Gentle bar hardener

[Chispa]

Hello,
I've made several batches of soap using a simple recipe that I'm happy with. It's 95% Ricebran oil, and 5% Castor. To this I add 0.5% EDTA and 0.05% BHT

Previously I added 2% salt. And I got a lovely lathering bar that was hard in the shower until the whole bar wore away. Except my wife used it once to shave her legs, and it apparently really stings to get salt in a razor cut.

So the next batch I made without salt. The bar still lathers beautifully, but after about half of it is used up in the shower, it softens and bends back and forth as I use it. Annoying.

What is a good way to maintain the bar hardness while still making it suitable for shaving with?

 

[Obsidian]

Add about 40% of a hard oil like palm or lard. It will increase the longevity and still be a gentle soap.

 

[Chispa]

Add about 40% of a hard oil like palm or lard. It will increase the longevity and still be a gentle soap.

Thanks! I have tried a number of different oil combinations. Palm oil is hard to obtain here in Perth, and the lard I can buy here seems to increase the chance of DOS. Additionally, I found that I prefer the lather from the simple bar, and I can share it with vegans.

I'm hoping to keep the same oils, but find an alternative additive to salt that doesn't sting.

 

[Dawni]

Oooh I've been meaning to try a high rice bran oil soap and I'm glad to learn it's good!

If lard isn't the best option, you're left with the butters n waxes. Cocoa butter and shea butter are the more commonly used ones, but they're not very cheap even if easy to find where I am.

Soy wax is another alternative. Might be more cost effective than the butters as well. There's a long thread on it in this forum if you're inclined to read.

I myself don't often use my own soap (or any other for that matter lol) to shave. Soaps in general sting more than non lye based "soap," most noticeable if you get some in the eyes. For my own, salt is a staple so in the rare instances I need to shave with it, I just shoulder on lols

 

[Zany_in_CO]

Sodium Lactate is a traditional additive to make a harder bar. It works best if you don't discount the water amount. Since you've made the soap before choose 1% for a slight increase of firmness, 2% moderate increase of firmness, and 3% for a significant increase of firmness. Add it to the lye solution before adding to the oil mixture.

This has been discussed many times. To learn more, use the Search tool in the upper right of the page. TIP: Be sure to un-check "Search this forum only".

 

[Chispa]

Thanks Zany.
Does anyone know if Sodium Lactate or Sodium Acetate sting in a cut or abrasion like table salt (Sodium Chloride) does?

 

[Dawni]

Thanks Zany.
Does anyone know if Sodium Lactate or Sodium Acetate sting in a cut or abrasion like table salt (Sodium Chloride) does?

Not sure, I think not... but not all sodium lactate is vegan btw, just thought I'd say it.

 

[Relle]

Thanks! I have tried a number of different oil combinations. Palm oil is hard to obtain here in Perth, and the lard I can buy here seems to increase the chance of DOS. Additionally, I found that I prefer the lather from the simple bar, and I can share it with vegans.

I'm hoping to keep the same oils, but find an alternative additive to salt that doesn't sting.

Palm oil is readily available from aussiesoapsupplies.com.au in WA. They are in Palmyra and post everywhere. The palm oil is in 1,2,4,10 kg lots, so you can buy as little or as much as you'd like.
Also Heirloom soap supplies in Penrith NSW has palm, it's not as elusive as you think. They post everywhere as well.
There are numerous soaping suppliers throughout Oz you can get your palm oil from.
You can also buy Frymasta in Coles, yellow square package. It's $2.80 for 500g and is palm oil.

 

[Chispa]

You can also buy Frymasta in Coles, yellow square package. It's $2.80 for 500g and is palm oil.

One of the reasons I love RBO is that it is available everywhere and it is dirt cheap. I knew that I could order fats and butters online, but for me that was a bridge too far. Thanks for telling me about Frymasta. It meets my soapmaking fat criteria.

 

[Primrose]

You can also pick up directly from ASS and Range products

 

[beckster51]

I made a 95% RBO soap with 5% castor, and it may be my favorite soap. It requires a very long cure, but it lathers well and rinses off squeaky clean. I think I also added sugar for bubbles. After a long cure, I have not found it to become soft, but I don't leave it in a wet shower environment. I also made a very high percentage RBO soap with soy wax at the same time, and it is a good soap and hard as a rock! I would suggest trying a recipe with soy wax and RBO to see how you like it.

 

[bohunk]

I use sodium lactate in my lotion as well as my soap and, for me, it doesn't sting open cuts.

 

[earlene]

How about making your desired soap and your wife's desired soap in two different colors. That way you don't have to change the recipe. With a different color, she would know which one to use for shaving her legs and you would know which one is firmer to the end of the bar. You both win and you don't have to try and re-formulate your recipe.

 

[Zany_in_CO]

Thanks Zany.
Does anyone know if Sodium Lactate or Sodium Acetate sting in a cut or abrasion like table salt (Sodium Chloride) does?

This has been discussed many times. To learn more, use the Search tool in the upper right of the page. TIP: Be sure to un-check "Search this forum only".

Have you tried researching it? I'm sure you'll find everything you ever wanted to know about Sodium Lactate in the many archived SMF threads on the subject. I'm just sayin'... it's a good solution to your situation and worth a look.

 

[KiwiMoose]

May i just ask if you have problems with DOS with high RBO?

 

[beckster51]

May i just ask if you have problems with DOS with high RBO?

I have not had any problems with DOS, so far...

 

[earlene]

KiwiMoose, I have a 100% RBO soap sink side in my bathroom which I alternate with a couple of other soaps for handwashing. The RBO soap has been there for at least 3 months, maybe more, getting smaller as I use it, but it has not shown even an inkling of DOS since it's creation.

The 100% RBO soap in question was made on July 28 2017, so is almost 2 years old. Made with a 0% SF & 40% Lye solution, the only additives to this soap were ROE to the oil bottle when opened & EDTA when I made the soap. I didn't even add any fragrance. There has been no hint of DOS in any of the bars.

 

[Lin19687]

Curious how long was the Cure time? I wanted to try this but still on the fence about DOS. I have yet to come across a search with your results

 

[lsg]

Adding soy wax, beeswax or stearic acid will give you a harder bar. If you have accesse to Castor oil that will increase the bubbles.

 

[earlene]

Curious how long was the Cure time? I wanted to try this but still on the fence about DOS. I have yet to come across a search with your results

Well it is almost 2 years old. So it's been curing all that time. I don't really know when it 'stopped' curing. I did not keep track of that. I generally let my soap cure as long as possible because I usually like it better as it gets older. But also because I'm away a lot.

In looking back at my notes AND photos from the year starting when I made the soap to when I next took photos of the soap made that day, it seems I did not even test the soap until it was about 11 months of age. I am not sure that I didn't test it before that, but don't have any photos or notes showing evidence.

I did a fair amount of traveling in the Fall & Winter of 2017 and the Spring of 2018 so I doubt I even tested it before it was 11 months old, since that's when I have the earliest documentation I can find of testing the soap.

Due to the traveling I do, I am not a good judge of how long anything takes to cure. I make, put on the racks and leave until I have time to look at it again, and sometimes that's a very long time.