Making soap is so FUN

[Cosmo71]

Hi everyone, I'm Pam from Michigan, USA. I stumbled on this site looking for answers to my soaping questions. I have made about 10 Cold process soaps so definitely a beginner. I absolutely love soap and must confess, I think about soap related things all the time. I am so excited to unmold my latest soap, a coconut lime verbanda fragrance made with coconut milk and sprinkled with unsweetened coconut. I think it will be my first "gel" as it got so very warm in the mold even though I soaped at about 85 F. I want to make a beautiful white natural bar of soap I feel my star ingredient could be my home rendered lard...but I struggle coming up with a recipe, I don't want to blow it. If you have a great "white" natural soap recipe I would love some advice.

 

[lsg]

Welcome to the forum.

 

[sarahmarah]

Welcome! Soaping can definitely be addictive

 

[gardengeek]

Welcome!

 

[IrishLass]

Welcome, Pam!

Lard is a favorite soaping fat for many of us here, so you'll be able find several recipes on board that utilize it. As a matter of fact, here is a thread from last month with lots of lard recipes in it: https://www.soapmakingforum.com/threads/lard-recipe.79763/

IrishLass

 

[Cosmo71]

Welcome, Pam!

Lard is a favorite soaping fat for many of us here, so you'll be able find several recipes on board that utilize it. As a matter of fact, here is a thread from last month with lots of lard recipes in it: https://www.soapmakingforum.com/threads/lard-recipe.79763/

IrishLass

Thank you Irish Lass, I dove into that lard recipe thread and just finished a batch of soap with lard. I couldn't commit to the plain and decided on a lemongrass and lavender blend ...tomorrow is another day to try to make "just plain" soap. LOL

 

[SPowers]

Hi Pam... welcome! The lard recipe I use has become my go-to. It's basically 60% lard, 15% Palm, 20% Coconut Oil & 5% castor. It's beautiful to work with. None of mine are fully cured yet so I'm still waiting to try it. I've also gone as high as 75% lard (eliminating the palm) and that was nice to work with as well.
Good luck.

 

[Wendlebee]

Welcome, Pam!

Lard is a favorite soaping fat for many of us here, so you'll be able find several recipes on board that utilize it. As a matter of fact, here is a thread from last month with lots of lard recipes in it: https://www.soapmakingforum.com/threads/lard-recipe.79763/

IrishLass

Can Tallow work just as well in these recipes?

 

[IrishLass]

Can Tallow work just as well in these recipes?

Tallow is great in soap, too. Although it is similar to lard in some ways, it's just different enough from it in other ways that you may need to adjust some of those recipes if using it in place of lard.

For example, although both make a hard, white soap with gentle lather, lard produces a slightly softer soap with less cleansing/more conditioning, and with more of a creamy, rather than bubbly lather in comparison to tallow. And tallow produces a harder, more cleansing, more bubbly soap in comparison to lard.

I actually love to use both in the same soap formula. Combined, I find that they make the perfect soaping duo. The ratio I like to use of them in my formula is 2 parts lard to 1 part tallow.


IrishLass

 

[artemis]

Not an answer to your lard question, but a tip about the coconut, anyway: When I want to top a soap with coconut, I shred a little white soap and use that instead. It looks just like coconut, but I don't end up with coconut bits in my tub.

 

[Cosmo71]

Not an answer to your lard question, but a tip about the coconut, anyway: When I want to top a soap with coconut, I shred a little white soap and use that instead. It looks just like coconut, but I don't end up with coconut bits in my tub.

That is a great idea! Thank you so much! I love the look of the coconut but my first thought when I cut it was someone is going to say "it made a mess" "clogged their drain"

 

[Tais]

Welcome!

I have never used lard but my whitest soaps is a soap bar so it could be another new thing to try for you Soap making is definitely full of fun possibilities! Salt bars don't have a creamy lather but I love how smooth the skin feels after the shower due to the hight amount of superfat! Enjoy your weekend and have fun soaping!!

 

[Cosmo71]

Welcome!

I have never used lard but my whitest soaps is a soap bar so it could be another new thing to try for you Soap making is definitely full of fun possibilities! Salt bars don't have a creamy lather but I love how smooth the skin feels after the shower due to the hight amount of superfat! Enjoy your weekend and have fun soaping!!

Interesting...I will look into the salt bar! I DO want to branch out, I already have way to much regular bath soap!

 

[shunt2011]

Welcome!

I have never used lard but my whitest soaps is a soap bar so it could be another new thing to try for you Soap making is definitely full of fun possibilities! Salt bars don't have a creamy lather but I love how smooth the skin feels after the shower due to the hight amount of superfat! Enjoy your weekend and have fun soaping!!

My salt bars have a thick creamy lather. So I disagree with this. They are one of my favorites to use.

 

[Tais]

My salt bars have a thick creamy lather. So I disagree with this. They are one of my favorites to use.

I agree with you, they are also one of my favourite ones !! Regarding to creaminess, they are still creamy, I think it all depends on the formula too Comparing to my regular soap my salt bars have a more thick foam, I think I can say they are creamy, just a different creaminess I still remember the first time I used a salt bar and I was sooooo impressed on how amazing it feel on the skin! The joys of creating your own soaps! I am still new in salt bar, my first one was about a year ago and I think I have probably made only around 10 batches I guess there is a lot to be learned!