Soapmaking Forum

Help Support Soapmaking Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

NaturallyYou

Active Member
Joined
Nov 7, 2014
Messages
27
Reaction score
9
I am new to soap making and made my first batch from scratch. It turned out great! The only thing is, I don't like the time you have to wait inbetween making it and using it (so the lye becomes non-toxic.)

So now im looking into making soap from straight glycerin instead of lye/oil mixtures. I guess I am kind of confused and am hoping you guys can help me out. I have done a bit of research but cant seem to find an answer.

My first question is - when making soap out of glycerin, can you mix oils into it? I like the from scratch method because I can add different oils, like coconut and almond in my first bars, to create a more moisturizing soap. So is there a way to add the oils to the straight "glycerin" soaps? I plan on making both types, but if there is a way to do glycerin soaps with oils it will be easier and more efficient.

A second question I have is - is vegetable glycerin different or the same as glycerin sold in bars? I have some liquid vegetable glycerin I bought from the store, but am not sure if I can use it in my soap or not?

Please help! Thanks everyone.
 
A soap is non 'toxic' after about 24 to 48 hours - less when using hot process

It needs to rest for a good long while about 4 weeks, but it is safe to use before then - it just won't be anywhere near as good.

But if you can't wait that long, maybe look at buying melt and pour bases
 
The "glycerin" soaps are melt and pour soaps(MP). They have limited ability to be tweaked by adding more oils.

Glycerin is NOT a substitution for lye(NaOH). Glycerin can be added to soaps, but there is no real value(to my mind, at least), as glycerin is one of the products you get when you combine acids(oils) with bases(Lye), you get salt(soap) and glycerin. Hand made soaps naturally have glycerin in them. Adding glycerin is not a method to speed cure.

I am with Craig, if you can't wait 4 weeks for soap to cure, you need to look at MP as an answer.
 
Last edited:
It sounds like you want to make the soap yourself, play with variations on the oils, and so on. You have to do the lye thing to do that (MP soap is already soap), but there is good news on the long wait, it's not really all 4 weeks. 2 things speed it up:
1. As soon as you finish one batch, start planning the next one. change up the oils so you can see the difference between batches. Then make the second batch. Repeat.
2. Start "testing" the soap after a few days. test at regular intervals. You'll see how curing the soap changes it and that's pretty interesting.
 
Glycerin is a clear, viscous liquid. You can buy it in pharmacy section and drink it (in small amounts only!) as a laxative.

Glycerin soap is a term commonly used for Melt & Pour soap, particularly clear or translucent MP. It is soap that has already been made out of lye and oils and a few other ingredients. As the name implies, you cut some up, melt it, then add scents and/or colors. It is ready to use as soon as it hardens.

If you want to make your own soap, you need oils and lye. Glycerin will NOT make soap.

If you want to make MP (short for melt and pour), you need to buy the MP soap base first. When you melt it, yes you can add very small amounts of oil to the base to give it whatever additional qualities you would like. Be careful, too much and you will have a sticky mess that won't lather. I believe the maximum is about 1 Tablespoon of additional oil per pound of MP base. 1 pound of base will make about 4 full size bars.

HTH
 
I have seen some blog posts and tutorials where they refer to glycerin melt and pour soap as "glycerin", which is incredibly confusing and just plain wrong. If I remember right, many of those posts were of the "make your own soap without lye" variety, so I can understand the confusion.

As New12 states above, glycerin and clear glycerin melt and pour soap are two different things.
 
And I just realized you could interpret us as fussing at you or something negative. It isn't meant that way at all. We are trying to give you the information you need. We know folks are using inaccurate terminology, so we are trying to help straighten you out. Those folks are not trying to mislead anyone, they are just using "shortcut" terms that they all understand refers to one product, but are not as specific as newbies need. Indeed, I have been straightened out quite a few times after reading certain blogs or watching certain videos.

We have an awesome community of folks here who are out there reading the same blogs and watching the same videos who can help interpret what others are saying. I am so very glad you came and asked about this, you probably saved someone else from just jumping in and trying to make soap with just glycerin.
 
Thanks a lot everyone! I am very happy I ran across this forum, you all were very informative. I didn't take any of it as fussing or negative - I knew my questions had answers that were "no-brainers" but couldn't find them myself; so thanks for sharing.

I am excited to see where my soap making venture takes me.
 
Thanks a lot everyone! I am very happy I ran across this forum, you all were very informative. I didn't take any of it as fussing or negative - I knew my questions had answers that were "no-brainers" but couldn't find them myself; so thanks for sharing.

I am excited to see where my soap making venture takes me.

And I'm excited to be on the same journey! We all learn from each other, and help each other here.
 
I think Susie said it perfectly.

If the day were to ever come, where I couldn't learn something new. I think life would just get boring.
 
I like marilynmac's advice a lot! It is really hard to wait 4-6 weeks, but I remind myself, "Soap teaches us patience." I go into my utility room almost every day to look at the soaps that are curing. I turn them, and smell them, and just admire them. And I cut small chunks off the end slices to test them now & then.

Give it a try! Don't be intimidated by the lye. Just read up on safety, and be careful. After a couple of batches, you'll probably be just as hooked as we all are!
 
I like marilynmac's advice a lot! It is really hard to wait 4-6 weeks, but I remind myself, "Soap teaches us patience." I go into my utility room almost every day to look at the soaps that are curing. I turn them, and smell them, and just admire them. And I cut small chunks off the end slices to test them now & then.

Give it a try! Don't be intimidated by the lye. Just read up on safety, and be careful. After a couple of batches, you'll probably be just as hooked as we all are!

Yeah your right, the Lye is a little intimidating haha - but I have been reading up on safety and stuff.

I just need to dive into it :) I am starting my second batch tomorrow. Wish me luck!
 

Latest posts

Back
Top