Soap for OCD

[Amaress]

My brother has OCD and washes his hands several times a day and his hands have been dry and cracked and bleeding for years (he can’t use lotion, he has to wash it off...). He’s currently buying artisan soap from his local farmers market (for the last several months) but it hasn’t improved any. I am workshopping a recipe especially for him that I’m hoping will solve the problem.

Do you guys have any advice on this recipe? He goes through a 4.5 oz bar of soap (using on his hands only) every 4 days or so (I’m guessing he washes upwards of 100 times.)

Also, I know bumping up the olive oil would be a good thing, but I don’t want to wait for cure ATM. I’ll likely create another recipe as the long term solution that’s 70/80% Olive Oil?

 

[Chris_S]

from what iv read thats too much beeswax. iv used 1.5% beeswax with good success. i am however still new to soap making and am going of a short term knowledge and experience via reserching. Have you thought of trying goats or coconut milk? that might help making it slightly more gentle. If someone comes on and says im wrong then please do ignore my suggestions hope you get something sorted to help him out a little

 

[GreenDragon]

I think your recipe is fine as is. Where you will get the most "conditioning" effect is to have a high superfat percentage. I would go with 7 or 8%.

 

[Amaress]

I usually only use 1% beeswax but I’m worried about the bar being hard. I just realized I forgot castor oil too! I’ll bump the wax down to 2%

from what iv read thats too much beeswax. iv used 1.5% beeswax with good success. i am however still new to soap making and am going of a short term knowledge and experience via reserching. Have you thought of trying goats or coconut milk? that might help making it slightly more gentle. If someone comes on and says im wrong then please do ignore my suggestions hope you get something sorted to help him out a little

Thanks!

This is the first time I’ve tried to make soap with... no soap in it? lol

I think your recipe is fine as is. Where you will get the most "conditioning" effect is to have a high superfat percentage. I would go with 7 or 8%.

This is where I’m at now with a 7% superfat, making it with 100% goats milk.

 

[IrishLass]

I feel for you, Hannah....2 of my nephews went through a compulsive hand-washing stage in their teen years, both ending up with the dry, red, bleeding hands. Thankfully both got past it as they gained more overall knowledge of bacteria, and they now wash their hands in a more reasonable manner. lol

Your revised recipe looks good The superfat of 7 will help, and the reduced 2% beeswax will be much better than your original 5%. I use 3% in mine and that's plenty!

As an aside, when my nephews were the midst of their compulsive hand-washing, I learned that one of the liquid soap recipes that I make (and that one of the nephews started using) helped to lessen the dry/cracked/bleeding symptoms he was experiencing from washing his hands so much....i.e., my Creamy Cocoa-Shea formula that I posted a tutorial to in the liquid soap section. It has about a 7% superfat when all is said and done.


IrishLass

 

[Obsidian]

Are you up for using lard? A 100% lard would also be a good option. Its not very lathery but it cures quicker then castile and doesn't have the slime.

 

[Amaress]

I’ll ask to clarify, but I think he needs to use bar soap to be able to feel like his hands are clean. If liquid soap is a go I’ll be sure to check out your recipe! Thank you!

I feel for you, Hannah....2 of my nephews went through a compulsive hand-washing stage in their teen years, both ending up with the dry, red, bleeding hands. Thankfully both got past it as they gained more overall knowledge of bacteria, and they now wash their hands in a more reasonable manner. lol

Your revised recipe looks good The superfat of 7 will help, and the reduced 2% beeswax will be much better than your original 5%. I use 3% in mine and that's plenty!

As an aside, when my nephews were the midst of their compulsive hand-washing, I learned that one of the liquid soap recipes that I make (and that one of the nephews started using) helped to lessen the dry/cracked/bleeding symptoms he was experiencing from washing his hands so much....i.e., my Creamy Cocoa-Shea formula that I posted a tutorial to in the liquid soap section. It has about a 7% superfat when all is said and done.


