Sensitive Skin

[Corrine12]

Ever since I started making cp soap a year ago my skin has become extremely sensitive and parched. I’m using a basic recipe with 30% coconut oil, 30% olive oil, 30% shea butter and 10% castor oil. 5% sf, no fragrance, coconut milk in place of water. My skin obviously does not like this combination.
I need a recipe for the gentlest soap on the planet or else I’m going to have to go back to Cerave. Any recommendations?

 

[amd]

I’m using a basic recipe with 30% coconut oil, 30% olive oil, 30% shea butter and 10% castor oil. 5% sf, no fragrance, coconut milk in place of water.

Drop your coconut oil to 20% or less and drop your castor to 5% and see if that helps - you can add that to your olive oil (so say 20% Coconut oil, 45% olive oil and 5% castor). The only reason I suggest dropping the castor to 5% is because you really don't need that much, castor does a lot of work in small doses. Coconut in soap becomes drying, so you're adding a good portion of coconut in the oil itself, plus more in the coconut milk.
If that doesn't help, the next thing I would try is replacing the olive oil with something like rice bran oil, or another lighter oil.

What do you mean by your skin is 'extremely sensitive'? What is your skin doing that it didn't do before? Turning red? Itchy? Bumpy?
Keep in mind that soap cleans, it doesn't moisturize. So expecting it to replace your lotion isn't a realistic expectation. If you used lotion before, you'll need to keep using lotion.
Next question... how long are you curing your soap? Does it pass zap test? I ask in case you are using it immediately after making - the skin sensitivity could be lye burning your skin.

 

[Tara_H]

Are you particularly avoiding animal fats? I notice you haven't listed any but that could expand your options in addition to what and said.

 

[Corrine12]

Drop your coconut oil to 20% or less and drop your castor to 5% and see if that helps - you can add that to your olive oil (so say 20% Coconut oil, 45% olive oil and 5% castor). The only reason I suggest dropping the castor to 5% is because you really don't need that much, castor does a lot of work in small doses. Coconut in soap becomes drying, so you're adding a good portion of coconut in the oil itself, plus more in the coconut milk.
If that doesn't help, the next thing I would try is replacing the olive oil with something like rice bran oil, or another lighter oil.

What do you mean by your skin is 'extremely sensitive'? What is your skin doing that it didn't do before? Turning red? Itchy? Bumpy?
Keep in mind that soap cleans, it doesn't moisturize. So expecting it to replace your lotion isn't a realistic expectation. If you used lotion before, you'll need to keep using lotion.
Next question... how long are you curing your soap? Does it pass zap test? I ask in case you are using it immediately after making - the skin sensitivity could be lye burning your skin.

Itchy, red, inflamed. I use my usual moisturizer and it stings. I cure for at least three weeks, but some of the bars are even longer. I think my skin just doesn’t like soap.

 

[Corrine12]

Are you particularly avoiding animal fats? I notice you haven't listed any but that could expand your options in addition to what and said.

I am cruelty free, so no animal products.

 

[Zany_in_CO]

I need a recipe for the gentlest soap on the planet or else I’m going to have to go back to Cerave. Any recommendations?

You might like to try Zany's No Slime Castile. with no fragrance, color, or other additive for a test batch to see how it works for you. I have dry, sensitive, mature skin. I use the 85% olive oil, 10% coconut, 5% castor variation. I wash my face with it AM and PM. I like the dense, creamy lather -- it feels like washing with cream instead of soap. Rinses clean with no lingering soap residue or leaving my face feeling tight, just clean, soft and moist.

Itchy, red, inflamed. I use my usual moisturizer and it stings. I cure for at least three weeks, but some of the bars are even longer. I think my skin just doesn’t like soap.

Oh my. To me, that sounds like it isn't fully cured or it may be lye heavy. It would help to have a look at the recipe and process you used.

 

[amd]

I think my skin just doesn’t like soap.

That could be. I know a few people who can't use lye soap (which I didn't quite understand as there shouldn't be lye left in the soap).
The other thing could be one of the ingredients is triggering an allergy. Have you used handmade soap before making your own?
Also, does your soap pass zap test?

 

[KimW]

Itchy, red, inflamed. I use my usual moisturizer and it stings. I cure for at least three weeks, but some of the bars are even longer. I think my skin just doesn’t like soap.

Oh, bummer! I encourage you to follow @amd 's suggestions. Lower the Coconut Oil, retest. Consider subbing the Olive Oil with something like RBO. I suspect your skin is like so many of ours in that it doesn't like the amount of coconut oil, and possibly even the Olive Oil.

 

[Corrine12]

Oh my. To me, that sounds like it isn't fully cured or it may be lye heavy. It would help to have a look at the recipe and process you used.

It’s cured for several weeks, it wasn’t like that after the first use, it’s just seems over time to be getting worse & worse.

 

[Corrine12]

That could be. I know a few people who can't use lye soap (which I didn't quite understand as there shouldn't be lye left in the soap).
The other thing could be one of the ingredients is triggering an allergy. Have you used handmade soap before making your own?
Also, does your soap pass zap test?

No, my handmade soap is the first non-store bought I have used. Yes, it passed zap.

 

[Corrine12]

Oh, bummer! I encourage you to follow @amd 's suggestions. Lower the Coconut Oil, retest. Consider subbing the Olive Oil with something like RBO. I suspect your skin is like so many of ours in that it doesn't like the amount of coconut oil, and possibly even the Olive Oil.

Yes, I think I need gentler ingredients, that is why I wanted some recommendations.

 

[earlene]

What did you use before making soap? If you used store-bought soap was it bar soap or liquid soap? What brand was it? Perhaps we could look at the ingredient list of what you did use and help design a bar soap that would include the same ingredients and see if that helps.

