Soap making

[Yooper]

I've been making soap for about a year now. I haven't made that many batches, since I didn't realize how much "7 pounds of soap" was in my first few batches.

I've made goat's milk/oatmeal soap, a great mild castile soap, a mixed oil soap with powdered oats, and several others.

My "newest" thing is shampoo bars. It's sort of weird at first using a bar of soap on your hair, if you're used to liquid shampoos. But I recently read my shampoo bottle, and couldn't pronounce most of the stuff in it. I make a great shampoo bar with jojoba, castor oil, olive oil, cocoa butter, shea butter and coconut oil. I only made small batches, because some of those ingredients are expensive. But I love it!

I'm doing cold process soaps, so it takes a long time to cure the soaps. But since I make wine, too, aging something like soap up to 6 months doesn't really seem that hard- especially when you make 40 bars at one time!

I'm just starting to get into essential oils to scent the soap.

 

[KayaBrew]

Essential oils are great for soap! I do a lavender, a cedar, a tea tree, and a birch to name a few. I also have made shampoo bars...I love them because my hair is really short, and I can use it on my beard as well. I made a small batch of "shaving" soap last year as well; which is ironic because I haven't shaved in 11 years!

 

[Yooper]

Essential oils are great for soap! I do a lavender, a cedar, a tea tree, and a birch to name a few. I also have made shampoo bars...I love them because my hair is really short, and I can use it on my beard as well. I made a small batch of "shaving" soap last year as well; which is ironic because I haven't shaved in 11 years!

How did you decide/learn about the essential oils and how much you want?

I saw lots of recipes for shaving soap- it might make a nice body soap, I thought!

 

[android]

never tried a shampoo bar before... i'd heard they tangle up your hair, but neither of you have had bad experiences with them??

 

[Yooper]

never tried a shampoo bar before... i'd heard they tangle up your hair, but neither of you have had bad experiences with them??

No, but I have short hair and I made the suds to be very creamy so it's like regular shampoo in the way it feels. I just ordered more Jojoba oil, as I'm out, and I'm going to make more using the same recipe I had last time.

I need to find a way to learn more about essential oils, without spending an arm and a leg! They are very expensive, and I'm finding that with cold process soapmaking that I 'lose' some of the aroma.

I forgot to mention that my freshhops soap didn't come out so great! I added some chopped hops to one bar. By the time it cured, the hops were an unappetizing brown with no hops aroma at all! Just a white bar of soap with brownish vegetation.

 

[KayaBrew]

Hold on Yooper, I'm getting the answers to your questions. Be right back....

 

[jonmohno]

I wonder if the hop extract would work better.

 

[Yooper]

I wonder if the hop extract would work better.

The hops extract I have is alcohol based. The problem with that is that alcohol causes the soap to seize and interfere with saponifcation, so it can't be used.

I could try boiling some hops in water, and use hops water for my water in soap. But the soap heats up and I'm afraid I"d lose the aromatics.

 

[KayaBrew]

This is the site I've used to purchase essential oils. They seem reputable enough to me: Essential oils from Pure essential Oils online shop. Buy essential oil Wholesale and retail fragrance oils

It's important to note that fragrance oils are not the same as essential oils. They typically contain alcohol, and they are not good for soap making.

Let me know what you think!

 

[kc_in_wv]

The hops extract I have is alcohol based. The problem with that is that alcohol causes the soap to seize and interfere with saponifcation, so it can't be used.

I could try boiling some hops in water, and use hops water for my water in soap. But the soap heats up and I'm afraid I"d lose the aromatics.

Have you tried using Glycerin to extract the aroma's and oils from your hops. I have a recipe that I use Propolis (a honeybee side product) in and Glycerin was suggested as a base for it.

 

[Yooper]

Have you tried using Glycerin to extract the aroma's and oils from your hops. I have a recipe that I use Propolis (a honeybee side product) in and Glycerin was suggested as a base for it.

