Quite a newbie- bouncing some ideas off the veterans

[uncleflip]

Howdy- first post here.

My girlfriend went to a craft store yesterday, and I spotted the soap making supplies. it sounded like fun, and we decided to give it a try. we didn't buy anything right off (I figured I'd do some looking online first). I found some posts saying the melt & pour bases at the craft stores are of dubious quality, so I ordered some online (goat milk and olive oil bases).

We came up with tons of ideas, but one in particular prompted me to seek some advice. I want to make a bit of a 'manlier' scented soap for my brother (which will be in a silly little kitten mold just to be funny). I decided black pepper & sandalwood sounded quite nice. I'm thinking an olive oil base to start on that one. SO........ I want to mix in actual ground pepper for appearance, and perhaps texture/exfoliation. I'm thinking EO for the pepper and sandalwood aromatics (but will obviously consider FO instead). Any advice on amounts, techniques, etc? Other things I haven't considered?

Again- VERY new to this (we don't even have supplies in hand yet). Just an experiment for now- but I would be quite happy if it came out well!

Thanks very much for any bits of wisdom you can offer!

Be well
-UF

 

[Hazel]

Hello and welcome to the forum!

I don't know if pepper would work or not. However, you could always grind some coffee grounds very fine and sprinkle them in to to achieve the same look. You want the grounds super fine because coffee is very scratchy if they're too large. You wouldn't need much.

 

[uncleflip]

I got the idea from some photos of soap with pepper mixed in. Coffee might work just as well, though- and might be an interesting addition to this mix. He's not much a coffee fan (egads!), but he doesn't have to drink the soap.

I also buy green coffee and roast it myself. I could give him a custom roast.

Thanks for the input!

Be well
-UF

 

[Hazel]

Can you make an experimental bar with pepper in it to see what it's like? Just because I'm not sure about it, doesn't mean it won't be wonderful in soap. It sounds interesting. I'd like to hear how it turns out.

 

[uncleflip]

Of course- all of my initial bars will be experimental!

Be well
-UF

 

[AlchemyandAshes]

I think you've caught the Soap Flu. There is no cure, besides making copious amounts of soap. :twisted: Melt & Pour soap can be a lot of fun with almost immediate gratification!

Just a heads up: Black Pepper Essential Oil can be a skin irritant if not used properly, and Sandalwood Essential Oil is quite costly (but smells heavenly!). If you've never used Essential Oils, I would suggest starting off with more common and less expensive oils with a lower incidence of skin irritation. A nice manly Essential Oil blend could be achieved with Orange & Patchouli, or Lavender & Cedarwood, or Anise & Patchouli (my favorite easy guy scent). I'm a strong advocate of only using Essential Oils if you've been properly educated to do so. Essential Oils are not just fragrance. They are the essence of herbs/plants that have high concentrations of certain chemical constituents that can react with medicines and medical conditions, even in a wash off product such as soap. There are many that are safe at low usage rates, are inexpensive, and can give a myriad of scent combinations. There are a few of us on the site that either use Essential Oils exclusively or are educated on their use, so feel free to ask questions :wink:

You could also try a high quality Fragrance Oil for much less money with easily found usage rates provided by the manufacturer.

As for adding black pepper to M&P, I think that may be irritating to er, certain body parts, ahem.

 

[uncleflip]

Lovely ideas. I particularly like the lavender & cedar idea for him (he really hates Patchouli, I've noticed). Maybe starting with FO instead of EO is a good first step. (Granted, I've already ordered enough sandalwood EO for a mild presence in the amount I'm looking at. )

Good point on mixing in pepper. Perhaps if I do that, I'll suggest it for a hand soap for after he gets greasy working on the Lotus. (But then, something with a bit more grit might be better for that...)

Thanks for the input!

Be well
-UF

 

[AlchemyandAshes]

Yeah, Patchouli does seem to be a love or hate scent a couple drops of Anise in that Lavender/Cedarwood blend would make it deeper and a little more complex...that is if your brother's not opposed to the smell of licorice...scent is such a personal thing!
Extra Fine Gain Pumice would make a nice scrubby for a mechanics bar. I get mine at:
www.CamdenGrey.com
I also get my Essential Oils there...they have great prices and quality products...I think I paid $4 for 1lb of pumice! Trust me, that will last you forever :shock:

 

[uncleflip]

I did order some fine pumice for a soap I want to make for me- so of course, I could use some in his, as well. Thanks for the link! That looks a wee bit less expensive than what I ordered- and I'll enjoy browsing that supplier's selection, as well.

Be well
-UF