So confused!

[ksco]

I've recently started to make CP soap, and I'm starting to get a bit confused. One thing that I've noticed when comparing my CP soaps to other CP soaps with similar ingredients is that their soaps are so smooth and shiny. Mine aren't. I've also noticed a lot of the soaps I'm looking at have sorbitan oleate and soy bean protein, and sometimes glycerin. I know these are common ingredients in M&P soap. So, are these people adding M&P soap (or glycerin) to their usual recipe to achieve that shiny look? Or are they purchasing these things and adding them, because I personally don't know where you would buy those ingredients.

I want my soaps to have that shiny look, but I don't know how to do that! I've also seen some clear soaps with the same ingredients, but also their own recipe. Again, I don't know if these people are just combining M&P base and their oils or what. It doesn't sound like they're hand-making glycerin soap with the water, sugar, alcohol, etc. I've searched and searched, and all I ever come up with are recipes for either 100% M&P with color and fragrance, or actually MAKING transparent glycerin soap.

 

[Genny]

Do you have any specific soaps in mind that you are talking about that are shiny with those ingredients? (a link to the soap would be helpful so we can see the difference)

Some cp'ers dip their soap in water so when it dries it will be shiny. I've also seen some spray their soap bars with alcohol, which makes it shiny.

I don't really do any of those things though. I don't like shiny soap too much because then it's too easy to leave fingerprints on it when packaging and moving it around.

It could be some of the stuff you're seeing is mp.

 

[ksco]

Here's one:

This is the ingredient list:

Ingredients:
Coconut Oil
Palm Oil
Castor Oil
Shea Butter(Refined Naturally Crushed)
Purified Water
Sodium Hydroxide(saponifying agent)
Sorbitan oleate (emulsifier)
Soy Bean Protein (conditioner)
Oatmeal

This guy says all of his soaps are handmade, but it doesn't seem to me that you can get sorbitan oleate easily. And the ingredient list reads just like the melt and pour that I have, minus a couple of oils. My CP soaps never come out looking that perfect. The two soaps below have the same oils, the sorbitan oleate, soy bean protein, but also glycerin.

 

[ksco]

I mean, obviously I don't expect my soaps to look just like this. He makes absolutely beautiful soaps. But I can never seem to get that shine, and I'm just confused as to what he's actually using to make his soap.

 

[Sue Bear]

Those all appear to be M&P.

 

[Fragola]

Steaming soaps can make them more shiny.

I've tried adding a laquer finish once, with encouraging results.

Some people mention polishing, using water and a smooth cloth.

Half of the shininess in the above picture comes from the camera and lighting. You'd be amazed what difference it can make.

 

[carebear]

Handmade does not rule out MP.

 

[ksco]

So, if it's M&P, is he adding oils or something?

Coconut Oil, Palm Oil, Safflower Oil, Glycerin (kosher, of vegetable origin), Purified Water, Sodium Hydroxide (saponifying agent), Sorbitol (moisturizer), Sorbitan oleate (emulsifier), Soy bean protein (conditioner)

That's the ingredient list for the same M&P I use, and you're probably right that his is M&P since he basically copies and pastes that onto his listings. However, he never includes the safflower oil on the listing, and adds castor oil and shea butter. Is that possible and okay to do? To use a base and add oils like that, and have everything turn out alright?

Can you even use M&P like that and still call it handmade, because he certainly does. He does sell handmade HP soaps, so maybe he just fibs a little when it comes to his CP soaps. I guess to me though, using M&P isn't really handmade since you aren't actually making any soap.

I suppose that's why he lists his soaps as 'handcrafted' rather than handmade.

 

[Fragola]

He is not adding oils, just listing ingredients. Which I would guess are the same as listed by the vendor of the M&P base.

Yes, and I guess you can call handmade whatever you do at home. After all, most of us aren't making soap completely from scratch (which would include "growing" the oils and lye).

 

[VanessaP]

He's probably using a Shea MP soap like BB or WSP carries. No, technically he's not making the soap from scratch but he is adding things to the base, making it his own, then molding/swirling, etc. Its a fine line to walk and everyone has a different definition.

BB's Shea MP INCI: Coconut Oil, Palm Oil, Safflower Oil, Glycerin (kosher, of vegetable origin), Shea Butter (refined naturally crushed), Purified Water, Sodium Hydroxide (saponifying agent), Sorbitol (moisturizer), Sorbitan oleate (emulsifier), Soy bean protein (conditioner), Titanium Dioxide (mineral whitener used in opaque soaps)

Sounds like he's including the basic MP base INCI and then not properly listing in any additions he throws in there (going on the assumption he's not using a shea MP base), which can cause trouble in the long run with labeling.

 

[ksco]

Okay, well, thank you guys! I feel a little less confused now.

 

[Genny]

Oh, I know who that is!

Actually I looked through his etsy site and didn't find him to say that any of his mp soaps were handmade. He said it with some of his hp ones, though.