No, I don't add glycerin to my soaps. But that could work!

I just got a bunch of oils in this week, so I'll be making some more shampoo bars this weekend and another soap I'm looking forward to trying. I love it, because it's something natural with nothing in it except stuff I put in it!

I don't use fragrance oils at all (again, I'm doing this "natural" stuff) but I use essential oils.

I'm also making lotions, bath salts, body butters, lip balm, and so on.

 

[GonZolaB]

I've been making soap for about a year now. I haven't made that many batches, since I didn't realize how much "7 pounds of soap" was in my first few batches.

I've made goat's milk/oatmeal soap, a great mild castile soap, a mixed oil soap with powdered oats, and several others.

My "newest" thing is shampoo bars. It's sort of weird at first using a bar of soap on your hair, if you're used to liquid shampoos. But I recently read my shampoo bottle, and couldn't pronounce most of the stuff in it. I make a great shampoo bar with jojoba, castor oil, olive oil, cocoa butter, shea butter and coconut oil. I only made small batches, because some of those ingredients are expensive. But I love it!

I'm doing cold process soaps, so it takes a long time to cure the soaps. But since I make wine, too, aging something like soap up to 6 months doesn't really seem that hard- especially when you make 40 bars at one time!

I'm just starting to get into essential oils to scent the soap.

Hi Yooper, I know this is an old thread, are you still making soap?
can you explain a little bit of the process, and mabe a recipe?

 

[GonZolaB]

Sorry, disregard. I found your other thread where you go into detail.

 

[Yooper]

Sorry, disregard. I found your other thread where you go into detail.

Let me know if you have any questions about it! I'm still making soap!

 

[GonZolaB]

Let me know if you have any questions about it! I'm still making soap!

Thanks Yooper, I'm sure I will have a few.
What's your favorite recipe so far?

 

[Taiin]

Very cool there is another soap maker here. And a Yooper! I am actually living near Escanaba, but since I wasn't born in this lovely place called da UP, I'll never be a true Yooper. Sure love it here, though! People are much more friendly here, compared to other places I've lived.

I have Nigerian Dwarf goats. And they produce some freaking awesome, rich milk. Which translates into awesome soap! All my soap has 100% goat's milk replacing the water. It never scalds for me when I mix in lye, I know some people have trouble with that. I just keep the milk chilled enough that it isn't a problem.

I don't sell any of my soap. Without business insurance, I will not take that risk. But I will give it/make it for friends when asked. My father recently asked me for a 3lb batch of salt soap for his birthday. Soap bars make great Christmas presents, and every year folks ask for more!

 

[Yooper]

Very cool there is another soap maker here. And a Yooper! I am actually living near Escanaba, but since I wasn't born in this lovely place called da UP, I'll never be a true Yooper. Sure love it here, though! People are much more friendly here, compared to other places I've lived.

I have Nigerian Dwarf goats. And they produce some freaking awesome, rich milk. Which translates into awesome soap! All my soap has 100% goat's milk replacing the water. It never scalds for me when I mix in lye, I know some people have trouble with that. I just keep the milk chilled enough that it isn't a problem.

I don't sell any of my soap. Without business insurance, I will not take that risk. But I will give it/make it for friends when asked. My father recently asked me for a 3lb batch of salt soap for his birthday. Soap bars make great Christmas presents, and every year folks ask for more!

I would love to try soap with that goat's milk!

 

[actech]

Wow other soap makers.
Made goats milk,nice soap. But lately just make my best recipe with patchouli. A dragons blood and one fragrance oil called cannibus flower. Was selling at local "head" shop but now just the fellow techs and plumbers at work.
Dont use water use beer. FLAT beer very cold add lye slow so the sugars dont brown too much. Makes a great soap.

