Can comfrey be added to soap? I was thinking of making like a tea with it and using that for my lye mixture.. Will that work? I'm very open to suggestions. I have comfrey coming out of my ears!! Also, I have seen a lot about super fatting.. Can someone please explain this to me? I'm not quite getting it. Thanks.
Comfrey?
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jenneelk
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yYes it def could be.. as a tea would work but to really get the benefits you should infuse it with oil. I infuse lots of them (calendula is my favorite and smells amazing but I do Comfrey also) and my customers love the results. I have only just recently started with CP but have made other products for a few years now. I do know it's ok to use though and I have already done a CP batch with Calendula infused OO and Chamomile infused CO.
Teas are used by others and you would use it as your water source. My only concern would be that the lye solution gets SO hot that you would lose some Comfrey benefits. Can you think about infusing it instead to use as your oil part?
Superfat in my newbie terms since I've only made 7 batches but researched a lot, is basically more fats (oils) than the lye amount in the recipe can work with to saponify and make the soap. So basically you are left with extra free floating fats (oils) after everything is said and done and it keeps the soap milder and less harsh on the skin. I think there are very few recipes people use with 0 superfat except maybe Castile since it's crazy mild already and has no CO.
HLH a little.
Teas are used by others and you would use it as your water source. My only concern would be that the lye solution gets SO hot that you would lose some Comfrey benefits. Can you think about infusing it instead to use as your oil part?
Superfat in my newbie terms since I've only made 7 batches but researched a lot, is basically more fats (oils) than the lye amount in the recipe can work with to saponify and make the soap. So basically you are left with extra free floating fats (oils) after everything is said and done and it keeps the soap milder and less harsh on the skin. I think there are very few recipes people use with 0 superfat except maybe Castile since it's crazy mild already and has no CO.
HLH a little.
dagmar88
Well-Known Member
No, you need superfat in soap to be body safe.
Saponification values are just averages; so without superfat, you could end up with lye heavy soap.
Just run your recipe through soapcalc.net and it will give you a nice number to start from.
innerdiva73
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When I use Green tea, I either replace it as my water source after it has been boiled or add the ground up tea to to the oils for an infusion.
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I like to use infused oils in my soap, so I would probably infuse some oil with the comfrey and use that. For a double whammy you could use both infused oil and comfrey tea.
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jenneelk
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Sorry Dagmar - that's what I was basically saying in that it makes it 'less harsh and less harsh in the skin' and no one I know if does 0 except Castile since its already so mild. Guess I didn't say it right.
dagmar88
Well-Known Member
;-) It has nothing to do with the properties of the oils you've used.
A 100% olive oil, lye heavy soap will be far from mild.
judymoody
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I have used comfrey-infused olive oil and it makes a beautiful green shade.
However, do dry your leaves first. If you infuse oils with fresh botanicals, you are likely to get mold.
Regarding superfatting, it's also called lye discount. As explained previously, it's the excess amount of oils above and beyond what will react with the lye. There are many good reasons to superfat - to compensate for small measurement errors, for example. Additionally, the saponification values for individual oils are not 100% accurate. They are estimates and individual batches of oil vary somewhat. The SF provides a margin for error. 5% is the minimum I would use for safety. For comfort, I prefer 8-10%. I live in a dry climate and tend towards dry skin. Hope this helps!
However, do dry your leaves first. If you infuse oils with fresh botanicals, you are likely to get mold.
Regarding superfatting, it's also called lye discount. As explained previously, it's the excess amount of oils above and beyond what will react with the lye. There are many good reasons to superfat - to compensate for small measurement errors, for example. Additionally, the saponification values for individual oils are not 100% accurate. They are estimates and individual batches of oil vary somewhat. The SF provides a margin for error. 5% is the minimum I would use for safety. For comfort, I prefer 8-10%. I live in a dry climate and tend towards dry skin. Hope this helps!
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I have always read that you should let fresh material wilt before infusing in oil. If you make a decoction in water, it doesn't mater.
jenneelk
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Just use it sooner rather than later because you will have some moisture in the comfrey if its not dried out all the way and that will cause your spoilage sooner. Guess you just need to make a lot of soap.. have fun! 
jenneelk
Well-Known Member
If the herbs/plants etc have any moisture in them and are not
Dried out yes you will get spoilage of your oil quicker. Keep in a cool place after making and just keep an eye on.
Dried out yes you will get spoilage of your oil quicker. Keep in a cool place after making and just keep an eye on.
