New recipe ideas

[sethkaylyn]

I've been soaping for a few months now and really enjoying every minute of it. I am ready to try something new in my recipe without spending a whole lot of money.

My recipe:
30%Olive oil
45%Lard
20%CO
5% Castor

With the winter months ahead I would like to add something to help dry skin.
Any inexpensive suggestions?
Also maybe more bubbles too. I'm tempted to use a bit of sugar but I know that can be a little tricky to use in recipes.

Thanks ahead of time

 

[lsg]

Have you tried egg soap?

 

[sethkaylyn]

I haven't tried egg soap. I bet it makes a good lather?

 

[Susie]

That is an excellent recipe you have there. I use 10% more lard, and 10% less olive oil, and 5% superfat with 1 tablespoon of sugar PPO. Makes a most excellent soap. I check my mold every 20-30 minutes for about an hour after I pour it and insulate it to avoid volcano, but the most I have ever had to do was uncover it for 20 minutes. And that was once.

 

[JustBeachy]

Susie's suggestion is good. The stuff that people see as a "problem" are only a pain until you get used to using them.

Have you thought about trying some milks, in place of water. Almond or coconut milk is a good first step, easier than say goat's milk.

 

[sethkaylyn]

I really would like to try the sugar.

I've never tried the milk but thought about it. I buy almond milk all the time for the family.
It may not be the same as what to use in soap though?
I use the milk instead of water correct?

Btw...I do superfat at 5%

 

[jules92207]

The sugar is a great way to play with your recipe to see the difference it makes. Also honey is good, melted in a little hot water and added at trace deepens the color a bit and increases bubbles. Milks are great suggestions, and beer. I think my beer soaps are my favorite. You have to let it go flat then boil off the alcohol then cool it first but it makes a great addition to soap when used as your liquid.

 

[seven]

Have you tried egg soap?

i second this. egg really does make a soft, silky lather that is pure joy on the skin. lanolin is good stuff too. i like combining both, it's one of my faves.

you can also up the superfat. how much is your current?

as with the milk, you can do a full liquid swap or partial. there are plenty of threads here explaining about this, but in general, with full liquid swap you replace all water with the milk and dissolve the lye in it.

with partial liquid swap, you dissolve the lye in 50% of the water (minimum amount is the same amount with lye or 1:1), and let the rest of the liquid be milk.

 

[sethkaylyn]

I superfat 5%

I considered the beer recipe also. I'm sure it makes lots of lather. Will it the soap smell like beer? Lol. Just curious!

I'll have to find some simple recipes and start experimenting. My husband made a 2lb mold so I can test out small batches.

 

[coffeetime]

I use homemade oat milk in one of my soaps and it makes a really conditioning soap with a silky lather.

 

[sethkaylyn]

Oh I bet that does make a nice soap.
I'll have to look into that one. It sounds inexpensive also.

 

[jules92207]

I considered the beer recipe also. I'm sure it makes lots of lather. Will it the soap smell like beer? Lol. Just curious!

I don't find there is much of a beer fragrance after a good cure. Just loads of bubbles and color from the beer.

Also if you live near a Home Goods or food specialty store you might find some fun oils to play with. I found big bottles of sunflower and grapeseed for pretty cheap and its been fun to add 10% or so to a soap and drop my CO to make a nice conditioning bar. Also if you have a good supply of CO you may want to look into making a salt bar. I followed David Fisher 's recipe/instructions first and I am addicted to them.

Happy Soaping!

 

[JustBeachy]

I really would like to try the sugar.

I've never tried the milk but thought about it. I buy almond milk all the time for the family.
It may not be the same as what to use in soap though?
I use the milk instead of water correct?

Btw...I do superfat at 5%

You can use 100% of the milk as your water. I like to use the 50% rule. Plus I keep the milk out of the lye solution. Just made a coconut milk soap today.

