The elusive perfect bar of soap

[shunt2011]

@MadScientist be careful using Hempseed and Grapeseed as they both have very short shelf life. I've used both and got DOS pretty quickly. Hemp I can use at 10% without issue long term. Also, how much benefit do you really think survives the lye? It's pretty much a general consensus that very little if any especially since it's a wash off product as well.

 

[MadScientist]

The bars are softer and don't last as long in the shower. I use them right at four weeks and a bar lasts me 1.5 week.

You are right, it's probably anecdotal, but it's what works on MY skin. This is the elusive perfect bar thread and since perfection is unattainable, we have to work with what we got. I'm happy with my bars.

 

[Nanette]

I have many favorite recipes too...my basic was always olive, coconut, palm and castor but I love avocado, rice bran, sunflower...tamanu, hemp..in various combinations. And shea and cocobutter..almond oil.

My go to is Lard, Babassu, Grapeseed, Hempseed, Tamanu, and Castor. I add sodium lactate, activated charcoal, and EO infused diatomaceous earth (DE). Infusing the DE seems to protect a portion of the essential oils, enhancing scent strength.

I usually pick tree sap based EOs (dragons blood, tea tree, cedar) for their health benefits as well as citrus-type scents (love me some lemongrass). I find my oily-sensitive skin is soft and hydrated after a shower and that my skin heals easier. 5% superfat with a focus on high conditioning and minimal cleansing in the calculator usually yields best results for me with a 2.5:1 water:lye ratio.

How do you have your soaps smell like anything but tamanu?

 

[MadScientist]

How do you have your soaps smell like anything but tamanu?

At the nose, I barely notice it with the tea tree, lemon grass, cedar, and dragons blood. It's when I walk into the shower, when everything is dry, that I notice that odd nutty smell. After the bar lathers though, the soap goes back to the EOs. I happen to like things that mask it, but I would imagine that subtler scents would be lost by the Tamanu.

 

[Nanette]

At the nose, I barely notice it with the tea tree, lemon grass, cedar, and dragons blood. It's when I walk into the shower, when everything is dry, that I notice that odd nutty smell. After the bar lathers though, the soap goes back to the EOs. I happen to like things that mask it, but I would imagine that subtler scents would be lost by the Tamanu.

I like the smell of Tamanu anyway, very pervasive tho.

 

[cmzaha]

I would save the luscious Tamanu for a nice lotion or anhydrous lotion bar. Even a massage oil, at least a leave-on product so it is not just washed down the drain.

 

[MadScientist]

Different strokes for different folks I guess.

I like the smell of Tamanu anyway, very pervasive tho.

I do too. From what I've read, the smell of Tamanu oil has a polarizing effect.

 

[cmzaha]

Different strokes for different folks I guess.

Okie Dokie I will keep my opinions to myself.

 

[MadScientist]

Okie Dokie I will keep my opinions to myself.

I wasn't trying to scare you off. I was just shrugging. I might not agree with you but I don't want you to stop talking.

 

[Microchick]

Mine is Tallow, Lard, (Sunflower HO, Canola, or AVO), PKO, CO & 3% Castor. One of the liquid oils not all. Vinegar, Sorbitol low superfat and lathers like a champ out fresh out of the mold.

Why vinegar?

 

[DeeAnna]

Not Carolyn, so I can't offer her perspective. But here's what I do know --

Vinegar reacts with NaOH to form sodium acetate. Sodium acetate adds hardness to bar soap. Here's my article on this topic: https://classicbells.com/soap/aceticAcid.asp

 

[cmzaha]

As DeeAnna mentioned vinegar makes my bars harder and they lather better. I tend to go low with my CO/PKO so I want to push getting as much lather as possible. My soaps have a very rich creamy lather with no additions of milk.

 

[SoapSisters]

As DeeAnna mentioned vinegar makes my bars harder and they lather better. I tend to go low with my CO/PKO so I want to push getting as much lather as possible. My soaps have a very rich creamy lather with no additions of milk.

I'm wondering . . . is 100% of your liquid vinegar? And does the kind of vinegar matter (apple cider, regular supermarket vinegar, etc.)?

 

[MadScientist]

And how much extra lye do you use to compensate for vinegar neutralizing it? And does the sodium acetate add any smell to the bar?

 

[Dawni]

@MadScientist there's a long thread on vinegar somewhere in the forum, with calculations n everything.. I had it bookmarked but I can't find it right now.

DeeAnna's article she posted above explains a lot however.

Edit: found it!
And if you feel like reading more....
https://www.google.com/search?q=vin...id-sonymobile&sourceid=chrome-mobile&ie=UTF-8

 

[MadScientist]

@MadScientist there's a long thread on vinegar somewhere in the forum, with calculations n everything.. I had it bookmarked but I can't find it right now.

DeeAnna's article she posted above explains a lot however.

Edit: found it!

Bookmarked. Thank you!

 

[SoapSisters]

@MadScientist, when I use vinegar, I put it into the soap calculator (Soap Making Friend) and it calculates the extra lye for me!

 

[MadScientist]

@MadScientist, when I use vinegar, I put it into the soap calculator (Soap Making Friend) and it calculates the extra lye for me!

I've been using SoapCalc. I will take a look at Soap Making Friend. I love all the information I get here.

 

[SoapSisters]

I LOVE Soap Making Friend! So user friendly (hahah)!

 

[DeeAnna]

And how much extra lye do you use to compensate for vinegar neutralizing it? ...

Did you read the article I gave a link to? It's all in there!

"..And does the sodium acetate add any smell to the bar?..."

No it doesn't have an odor.

"...I'm wondering . . . is 100% of your liquid vinegar?..."

@SoapSisters -- It can be any amount of vinegar up to 100% of the total "water" weight. Many people do 50% to 100%.

"...And does the kind of vinegar matter (apple cider, regular supermarket vinegar, etc.)?..."

I recommend commercial "eating" vinegar that's been standardized to about 5% acetic acid. It doesn't matter what kind -- white, apple cider, etc.

Homemade vinegar can vary in its acetic acid content, so it can be a little tricky to figure out how to neutralize it accurately.

There are commercial vinegars that contain a much higher % of acetic acid than vinegars meant for food use. These vinegars can contain anywhere from 10% to 100% acetic acid. I don't recommend using these types of vinegars unless you are willing to do the math to account for the higher acid content.