Underrated and Overrated Soaping Ingredients

[AliOop]

the “trinity” is drying on my skin given that coconut oil’s cleansing ability

same. Neem is so good for many types of skin, if folks don't mind the smell (I don't), or if it is used with scents that blend well with it.

I also don't particularly like the feel of palm oil in soap. If I use more than 10-15%, it feels like plastic in my hands, and I swear it dries out my skin.

 

[contrinokathy]

same. Neem is so good for many types of skin, if folks don't mind the smell (I don't), or if it is used with scents that blend well with it.

I also don't particularly like the feel of palm oil in soap. If I use more than 10-15%, it feels like plastic in my hands, and I swear it dries out my skin.

I find neem oil doesn’t come through after the cure. I found karanja oil which may well have the same benefits as neem.
I don’t like using palm much but I have vegan customers and Castile is not what they like.

 

[AliOop]

I find neem oil doesn’t come through after the cure. I found karanja oil which may well have the same benefits as neem.
I don’t like using palm much but I have vegan customers and Castile is not what they like.

I haven't tried karanja oil yet but it's on my list. I have plenty of neem to use up first.

Have you tried soy wax for adding hardness? That's another one I haven't tried yet. Many folks in the US are anti-soy, with good reason, as most US soy is GMO, often with glyphosate (RoundUp), and well as DNA from petunias, which are nightshade plants.

Many of my users are night-shade sensitive due to autoimmune disorders, so as much as I'd like to try soy wax, it's not a risk I can take unless I could confirm that it is 100% organic and non-GMO.

 

[TheGecko]

I'm only in my second year of soap making so take everything with a grain of salt, but I have an opinion that not any of you seem to share. That is that I do not like olive oil in my soap.

You do realize that the conversation was just getting started so only a few people had responded. And I said at the end of my first paragraph, "That is where personal preference comes in and why we all have our favorite recipes."

Some people love lard/tallow...some people do not. Some people love olive oil...some people do not. Some people love coconut oil...some people do not. The list goes on an on and it's all good. It's why I told @Blufuz, "You have to start with what you have that is reasonably available to you and makes a good soap; for me that was Olive, Coconut, Palm and Castor Oils."

 

[Zany_in_CO]

Neem oil is in all my soaps and find it’s incredible as a soap ingredient

Interesting.

while the “trinity” is drying on my skin given that coconut oil’s cleansing ability. I use it very little.

The Trinity of Oils formula is designed to grow from. If coconut, palm and olive don't work for you, try PKO, lard/shea butter, and liquid oil(s) of choice (almond, avocado + 5% castor?) to suit your skin.

 

[contrinokathy]

I haven't tried karanja oil yet but it's on my list. I have plenty of neem to use up first.

Have you tried soy wax for adding hardness? That's another one I haven't tried yet. Many folks in the US are anti-soy, with good reason, as most US soy is GMO, often with glyphosate (RoundUp), and well as DNA from petunias, which are nightshade plants.

Many of my users are night-shade sensitive due to autoimmune disorders, so as much as I'd like to try soy wax, it's not a risk I can take unless I could confirm that it is 100% organic and non-GMO.

I did not know that about soy wax. I use soy for wax melts only. I picked up soy butter from new directions. I like it and will use it in some body butters I think.

 

[MellonFriend]

You do realize that the conversation was just getting started so only a few people had responded. And I said at the end of my first paragraph, "That is where personal preference comes in and why we all have our favorite recipes."

Some people love lard/tallow...some people do not. Some people love olive oil...some people do not. Some people love coconut oil...some people do not. The list goes on an on and it's all good. It's why I told @Blufuz, "You have to start with what you have that is reasonably available to you and makes a good soap; for me that was Olive, Coconut, Palm and Castor Oils."

I'm not trying to be combative here, Gecko. I was simply stating my personal opinion. That's why I said "I have an opinion that none of you seem to share." I ended my post with a reflection about how everyone has personal preferences. So clearly I understand this concept. Did I say that everyone should not be putting olive oil in their soap? No. I did not.

