A friend has given me some bear tallow to make into soap for him. I have a recipe that combines the bear tallow with other oils to get it into the green in the soap calculator, but I'd also like to make a small batch with 100% bear tallow. It looks like it will be soft and not very bubbly. I know that people make 100% olive oil soaps and they are lovely, even though on paper they don't look great. Maybe a nice long cure will help? Does anyone have any words of advice?
100% bear tallow soap
- Thread starter maryloucb
- Start date
Help Support Soapmaking Forum:
Obsidian
Well-Known Member
I have made a 100% bear soap before. It was very hard but I don't know what longevity was like as it was old fat and smelled bad so I didn't actually use the soap for bathing.
It had decent lather, much better then 100% olive soap and it wasn't slimy. I would like to make another batch, one I can actually use this time.
It had decent lather, much better then 100% olive soap and it wasn't slimy. I would like to make another batch, one I can actually use this time.
I’m glad to hear that! This bear tallow is pretty fresh and has no odor (it’s actually been in the freezer.) I’m going to add some sandalwood essential oil. How long did you cure it?
Obsidian
Well-Known Member
I started testing it at 8 weeks and continued testing it on and off for the next three years or so.
It kept getting drier and harder with more lather. Never did develop dos either even though it was poorly stored.
It kept getting drier and harder with more lather. Never did develop dos either even though it was poorly stored.
I make %100 beef tallow soap and I add sugar or honey to the water before the lye. I find this helps with the lather.
How much honey or sugar do you add? And do you worry about overheating with the added sugar?