IrishLass

I haven’t ever used lard before, I looked into it a bit during bear season - my dad got a bear tag, but he didn’t end up getting one - so I’ve at least got the research under my belt. Is a 100% lard bar as gentle as a Castile?

Are you up for using lard? A 100% lard would also be a good option. Its not very lathery but it cures quicker then castile and doesn't have the slime.

 

[SaltedFig]

The beeswax is a good idea - it reduces solubility, which means that your brother will be getting less soap on his hands each time he washes.

I'd aim for a zero "cleansing" value in a soap for someone that washes that frequently. A zero value means you have removed the shorter carbon chain fats, such as coconut, that make the most aggressive soaps.

Add a little jojoba oil too ... it's actually another wax, but most of it does not saponify, so it gets left in the superfat and will leave just a tiny bit of residue that will help protect his hands (jojoba oil is close to human sebum and was one of the first "whale wax" replacements for skin creams) ... play with the amount until he doesn't notice

I would increase the sweet almond oil, or similar soft oil, to replace the coconut, and possibly increase the honey content even further. The soap isn't going to be like an ordinary soap, in that the numbers aren't going to be in the "normal" range ... but that's not what you are looking for, so don't worry if you go outside standard values for this soap.

Superfine oatmeal starch can add a little stiffness and whiteness to the soap and is kind to skin.

 

[dixiedragon]

I would do something like 100% lard with a 10% or 15% superfat. Maybe 100% avocado.

 

[Obsidian]

I actually find lard a lot more gentle than castile and jts a very hard, long lasting bar.

Make sure its lard though, some other types of animal fats can be more cleansing. Tallow (beef) is more cleansing and just not as nice at 100%

 

[SaltedFig]

In this instance I would agree - I wouldn't base this soap around olive at all (more like sweet almond oil, or dixiedragon's suggestion of avocado), although I would still add some with beeswax, jojoba, honey and oatmeal.

 

[cmzaha]

I feel for you, Hannah....2 of my nephews went through a compulsive hand-washing stage in their teen years, both ending up with the dry, red, bleeding hands. Thankfully both got past it as they gained more overall knowledge of bacteria, and they now wash their hands in a more reasonable manner. lol

Your revised recipe looks good The superfat of 7 will help, and the reduced 2% beeswax will be much better than your original 5%. I use 3% in mine and that's plenty!

As an aside, when my nephews were the midst of their compulsive hand-washing, I learned that one of the liquid soap recipes that I make (and that one of the nephews started using) helped to lessen the dry/cracked/bleeding symptoms he was experiencing from washing his hands so much....i.e., my Creamy Cocoa-Shea formula that I posted a tutorial to in the liquid soap section. It has about a 7% superfat when all is said and done.


IrishLass

IL, how would the recipe you posted with the very high Castor Oil? I do not remember the exact recipe but I know you mentioned it feels like velvet.

I would do something like 100% lard with a 10% or 15% superfat. Maybe 100% avocado.

No 100% Avocado. It makes a lousy bar of soap although it does leave the hands feeling soft. I say no because it gives zero lather unless used with a bath pouf. The batch I made is somewhere around a year old and still no lather when washing hands, so he may not feel like his hands are getting clean

 

[Lin19687]

i think no matter what bar soap you try on him, the results will be the same. It is Still excessive Washing thus you will get drying out.

If you can get him to use the Liquid, he will have a better time of it I feel.

but......... usually with OCD with washing is because they 'feel' like something is still on them. Hence the no lotion either.
NOW, if you can get him to use a lotion, maybe one that is more of a Balm then a lotion, it will help fix the cracking.
Of course if you could convince him that using Bag Balm (or any Balm) with socks on his hands over night, then you would be a hero
I have known a few people in my time of medical-ness work to see this. Also in the medical field there is a LOT of hand washing for non-OCD people and it is hard to keep the cracks in control.

