@Quilter99755 thank you! Your experience with other syndets and melt and pour allows you to put this product into a broader context. It’s very helpful. I hope it works out for your daughter.
Syndopour shampoo syndet base testing
- Thread starter Mobjack Bay
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Actually, I need to thank you for testing this out. I did not know of the product, although when I was using Melt and Pour soap, it was with Stephenson's. I'm hoping this works for her. It will be easy to gift her with the base and a mold or two and let her do her own shampoo as she needs it. Chemistry has never been my long suit. And I equate the snydet bars with that! I can go back to my soap and play on the soap calculators to my hearts content.
Update on my daughter's use. She keeps her hair short...post operative short...about 3/4" to 1" more or less. She has used the syndopour 3-4 times. So far no irritation at the cochlear implant site, so that is a big plus. She feels that the suds it produces is smaller than the other syndet bars that I have made but that is not a big enough minus to stop using it. And her hair/scalp feels cleans and rinses well. She also said it felt like the bars are being used up at a faster rate than our other attempts, too. That might be a game changer. It will take another week or two before she says "for sure" that it isn't irritating her implant site.
One of the reasons that I stopped using Stephenson's Natural Melt and Pour Soap was that it didn't last very long (and it was about that time that I started my own journey with HP soaping). So maybe that is a factor of all Melt and Pour soaps? I used one base from a craft store that made my skin itch so did not finish using that base, and then found the "natural" base from Stephenson's so never used any other kind.
I think I will start a test on my hair now that I got an update from my daughter. I'll get back with you in another week or so.
One of the reasons that I stopped using Stephenson's Natural Melt and Pour Soap was that it didn't last very long (and it was about that time that I started my own journey with HP soaping). So maybe that is a factor of all Melt and Pour soaps? I used one base from a craft store that made my skin itch so did not finish using that base, and then found the "natural" base from Stephenson's so never used any other kind.
I think I will start a test on my hair now that I got an update from my daughter. I'll get back with you in another week or so.
I was away at a gathering this past weekend and had five friends test one of the pure base bars I made in late June. They were all shampoo bar newbies so I explained in advance that it would not be like using a high sudsing liquid shampoo and described how I distribute the shampoo on my head and work it around to build a bit of a lather and clean my scalp. All testers have partly or fully grey or white hair. The feedback was uniformly positive and they all wanted to know when I will have them for sale! This is a crowd that travels and they immediately made the connection to the convenience of packing fewer liquids.
Great to hear about your testers! For traveling the shampoo bars are awesome! The first time I traveled after making the first of my syndet bars meant it was totally easy to get all my liquids in the quart zip bag.
On my testing I actually managed to get my hair wet...in the shower with my glasses on...to test out the suds. By feel I'd say it is a smaller suds than my other bars, but was surprised that it didn't look any smaller with glasses on. There might have been a bit less suds but not any smaller. My hair felt nice and soft after the shampoo but might have had a little less body than the last bar I used. Since I kept forgetting to put a bar in the shower, I've only used it once so far. But I will report back after I get a week or two of use out of it.
On my testing I actually managed to get my hair wet...in the shower with my glasses on...to test out the suds. By feel I'd say it is a smaller suds than my other bars, but was surprised that it didn't look any smaller with glasses on. There might have been a bit less suds but not any smaller. My hair felt nice and soft after the shampoo but might have had a little less body than the last bar I used. Since I kept forgetting to put a bar in the shower, I've only used it once so far. But I will report back after I get a week or two of use out of it.
I have not personally tested it , but their website says between 5-6.
I have only washed my hair once since making the sydopour purple shampoo bars (because I do not shampoo frequently), but the lather was really fabulous. The first pass less than the repeat. I had a lot of product build-up in my hair, hence the low lather with the first pass. Both times, I wet my hair first, then used the bar on my hair.
To be fair, I do not know if MP soaps have the same issue of first time use being less lathery than subsequent uses, but if that is the case, it may also have had something to do with my experience.
In any case, I am pleased with the soap so far. I am not sure when I'll be washing my hair next, as it still seems fine, as long as I don't go out in the heat and start sweating from my head, which may well happen if we go for a walk midday. But I've been avoiding the highly humid outdoor heat here.
I am still unsure how long a bar will last, but since I do not shampoo my hair very often, it may not be a real concern for me anyway. For travel purposes I do like it, but I also wish it were not so soft; for a bar soap it is much softer than my lye soaps, so I'm really not used to that.
To be fair, I do not know if MP soaps have the same issue of first time use being less lathery than subsequent uses, but if that is the case, it may also have had something to do with my experience.
In any case, I am pleased with the soap so far. I am not sure when I'll be washing my hair next, as it still seems fine, as long as I don't go out in the heat and start sweating from my head, which may well happen if we go for a walk midday. But I've been avoiding the highly humid outdoor heat here.
I am still unsure how long a bar will last, but since I do not shampoo my hair very often, it may not be a real concern for me anyway. For travel purposes I do like it, but I also wish it were not so soft; for a bar soap it is much softer than my lye soaps, so I'm really not used to that.
