First time liquid soap

[scottmr88]

Hi, I have bad skin and after reading ingredient lists on soaps and seeing all the crap, I thought why no make my own.

First off, I used this forum to gain some confidence on making my first batch. Thank you everyone who has contributed.

Here's what I did. Comments recommendations are appreciated.

1. Heated glycerin to 225F and added KOH-stirred until melted.
2. In crock pot heated the following oils
Olive oil 60% 9.6oz
Coconut oil (72) 15% 2.4oz
Shea Butter (unrefined) 10% 1.6oz
Crisco (I had a big jug sitting around) 10% 1.6oz
Jojoba oil 5% .8oz


KOH 3.288oz

Glycerin 9.84 oz

3. I added the melted KOH to the heated oils listed above. Mixed with a hand blender until it was too thick.

4.I stirred some more until it was very thick.
5. Let cook in crock pot for 90 minutes
6. Stirred some more after 90 minutes until it was taffy like
7. Let sit in crock pot for 2 days
8. After 2 days I boiled distilled water and diluted to my desired thickness
9. let that sit overnight
10. I am now using my liquid soap. It feel great

I have now learned that I should put the KOH into the glycerin then heat to avoid mishaps with the solution. I'll do this next time.

Does anyone have any advice, or recommendations?

Thank you

Scott

 

[Dahila]

Congratulation on your LS and please read our wonderful thread about it
http://www.soapmakingforum.com/showthread.php?t=46114

 

[Susie]

This is in that thread linked above, but if you are lazy like me, you can use 4.84 oz water to mix with the KOH(no heating needed), then mix the 5 oz glycerin to that. I think the results are similar enough to skip the extra step of heating. But that is me being lazy, and you do your soap your way.

 

[KristaY]

Congratulations on making successful LS! :clap:

 

[scottmr88]

Thank you everyone.

Quick question. Can I store the undiluted "taffy" in any way? Maybe freeze it to preserve?

 

[DeeAnna]

Yep, just put the paste into a tightly closed container. Some use zipper closure bags; others use snap top containers. Some freeze or refrigerate the paste. Others (me) store at room temperature. I always add preservative to the diluted soap, but LS paste is pretty much like CP soap bars -- not much more water and even less in the way of additives that can spoil -- so I figure the paste is as safe to store at room temp as bar soap.

 

[scottmr88]

Yep, just put the paste into a tightly closed container. Some use zipper closure bags; others use snap top containers. Some freeze or refrigerate the paste. Others (me) store at room temperature. I always add preservative to the diluted soap, but LS paste is pretty much like CP soap bars -- not much more water and even less in the way of additives that can spoil -- so I figure the paste is as safe to store at room temp as bar soap.

Thank you

 

[Seawolfe]

Ya I just store my paste in ziploc baggies with the weight written on the bag and the amount of water to dilute with - store at room temp. When I go to dilute it I pull bits of it off like taffee into the crockpot, add boiling water in the amount thats needed, leave it on low and stride briskly away - in a couple hours its diluted and ready.

Apparently the undiluted paste is wonderful for tough cleaning jobs - I still need to try that.

 

[scottmr88]

Does anyone have an idea of the shelf life of the diluted LS? I'm trying to avoid putting any preservatives in it.

I figure I could test myself by letting some sit out for a few months.

 

[Trix]

Hi there and welcome to the forum, and well done on your first liquid soap! I did it last mont after bieng put off doing it many years ago, and it's all thanks to this forum to!

This old thread may help you with shelf life
http://www.soapmakingforum.com/showthread.php?t=15369

 

[kumudini]

This forum is kind of enabling like that. I have wanted to make LS with Glycerine method ever since I read IL's detailed post, which was atleast couple months ago.I am going to get my first KOH shipment in a few days. Finally I will get to do it. Hope I will have the same success as you had. Congratulations.

 

[Susie]

I have a bottle of the first liquid soap I ever made. I don't have any preservatives in it, and it is at least a year old. It looks and works fine.(I am in the middle of unpacking from moving, so I don't have the date yet. I may run across it in a day or two.)

ETA-I found the recipe, it was made on 1-18-14.

 

[galaxyMLP]

Same as Susie, I had a liquid soap for almost a year and no growth that I could see of any kind or smell. That's not to say it did not grow bacteria but, I didn't have anything in it except water, oils, koh, fragrance and color. I didn't have any kind of botanical additives so I don't know how that goes.

 

[DeeAnna]

There's a lot of opinions about preservatives vs. no preservatives. I'm not overly concerned, honestly, even though I do add liquid germall plus to my diluted soap. I don't push the envelope when making liquid soap -- I stick with fat, lye, water, and fragrance -- so I don't worry too much about it.

I sometimes give my soap to friends, however, and I'd be embarrassed and concerned if for some reason my LS went bad for someone else. Some of my friends ... well, let's just say I have no idea what they might add to the soap in the name of being extra crunchy or adventurous. If some of their "improvements" could grow cooties, my added preservative is insurance against the unexpected.