Okara soap?

[xyxoxy]

Anyone ever use Okara (the stuff that's left over when you make soy milk) in your CP soap?

 

[krissy]

lol, no but my early morning brains read Okra as in the vegetable and all i could think was eewww,

 

[TheSoapSmith]

I wonder what okra could contribute to soap :?: and no I have never used okara before, but you could always try it and tell us how it works.

 

[green soap]

You might get a gentle exfoliating action? use it like ground oats perhaps?

Please let us know how it goes if you try it. I buy my tofu and soy milk already pre-made, so I have not had okara.

Okra is too precious to put in soap! I never have enough for gumbo....Creole soap?

 

[TheSoapSmith]

never been a fan of okra for food. and yet people always give it to us :|

 

[welovesoap]

I have never used okara. In fact I've never heard of okara before! Sounds like it could be great in soap, though!

On the other hand, the idea of putting OKRA in soap is making me

 

[Hazel]

I thought okra, too. Oh yeah! Creole Gumbo soap. :wink:

Although, I'm interested in hearing how the okara turns out for you.

 

[xyxoxy]

Well... first I need to buy the soy milk machine. I was just planning ahead on how to make use of the Okara... I hate to waste anything.
But it looks like I'll be blazing a trail.

I'll keep you posted... but I will NOT be making Okra soap.

 

[krissy]

I'll keep you posted... but I will NOT be making Okra soap.

why not?? lol

 

[carebear]

I adore okra. Really.

Not in soap, though. Probably. But the slime might have an application in hair care products (like they use the slime from flax seeds in hair gels). Now you've got me thinking.

 

[Hazel]

I'll keep you posted... but I will NOT be making Okra soap.

why not?? lol

But you could be creating the next big thing - Creole soap.

 

[krissy]

I adore okra. Really.

Not in soap, though. Probably. But the slime might have an application in hair care products (like they use the slime from flax seeds in hair gels). Now you've got me thinking.

my DD says if you make some okra soap you should scent it with ranch dressing scent

 

[Soapy Gurl]

I had never heard of okara before either, I am very curious now. So do you grind the soybeans to get milk? Then end up with the meal stuff left?

 

[xyxoxy]

The soy beans are soaked in water, then washed and boiled, and then ground up. You strain that to get the soy milk and the pulp that is left is the Okara. Some people use that to make veggie burgers, meatless meatloaf etc.

Thankfully there are soy milk machines that make the process mush easier than it sounds. I've been drinking soy milk for years and have been wanting to start making my own. And to me it only seemed natural to see if I could use it for soap too!

 

[vuladams]

@xyxoxy did you try it? I want to do the same thing since I make my own soy milk. I bake with Okara but think it would be great in CP soap...

 

[grayceworks]

I know they use okra - not okara lol my brain said okra too when I first read it -- for making hair gels, like mentioned. I would think you could use it the same way as fresh aloe?

The okara sounds like it would be scrubby like cornmeal or seeds or ground walnut shells ... might be nice in an emulsified scrub?

Creole soap? Maybe with tomato puree and okra puree and scented with something kinda spicy? Basil and black pepper? Too crazy?

 

[vuladams]

Yeah, I was wondering if it's be too scrubby too which is why I haven't tried it yet.... and it doesn't dissolve like salt or sugar so it's just go down the drain and be all yucky on the bottom of the tub...

 

[grayceworks]

Yeah, I was wondering if it's be too scrubby too which is why I haven't tried it yet.... and it doesn't dissolve like salt or sugar so it's just go down the drain and be all yucky on the bottom of the tub...

Well, it doesn't look any scrubbier (is that a word? ) than cornmeal, from what I have read. And they make soaps and scrubs with cornmeal. People also make soaps and scrubs with oats and other things that don't dissolve. And things like Apricot Scrub have ground apricot kernels which also don't dissolve. I think it's a matter of the amount, and how finely ground it is.

I personally would try an emulsified scrub, similar to St Ives Apricot Scrub, if you've ever used that? It's wonderful for the face. I've been playing around with trying to dupe that.


Here's some food ways of using okara: (apparently it's more nutritious than the soy milk!)

http://justhungry.com/2006/04/milking_the_soy.html
(in part 1 of the above article, one of the comments mentions using okara in a beauty bar also)
http://okaraproject.blogspot.com/
http://www.motherearthnews.com/real-food/okara-recipes-healthy-vegetarian-cooking-zmaz83sozshe.aspx
http://www.messyvegetariancook.com/tag/okara/


And here's some creole soap -- but there's no okra in it lol:

http://branchoutshop.com/product/sweet-olive-handmade-soap-creole-tomato/

And here's an article here at SMF about okra (not okara) in soap:
http://www.soapmakingforum.com/showthread.php?t=5018

 

[vuladams]

Thanks grayceworks! I'll check out the links. I use Okara in baking and love it. I have some in my fridge all the time because I make soy milk 1-2 times a week. I will try some in soap and see how it goes: you've convinced me! I agree, an emulsified scrub would be nice. And yes, scrubbier is totally a word in my book! haha