Bird nest in CP soap

[Oumsofia25]

Has anyone here ever heard about bird's nest soap? Or ever tried using it in CP soap?
Here in my country there are quite a lot of things made with bird's nest, from food to soap. My MIL is a bird nest supplier, but she never used or consumed it. She usually just sell it right away after harvesting. And sometimes there are some flakes from broken nest that couldn't pass QC and can't be sold.
As now I'm into soapmaking, I really want to try incorporating it into my CP soap. I know I shouldn't try using bizarre ingredients because I'm a beginner...but I'm just so curious So that's why I'm here hoping somebody would give me enlightenment about this stuff. I'm thinking about dissolving it into my lye solution, but I'm not sure how much of it ppo should be used.
I'd be happy if anyone here willing to help. TIA

 

[Relle]

I'm not sure that anyone would want soap with birds nests that have saliva in it, If it's for yourself to try, just experiment. It's not something that a lot of people would have tried, maybe someone in Asia may chime in if they have.

 

[Zuleika]

Bird's nest is high in protein. It won't melt like silk so best bet is to use it ground up? Interesting idea though... Let me go home and rummage in my drawer to see if I have some crushed bits to make a tester.

 

[Savage Daughter]

Has anyone here ever heard about bird's nest soap? Or ever tried using it in CP soap?
Here in my country there are quite a lot of things made with bird's nest, from food to soap. My MIL is a bird nest supplier, but she never used or consumed it. She usually just sell it right away after harvesting. And sometimes there are some flakes from broken nest that couldn't pass QC and can't be sold.
As now I'm into soapmaking, I really want to try incorporating it into my CP soap. I know I shouldn't try using bizarre ingredients because I'm a beginner...but I'm just so curious So that's why I'm here hoping somebody would give me enlightenment about this stuff. I'm thinking about dissolving it into my lye solution, but I'm not sure how much of it ppo should be used.
I'd be happy if anyone here willing to help. TIA

I think people in Indonesia would be very interested in these soaps with birds nest saliva, actually. I lived in Indonesia for 10 years & know how popular things like this can be. People in Western countries use many things which we think are 'normal', but for Asian people are not so normal.

If I were you, I would try it. Think about how you would market it. Since you have a supply through your auntie, I think it's a great idea. It's also very unique.

How much per pound of oils? I would start with approximately 1 TBSP or so. Break it up a little bit in one of those Indonesian sone mortar & pestles, then put into distilled water.

I would soak it in water overnight until it is fully hydrated, then blend it in to your oils using your stick blender. Then add your lye water to your oils with thew birds nest in it. I would not add this ingredient to my lye water. I think it would be too delicate to do that, potentially destroying any beneficial properties it might have on the skin.

If you use 150 grams of distilled water to dissolve your birds nest, I would subtract that 150 grams of distilled water from your water which you are using to dissolve your lye. This is just an example. It would depend on how much soap you're making & what your own recipe is like.

You could also soak the birds nest overnight in distilled water, strain out the distilled water to use with your lye, then blend the birds nest directly into your warm oils, letting this sit overnight. Mix your lye water using the birds nest water plus any more water you need for your recipe. The next day, blend your lye water into your oils & birds nest.

Let us know how it turns out!

Good luck

 

[Oumsofia25]

I'm not sure that anyone would want soap with birds nests that have saliva in it, If it's for yourself to try, just experiment. It's not something that a lot of people would have tried, maybe someone in Asia may chime in if they have.

Exactly the reason why my MIL didn't consume it despite the benefits it has, because it's literally bird's saliva lol.
Yes of course for now I won't be selling it, I'm simply just curious. I don't consume birds nest but I don't mind putting it on my skin, especially in soap form. So I'll definitely give it a try.

I think people in Indonesia would be very interested in these soaps with birds nest saliva, actually. I lived in Indonesia for 10 years & know how popular things like this can be. People in Western countries use many things which we think are 'normal', but for Asian people are not so normal.

If I were you, I would try it. Think about how you would market it. Since you have a supply through your auntie, I think it's a great idea. It's also very unique.

How much per pound of oils? I would start with approximately 1 TBSP or so. Break it up a little bit in one of those Indonesian sone mortar & pestles, then put into distilled water.

I would soak it in water overnight until it is fully hydrated, then blend it in to your oils using your stick blender. Then add your lye water to your oils with thew birds nest in it. I would not add this ingredient to my lye water. I think it would be too delicate to do that, potentially destroying any beneficial properties it might have on the skin.

If you use 150 grams of distilled water to dissolve your birds nest, I would subtract that 150 grams of distilled water from your water which you are using to dissolve your lye. This is just an example. It would depend on how much soap you're making & what your own recipe is like.

