New to M & P soap, and I am going to need your help...

NODAK1979 · Aug 11, 2008

I know it's like child's play to all of you, and you mostly probably do cold-process soap, but it's baby steps for me. I love soap and have decided to at least start with melt and pour. I'm about to order all of my ingredients online and probably start within a week or 2. I've done quite a bit of research, but sites tend to conflict with one another. Let me just run a recipe in my head by you all based on what I've read....and let me know how it sounds....

2 lbs opaque soap base
2 oz shea butter (I've read it should be about 5 percent)
2 oz cocoa butter
40 drops Vitamin E
1 oz fragrance oil (I read that the ratio is 1/2 oz per lb...right?)
Dye to color....
Perhaps 1 oz strawberry seeds or oatmeal for exfoliation (it sounds like it'll be neat, but let me know if I should steer clear)

The other part I'm just not so sure on is the order of when to add these parts...

I get that the base gets melted first. When does the cocoa butter and shea butter get thrown in??

I believe the fragrance oil is basically last because it could evaporate otherwise, right??

Lastly....the seeds....how can you make them not fall to the bottom of the molds while they're cooling?? I'd think they would sink....I hope I'm wrong, or I'll stay away from them....

I know it's a lot but I am very enthusiastic and I just want to get this right. I'm a stickler for details!

Tabitha · Aug 11, 2008

The other part I'm just not so sure on is the order of when to add these parts...

I get that the base gets melted first. When does the cocoa butter and shea butter get thrown in?? Cocoa butter is rock hard, you will probably want to melt it first. I would start w/ hardest to lightest.

I believe the fragrance oil is basically last because it could evaporate otherwise, right??

Lastly....the seeds....how can you make them not fall to the bottom of the molds while they're cooling?? I'd think they would sink....I hope I'm wrong, or I'll stay away from them.... That is a TON of seeds! You will only need about a Tablspoon. Your exfoliant will sink or float when your soap is hot and thin, stir, stir, stir, stir & stir more untill the soap begins to thicken to keep your exfoliant suspeded.

NODAK1979 · Aug 11, 2008

Tabitha said:
The other part I'm just not so sure on is the order of when to add these parts...

I get that the base gets melted first. When does the cocoa butter and shea butter get thrown in?? Cocoa butter is rock hard, you will probably want to melt it first. I would start w/ hardest to lightest.

I believe the fragrance oil is basically last because it could evaporate otherwise, right??

Lastly....the seeds....how can you make them not fall to the bottom of the molds while they're cooling?? I'd think they would sink....I hope I'm wrong, or I'll stay away from them.... That is a TON of seeds! You will only need about a Tablspoon. Your exfoliant will sink or float when your soap is hot and thin, stir, stir, stir, stir & stir more untill the soap begins to thicken to keep your exfoliant suspeded.

So then, would I be wise to perhaps stay away from cocoa butter?? It sounds to me like shea butter's positives outweigh cocoa butter...and I have heard that shea butter is extremely soft, so perhaps that's the best bet??

Thanks for the tip about the seeds too....I appreciate that....I'd hate to make an abrasive bar.

So then I could do the following....

- Melt base in a double boiler
- Put in color slowly right after it melts
- Remove from heat
- Stir in shea butter, exfoliant, and fragrance and stir until it thickens
- Pour into molds

Am I getting it yet?

Tabitha · Aug 11, 2008

The shea will need to melt, I would add it before removing the soap from the heat.

What kind of colorant is it? If it is a solid color chip you will need to melt it w/ the base. If it's liquid, powder or gel I would just add it when I added the scent.

You could buy base w/ shae already added & save a step. I find when I try to add oil or butter to M&P soap it does not stay incooperated very well, it sinks or floats.

Many soap bases already have vit E in them too, which might save you yet another step.

NODAK1979 · Aug 12, 2008

Tabitha said:
The shea will need to melt, I would add it before removing the soap from the heat.

What kind of colorant is it? If it is a solid color chip you will need to melt it w/ the base. If it's liquid, powder or gel I would just add it when I added the scent.

You could buy base w/ shae already added & save a step. I find when I try to add oil or butter to M&P soap it does not stay incooperated very well, it sinks or floats.

Many soap bases already have vit E in them too, which might save you yet another step.

Good point on the base. I've seen them with shea already in it, but I wondered if good amounts (i.e. "enough") was in it. I guess it's a silly concern to have.

I was thinking I'd go with liquid....do any of the choices seem to have better results?? I've seen the color chips too....I always just thought liquid sounded easier. Can you tell me from your experience how many drops of liquid dye you've had to use for like a 1 pound batch?? Or 2 pounds...whichever....that's the one variable that makes me a little nervous.