I was asking about adding beeswax and honey to soap in the recipes section and just wanted to ask here about my recipe (below) before experimenting! Anything I should know, or be wary of before something blows up in my face from mixing? :mrgreen:
Did you make your soap yet? I'm probably late to the party, but for what it's worth, everything looks fine to me.
I think I posted a link to my honey/beeswax thread in your other thread entitled 'All about da bees", but for what it's worth,here's a direct link to the exact post where I explain my honey/beeswax process: http://www.soapmakingforum.com/showpost.php?p=536352&postcount=16 ), in case you want any extra tips.
IrishLass
Hi Irish Lass,
I have read a few of your posts on honey and SF and Salt bars. Thank you so much for all the detail you put into your posts. I am still a little confused.
If I add honey it reduces the SF by 40% of the amount of honey used.
Is that right? But it increases lather? (unless you go higher than the magical point or use milk).
If I add CA and add the extra lye does this makes it SF neutral? This just effects the scum not the lather or conditioning.
Does aiming for 0% SF mean I will get a low scum soap?
Is this a good aim or should one be aiming for a higher SF for the soap to be more conditioning on your skin?
Or is adjusting SF all about lather and not about conditioning on your skin
After reading up about tetrasodium EDTA I wouldn't touch it with a ten foot pole.
Robert
Irish Lass,
thank you so much for your explanation. I have been trying for 7 months to perfect creamy lather to be told just yesterday that my DH prefers bubbles! Back to the drawing board for me.
Map reference,
I do not add my honey to lye. I only ever use raw honey (it's difficult to find honey with additives in Oz) and mostly I use Manuka honey.
What I find annoying about soap is that two people can have a different experience with a method and a final soap and I don't think it comes down to variation of description.
I think you have to find something (method or final properties- that may take 6-24 months to appear) that works for you, then tweek it until it is great.
Wouldn't adding the honey during the hot phase defeat the purpose of using honey? Honey breaks down at 160 degrees Fahrenheit destroying most the enzymes that make honey a strong nutrient (for both the inside and outside of the body). The exothermic reaction of lye and water goes well beyond that temperature. If you have to have honey in your soap (I suppose I could see a purpose for hard soap) I would just say not to waste money buying an expensive raw honey as its going to basically be turned into processed honey anyways during that reaction with the lye.
Unless you hot process the soap, the lye is still very present and active, even at trace. Also, soap is a wash-off product, so I doubt the goodies in honey would have much chances to benefit the skin. In soap, I think raw honey vs processed honey comes down to label appeal. I use raw honey, b/c I don't want to bother with 2 separate jars of honey - eating honey vs soaping honey.
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