Recent content by MadScientist

I read the OP and suddenly felt like a kid in a classroom who had the answer: "I know! Ooo! Ooo! Pick me! C'mon!" About a month ago, I did some research on a similar topic. I became curious about making my own plant-based shampoo. I dug into what made soap berries... soapy. Plant-based...

Like you, I was using SoapCalc daily. As DeeAnna mentions further up the thread, SMF has their own calculator and it is very user friendly. It's not the same interface, but all the information plus additives are there. Quoted for your convenience:

I'm going to give it a shot. I finally found a study excerpt on Google Scholar that addresses irritation in relation to Sodium Laurate and Sodium Myristate: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/BF02545635 Granted, I don't have access to the full study but it's definitely something I can...

Hello SMF! I was wondering if anyone had info on Nutmeg butter usage and caveats in CP soap. I'm a research junky and have scoured the internet, but the information available is scant. Even SMF has remarkably little to say. I've read that ingesting it can be dangerous, but nothing about dermal...

I did not know that. I will edit my post to check local laws. Thanks for the info! EDIT: Too much time has passed to edit. But let me reiterate, check your local laws to make sure you are within the law to use hemp. My apologies, the last thing I would want is to get anyone in trouble.

FWIW: Now that you can buy industrial hemp legally in all 50 states, I've actually put finely powdered hemp in my last three batches. It is a good exfoliant and (being purely subjective here) I feel like it lends to the creaminess of the lather. You must be thinking: "This is a thread about...

Doh! I shoulda had more coffee before looking at the forums. My brain missed your link.

I've been using SoapCalc. I will take a look at Soap Making Friend. I love all the information I get here. :D

Bookmarked. Thank you!

And how much extra lye do you use to compensate for vinegar neutralizing it? And does the sodium acetate add any smell to the bar?

I wasn't trying to scare you off. I was just shrugging. I might not agree with you but I don't want you to stop talking.

Different strokes for different folks I guess. :smallshrug: I do too. From what I've read, the smell of Tamanu oil has a polarizing effect.

At the nose, I barely notice it with the tea tree, lemon grass, cedar, and dragons blood. It's when I walk into the shower, when everything is dry, that I notice that odd nutty smell. After the bar lathers though, the soap goes back to the EOs. I happen to like things that mask it, but I would...

The bars are softer and don't last as long in the shower. I use them right at four weeks and a bar lasts me 1.5 week. You are right, it's probably anecdotal, but it's what works on MY skin. This is the elusive perfect bar thread and since perfection is unattainable, we have to work with what we...

My go to is Lard, Babassu, Grapeseed, Hempseed, Tamanu, and Castor. I add sodium lactate, activated charcoal, and EO infused diatomaceous earth (DE). Infusing the DE seems to protect a portion of the essential oils, enhancing scent strength. I usually pick tree sap based EOs (dragons blood, tea...