Itchy, red, inflamed. I use my usual moisturizer and it stings. I cure for at least three weeks, but some of the bars are even longer. I think my skin just doesn’t like soap.

It’s cured for several weeks, it wasn’t like that after the first use, it’s just seems over time to be getting worse & worse.

In the meantime, I would suggest you stop using the soap you made. The fact that your skin is red and inflamed and that it is getting worse and worse, should be a clue to tell you to stop using it.

Also, just curious, what superfat do you use in your soap formula? And is water the only liquid (besides the oils)?

If you are sensitive to Olive Oil in soap, and some people are, then it could be the OO. But also, some people's skin is very sensitive to Coconut Oil in soap, so it could be that. I am not sure I have read about Castor Oil sensitivities, but I suppose that it could also exist.

This is why I am asking what brand and type of soap you used before, so we can rule out a type of oil that did not cause problems before (if you used a particular brand of bar soap.)

And just to be on the safe side, where are you getting your lye? What brand?

 

[Arimara]

Have you tried using distilled water instead of coconut milk? if @amd is on to something, you might not want to use virgin coconut oil either and test the recipe with refined coconut oil. For some people, doing that helps.

 

[veron]

in some recipes I lowered the amount of short chain acids, presumably low-carbon 12-chain acids have a higher sensitivity. But now in my recipes I don't lower the amount below 10% because the foam is bad. I am attaching a table, I recommend that more than fixing the amount of each oil, you look at the amount of what type of fatty acids is in the formula. It could also increase superfatting.

I don't know if it will make a difference to your skin.

 

[cmzaha]

It is possible you cannot use handmade soap. I had a customer at one time that could not, she had to use synthetic bars. We tried many different formulas and all that worked was syndet bars. I can't help but question why you would continue using a product for a year that was making your skin worse. Handmade soap is not the answer for every condition or everyone as many new soapmakers like to think.

In my opinion, I would not replace OO with RBO since it is similar in profile to OO being high in Oleic in case that is what you are allergic to. You really need to determine if OO or high oleic soaps are a problem so trying a 100% OO might answer that question.

First, you need to let your skin heal while you make up some small soap samples using lower amounts of CO starting with 10%, working up to 20%. Avocado, Canola if using regular Canola keep it at 20% or under, Sweet Almond Oil, Safflower Oil, and Apricot Kernel Oil are all nice in soap. Frankly, if you will not use Lard or Tallow you are going to need Palm, Cocoa butter, or Soy Wax to make a decent long-lasting bar of soap. Liquid or soft oils do not create good soaps on their own and CO does not create a long-lasting soap even though it is a hard oil and makes a hard bar it is highly soluble dissolving quickly.

 

[DeeAnna]

...I am attaching a table...

This information is interesting, but it is provided without any context.

Are you the author? If so, please let us know so if we have questions about this table, we will know who to ask.

If you are not the author, please give the source of the table, so the author(s) gets full and fair credit for their work. That also allows people to find and read the rest of the article if they want to learn more about the information presented.

 

[Corrine12]

What did you use before making soap? If you used store-bought soap was it bar soap or liquid soap? What brand was it? Perhaps we could look at the ingredient list of what you did use and help design a bar soap that would include the same ingredients and see if that helps.




In the meantime, I would suggest you stop using the soap you made. The fact that your skin is red and inflamed and that it is getting worse and worse, should be a clue to tell you to stop using it.

Also, just curious, what superfat do you use in your soap formula? And is water the only liquid (besides the oils)?

If you are sensitive to Olive Oil in soap, and some people are, then it could be the OO. But also, some people's skin is very sensitive to Coconut Oil in soap, so it could be that. I am not sure I have read about Castor Oil sensitivities, but I suppose that it could also exist.

This is why I am asking what brand and type of soap you used before, so we can rule out a type of oil that did not cause problems before (if you used a particular brand of bar soap.)

And just to be on the safe side, where are you getting your lye? What brand?

Cerave bar, and I stopped using it a while ago, that is why I am looking for options to make a gentler soap.

 

[Corrine12]

I can't help but question why you would continue using a product for a year that was making your skin worse.

I stopped using the soap quite some time ago.

First, you need to let your skin heal while you make up some small soap samples...

Hence my post asking for recommendations for gentle ingredients.

 

[veron]

This information is interesting, but it is provided without any context.

Are you the author? If so, please let us know so if we have questions about this table, we will know who to ask.

If you are not the author, please give the source of the table, so the author(s) gets full and fair credit for their work. That also allows people to find and read the rest of the article if they want to learn more about the information presented.

no, Cosmetic Formulation of Skin Care Products, pag 44
https://www.amazon.com/Cosmetic-Formulation-Products-Science-Technology/dp/0849339685
witch reffers to:
BLANK, I. H. (1939). ACTION OF SOAP ON SKIN. Archives of Dermatology, 39(5)

 

[KimW]

I think @earlene and @cmzaha have hit the nail on the head, so to speak. I do have one question, only in the interest of those two experienced ladies helping you: Why do you want to switch from the Cerave bar? (FWIW, if it's just to make your own, or to just be in control of the ingredients, believe me, I understand that wholeheartedly and so I should think will everyone else here).

You mention something more gentle. Are you hoping to make a bar that is more gentle than Cerave, or more gentle than the soap you've made that irritates your skin?

Keep looking to earlene and cmzaha. From what I've read here on SMF, they are two of many who have decades of experience with formulating syndet bars, like your Cerave, as well as soap bars. I pray you the best and I'll be watching this thread because I suspect there will be lots of good teaching forthcoming!