Need help devising a moisturizing soap bar

[gruntedsoaps]

Hello. Trying to figure out a good recipe for a super moisturizing tallow bar. I would like to have a beef tallow. Coconut oil and Palm oil bar. Some olive oil for hardness. I plan on an orange cinnamon scent. Wanted to put some flax seeds for exfoliation as well. Castor oil is in stock for more soapiness. Looking for a decent super fat as my waters super hard and leaves me with a lot of dry skin.

Any ideas on percentages of each??

 

[shunt2011]

Soap isn't moisturizing as its a wash off product. However, it can be less cleansing. I would do 70% Tallow, 15% CO, 10% Olive and 5% Castor with a 6 or 7% SF. For hard water you may want to read the threads about using a chelator like Citric Acid or EDTA.

 

[newbie]

No such thing as a moisturizing soap. All soap, even one with a very low cleansing number, will take oils off the skin. SOme soaps can be less cleansing or less stripping but none will moisturize.

If you have very dry skin, you can either keep the coconut very low (5-10%)or you can eliminate it altogether. Tallow on its own will give you a very creamy lather, castor around 5% will stabilize that lather. If you like a more bubbly lather, you can add a little sugar to the water (beer, sugar, honey, etc), or use aloe juice for part of your water. Adding sodium citrate (0.5-2% of oils) to your water will really help cut down on soap scum from hard water.

 

[lenarenee]

Tallow alone is slightly "cleansing" (using the term on SoapCalc) as is coconut oil. If you know how much coconut oil your skin tolerates, I'd reduce to account for the extra cleansing. (ex: 50% tallow/oo has a cleansing of 4)

I don't think you need palm oil at all with tallow.

Adding sodium citrate or citric acid like newbie mentioned will make a more pleasant soap experience if you have very hard water.

Tallow alone, or in high amounts is a nice basic soap, but not luxurious by any means. I don't get a creamy lather at all, but more like a watery lotion.

 

[Arimara]

Personally, I'd slightly lower the tallow to at least 60% and nix the CO. Tallow can be a cleansing oil albeit considerably more gentle than CO. If you want a luxury factor, add some coconut milk to that soap. It's a nice touch.

Taking your want for a 70% tallow soap, try 15% olive oil, 7% palm, 5% coconut, and 3% castor. My personal suggestion would be 60% tallow, 20% olive, 5% palm, 5% castor and 10% coconut (or another oil altogether). Suggested SFis between 3-6%.

Unfortunately, I don't have a hard water problem so it's a good idea to take the previous suggestions for that.

 

[newbie]

On Soapcalc, coconut oil has a cleansing factor of 67 and tallow has a cleansing factor of 8. CO is much much more cleansing/stripping than tallow. I personally like some CO as a balance to tallow but it's really matter for trying a few small batches of some variations and seeing what your skin likes, GS.

 

[gruntedsoaps]

Personally, I'd slightly lower the tallow to at least 60% and nix the CO. Tallow can be a cleansing oil albeit considerably more gentle than CO. If you want a luxury factor, add some coconut milk to that soap. It's a nice touch.

Taking your want for a 70% tallow soap, try 15% olive oil, 7% palm, 5% coconut, and 3% castor. My personal suggestion would be 60% tallow, 20% olive, 5% palm, 5% castor and 10% coconut (or another oil altogether). Suggested SFis between 3-6%.

Unfortunately, I don't have a hard water problem so it's a good idea to take the previous suggestions for that.

This was literally almost what I was thinking. I enjoy 8% sf on non tallow based soaps and wanted the oo and Palm in that percentage. Your suggestion is near spot on. Though I really do enjoy some co in mine.

 

[Arimara]

This was literally almost what I was thinking. I enjoy 8% sf on non tallow based soaps and wanted the oo and Palm in that percentage. Your suggestion is near spot on. Though I really do enjoy some co in mine.

By all means, do your thing, then. If you can use it, coconut milk is a really nice addition. I just which I could better explain how. It just feels nice. :mrgreen:

 

[DeeAnna]

If your goal is to make a mild bath bar, I'd leave the flax seed out unless you know you truly like that kind of exfoliation.

Also, cinnamon is a skin irritant and sensitizer. Use with care.

 

[gruntedsoaps]

If your goal is to make a mild bath bar, I'd leave the flax seed out unless you know you truly like that kind of exfoliation.

Also, cinnamon is a skin irritant and sensitizer. Use with care.

I had used flax seed a little ways back and loved it. Interesting how much goes into preference with soap right?

and for Cinnamon I did not know. I will leave that out instead. perhaps some different scents.

 

[DeeAnna]

Just thought I'd mention it just in case you had never tried flax seeds and didn't know. I never use exfoliants in soap unless it's a special purpose soap like cleaning very dirty or greasy hands, but others feel quite differently. Obviously you have the personal experience to know what you want, and that's good!

 

[gruntedsoaps]

Just thought I'd mention it just in case you had never tried flax seeds and didn't know. I never use exfoliants in soap unless it's a special purpose soap like cleaning very dirty or greasy hands, but others feel quite differently. Obviously you have the personal experience to know what you want, and that's good!

DeeAnna, i dont know who you are but, you are just lovely. Im always open to ideas and information. but what goes well with Orange EO? lol

 

[kumudini]

Not DeeAnna but I like lavender with orange, also clove bud in small amounts as it is an irritant. You can also use other citrus scents or mint.

 

[dibbles]

Not DeeAnna either, but Patchouli and Orange is one of my very favorites.

 

[gruntedsoaps]

thanks not Deeannas! my local fairway has those. i will try those out!

 

[LisaAnne]

I love orange EO and vanilla FO

 

[gruntedsoaps]

ok so i ended with
Tallow - 66%
OO- 16%
CO - 7 %
Palm oil - 7%
Castor - 4%
5% SF which seems low. i recall using usually at about 7% SF but how would that go with the tallow?

50 hardness
10 cleansing
48 conditioning
14 bubbly - -I think raising the castor would help this lowering the OO or PO
44 creamy
51 Iodine

What do you guys think?

 

[DeeAnna]

Vanilla or patch would be nice. Frankincense would be another warm, deep possibility. A hint of mint would be nice, if you want a brighter blend.

And ... thanks!

 

[lenarenee]

I've made quite a few tallow recipes. I would leave out the palm if you're using it for hardness because the tallow is hard enough. But I'm also not a palm fan.

my personal preference for your recipe would be to add that 7 percent with Shea Butter instead. Tallow and olive oil (again, only my opinion) make a somewhat dead bar in terms of bubbles. Coconut makes big, tallow thin lotion bubbles, and shea brings a more substantial creaminess to a recipe like this, and you'll get a more complete bubble ....big + creamy. (Assuming lather makes a difference to you )
It's not a high bubble recipe, but can be pleasant.

 

[PerthMobility]

I have changed "Arimara's" suggestions a little by including Shea Butter. How does this look, please. Have I spoilt the recipe by adding the Shea?

60% Lard
20% Olive Oil
5% Palm Oil
5% Castor Oil
10% Shea Butter

Coffee Fragrance
Coconut Milk

5% SF

Hardness 36
INS 129