 

[Zany_in_CO]

Some people love lard/tallow...some people do not. Some people love olive oil...some people do not. Some people love coconut oil...some people do not.

I love all 3! We are restricted only by the breadth of our imagination!

 

[Blufuz]

I'm not trying to be combative here, Gecko. I was simply stating my personal opinion. That's why I said "I have an opinion that none of you seem to share." I ended my post with a reflection about how everyone has personal preferences. So clearly I understand this concept. Did I say that everyone should not be putting olive oil in their soap? No. I did not.

I get what you’re saying, outside the soap making world, there’s a lot of hype about Marseille soap which is supposed to be all olive oil. But I got my hands on some when I visited the city, and while it’s a good soap, very hard and very cleansing without being too aggressive, it’s not actually all that special I read from internet blogs that olive oil in soap is supposed to be very mild and gentle, but I guess that depends on what you compare it too…

Still, when I handed out my soaps to friends and family they oooed and aaahed for the olive oil soaps, and cringed a little at coconut, palm, and especially castor oil (in Italy, there’s a very negative association with it, since it was used as a punishment by fascists due to its extreme laxative properties).
I want to make a good olive oil soap, because olive oil runs in my Italian veins, but I’ve had mixed success so far

 

[Zany_in_CO]

there’s a lot of hype about Marseille soap

I had a soapmaking buddy in France who totally agreed with your assessment. According to her, it isn't all that special but Savon de Marseille is well known and sold around the world.

especially castor oil (in Italy, there’s a very negative association with it, since it was used as a punishment by fascists due to its extreme laxative properties).

LOL I've run into that as well. Although, not Fascists but rather Mothers, who gave their children each a tablespoon of castor oil before sending them off to school. My neighbor, an 86-year-old widow, says, at the very mention of it, she shudders because she remembers the taste to this day!

 

[Zany_in_CO]

I want to make a good olive oil soap, because olive oil runs in my Italian veins, but I’ve had mixed success so far

Have you tried making Zany's No Slime Castile?
I make the 85% OO, 10% Coconut, 5% Castor variation, although the 100% OO is quite nice, unscented for cancer patients undergoing chemo and calendula-infused OO for babies.

Cures quickly too. I start using it at the 2-week mark. No need to wait 3 months - 1 year to cure,

Here's a video that someone made. Her batch is slow to trace because she didn't follow directions (for temps) exactly as written.

 

[Blufuz]

Have you tried making Zany's No Slime Castile?
I make the 85% OO, 10% Coconut, 5% Castor variation, although the 100% OO is quite nice, unscented for cancer patients undergoing chemo and calendula-infused OO for babies.

Cures quickly too. I start using it at the 2-week mark. No need to wait 3 months - 1 year to cure,

Here's a video that someone made. Her batch is slow to trace because she didn't follow directions (for temps) exactly as written.

It’s on my list, I look forward to trying!

 

[cmzaha]

I find neem oil doesn’t come through after the cure. I found karanja oil which may well have the same benefits as neem.
I don’t like using palm much but I have vegan customers and Castile is not what they like.

I totally disagree that the benefits of Neem do not come through the cure. I used both Karanja and Neem finding both worked equally well for my girls and clientele. I made and sold hundreds of bars of Neem soap so apparently, many return customers saying they could not do without their neem soap. Yes, they tried other soaps. The neem-based soaps also helped my daughter's dogs which had severe skin conditions. Both the Neem and Karanja worked equally as well, one difference is Karanja is not as strong smelling as neem, but as neem cures, it tones down. If you check the profile of the two oils they are similar.

@contrinokathy sure there are ingredients that are just for label appeal. you may use unique oils and butters but it does not mean any of the benefits of those unique expensive oils and butter come through the lye process so they now become Label Appeal. Label appeal is not a bad thing after all if you are selling you are there to make money as long as you are not promoting the ingredients to the point they become medical. You cannot say an ingredient will cure or make better a skin problem. A few oils such as neem do seem to keep some of their properties and I love high Shea Butter soaps, around 60% shea.