Remember, if you are new to soapmaking, that a LONG LONG cure will be the better milder soap. Think 6 - 10 Months. And if you are doing high OO then a year

 

[Susie]

No soap is going to alleviate the dry, cracking skin until he has his handwashing under more control. That means medications and behavior modification. I understand that this is a terribly difficult behavior to unlearn, but getting the chemical imbalance in his brain corrected will alleviate the obsession so that he can work on that compulsive behavior. Never think that it only takes one or the other, it takes both. I have been through this with a couple of close family members, who have tried just meds. It doesn't work. The therapist says that this is one of the more difficult behaviors to control even after medications have been on board for a good while. It is like eating disorders, you have to eat to live, so you can't just stop doing it. You also have to wash your hands to live, so you can't just stop doing it. It is controlling the number of times and duration that become the behavior modification goal. Please encourage him to get help. It will change his life.

 

[Amaress]

I brought up oatmeal to him and he said he tried a bar and that it was scratchy. I wonder if they didn’t use colloidal oatmeal or if it just gets too exfoliating after a while...

In this instance I would agree - I wouldn't base this soap around olive at all (more like sweet almond oil, or dixiedragon's suggestion of avocado), although I would still add some with beeswax, jojoba, honey and oatmeal.

That sounds like it would worth a peek! Does anyone know what was it called so I can search!

IL, how would the recipe you posted with the very high Castor Oil? I do not remember the exact recipe but I know you mentioned it feels like velvet.

Yes! Bubbles are probably more important than anything else... if I could just make a soap that bubbles and did nothing else!

No 100% Avocado. It makes a lousy bar of soap although it does leave the hands feeling soft. I say no because it gives zero lather unless used with a bath pouf. The batch I made is somewhere around a year old and still no lather when washing hands, so he may not feel like his hands are getting clean

Thank you everyone for your advice, concern, and support! He is on meds and in therapy. The hand washing symptoms come and go, along with a variety of other symptoms, but he’s doing pretty well considering.

 

[nframe]

IL, how would the recipe you posted with the very high Castor Oil? I do not remember the exact recipe but I know you mentioned it feels like velvet.

I am not Irish Lass but I tried her recipe and it is wonderful.

 

[Chris_S]

I am not Irish Lass but I tried her recipe and it is wonderful.

Any idea where its posted at? I wouldnt mind having a nose at it to see if its something i have the stuff to make to give it a try myself plus im sure it would help the op out too

 

[nframe]

Any idea where its posted at? I wouldnt mind having a nose at it to see if its something i have the stuff to make to give it a try myself plus im sure it would help the op out too

It's in this thread:
https://www.soapmakingforum.com/threads/tallow-soap.71968/

As I said, the soap is wonderful. I would never have thought of such a recipe. Thank you Irish Lass.

 

[KiwiMoose]

How about the recipe that Zany just posted - the 'no slime' salt water 'castile'?

 

[Dawni]

How about the recipe that Zany just posted - the 'no slime' salt water 'castile'?

I've not experienced making it, but I have used many castile soaps and if it's bubbles you're looking for the usual ones might not work so maybe Zany's would, and like she said, add some Castor oil and a very teensy bit of coconut for the bubbles.... Sugar too to help with bubbles. Maybe add coconut milk, if you can find too?

Mango and kokum butters are good for very dry skin too, and for healing maybe chamomile and calendula, just in case any of the benefits are retained? Neem oil is also known for healing...

I would research on how the salt will affect his skin though, and maybe someone would come along and let us know more on that, but my soaps with saltwater all feel really nice n not drying. BUT, mine were high coconut so..... My "help" stops right about now lol

Of course if you could convince him that using Bag Balm (or any Balm) with socks on his hands over night, then you would be a hero

Maybe you can tell him there's less chance of getting germs if he keeps the socks on through the night? Or through the day too, if he can wear soft gloves (Or was it mittens? Sorry I'm unfamiliar lol). @Zing just posted a balm recipe that sounds good, btw..

I feel for his poor hands @Hannah Felton, and I hope he continues being pretty good, all things considering