@earlene I don't recall if you put yours in the freezer to harden. Some folks, including Susan Barclay Nichols over on Swifty Crafty Monkey, are adamant that this makes for a harder, more "plasticized" (her word) shampoo bar over the long term.
Of course, I assume she means a frost-free freezer, since those are so low in humidity. I mention that because some folks do use mini-fridges or old fridges in their soap rooms, and many of the freezers on those aren't frost-free, IME.
Of course, I assume she means a frost-free freezer, since those are so low in humidity. I mention that because some folks do use mini-fridges or old fridges in their soap rooms, and many of the freezers on those aren't frost-free, IME.
I did, but not sure if time in freezer matters, as I don't really recall for how long they were in there.
I wonder if I should put back in freezer and see if it makes a difference.
I wonder if I should put back in freezer and see if it makes a difference.
If you are a subscriber, here is the link to her discussion on that issue. I don't think it is accessible to non-subscribers, which is why I'm not pasting the actual text here.
Back of the envelope calculation here - The test bar I’m using was approx. 70 g when I started and I’ve used it nine times (3x per week). Based on a visual check, 50% of the bar or 35 g remains. That puts my usage at under 4 grams each time I wash my hair.
Okay, thanks. I have left it in there over an hour at this point, so I'll either take it out tonight or may wait until morning and let it warm to room temp and check to see if it seems less soft. Also I may not have left them out in the open long enough before we left on our trip. I cut them to fit inside my mini-soap travel box so no evaporation can happen. I did take it out to 'air dry' while in Florida, but didn't think to re-freeze.
So I am hoping the re-freeze and a couple of days or more to air-dry may give me a harder bar. Thank you again, for the link. I did not recall what it said and you saved me from searching for it. In fact, just now I bookmarked it so I don't have to search for it. The drawback may be the humidity and heat, as she says that will inhibit this drying out process. But it is what it is and I'll just have to give it a go with what is available in this environment.
How does that compare to how quickly you would go through a liquid shampoo?
I have no idea at all, but let’s do another back of the envelope calculation. A squirt of my shampoo from the pump bottle is about one tsp. which is what I usually use to wash my hair. If the liquid shampoo weighs 6 g per tsp (slightly heavier than water?), I’m using 6 grams per wash. So far, my estimated use of the shampoo bar is 3.9 g per wash, but that does not take into account the initial testing at the sink, which means my actual usage per shampoo event is probably a bit lower. If the first cut estimated numbers are correct, I need 43% less shampoo bar by weight each time I wash my hair, which equates to a 54% increase in number of washes with the shampoo bar compared with the liquid shampoo.
That sounds quite promising! Do you think it works out to less money per wash, as well? I haven't paid much attention to the cost per wash since I'm committed to using the solid shampoo even if it is more expensive. My hair and scalp are healthier, and I like the reduction in packaging waste, although ingredient packaging and delivery to my home create their own issues.
I'm going to take a break from my testing because right now I am comparing how my hair feels in the heat wave we are having with how it felt before the heat wave (and humidity). In the meantime, I will pop the bar into the freezer for a day or two just to see if it does change the feel somewhat AND before I start in again I will weigh my bar. I think that is warranted since Darcy felt it wasn't lasting as long as the others. And I'll do the same for my current syndet bar that I'll go back to using, so I'll have that to compare it with. Gotta find a place in the bathroom to mark the number of uses, too, since I don't always shampoo on a regular basis....except in the high heat days.
It appears that the heat is somewhat less but it feels muggy, so may just wait until we can live in the house without air conditioning. It might be a while before you hear back from my testing on Syndopour.
It appears that the heat is somewhat less but it feels muggy, so may just wait until we can live in the house without air conditioning. It might be a while before you hear back from my testing on Syndopour.
Carly B
Well-Known Member
I tried my Syndopour bar and I like it better than the other Stephenson M&P shampoo base. I prefer bars when I have short hair, but I have hair now almost to my waist, and I find my hair snarling up with most shampoo bars, but it didn't with the Syndopour. I don't notice that much
of a texture difference from other M&P bases. I'm still not a fan of Stephenson's M&P conditioner. I'm thinking I'll need to add some argan or coconut oil to it, because I really didn't like the way my hair felt after using it.
of a texture difference from other M&P bases. I'm still not a fan of Stephenson's M&P conditioner. I'm thinking I'll need to add some argan or coconut oil to it, because I really didn't like the way my hair felt after using it.
The four pounds of Syndopour I bought from Bulk Apothecary cost $9.33/lb ($.58/ oz) including shipping and tax after a first time customer discount of 15%. The Nexxus shampoo I was using costs in the range of $.45-$.50/oz plus tax when I buy the 33.8 oz size.
Don’t out the syndet bars in the fridge. It can take three days for them to harden and it feels more like a lotion bar instead of MP which I work with every day.
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