 

[Yooper]

Wow other soap makers.
Made goats milk,nice soap. But lately just make my best recipe with patchouli. A dragons blood and one fragrance oil called cannibus flower. Was selling at local "head" shop but now just the fellow techs and plumbers at work.
Dont use water use beer. FLAT beer very cold add lye slow so the sugars dont brown too much. Makes a great soap.

I use wine, beer, coconut milk, goat's milk, cream, etc, for my liquids and I love them all!

I posted this in the other soap thread, but tomorrow I'm going to make a salt bar with beer as the liquid- I think it'll be even better than my coconut milk soap bars!

 

[Taiin]

I would love to try soap with that goat's milk!

Nigerian Dwarf milk has about 6-8% fat on average. The most for any dairy breed of goat, apparently. It definitely adds some extra superfat to a recipe. If only it separated as easily as cows milk so one could get cream for butter. But that is what a cream separator is for

If you're ever willing to come to Escanaba, I could give you a quart or two if you wanted. As long as I have a doe in milk, I have so much fresh milk in the fridge! Just bring a few empty quart canning jars in exchange, I'd run out if I gave those away, hah! I have a few people who get milk each week, and even with what the family uses, we still have a surplus, which often turns into cheese!

I use wine, beer, coconut milk, goat's milk, cream, etc, for my liquids and I love them all!

I posted this in the other soap thread, but tomorrow I'm going to make a salt bar with beer as the liquid- I think it'll be even better than my coconut milk soap bars!

I hope you have a lot of fun! Salt bars have become a favorite thing here! My father will come to me with a big box of coarse kosher salt and coconut oil, which means the salt soap is getting low! He loves to give it to friends, too, who give him things like dilly beans, fudge, jam, etc. in exchange. I get to benefit sometimes too (wow that was a good bit of homemade fudge that one time!).

 

[thunderwagn]

Another soaper here! I got into the hobby several years ago. We have Nigerian dwarf goats and I couldn't figure out what to do with all the milk...so I googled goat milk and now I make crap loads of soap. :rockin:

Where's this other soap thread you speak of?

 

[m1k3]

My wife won't drink beer but she is going to help me make IPA soap for my friends as Christmas gifts.

It was fun making her a mold for soap making and the first "batch?" came out good:

View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1443966122.919378.jpg

I have a pound of Weyermann Pilsner Malt that I wasted after regapping and lubing up my mill (my efficiency went through the roof by the way with the tighter crush!)

And I have two ounces of Centennial hops (of unknown age) that were not stored in the freezer, so they are going into the soap. Well, the grain will probably not go into the soap as much as on the top and bottom of the bar... unless @yooper tells me different! (must obey the Yooper)

View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1443966091.405933.jpg

 

[thunderwagn]

Sounds awesome! For some reason I can't see your pics?
I'm also getting ready to kick my soap production into high gear for Christmas. Soap makes perfect gifts for all, and everyone enjoys hand made soaps. I recently purchased some 8oz pump bottles and will be adding liquid soap to my gift bill this year.

I've made some stout bars in the past using Old Rasputin which turned out great. After that, I use the cheapest stouts and porters I can find. Now that I'm brewing again, I plan on using old grains and hops and just making up wort to use as my liquid for my cold process soaps, and save myself the steps of boiling off the alcohol, and waiting for all carbonation to disappear.
I use oats, cornmeal, poppy seeds and sometimes coffee grounds for exfoliating. I would probably have to fight my chickens for the spent grains...

 

[m1k3]

For some reason I can't see your pics?

EDIT: Fix the photos, again... I hope.

 

[Homercidal]

I gotta get my soap mold built soon. I just can't decide how I want to put it together.

Then I can get back to making my own bars again. It's a nice short hobby for an afternoon.

 

[Melana]

For the record... Yoop makes amazing soap.

 

[thunderwagn]

EDIT: Fix the photos, again... I hope.

Nice!

A few of my bars from top:
- Goat milk, oatmeal and honey
-Pumpkin salt bar
-Goat milk swirl (you'll have to lay on your side to properly view)