 

[Johnez]

I totally disagree that the benefits of Neem do not come through the cure. I used both Karanja and Neem finding both worked equally well for my girls and clientele. I made and sold hundreds of bars of Neem soap so apparently, many return customers saying they could not do without their neem soap. Yes, they tried other soaps. The neem-based soaps also helped my daughter's dogs which had severe skin conditions. Both the Neem and Karanja worked equally as well, one difference is Karanja is not as strong smelling as neem, but as neem cures, it tones down. If you check the profile of the two oils they are similar.

@contrinokathy sure there are ingredients that are just for label appeal. you may use unique oils and butters but it does not mean any of the benefits of those unique expensive oils and butter come through the lye process so they now become Label Appeal. Label appeal is not a bad thing after all if you are selling you are there to make money as long as you are not promoting the ingredients to the point they become medical. You cannot say an ingredient will cure or make better a skin problem. A few oils such as neem do seem to keep some of their properties and I love high Shea Butter soaps, around 60% shea.

I could be wrong here but I think she meant the smell doesn't come through. Previously contrinokathy mentioned using neem in all soaps and loving it.

 

[MelissaG]

Beer, wine, and all that seem ridiculous to me. Sugar will do the same thing. I've found milk does make a difference in the soap, but whether it's Goat's Milk or not doesn't seem to matter. Being able to say goat's milk is label appeal. Don't bother with expensive oils, they won't last. Save the expensive stuff for things like lip balm and lotion.

Nut oils like almond...they are nuts. I stopped using everything but coconut oil due to possible allergic reaction from my customers. I use apricot kernel now instead. Watch your recipes for possible allergens.

What does seem to make a difference is shea but not if it's used at say 3%. I use mine at 20% and people just LOVE how creamy it is. I've been told it feels "soft" and their skin feels moisturized after. 3% or something does little to nothing and I definitely don't feel any change in the soap at that level. Just remember that shea is in the same family as latex so it can get a reaction.

Coconut oil should be kept under 15% since it has drying properties when exposed to lye. It's moisturizing everywhere else but with lye. Unless you have a huge superfat.

Natural colorants are a pita for me. The colors are very muted.

Coffee... people love the scent. People associate coffee with waking up so it's a great thing to wake up to. Does it actually make a difference in the soap? If you leave the grinds it, it gives a bit of exfoliation but not that I've really noticed.

I made a charcoal and orange essential oil soap for mechanics for a while. I stopped making it because it wasn't selling though my husbands friends keep asking me to make more from them. Apparently it works like nothing else to remove oil and grime after working on cars or something. They just rave about it and have even gone onto my FB and google to give good reviews for it.

I'm not sure essential oils benefits survive the saponification process. I'd save them for things like lotions. They are expensive.

 

[Vicki C]

I do use cocoa butter and/or shea butter in soap and do find it makes for a harder bar.

I think so too Zing esp cocoa butter. I use it at 5%, and Shea at 5%, but I might drop the Shea once I use it up, or save and use for leave on products.

 

[Vicki C]

Beer, wine, and all that seem ridiculous to me. Sugar will do the same thing. I've found milk does make a difference in the soap, but whether it's Goat's Milk or not doesn't seem to matter. Being able to say goat's milk is label appeal. Don't bother with expensive oils, they won't last. Save the expensive stuff for things like lip balm and lotion.

Nut oils like almond...they are nuts. I stopped using everything but coconut oil due to possible allergic reaction from my customers. I use apricot kernel now instead. Watch your recipes for possible allergens.

What does seem to make a difference is shea but not if it's used at say 3%. I use mine at 20% and people just LOVE how creamy it is. I've been told it feels "soft" and their skin feels moisturized after. 3% or something does little to nothing and I definitely don't feel any change in the soap at that level. Just remember that shea is in the same family as latex so it can get a reaction.

