A few questions

[JuLeeRenee]

Additives - If the benefits of additives (not including sugar, salt or things for exfoliation) and EO's are lost through saponification, why add them?
If it is for label looks only why waste the money to add them?
Wouldn't putting food items in the soap eventually cause it to mold?

Infusing oils, is that just for color or are there benefits that actually survive saponification?
How would one infuse oils just for color?

Those that pipe high tops their soaps or make cupcake/cake slices, don't you find it hard to use them as is?
I made my granddaughters mini cupcakes, went to try it and I found it hard to use so I threw the one I used away.

I know I have tons more questions I can ask but will stop here for now.

 

[ImpKit]

If it is for label looks only why waste the money to add them?

Because label appeal = differentiation in a saturated market (can)= increased sales.
Seriously, if the market around you will buy it because of an additive on the label and won't buy due to lack thereof, then it's not a waste of money to include it. It's a necessary business expense.

For cases where it's not strictly necessary, taking one or two products and making them more expensive to differentiate them can be what draws a customer in and gets them to try your other products. Like making one or two alcohol soaps; other than the bubbles from the sugars, as far as I can tell boozey soaps are all about label appeal.

Those that pipe high tops their soaps or make cupcake/cake slices, don't you find it hard to use them as is?
I made my granddaughters mini cupcakes, went to try it and I found it hard to use so I threw the one I used away.

As a consumer, yep the one high top soap I've tried was a pain to use. I eventually ended up snapping off the frosting portion. I found it to be a less good soap anyway, since I know that maker uses a different recipe for their frosting. But the general advice I keep hearing for high tops and cupcakes is that you want to cut them into smaller portions to make them easier to use. As a consumer, I don't like that so I won't buy them. And since I wouldn't buy them, I doubt I'll ever make them. Soap can be functional AND beautiful. No point in hampering function for aesthetic I feel.

 

[JuLeeRenee]

Thank you for your input. I will have to keep all of this in mind. Right now I am only making for family and friends so I am trying to gather as much information as I can.

I enjoy piping the tops of mine when I have extra batter but it is only like flower style things and I haven't really noticed it being too hard to use with that on it but I use my regular recipe. I just can't understand the high tops and it seems a lot of people are doing them. Glad to know I am not the only one that don't like them.

 

[MrsZ]

Glad to know I am not the only one that don't like them.

Just wanted to chime in, I don't like them either. I don't think I'd ever buy a tall frosted soap, and was starting to think I was alone in my dislike.

 

[The Efficacious Gentleman]

Certain other additives do give some benefits, just not always the same ones that the additive would have if it wasn't in a soap!

Take milks as an example - there is a tangible difference between a soap with milk and without, but is it like rubbing pure milk on your body? No, not so much.

Think about coconut oil (not an additive, but a good example) - it's a very useful oil for soaping because of the benefits it brings, but it is nothing at all like unsaponified coconut oil. But just because the benefits of unsaponified coconut oil are lost doesn't mean that we don't use coconut oil in our soaps for the other benefits it brings

 

[earlene]

Additives - If the benefits of additives (not including sugar, salt or things for exfoliation) and EO's are lost through saponification, why add them?
If it is for label looks only why waste the money to add them?
Wouldn't putting food items in the soap eventually cause it to mold?

Infusing oils, is that just for color or are there benefits that actually survive saponification?
How would one infuse oils just for color?

Those that pipe high tops their soaps or make cupcake/cake slices, don't you find it hard to use them as is?
I made my granddaughters mini cupcakes, went to try it and I found it hard to use so I threw the one I used away.

I know I have tons more questions I can ask but will stop here for now.

Some additives that I find beneficial in soap: Eggs. They increase bubbles and give a creamier feel to the soap. The yolks lend color to the soap. Incidentally as a food item, even after 6 years (I just unwrapped & started using a bar I made 6 years ago) it never went moldy.

Pretty much any sugar-containing additive (aloe vera juice, milk, coconut milk, beer, rice, etc.) will at the very least increase bubbles, while some do more. For example, for some people, milk provides a creamier feel. Some increase the SF (milks, for example). Yogurt loosens (thins) the batter, which is useful when added to HP soap, making it more fluid for the pour into a mold.

Some vegetables, herbs and fruits color the soap, as well as adding sugar. I have never had soap turn moldy, with or without a food additive.

I am not fond of fancy-topped soaps, but I chose to learn how to make them just to learn the skill. Sometimes mastering a skill is the goal.

Oil infusions has been addressed in loads of threads here, so I won't respond other than to suggest you search the topic via the search tool in the upper right of your screen.

 

[lsg]

I like using my own essential oil blends in my soap. One of my favorite bars includes cow's cream and aloe juice for liquid.

 

[Becky1024]

I'm a practical gal and would never use a cupcake soap or fancy top soap. But I can see why customers like them - they are pretty, they look good in the bathroom, etc.

I like adding citric acid to my soaps. It reacts with the lye to form sodium citrate, which helps prevent soap scum. Many of my customers have hard well water, and I have a white fiberglass shower which shows EVERYTHING so the citric acid is a good additive. Some additives are good processing aids. An example is sodium lactate - it makes HP soaps more fluid, and allows you to remove the soap from the mold earlier.

 

[Peachy Clean Soap]

Additives - If the benefits of additives (not including sugar, salt or things for exfoliation) and EO's are lost through saponification, why add them?
If it is for label looks only why waste the money to add them?
Wouldn't putting food items in the soap eventually cause it to mold?

Infusing oils, is that just for color or are there benefits that actually survive saponification?
How would one infuse oils just for color?

Those that pipe high tops their soaps or make cupcake/cake slices, don't you find it hard to use them as is?
I made my granddaughters mini cupcakes, went to try it and I found it hard to use so I threw the one I used away.

I know I have tons more questions I can ask but will stop here for now.

Great Question's.
In "Theory" not much can survive Lye! its quite controversial subject, having said this Fats & Oils have different saponification values, thus some aren't left in soap' this is why Super Fat's can have an advantage in which you would want to remain in your soap for its benefits. Clays' Milk Fats' Different Grains like Oatmeal' Rice & its water its cooked in, all above items mentioned & much much more do add benefits to soap. I personally feel Essentials Oils bring an add'ed benefit to soap' which many may feel differently. This is my opinion, our choices are endless. Happy Soaping.

 

[cmzaha]

Others addressed the additives well so I will not. As for the fancy high-top soaps, I could not sell them in my markets. During the holiday's cupcake soaps sold well especially the minis. The trick was to slice the mini cupcakes in half which we stated on our labels. All our cupcake soaps were m&p which my daughter made. Our large cupcakes had an icing they snapped off and used as a scrub, which was a frosting that took a year or more for my daughter to perfect and were also labeled that it was best to slice the cupcake in half for ease of use.

 

[JuLeeRenee]

Thank you. Y'all have been a huge help.