Honey as an additive

[Guest]

How much honey ppo do you like to use to give your soap a fluffier lather?

How much does it discolor the soap?

 

[Barb]

i use about a tsp ppo.

i don't gel so i don't see a color difference.

although i will say darker honey does seem to make a slightly darker soap then lighter colored honey.

i have an omh soap here that i used really dark honey in and it is much darker then the last log where i used a golden colored honey it in.

 

[honor435]

How much honey ppo do you like to use to give your soap a fluffier lather?

How much does it discolor the soap?

whats the benefit of honey? i get good lather w castor.

 

[7053joanne]

Also please note that honey will up your temperature quite a bit!

 

[Lindy]

I use honey quite a bit and in a 6 lb batch I use 4 oz (1/4 cup) which works really well for me. My honey bars are dark - I use liquid honey - the smell of the bars are amazing since the honey smell does come through. I put the honey in close to pouring same as I do all my herbs & botanicals.

My favourite bars contain honey....

 

[Deda]

I like to add honey powder, I usually add 1 tsp ppo. It doesn't change the color too much at that level. Maybe just a little more to the tan side.

 

[Imblebee]

I put about a teaspoon in my one pound castile batch. Make sure that you blend well otherwise you might get some swirls! I added my honey to the olive oil... not at trace... would have been a better idea to add at trace.

 

[IrishLass]

I use liquid honey at 1 tbsp. ppo in my goatmilk, oatmeal & honey bars. Since honey is water soluble, I either mix it in with my lye water, or else I mix it completely in with my reserved water/powdered goat milk amount and then stickblend that into my batch right after the lye water has been incorporated into the oils.

I can really tell a difference when I use honey. My soaps with it are just more bubbly, and they feel more hydrating, for lack of a better term. They also smell awesome. I love the smell of honey in soap. When I make my goatmilk, oatmeal & honey soap, I scent my bars with only a mere .1 oz ppo - .2 oz ppo of a complimenting F/O, like Buttermilk & Honey from Daystar for instance (just enough to enhance the natural honey and oatmeal scent without overpowering it), and they are so scrumptious!

IrishLass

 

[lunchlady2009]

I made a honey soap with buttermilk powder. I also added a lavender FO. Not knowing honey would color the soap, I added a lavender colorant, but not enough to really do anything. I also forgot that milk and honey heat up the soap and insulated it. As I was reading the forum I came across threads about this subject, panicked and quickly removed the towels to find my soap black in the center! I believe this was the gel phase, but I'm a novice so I'm still learning. OH NO! These bars are/were for my co-workers. Anyway.....the next day I unmolded and the soap is the most beautiful burnt color with a smell to die for! A strong lavender with a hint of brown sugar is how I would describe it. I have used some of the scraps after cutting to use on my hands and it is by far the best soap I have made!

To make a long story short and to ask a question, I had some that wouldn't fit into my mold and I placed it in a paper coffee cup and it was not insulated. It is a very light honey color with a weak scent. Could my insulating mistake during the gel phase be the reason for the darker color and scent? There were some crystal like formations on the bottom (now top.) I will post a picture as soon as I get it resized.

I guess, I'm asking, since this soap has turned out awesome, would it be possible to recreate by insulating for a few hours or was this just a fluke and I will never be able to make this again?

 

[Val]

Hi

Lovely soap!

I am new to this but I made a honey soap too......... mine is same color. I had put it in the oven ..... forgetting that the honey would heat it up too.

I am thinking that the smaller batch did not heat up as much since it was smaller..... smaller molds cool quicker than the larger molds from what I have read and generally have trouble with gelling and tend to be lighter in color.

Anyway what I am saying is that I think you can duplicate it. Maybe even without insulating.


Val

 

[Milla]

I did CPOP on my honey soap and love the color.

I used 0.75 oz ppo of raw Wildflower honey from my local brew store.

But lunchlady, I LOVE the color of your soap so much better!

 

[Val]

That looks just like mine did the first day after cutting. It has now gotten a more creamy color but is still dark just not as translucent.

Val

 

[Dixie]

Wood molds hold more heat than say plastic. I usually only lay a light kitchen towel over the top of mine .

 

[Val]

Yeah I learned that with that batch. I used the CPOP on it and thought I ruined it. Seems to be ok tho.

Val

 

[Dixie]

I made a batch that got too hot on me. I used a little more honey than usual as well. The batch seized on me while I was putting it in the mold!!! 15 min. later I went back to throw it out and it had closed. I cut the following day. It is now 4 weeks old and looks fantastic! lol. I'm going to continue to hang onto it for a few months, but it is brick hard and smells great. So, you never know!

 

[Milla]

Looks like I won't put my honey soap in the oven next time!

 

[ChrissyB]

Rene, that honey soap is lovely! It looks so creamy and smooth.
I have only used honey once in soap and I had trouble getting it all blended in. I think I need to get some honey powder and try with that.

 

[Guest]

I add 1 TBSP PPO warmed liquid honey to a lot of my batches. I am going to try the powdered honey though.I love honey in my soap.