Coconut oil should be kept under 15% since it has drying properties when exposed to lye. It's moisturizing everywhere else but with lye. Unless you have a huge superfat.

Natural colorants are a pita for me. The colors are very muted.

Coffee... people love the scent. People associate coffee with waking up so it's a great thing to wake up to. Does it actually make a difference in the soap? If you leave the grinds it, it gives a bit of exfoliation but not that I've really noticed.

I made a charcoal and orange essential oil soap for mechanics for a while. I stopped making it because it wasn't selling though my husbands friends keep asking me to make more from them. Apparently it works like nothing else to remove oil and grime after working on cars or something. They just rave about it and have even gone onto my FB and google to give good reviews for it.

I'm not sure essential oils benefits survive the saponification process. I'd save them for things like lotions. They are expensive.

Yes same thought about nuts, my grandson has a life threatening nut allergy and I just avoid nuts for that reason.
Now I want to try a 20% Shea butter soap!

 

[MelissaG]

Yes same thought about nuts, my grandson has a life threatening nut allergy and I just avoid nuts for that reason.
Now I want to try a 20% Shea butter soap!

I have a life threatening (throat closes) marijuana allergy. And I don't do very well with shellfish either (think puffy itchy red face).

It's just better to be careful . Just keep in mind that if you use that much shea, let the lye cool to room temperature first. Trust me, it will prevent a volcano lol. I've never had it explode on my or anything but I have had it crack like an earthquake hit. Cooler is better.

 

[Blufuz]

Beer, wine, and all that seem ridiculous to me. Sugar will do the same thing. I've found milk does make a difference in the soap, but whether it's Goat's Milk or not doesn't seem to matter. Being able to say goat's milk is label appeal. Don't bother with expensive oils, they won't last. Save the expensive stuff for things like lip balm and lotion.

Nut oils like almond...they are nuts. I stopped using everything but coconut oil due to possible allergic reaction from my customers. I use apricot kernel now instead. Watch your recipes for possible allergens.

What does seem to make a difference is shea but not if it's used at say 3%. I use mine at 20% and people just LOVE how creamy it is. I've been told it feels "soft" and their skin feels moisturized after. 3% or something does little to nothing and I definitely don't feel any change in the soap at that level. Just remember that shea is in the same family as latex so it can get a reaction.

Coconut oil should be kept under 15% since it has drying properties when exposed to lye. It's moisturizing everywhere else but with lye. Unless you have a huge superfat.

Natural colorants are a pita for me. The colors are very muted.

Coffee... people love the scent. People associate coffee with waking up so it's a great thing to wake up to. Does it actually make a difference in the soap? If you leave the grinds it, it gives a bit of exfoliation but not that I've really noticed.

I made a charcoal and orange essential oil soap for mechanics for a while. I stopped making it because it wasn't selling though my husbands friends keep asking me to make more from them. Apparently it works like nothing else to remove oil and grime after working on cars or something. They just rave about it and have even gone onto my FB and google to give good reviews for it.

I'm not sure essential oils benefits survive the saponification process. I'd save them for things like lotions. They are expensive.

How much charcoal did you use for the mechanics soap? And what superfat? I was planning on trying my hand at it as soon as I can figure out what ingredients matter for it. Most recipes seem to just go for sand-paper-like exfoliation which I’m sure works but charcoal sounds like it might work differently

 

[MelissaG]

How much charcoal did you use for the mechanics soap? And what superfat? I was planning on trying my hand at it as soon as I can figure out what ingredients matter for it. Most recipes seem to just go for sand-paper-like exfoliation which I’m sure works but charcoal sounds like it might work differently

I don't remember. Since I'm not selling it anymore, I deleted the recipe. I haven't been asked for a loaf in a good year. All my soaps have an 8% superfat. A coconut oil only soap or one with a high amount of coconut oil, will probably require a higher superfat. The guys said the charcoal wasn't rough on their skin and had just enough grit to remove stuff. Then things like shea butter helped the skin feel less dry and sore.