Liquid Soap or Cream Soap?

SudsyKat · Oct 29, 2010

I keep toying with the idea of making liquid soap and from what I'm reading, I can't figure out whether I really want to make liquid soap or cream soap. I mean, everything I read about liquid soap talks about how you want to make it as clear as possible. The examples all seem to be dark in color and totally transparent. I'm imagining more of a creamy liquid soap (still liquid, but like one of the creamy varieties you might buy at the store). Does that make sense?

So, do I want to make liquid soap or cream soap with a higher balance of KOH to NAOH?

Thanks for your help!

Lindy · Oct 29, 2010

2 totally different beasts....

Liquid soap can be pearlized using a "Pearlizer" which I buy from Voyageur Soap & Candle http://www.voyageursoapandcandle.com/EZ_Pearl_Glycol_Distearate_p/62115.htm

Cream soap is much thicker and requires the use of both KOH & NOaH as well as a lot of stearic acid. In fact most of your ingredient list is stearic. It's an interesting product and I do enjoy making it, but strangely enough I'm not sure that I really prefer over CP. okay maybe not so strange.

Both require a lot of cooking and then with cream soap you have a long rot/cure time. Some people recommend 6 months or more for it to be at its best. I think the stearic make it rather drying, but that is just my opinion.

Play with both, liquid soap has been around a lot longer than cream soap so there is a lot more info out there on it. There is a Yahoo Cream Soap Group, but they are not really a teaching group - they will tell you to search the forums rather than answer a lot of questions. You also have to apply for membership and not everyone is approved. I am a member, but I tend to hang out in this and another forum the most when I have the time.

Good luck and just have fun....

SudsyKat · Oct 29, 2010

Lindy,

Thanks for the helpful info. I'm not into SLS, which is one of the ingredients in pearlizer, so I guess I'll stick with regular liquid soap for now.

I don't want to hijack my own thread, but does anyone have a nice recipe they like for liquid soap (one that's moisturizing, yet effective at cleaning)? I know there are several recipes posted online, but they all seem to have only 2 oils and somehow, they don't strike me as "special" or particularly conditioning. But then, I also want it to be cleansing enough.

Thanks!

Kat

Bigmoose · Oct 30, 2010

If you want clear liquid soaps you will want to use oils low in palmitic and stearic acids. Doing this with no superfat and you will have clear liquid soap. Cooking this with the use of alcohol will lower the cloud point tempature. I have only made clear liquid soaps so far.

I have made cream soaps too and they use alot of stearic acid in them. I would think that making a liquid soap with oils high in stearic acid and or adding a little to your recipe might give you the white creamy type of liquid soap you want. I would think that if you used about 5% + or - of NaOH in your liquid soap that would help as well.

Bruce

Lindy · Oct 30, 2010

Bruce what a great idea! I hadn't even thought of that....

SudsyKat · Oct 30, 2010

Great info - thanks to all for your input! I think I'll read up on this a little more and then give it a go - when I have an entire day to spend at home!

KoffeeKat · Aug 5, 2015

SudsyKat said:
Great info - thanks to all for your input! I think I'll read up on this a little more and then give it a go - when I have an entire day to spend at home!

And no-one else coming home wanting lunch or delivery drivers or mailmen, or anything...

roblem:

Made my first batch of LS yesterday - all was supposed to be quiet here. But no-oooo. Hubby finished early and came home for lunch, someone wanted to pick some things up and the mailman dropped off a parcel. :crazy:

Susie · Aug 5, 2015

This thread is over 4 years old. You may not get much response. If you need help, you should probably start a new thread.

cmzaha · Aug 5, 2015

Using lard in your ls recipe will add a pearl factor to the ls

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