Issues with Shampoo Bars

[mshearn3198]

Just tried out a test batch of mini shampoo bars. While initially the bars worked, after a while myself and others who tried it kept getting itchy scalps. Here is the recipe.

Lye 33.7g

Coconut 62.5
Olive oil 62.5
Jojoba oil 10g
Rice bran 25g
Shea butter 37.5
Sweet Almond 37.5

Where could I have gone wrong. What oils can be added or percentages changed make a better bar.

 

[DeeAnna]

Is the soap zap free? You're using a fairly low superfat, and making a very small recipe. While there's nothing wrong with either of these things, any measuring error could cause this soap to be lye heavy.

Is the soap well cured? A decently long cure will make the soap as mild as possible to the skin.

Why are you using as much coconut oil as you are using? Coconut oil is 26.6% of your recipe, and that much CO would be far too drying for my skin. Most of the shampoo bar recipes I've seen are fairly low in the "cleansing" fats such as coconut oil.

I am one who believes soap is not a wise thing to use on hair, but setting that reservation aside, these things are what come to mind when a person says a particular soap is irritating to the skin.

 

[IrishLass]

I'm with DeeAnna- lye-based shampoo bars are not nice to my hair, but that aside, I'd totally eliminate the coconut oil. One of our former modmins, Lindy, is the handmade shampoo bar guru. She hasn't been around in a while (being busy with Canadian Soapmaking Guild and her business), but her posts on formulating shampoo bars are very informative. You can do an advanced search using the keyword shampoo, and type Lindy in the box that says "posted by Member". Anyway, she always advised against using any coconut oil or palm kernel oil in shampoo bar formulas.

Here's one of them that advises against using coconut oil: https://www.soapmakingforum.com/threads/what-affects-the-ph-of-soap.33002/#post-314300


IrishLass

 

[Dawni]

I'd also say it could be the coconut oil..

I've not made any shampoo soap bars but I have used them lotsv, and the ones I noticed work great have none or very little coconut oil, just a teensy bit to make bubbles, and lots more Castor oil to help with it.