Recipe suggestions
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Yes, it's true, at the end of the day, there are so many variables and personal preferences. I made soap 2 days back to back (almost never happens) but then immediately forgot the details. Was unmoulding from the cavity moulds and was shocked at the difference in texture between the soaps already, at only 3 and 4 days old: one was rock-hard and the other dented almost just from fingertip pressure. The hard one was 100% lard and the soft was 43% OO, 21% CO, 15% grapeseed, 15% lard, and 7% castor. Will check them again in a few months, but it's always amazing to see the differences.
You DEFINITELY can. Even skipping the lard. The timing is tight for 6+ weeks of cure though. You might want to include a card with some "keep me dry" instructions as well.
25% coconut
35% olive
15% rice bran
15% avocado
10% castor
I recommend using either distilled white vinegar or ACV to replace 100% of the water for a hardness bump, and a teaspoon of sugar per pound of oils for lather. Also, the kaolin clay seems like a nice addition.
I use RBO @20% in my standard recipe, that is alongside 20% OO. If you want economical I would go soy wax for your hardness and longevity but I see you've already bought the palm : )
Is avocado oil not expensive over in the Americas? It's my most expensive oil - more so than shea butter. That's why I only use it at 5%.
Is avocado oil not expensive over in the Americas? It's my most expensive oil - more so than shea butter. That's why I only use it at 5%.
Avocado oil is very reasonable (I live in the Midwest, U.S.A.) and I use 7-15% in my recipes.
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It can get there where I live. I have to travel or order from Walmart to get a good price (ie <$12 USD for a 33oz bottle). I think the price has gone up though.
moodymama
Well-Known Member
I get the great value brand (walmart brand) avocado oil for $7.50 per 25.5 fl.
My vegan recipe is 40% Palm with 28% liquid Oils, 15-18% CO, the remaining oils can be castor, butters or more liquid oils. I prefer Mid Oleic Sunflower, HO Canola, RBO, or Avo for liquid oils since I also do not like OO. Personally, for 8th graders I would use a fragrance. When I sold at a large market for several years I had quite a few teenagers, and they always wanted scented. You could do a few extras unscented in case a few need unscented. Most will want fragranced. When making that many bars it just does not take much more to make extras. If you go with 40% Palm do not go lower than 31% lye, concentration even if you are not adding color, especially if you decide to do a little swirl and cut in approx 10-12 hrs or sooner if you gel your soaps. In all my years of selling, I have had 1 person not want color, and that was a long time ago.
Good point about the fragrance. Kids like fruity fragrances mostly - how about BRV? Not sure how old 8th graders are - is that about 12 years? My son is 12 - he likes coconut fragrance and my Fig and Rhubarb soap. In fact - everyone likes the Fig and Rhubarb it seems ( candle science)
So that's about $US12 for 1 litre - that would cost me $NZ19 ( which is about $US11.50).. I call that an expensive oil! My cheapest is RBO which is approx the equivalent of $US3 to $3.50 depending on whether I can buy it on special or not.
Prices for avocado oil vary in the states. At the local Sam's Club a one-liter bottle is $7.99 US, while the local Costco sells a 1-L bottle for $10.99 US. But the local Walmart charges $11.99 for a liter of Avocado oil.
Thanks for all the replies!
I'm going to have to think about the fragrance....in theory, they like fruity, except when they don't and this one has an allergy and that one gets migraines from lavender, etc. AFAIK, they will not be choosing the soaps, they will be put into gift bags.
Keep in mind that our school districts take all the allergy stuff very seriously: no peanuts, no tree nuts allowed at any school or camp function, etc.
I have also been second-guessing my super fragrant soaps, too....I've had such upper respiratory symptoms for over a week now that I almost went to get a Covid test, because what else could I have caught? Then I realised that the dozens of soaps in my work area that I've been labeling while on phone meetings could be the cause of my sniffling and sneezing. Put them all away on Friday and symptoms have improved quite a bit. Ok ok maybe the poison is in the dose....one scented bar might be ok, just not living with 100s of them in close proximity 24/7
That being said, I haven't yet heard back with a confirmation that the school even WANTS the soaps, so I'm a little hesitant to pull out the stops on production. Shipping for palm is days away (company has been stuck on May 6&7 orders for about 5 days, and it's a long weekend and I didn't order until May 12) so who knows when it will actually arrive?
The good news is that I tried @David James' recipe above and it came out smashing (I must assume. Looks great), and it's a recipe for which I have all the ingredients and I could turn them out quick (with only an 8-hr set time). So I'm mostly hurry up and wait, for confirmation, for ingredients, etc.
Will post a pic later; too comfy sitting here now
I'm going to have to think about the fragrance....in theory, they like fruity, except when they don't and this one has an allergy and that one gets migraines from lavender, etc. AFAIK, they will not be choosing the soaps, they will be put into gift bags.
Keep in mind that our school districts take all the allergy stuff very seriously: no peanuts, no tree nuts allowed at any school or camp function, etc.
