alright...what did i do!?

[IanT]

Gave my soap to a few friends, one said its awesome...2 of the others said it makes them turn red and itchy when they first start to use it...

now im 98% sure it s not lye heavy, ive been using it for weeks and havent had anything bad happen... i use it on everything...

could it be that they just have sensitive skin??

but i mean it was a 100% olive oil soap!?!?

what happened!? and how can i fix it!

 

[Jeremy]

Was there any fragrance in there?

 

[jcandleattic]

Was there any fragrance in there?

Or an EO they may be allergic to?

 

[sandra]

red, itchy skin

OMG how's that for coincidence. I've just tried my second CP soap and had the same thing happen, red and itchy. I'm pretty sure neither were lye heavy, checked both with soapcalc. I'm sitting here now with a test patch on the inside of either arm, trying to determine if I'm sensitive to any of the oils, and I found your thread. I tested two other oils yesterday (shea and jojoba), palm and coconut today. The only thing I can think of is the FO. I'll have to try an unscented. If I rebatch would it make a difference?

 

[heartsong]

x

some people are highly sensitive to aloe vera, some f/o's and e/o's. and just to make sure it's never lye heavy, i discount 8%. which makes my bars more gentle and skin softening, too.

 

[cdwinsby]

That sucks Ian!! What do your friends use normally?

Maybe list the other ingredients you used (if any) so we can determine what might be the cause of the allergic like reactions.

 

[IanT]

ingredient list is pretty simple..

for the first soap...

water, olive oil, ground lavendar buds (no EOs or anything...)

second recipe

Water, Olive Oil, Coconut, and Castor oil, w/ 1 tsp ppo (1/2 &1/2 or Peppermint and Eucalyptus EO's)



heeeelp

 

[7053joanne]

What were your percentages and how much lye? So sorry this happened!!!

 

[IanT]

100% OO, 1lb batch, 172.36g h20, 58.377 g lye, 453.59 g oo

80% OO 5% castor 15% CO,

172.36 g water, 61.31 g lye, 362.87g oo, 22.68 g castor, 68.03g coconut


thank you!!!!

 

[honor435]

Gave my soap to a few friends, one said its awesome...2 of the others said it makes them turn red and itchy when they first start to use it...

now im 98% sure it s not lye heavy, ive been using it for weeks and havent had anything bad happen... i use it on everything...

could it be that they just have sensitive skin??

but i mean it was a 100% olive oil soap!?!?

what happened!? and how can i fix it!

just wondered if anyone checks the ph level, i always do. If it was lye heavy it would show up high on ph, i believe. The strips are cheap, cant go to pool store as they dont go high enough. I got them online.

 

[topcat]

Ian it may be a sensitivity to the peppermint or eucalyptus EOs? Did either of the 'sensitives' use the fragranced ones? If so perhaps they will consent to try the unfragranced one for a comparison? Or if they used both types of soap, ask them to stop using the fragranced one and continue with the 100% OO.....we humans can be sooooo finicky when it comes to skin sensitivity. I cannot use commercial soap at all - too drying and makes me itch and sting while using it - but I can use absolutely any handmade soap I have tried so far EXCEPT for soap containing beeswax! Go figure.....

Tanya

 

[Lindy]

Oh Ian I am SOOOO Sorry this happened to you.

Okay - some people are going to be sensitive to lavender buds - they can be scritchy - peppermint can be a definate irritant to some people's skin.... Everyone has different sen sensitivities and my family has said that if they use the soap before the full cure they find some of them bother them........

HTH doll

HUGS
Lindy

 

[IrishLass]

I place my bets on the eucalyptis and peppermint. My hubby refuses to use the peppermint soap that I make. He calls it the 'evil soap'. My son won't use it either and calls it 'evil' too. It's just too irritating to their skin. I only have 1 person in my family (besides me) that likes it and finds it pleasantly cool and refreshing. Needless to say, I don't make it very often, and when I do it's only in small batches.

just wondered if anyone checks the ph level, i always do. If it was lye heavy it would show up high on ph, i believe. The strips are cheap, cant go to pool store as they dont go high enough. I got them online.

Unfortunately, pH strips have been proven to be very unreliable and innacurate in the measuring of pH in CP soap. The only accurate way to check the pH is with a pH meter that can be recalibrated. If you don't have a meter, the next best thing is the tongue zap test. If it's lye heavy, you'll know for sure in an instant. :shock:


IrishLass

 

[cdwinsby]

I've never known anyone who couldn't use straight olive oil soap. I would think it would be the soap with the e/o's and coconut oil. If they were using both at the same time, they wouldn't know which was causing the problem.

Some people are highly allergic to coconut oil and some e/o's.

I still wonder what they normally use to wash with that doesn't cause them problems. What could be gentler than straight olive oil soap?

 

[smellitlikeitissoaps]

I am going to vote for the EO's. Try making an unscented with the same exact receipe and let them try it.

Wow, sorry that happened.

 

[IanT]

alright i have yet to talk to them both at length about it.. but that makes sense that it could possibly be the EO's... Iam going to be getting some more feedback, I think that they just have extrememly sensitive skin... they do use handmade soaps but they are EXTREMELY mild and mostly glycerine soaps... how much does glycerine soap differ from CP in its skin sensitivity.

thanks for all the encouragement and advice!!!


keep it coming!

 

[Guest]

Ian. How long did your soaps cure?

 

[IanT]

hehehe... funny question.. i gave them to the people before the full cure was out (somehow i thought itd come back to haunt me) meybe 2 weeks cure?? 2.5? I know i should have waited the month or two but i am soooo **** impatient!


you think thats what messed with their skin?

....starting to think it is


thinking i learned my lesson too ....

although one of them i gave it to said they loved it.... just wish it had more lather (which from a 100% OO soap we all know isnt aaaaaaall too plentiful)

i would like to have something in my line for everyone...i feel like the OO soap would appeal to people who like to feel a little moisturized coming out of the shower... but something with more CO might be for someone who enjoys bubbly lather ..

 

[smellitlikeitissoaps]

Ian that curing stage depends on the person, I release my soap out after 2 weeks, because I discount up to 40% lye solution. I still say it was the EO's, especially for people with sensitive skin. Those two EO's are known for skin irritation.

Glycerin you mean M&P? If they use that you should consider making them an Olive Oil base soap.

 

[AshleyR]

Ian, I use most of my soaps after about a 2 week cure. I know I *shouldn't*, but me and my hubby have never had any reactions, so we use it. I think I have even used it a few days before 2 weeks were up! :O

I think like some other people said that maybe it was the EO's, or even the slight scratchiness of the lavender buds?