You could also soak the birds nest overnight in distilled water, strain out the distilled water to use with your lye, then blend the birds nest directly into your warm oils, letting this sit overnight. Mix your lye water using the birds nest water plus any more water you need for your recipe. The next day, blend your lye water into your oils & birds nest.

Let us know how it turns out!

Good luck

Brilliant! Thank you so much, your answer really really helps! You're right about how much interest Indonesian people have with bird's nest. It's a luxury ingredient with lots of nutrition. I'm lucky to have easy access to it.
Gonna try the soaking method and blending the nest into the oils. Now I need to formulate the recipe and find a good time to make it. I'll post the result soon after I tried it. So excited!

Bird's nest is high in protein. It won't melt like silk so best bet is to use it ground up? Interesting idea though... Let me go home and rummage in my drawer to see if I have some crushed bits to make a tester.

Please give us update if you managed to try it!

 

[Zuleika]

Apparently my stock is well kept. Don't have many bits to use. I'm reluctant to crush up the whole pieces for soap. I can't blend into oils as I don't have a SB.
Should I grind it up and use as an additive? Probably enough bits for 1 bar only.

On a side note, I found a stash of pearl powder.

 

[AliOop]

Help, I'm so confused...

The original post talks about bird's NEST, and later posts are talking about bird's SALIVA.

Then yet another post says they are the same thing.

To me, the words "saliva" and "nest" have two VERY different meanings. One is a liquid that drips from the mouth, and the other is an object built with the intention of hosting a living being.

Hopefully someone can clear this up for me, because this concept of bird's nest = bird's saliva is ALL new to me. And any day that I learn something new - well, that's a good day in my book. Thanks!

 

[paradisi]

The birds stick the nests together with their sticky spit. That's the part that gets gathered.

 

[AliOop]

Thank you, that's incredible! But no more weird than using ambergris or castoreum, I guess.

 

[paradisi]

Far less murderous /barbaric, and also not smelling of a**.

 

[Oumsofia25]

Apparently my stock is well kept. Don't have many bits to use. I'm reluctant to crush up the whole pieces for soap. I can't blend into oils as I don't have a SB.
Should I grind it up and use as an additive? Probably enough bits for 1 bar only.

On a side note, I found a stash of pearl powder.

View attachment 76464

Please don't sacrifice those perfect shaped nest for soap, my heart could never... unless you're gonna sell it, hehe. Those little bits that you found probably will be enough for 200-300grams of oils, I think? They will swell when soaked in water so maybe it will be enough. Then blend it into your oils just like what Savage Daughter said.

And maybe add some pearl powder too? It's gonna be super luxurious soap

Help, I'm so confused...

The original post talks about bird's NEST, and later posts are talking about bird's SALIVA.

Then yet another post says they are the same thing.

To me, the words "saliva" and "nest" have two VERY different meanings. One is a liquid that drips from the mouth, and the other is an object built with the intention of hosting a living being.

Hopefully someone can clear this up for me, because this concept of bird's nest = bird's saliva is ALL new to me. And any day that I learn something new - well, that's a good day in my book. Thanks!

Haha sorry for making you confused. We're talking about the bird's nest from certain type of bird (swallow bird). I'm not 100% sure but from what I heard this bird made their nest from their sticky saliva, that's why their nest is white unlike other bird's nest. It swells when soaked into water and turns into jelly-like substance. I heard it's very rich in protein and collagen so it's very famous around Chinese people, they consume it as health supplement.
As you see in Zuleika's post she showed the photo of her stacks of nest.

 

[AliOop]

Haha sorry for making you confused. We're talking about the bird's nest from certain type of bird (swallow bird). I'm not 100% sure but from what I heard this bird made their nest from their sticky saliva, that's why their nest is white unlike other bird's nest. It swells when soaked into water and turns into jelly-like substance. I heard it's very rich in protein and collagen so it's very famous around Chinese people, they consume it as health supplement.
As you see in Zuleika's post she showed the photo of her stacks of nest.

Thank you, I really appreciate the explanation!

 

[linne1gi]

Has anyone here ever heard about bird's nest soap? Or ever tried using it in CP soap?
Here in my country there are quite a lot of things made with bird's nest, from food to soap. My MIL is a bird nest supplier, but she never used or consumed it. She usually just sell it right away after harvesting. And sometimes there are some flakes from broken nest that couldn't pass QC and can't be sold.
As now I'm into soapmaking, I really want to try incorporating it into my CP soap. I know I shouldn't try using bizarre ingredients because I'm a beginner...but I'm just so curious So that's why I'm here hoping somebody would give me enlightenment about this stuff. I'm thinking about dissolving it into my lye solution, but I'm not sure how much of it ppo should be used.
I'd be happy if anyone here willing to help. TIA

My problem with stuff in soap is stopping up the drain. I use Silk in my soaps, which people may think is equally weird, but it’s dissolved, no pieces of material. I’d suggest an infusion to prevent drain problems.

