it was from them (most of my good recipes are..lol..) but I just couldn't find the link - thanks again

 

[Absinthe]

I am not sure the quantities involved but carageenan shows up in a lot of products where fat has been removed to give it better mouth feel.

When you buy those ready made low fat chocolate milks (like the kind they serve to kids in schools) they contain carageenan. Also, there was a push to have "Fat Free Milk" instead of "Skim Milk" and it actually had ingredients listing some kind of coloring agent (I guess to make it look more white and less blue like skim milk) as well as carageenan, presumably for mouth feel lacking due to the removed fats.

 

[scout]

I wonder if you could sub slsa for the melt and pour?