I have also been second-guessing my super fragrant soaps, too....I've had such upper respiratory symptoms for over a week now that I almost went to get a Covid test, because what else could I have caught? Then I realised that the dozens of soaps in my work area that I've been labeling while on phone meetings could be the cause of my sniffling and sneezing. Put them all away on Friday and symptoms have improved quite a bit. Ok ok maybe the poison is in the dose....one scented bar might be ok, just not living with 100s of them in close proximity 24/7
That being said, I haven't yet heard back with a confirmation that the school even WANTS the soaps, so I'm a little hesitant to pull out the stops on production. Shipping for palm is days away (company has been stuck on May 6&7 orders for about 5 days, and it's a long weekend and I didn't order until May 12) so who knows when it will actually arrive?
The good news is that I tried @David James' recipe above and it came out smashing (I must assume. Looks great), and it's a recipe for which I have all the ingredients and I could turn them out quick (with only an 8-hr set time). So I'm mostly hurry up and wait, for confirmation, for ingredients, etc.
Will post a pic later; too comfy sitting here now
atiz
Well-Known Member
I've just thought of this, FWIW... When I was growing up, me and my younger brother had zero agreement on anything. EXCEPT, the soap at my cousins (from wherever they got it), which smelled like bubblegum. Just wholly bubblegum. It was decades ago but I still clearly remember it, and that we both loved it. It was not overly sweet bubblegum, but very recognizable.
No idea if they make any FO like that though....
No idea if they make any FO like that though....
I've seen bubblegum FO somewhere..
Rick Potter
Member
Keep it simple. 45 lard, 25 Coconut, 25 Olive, 5 Castor. Throw in 1oz Lavender per log and don't mess with the color. Put all your design and color in the paper bands. A squeeze of Sodium Lactate in each log will help cure. Also put your log molds in a cardboard box and wrap with a bath towel to force gel. Unmold and cut the next day, air dry for 3-4 weeks. Now thats good soap. Good luck.
Aromasuzie
Well-Known Member
I've used RBO and liked it, but I had a really high CO 5 in mine. I don't know about others, but I've found grapeseed oil tends to go rancid quickly, hence me using RBO as its one of the cheaper oils in NZ
I've got Bubblegum FO! It smells great and discolours to mud. Someday I'll figure out an appropriate colour scheme. FWIW, neither child in this house likes it.
I like your feedback for my soaps, @Rick Potter , but will be doing the opposite for this soap: no lard, no fragrance (esp lavender), and lots of colour to make up for the lack of scent. The paper bands will be boring school colours; not to mention, most of a soap's life is spent nude, so it's gotta look good nekkid.
I like your feedback for my soaps, @Rick Potter , but will be doing the opposite for this soap: no lard, no fragrance (esp lavender), and lots of colour to make up for the lack of scent. The paper bands will be boring school colours; not to mention, most of a soap's life is spent nude, so it's gotta look good nekkid.
Annnyway, nobody from the school is getting back to me (they're taking their holiday weekend, I guess), but there are plenty of seniors' homes and shelters around here that will take the soap, I suppose.
However, I have just learned that taxes are due June 1st, not June 30th as I thought, so now I need to do THAT rather than soap. Oh, and watch for flooding; we have a wet system sitting on us right now...
However, I have just learned that taxes are due June 1st, not June 30th as I thought, so now I need to do THAT rather than soap. Oh, and watch for flooding; we have a wet system sitting on us right now...
So glad to hear it!The good news is that I tried @David James' recipe above and it came out smashing (I must assume. Looks great), and it's a recipe for which I have all the ingredients and I could turn them out quick (with only an 8-hr set time). So I'm mostly hurry up and wait, for confirmation, for ingredients, etc.
Will post a pic later; too comfy sitting here now
Yeah, you have plenty of choices with what you have. Certain ingredients kinda need to be avoided when your customers don't get any choice so there is a lowest common denominator effect with dietary, religious, ethical and health knowledge preferences.
Leaving out animal fat is better for the cruelty-free and Vegetarian/vegan crowd. Pork fat for the observant jews and muslims. Palm oil for the eco people (and apparently even RSPO isn't really all sustainable as far as some of the groups go). Cocoa Butter for the Ivory Coast slavery.
So, I tried to set it up for exactly what you had on hand, that wouldn't hurt anyone's feelings.
It is a bit olive oil heavy. But I have been getting very fast hardening using 100% distilled vinegar in place of water. Instead of the 6 months cure for 100% EVOO / true Castille, it has been a very respectable 6 weeks.
Please come back and let us know how it turned out after it's fully finished.
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Rick Potter
Member
I'd skip the Vinegar. It screws with your Super Fat and makes your soap go rancid faster and orange spot. The Lye converts the videgar into sodium so why not just give a little squeeze of ready to go Sodium Lactate for a hardness bump. You'll soon learn Lard is your friend in CP. It's the closest to the human skin and mixes well with any oil. Andiits only $38 for 50lbs.