 

[Lion Of Judah]

The question that is rolling around in my head is ..."What does the bird nest bring to the soap?" ,does it survive the lye or is it just label appeal ? I did a quick search and saw etsy has bird nest soap , also saw that there is bird nest lotion which seems to be more popular than the soap. Just thinking out loud .

 

[ScentimentallyYours]

The keyword was saliva, so when I looked up bird nest saliva, I learned a great deal! https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edible_bird's_nest
I can’t see using anything other than scraps in soap. $$$$$ If I really thought the bird nest was beneficial to the skin, wouldn’t it be better in lotion or another leave-on skin care product?

 

[Oumsofia25]

My problem with stuff in soap is stopping up the drain. I use Silk in my soaps, which people may think is equally weird, but it’s dissolved, no pieces of material. I’d suggest an infusion to prevent drain problems.

Never thought about this before, thank you for your suggestion!

The question that is rolling around in my head is ..."What does the bird nest bring to the soap?" ,does it survive the lye or is it just label appeal ? I did a quick search and saw etsy has bird nest soap , also saw that there is bird nest lotion which seems to be more popular than the soap. Just thinking out loud .

The keyword was saliva, so when I looked up bird nest saliva, I learned a great deal! https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edible_bird's_nest
I can’t see using anything other than scraps in soap. $$$$$ If I really thought the bird nest was beneficial to the skin, wouldn’t it be better in lotion or another leave-on skin care product?

I do think that these kind of ingredients would be more beneficial to be used in leave on products. Incorporating it into lotion or serums would be great idea, but unfortunately I haven't learned anything except soapmaking.. so that's why "adding it into soap" is always what comes into my mind
Also because I won't be spending any penny in obtaining the nest, just gonna ask my MIL for some flakes and I know she would laugh if I said I'm going to pay for it so it's not really a waste of money in my case.

I'm just a kind of person who always think about adding the weirdest additive into my soap, just because I want to

 

[ScentimentallyYours]

Never thought about this before, thank you for your suggestion!


I do think that these kind of ingredients would be more beneficial to be used in leave on products. Incorporating it into lotion or serums would be great idea, but unfortunately I haven't learned anything except soapmaking.. so that's why "adding it into soap" is always what comes into my mind
Also because I won't be spending any penny in obtaining the nest, just gonna ask my MIL for some flakes and I know she would laugh if I said I'm going to pay for it so it's not really a waste of money in my case.

I'm just a kind of person who always think about adding the weirdest additive into my soap, just because I want to

I accidentally end up with a stray dog hair now and then, but nothing too strange that I’ve put in on purpose. Dare I ask what other weird additives you put in soap? Bird spit is pretty strange, as is spider silk!

 

[Oumsofia25]

I accidentally end up with a stray dog hair now and then, but nothing too strange that I’ve put in on purpose. Dare I ask what other weird additives you put in soap? Bird spit is pretty strange, as is spider silk!

I haven't made many types of soap as I just started soapmaking for around 2 months. I've made henna soap, sulphur + neem soap and eco-enzyme soap. Also tried using banana skin-infused oil. Henna and sulphur are probably not weird but definitely not as common as using coffee or turmeric as additive.
As for eco enzyme soap, it's a liquid made with organic waste. Probably similar to ACV but definitely not something common (invented by Thai person, I think, and becoming popular in Indonesia)
I also want to try using silk but unfortunately it's not easy to find in my city.. still looking for any closest supplier for less delivery fee (I only want to try a small amount so I dont want to waste on expensive delivery fee)

My husband always jokingly tell me to add far weirder ingredients like durian and shrimp paste. Yikes! I'm not that crazy tho

 

[Mobjack Bay]

I just had to look this up so I wouldn’t wonder forever what bird saliva is made of - the male saliva used to make the nests is mostly glycoprotein, which is similar to collagen structurally. If it dissolves in water or lye water, It may help a bit with bubbles and silkiness.

 

[Savage Daughter]

My husband always jokingly tell me to add far weirder ingredients like durian and shrimp paste. Yikes! I'm not that crazy tho

*Ugh* durian & shrimp paste - terasi, yes? - can't even imagine the stink in that kind of soap There's a reason airlines don't like people bringing durian on planes when travelling

But yum....shrimp paste in sambal & anything else that's good for eating

Maybe try the peel of mangosteen (manggis) fruit as a colorant? That could be interesting. Or the peel of salak? Or soursop (sirsak) fruit in the soap batter. It's nice & acidic, very pulpy, makes a nice facial mask, so would likely be beautiful in soap! Klengkeng as well, maybe. Even the peels of these fruits. I wish I had been making soap while I was still in Indonesia so I could try out some of the fresh fruits from the traditional markets in my soaps

MODERATORS: please don't remove the Indonesian words as I am using them to ensure clarity of the post.