Figure your water, lets use the recipe I did today. It called for a total of 325 grams of water for the lye. Instead I mixed the full lye amount into only 156 grams of water and measured 169 grams of coconut milk and set it aside. When the lye and oils cool down to the temp you're mixing at, add the milk to the oils and blend a bit to mix it in. Then add your lye mixture to the batch and proceed as normal.

Been doing all my milks this way for a while now. Never have problems with over heated soap, scorched milk, etc. I CPOP'd the batch i did today with no problems. Though, I'd probably recommend you hold off on the CPOP technique until you get a few more "experiments" completed. Some people seem to have problems with CPOP.

Sounds like you're having fun, and that's really one of the most important aspects of the game.

 

[Jstar]

You can use 100% of the milk as your water. I like to use the 50% rule. Plus I keep the milk out of the lye solution. Just made a coconut milk soap today.

Figure your water, lets use the recipe I did today. It called for a total of 325 grams of water for the lye. Instead I mixed the full lye amount into only 156 grams of water and measured 169 grams of coconut milk and set it aside. When the lye and oils cool down to the temp you're mixing at, add the milk to the oils and blend a bit to mix it in. Then add your lye mixture to the batch and proceed as normal.

Been doing all my milks this way for a while now. Never have problems with over heated soap, scorched milk, etc. I CPOP'd the batch i did today with no problems. Though, I'd probably recommend you hold off on the CPOP technique until you get a few more "experiments" completed. Some people seem to have problems with CPOP.

Sounds like you're having fun, and that's really one of the most important aspects of the game.

Do you gel your milk soaps? And we will be expecting pics tomorrow

 

[JustBeachy]

Do you gel your milk soaps? And we will be expecting pics tomorrow

I gel pretty much all of my soaps, besides the salt soaps. I was going to post a picture of the soap tomorrow for DWin. To show him how my great idea on using a hacksaw blade to do the swirl just failed miserably. haha

 

[sethkaylyn]

Do you have a specific brand of coconut milk you use?
The brand I buy for the family is made by Blue Diamond.
Would this be ok to use?

 

[JustBeachy]

Do you have a specific brand of coconut milk you use?
The brand I buy for the family is made by Blue Diamond.
Would this be ok to use?

I'm in South Texas and the grocery stores here carry a coconut milk by Goya. No added sugar, gums etc. Works like a charm in soap.

Most of the Almond Milks you buy at the grocery store have added sugars, among other things. The sugars, can help you with some bubbles, but since you're not really controlling the amount of sugar, you might run into some over heating problems.

I make my own Almond Milk. It's really easy. Basically just soak some almonds for a day or two. drain it, put them in your blender/food processor and add some water and grind it up. Then strain through a cheesecloth and bingo, fresh almond milk. Google "how to make almond milk" , and you'll get tons of hits with the exact info and measurements.

 

[lionprincess00]

Fwiw I use GM concentrate at half my water, and the other half is water with lye. I predissolve 1 tbs ppo sugar into my water before adding the lye. Lye and stir to dissolve. Add to oils, SB 3 short pulses. Add GM concentrate. Then sb to emulsion.

I've used milk free and use the same method of 1 tbs ppo sugar into water. THEN Add lye. Can't speak one way or another because, honestly, I haven't experimented with the exact same recipe with sugar and one without sugar.

If using heavy cream, I decided to avoid sugar. Otherwise, with GM or buttermilk, I use sugar (or heck, with no milks I use it. Can't hurt right?!).

I've had no issues from it. I just ensure full dissolving to avoid hot spots with the lye mixing into the water.

Finally. Sugar and milks I freeze 18-24 hours, refrigerate another 8-12.
Expect an ,extra long zap period as cooling stalls saponofication.
Not a huge fan of gelling so no biggie avoiding it for me.

By day 3-4 it should be zap free.

 

[Jstar]

Goya is the one I use too..love it

Im going to try the gel in my next batch of CM soap...I dont particularly care for having to put them in the fridge, and i gel everything else..so Im going to try it

 

[sethkaylyn]

Thanks everyone for your help!!