beginner surpise

[Guspuppy]

Back in March when I first started soaping I was very excited to try making ALL the soaps, and formulated myself a shampoo bar. After very much reading on this forum I decided against using any soap as shampoo (especially with waist length hair that I would be devastated to lose) and put it aside. It was all soft oils except for 6% coconut. It had taken 6 days to get hard enough to unmold, and I had to freeze it even then to do so. I tried a bit every now and then but it remained soft enough that I could dent it with very little finger pressure so I quit trying it. Yesterday I got out a piece to try after an 8-month cure and WOW, what a nice soap! I am truly surprised how well it came out and will definitely be doing it again, in a bigger batch with as long if not longer a cure time. If anyone is interested here was my recipe:
30% avocado
12% castor
37% olive
10% almond
6% coconut
5% argan
The argan was because it was supposed to be a shampoo bar, I probably could leave it out but I'm half afraid to change anything!!

 

[IrishLass]

It never amazes what a good cure will do!

Thanks for sharing your recipe! I make a somewhat similar (but different) type of recipe as yours that I based off of Genny's shampoo bar recipe, and I absolutely love it as a body soap (never once used it for my hair and don't plan to). I use 30% avocado, 10% castor oil, 40% olive oil, 10% shea butter and 10% HO sunflower oil in mine.

With the shea in there, coupled with a 33% lye concentration and full gel, it hardens up pretty good and can be unmolded/cut within 24 hours.



IrishLass

 

[Arimara]

I personally can't use that recipe for my daughter's sake but congratulations that it's a winner. I'm testing my first batches in PA waters and so far, my first and second batches barely need touching. My third could use some reformulating as well as my fourth. I'm most eager to try my bastile (batch no. 5), which is a full year old now.

 

[Guspuppy]

It never amazes what a good cure will do!

Thanks for sharing your recipe! I make a somewhat similar (but different) type of recipe as yours that I based off of Genny's shampoo bar recipe, and I absolutely love it as a body soap (never once used it for my hair and don't plan to). I use 30% avocado, 10% castor oil, 40% olive oil, 10% shea butter and 10% HO sunflower oil in mine.

With the shea in there, coupled with a 33% lye concentration and full gel, it hardens up pretty good and can be unmolded/cut within 24 hours.



IrishLass

Yes! This was only my second batch ever and I was still using soapcalc's default 'water as % of oils' setting, which I never use anymore. I'm sure with 33% lye it will harden up nicely in the mold for my next try!

 

[navigator9]

It's so much fun when a recipe surprises you like that. The numbers in Soapcalc can only predict so much. I remember a time when I was switching over from palm oil to PKO flakes, and I formulated a recipe called "Use up the Palm", to do just that. I ended up loving the recipe and bought more palm oil so I could make more! LOL I'm copying your recipe, because I love avocado and have been meaning to try a high avocado bar some day. This will be a good place to start, thanks.

 

[cmzaha]

I think that looks like a great body soap, thank you for the recipe. I like to age a few of ine for at least 6 months. It makes quite a difference