Measuring "durability"

[Scooter]

Here is the recipe for one of my first soaps:

CO, 76°: 25%
Castor: 5%
OO: 35%
Palm: 35%

My skin type can withstand that much CO, and maybe a little more, btw.

I added 1/4 C finely ground oatmeal, 7.3 oz of lager boiled down from 12 oz in lieu of some water, and used just under 2 oz of a lavender/tea tree EO blend.

I made it on Aug 16 and started using a bar in late September. I like the way it cleanses and how it feels. Really I like everything about it but maybe not the oatmeal--still not sure if I like having food slathered all over my body.

So here is my question: I got 40 showers out of it. Is that a good number of uses? Would taking out the oatmeal and beer make a more durable bar? I make soap primarily for myself so I am NOT worried about "label appeal."

Also I make it for others in my household, so I cannot use animal products.

Any advice on what could make it last longer would be very much appreciated. It gets good drainage between showers so that is something I have taken care of.

Thanks!

Scooter

Edit: mistakenly used "more" when I meant "not"... I have made the correction.

 

[shunt2011]

Personally, 40 showers with 1 bar is great. Why would you expect more from it? Just curious. Remember this isn't store bought detergent soap. Your recipe seems pretty well rounded to me. What is your recipe in measurements? Percentages don't help with your additives etc... though a 1/4 c of oats seems like a lot. I only use 3 T for 6 lbs.

 

[Scooter]

Personally, 40 showers with 1 bar is great. Why would you expect more from it? Just curious. Remember this isn't store bought detergent soap. Your recipe seems pretty well rounded to me. What is your recipe in measurements? Percentages don't help with your additives etc... though a 1/4 c of oats seems like a lot. I only use 3 T for 6 lbs.

Oh, sorry about that...14 oz of CO, 2.80 oz of castor, 19.60 oz each of the remaining two oils (palm/olive).

My loaf mold holds a little more than 5 lbs so I usually use 56 oz of oils, or, if I am measuring in grams, I use 1600 grams of oil to make measuring easier.

I just want to get as much bang for my buck as possible and am pretty happy with the formulation I have now. I was thinking that maybe subbing out some of the CO and replacing it with palm might make it last longer. Does that make sense?

Scooter

 

[Scooter]

Oh, sorry about that...14 oz of CO, 2.80 oz of castor, 19.60 oz each of the remaining two oils (palm/olive).

My loaf mold holds a little more than 5 lbs so I usually use 56 oz of oils, or, if I am measuring in grams, I use 1600 grams of oil to make measuring easier.

I just want to get as much bang for my buck as possible and am pretty happy with the formulation I have now. I was thinking that maybe subbing out some of the CO and replacing it with palm might make it last longer. Does that make sense?

Scooter

This was CP with a SF of 4% and lye concentration of 27.39%.

EDIT: and the bar weighed around 4.25 oz before I started using it.

 

[shunt2011]

You could try lowering your CO or Olive and upping your Palm. See how you like it. I still think you are getting a lot use from a bar of soap, so if you like it I would leave things alone.

 

[dixiedragon]

A longer cure will probably help. My bars last a long time - too long, b/c I love love love to open a new bar of soap LOL! I have so much that my bars are probably a year or more old before I get to them.

If you want them to last longer, you could drop the coconut and olive oil a bit and replace that with palm...but if you like it, then why change it?

 

[The Efficacious Gentleman]

Co, even though it makes a physically hard soap, makes a soap that will dissolve quickly. Generally, fats that make a soap bubble well will make the soap have a shorter life, because they dissolve quicker (which is why they bubble well!)

Swapping some co in to the Palm will increase the life, but reduce bubbles.

All that said, 40 uses isn't shabby at all, so if you like this soap as is, I wouldn't worry too much

 

[mx5inpenn]

How you use the soap makes a big difference as well. I use the same recipe for the soaps used most often by my husband and myself. His lasts maybe 15-20 showers, mine 25-30 or more. Those are 3.5-4 oz bars. I always use a shower scrubby. Husband lathers with the bar, usually more than once and holds the bar the whole time, so water hits it throughout the shower. I am also convinced that hair makes a difference in longevity! But really, 40 showers is great!

 

[topofmurrayhill]

Here is the recipe for one of my first soaps:

CO, 76°: 25%
Castor: 5%
OO: 35%
Palm: 35%

My skin type can withstand that much CO, and maybe a little more, btw.

I added 1/4 C finely ground oatmeal, 7.3 oz of lager boiled down from 12 oz in lieu of some water, and used just under 2 oz of a lavender/tea tree EO blend.

I made it on Aug 16 and started using a bar in late September. I like the way it cleanses and how it feels. Really I like everything about it but maybe not the oatmeal--still not sure if I like having food slathered all over my body.

So here is my question: I got 40 showers out of it. Is that a good number of uses? Would taking out the oatmeal and beer make a more durable bar? I make soap primarily for myself so I am NOT worried about "label appeal."

Also I make it for others in my household, so I cannot use animal products.

Any advice on what could make it last longer would be very much appreciated. It gets good drainage between showers so that is something I have taken care of.

Thanks!

Scooter

Edit: mistakenly used "more" when I meant "not"... I have made the correction.

Bump the CO to 30% and use 10% shea butter. Take both out of the olive oil.

 

[lenarenee]

Bump the CO to 30% and use 10% shea butter. Take both out of the olive oil.

Yes! I've made an almost identical recipe and I liked the shea addition to it.

Although, none of the recipes/ideas listed are bad ones, so if you experiment with them I doubt you'll be disappointed.