What am I doing wrong?

[earlene]

You probably already know the requirement for how ingredients are listed on labels, from highest percentage to lowest, with some exceptions toward the end of the listing. As you are in the US, if you are not familiar with the requirements see this link. Knowing that, can help you to determine at least, the predominance of some of the particular oils in the soaps you like.

So if the above list is in the correct order, then there would be more goat milk than the oils coming after. But also if one ingredient is listed after another, they can also be equal in proportion. You can't always tell from the label what the actual percentage is, just that toward the top of the label it's more and toward the bottom it's less.

Another thought is that in some cases, other additives could play a part in how it feels on the skin. For example, corn silk, clay and other things like that can produce a different feel. So if anything other than oils are listed, that would be important as well if you are after the same type of feel on your skin.

 

[KiwiMoose]

Gosh I’d not heard of castor being a skin irritant before - but I guess anything is possible.

 

[AliOop]

Gosh I’d not heard of castor being a skin irritant before - but I guess anything is possible.

Me, either. I actually use it in hot packs right on skin for all kinds of things.

 

[Zany_in_CO]

Me, either. I actually use it in hot packs right on skin for all kinds of things.

Me three. That little 5% added to any recipe to boost lather is so common.

 

[melinda48]

Okay so I am a new soaper and I have made probably five different small batches of soap and all of them seem to be lye heavy. I tested them all with litmus paper, which I know isn't very accurate and they all appear to be sitting at around 10 which should be good to go. I also tested them with red cabbage solution which came up green, and it's supposed to be blue. I also tested other handmade soaps that I purchased and they were all just slightly lower in ph, seemed to be sitting closer to 9.

Next I tested all the soaps I made in the shower and they all slightly irritate sensitive areas such as the face. Some of them are even unscented and they still bother me. I have slightly sensitive skin but other cp soaps don't bother me. I don't think it is any oil allergy either as the cp soaps I bought contain the same oils.

Also my scale is very nice and accurate so I have no clue what I am doing wrong. I used different recipes, different oils, no scent, all the results are the same. The soap looks good and has low cleansing numbers around 12, but they all burn a bit. My lye is from ED btw.

Are those digital ph meters accurate? Maybe I need to get a decent one of those. I really enjoy making soap and I have put a decent chunk of money into it but I am clearly doing something wrong here. Does anybody have any ideas or advice?

Have you run your recipes through Soapmaing Friend or SoapCalc? I always check any recipe I find online simply because it may or may not “work.” Just because a recipe appears online does not mean itis good. Are you mixing to at least emulsion? Do you know how to check for emulsion? I buy my lye from Essential Depot - it is excellent - the problem not the lye source, it must be something in your process. Lisa at “I Dream in Soap” offers tremendous free videos on uTube covering all aspects of soaping. If you can’t find an answer here, pleas check her out.

 

[melinda48]

Me three. That little 5% added to any recipe to boost lather is so common.

Me neither. I generally add at 5% or less but never heard it was an irritant.

 

[melinda48]

I don't use soap on my face at all. But if you normally do and with the soap you purchase, there is not sensitivity, then I suspect you can use soap on your facial skin, but you just need to find the right balance, be that length of cure or to fine-tune your formula. When you say the soap you buy doesn't bother your facial skin, where do you buy this soap and how exactly does/do the ingredients list(s) appear? Is it commercial soap or from an artisan like ourselves?

If castor oil (aka Sodium Castorate or Sodium Ricinoleate) is not in any of the store bought or artisan-purchased soaps, then that would be a first step as to which direction to take for your next formula. Also, it would be helpful for you to attach a link to the ingredients list of soaps that do not irritate your facial skin. Sometimes the inci names need a bit more investigation. I find a reference with the inci names for saponified oils to be helpful: INCI Terms for Saponified Oils - Saffire Blue Inc.. Some calculators also list the inci names for the oils included.

I use rice soap on my face and absolutely love it!

 

[FrayGrants]

Have you run your recipes through Soapmaing Friend or SoapCalc? I always check any recipe I find online simply because it may or may not “work.” Just because a recipe appears online does not mean itis good. Are you mixing to at least emulsion? Do you know how to check for emulsion? I buy my lye from Essential Depot - it is excellent - the problem not the lye source, it must be something in your process. Lisa at “I Dream in Soap” offers tremendous free videos on uTube covering all aspects of soaping. If you can’t find an answer here, pleas check her out.

I created all the recipes I made myself so I definitely ran them through a lye calculator, and I mixed one of them to a very thick trace so this is not the issue.

I ph tested all of them last night and they all came in at just under 10, including the store bought soaps that don't irritate my skin so I don't think that they are lye heavy.

I think they just need to cure longer and I need to make some simple soaps with limited additives and oils so I can find the root of the problem, if there is any at all, and get the basics down.

Wish me luck!!!

 

[Vitormgib]

@FrayGrants any follow up on the topic? I'm having the exact same issue.