Eczema Soap Ingredients/Recipe

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Luckyone80

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Ok so I have several people asking me to make them a soap to help with eczema so I've been researching ingredients I can use that could help with the problem. Now I just have to narrow the list so I don't have 15 ingredients in the soap.

-Neem Oil &/or Powder
-Sunflower Oil
-Avocado Oil
-Olive Oil
-Coconut Oil
-Sweet Almond Oil
-Shea Butter
-Oatmeal
-Honey
-Goat's Milk
-Lavender EO
-Peppermint EO
-Tea Tree EO
-Geranium Oil

Does anyone have a tried and true recipe that helps with eczema or what ingredients would you recommend from my list above?
 
There is no tried and true recipe, as there are different triggers/sensitivities for everyone. You're probably aware of this, but it's unlikely that your soap is going to cure eczema, but it is likely that just switching to homemade soap will help the symptoms your friends are experiencing.
Keep in mind that an oils properties are not the same in soap. I would absolutely not consider sodium cocoate to be beneficial to eczema as it can be harsh. You want to keep your soap non-drying/irritating.
I'd stay away from most EOs, but some lavender might be ok.
Basically, avoid potential irritants and keep your cleansing number low
 
Yeah I was wondering why some recipes called for coconut oil.

I was thinking of maybe a castile recipe with goat's milk, oatmeal and lavender or tea tree eo?
 
As Krista suggested, everyone's triggers/ allergies are different. Many kids are sensitive to milk, I've seen kids who are sensitive to oatmeal. Lot of food allergies present as eczema. So you do need to work with everyone individually and customize accordingly if you really want to help them. Homemade soap might help individuals with dry skin but not necessarily those with eczema.
 
I noticed you don't have chamomile on the list. I made a soap with an infusion of chamomile and lavender tea (VERY strong) and added chamomile and lavender EOs to it. My coworker's daughter has eczema and it was helpful for her skin. Of course, the soap didn't cure it; however, it was soothing and less drying than other products they've used for her. I used 70% tallow, 20% coconut and 10% olive with an 8% SF. (It was one of my first soaps. Today, I would probably switch the CO and OO amounts and change the tallow to lard.) I would definitely make the tea and add the two EOs again. The other friends I shared that particular soap with liked it the best.
 
I read about the chamomile after I posted this, so you use the chamomile/lavender infused tea for the water in the recipe?
 
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I read about the chamomile after I posted this, so you use the chamomile/lavender infused tea for the water in the recipe?

Yes. I replaced all of the water with the tea. FYI: In the bars (I have three left) that I added the EOs to, they are perfect. In the bars that I did NOT add the EOs to, each of the two bars I have left has developed one spot of DOS. I made them the same day. I actually split the batter and scented half, so I'm not sure what happened.
 
Will the dried Calendula petals and dried Chamomile flowers from places like Nature's Garden work for infusing? Versus if you have the plants growing outside and you dry them yourself.

Yes. I replaced all of the water with the tea. FYI: In the bars (I have three left) that I added the EOs to, they are perfect. In the bars that I did NOT add the EOs to, each of the two bars I have left has developed one spot of DOS. I made them the same day. I actually split the batter and scented half, so I'm not sure what happened.

How much chamomile and lavender EO did you use per pound?
 
If I were making soap for people with eczema, and bear in mind that the reason I started making soap was that I and my children all had eczema, I would start with a very basic soap with NO additives whatsoever. I would make a high conditioning, low cleansing soap. The less triggers you have in that soap, the more people you can give it to, and then you can start seeing who is responding to it, and who is not. Then you can individualize from there. No soap "cures" eczema, but using that rather than commercial syndet "soaps" is that you remove all the possible triggers from the commercial products. Using additives could possibly provide new triggers.

I would use something along this line to avoid having a 6+ month cure:

Lard/Tallow/Palm oil(not PKO) 55-75%
OO 20-40%
Castor Oil 5%
Sugar 1 TBLSPN PPO
Superfat 5-8%
 
I would follow Susie's advice, NOT MINE!! However, to answer your question, I think I just got lucky, actually. That was when I first started making soap and didn't know enough to keep meticulous records. However, I'm a creature of habit and always soaped at 1 "bottle" EO ppo. I would have mixed them equally, so it would have been .33 oz for the Chamomile and .5 oz for the Lavender. (I have a few bottles in my stash.) I sourced my EOs at Whole Foods at the time and they only sell the tiny bottles at a price I was willing to pay to play with soap.

image.jpg
 
Don't used geranium and tea tree my friend had eczema geranium and tea tree makes her itchy. Lavender and chamomile are good combination
 
My grandchild and my son respond very well to soap like Susie gave above, plus buttermilk. It seems not to irritate their skin. I also have atopic dermatitis and it was a reason to make first lotions, then soap ;)) The only synded bar I use is shampoo bar and it is made with extra mild things:))
with eczema you need; gentle mild soap, and not to many EO the best is no scent
 
I think one thing that is a common theme in these examples is that it tends to be "I know someone who reacts badly to x. Don't use x" - which as Susie pointed out is due to the fact that there isn't a one-size-fits-all answer here. Someone might react badly to one ingredient that then works wonders for someone else.

Start very plain with no additives or even eo, as Susie said.
 
Thanks everyone for your words of wisdom. I know there isn't a "cure" per say but rather something that can at least "help" to some degree.

I asked my one friend if her son had any allergies (dairy, nut, etc) and she said no so I think I will take Susie's advice and just make a simple bar, I had already decided on a mostly lard type bar with maybe oats and chamomile tea infusion.

In the meantime I have an Oatmeal Milk and Honey soap already made that is about 5 months old that I might have her try and see if it does anything to help just until I get the new soap made.
 
My very first soap was 100% lard with no additives. That really helped relieve my skin issues. Then I started "playing" with formulas and ingredients. I haven't used commercial soap since I started making soap and I don't have the problems I used to have. The real test for me will be when winter comes.
 

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