MgSO4, ascorbic acid, and lye?

[milky]

A few months ago I was feelin' crafty and sore and I thought it would be a good idea to mix coconut oil, olive oil, epsom salts, and vitamin C powder together. I wanted a lotion that would help my sore muscles but it turned out more like a scrub. Kept adding stuff to try to make it better or get the crystals to dissolve. In the end it also contained water, lemon juice, lemon extract, vanilla extract, and a bit of blueberry vodka because wth. It's still a scrub and has been sitting in my fridge ever since.
Hate all that oil to go to waste and I was wondering if I could make soap with it. If so, can I add milk, too? Thought I should ask before going mad scientist and blowing up the house. :shifty:

 

[shunt2011]

A few months ago I was feelin' crafty and sore and I thought it would be a good idea to mix coconut oil, olive oil, epsom salts, and vitamin C powder together. I wanted a lotion that would help my sore muscles but it turned out more like a scrub. Kept adding stuff to try to make it better or get the crystals to dissolve. In the end it also contained water, lemon juice, lemon extract, vanilla extract, and a bit of blueberry vodka because wth. It's still a scrub and has been sitting in my fridge ever since.
Hate all that oil to go to waste and I was wondering if I could make soap with it. If so, can I add milk, too? Thought I should ask before going mad scientist and blowing up the house. :shifty:

I wouldn't make soap with it as you have lemon juice, vanilla extract and alcohol in it. You are asking for soap on a stick and possibly other issues. I also don't think epsom salts would work in soap either due to the minerals.

I'm not sure that there is anything you can really do with that mix of stuff.

 

[milky]

Well, shucks. Thanks though.

 

[earlene]

Did it help your sore, achy muscles at all, or did you try it?

Just curious.

 

[IrishLass]

A few months ago I was feelin' crafty and sore and I thought it would be a good idea to mix coconut oil, olive oil, epsom salts, and vitamin C powder together. I wanted a lotion that would help my sore muscles but it turned out more like a scrub.

The reason the salt didn't dissolve in your oils is because salt is water-soluble as opposed to oil-soluble. If mixed with oils, it'll just sit there un-dissolved forever.

Hate all that oil to go to waste and I was wondering if I could make soap with it. If so, can I add milk, too? Thought I should ask before going mad scientist and blowing up the house. :shifty:

I agree with Shari- I wouldn't make soap out of it....too many problem ingredients. Also, according to those who have tried making salt soaps with Epsom salts, it's the wrong kind of salt with which to make salt soaps- it tends to turn the soaps to mush.

If it were me, I would just use it as a moisturizing hand scrub.


IrishLass

 

[lenarenee]

Or bath additive? Epsom salt soaks for sore muscles.

 

[milky]

Did it help your sore, achy muscles at all, or did you try it?

Just curious.

I tried it but it didn't help noticeably. I tried rubbing it in with just enough warm water to dissolve the crystals and then leaving it. It was messy and troublesome and left behind a white film that was a little bit itchy. It would work better as a scrub in the shower. Used it in the bath but didn't like having all that oil left behind. Either way, it needs to be rinsed off and that kinda defeats the purpose.

The reason the salt didn't dissolve in your oils is because salt is water-soluble as opposed to oil-soluble. If mixed with oils, it'll just sit there un-dissolved forever.
IrishLass

Halfway through making it I realized what a dumb thing to do that was. I did run the MgSO4 in the blender for a bit but could still feel the grit in the oil. Added water to see if that would help dissolve it. Nope. It did make the oil whip up beautifully though! Hadn't planned on that. So what I should've done is dissolve the salts in water and then add that to the oil. Might still have the itchy residue that it leaves behind now, but application would be a lot better.

Afterwards I found that I wasn't the first person to want a magnesium lotion and that this is already a "thing." Supposed to use a different kind of magnesium though, NOT epsom salts. I think it's a liquid and called "magnesium oil."

That's interesting about MgSO4 turning soap to mush. Now on the list of things not to do!