Shampoo bar question

[tarkus]

Hi All,

so far I made 2 different shampoo bars.

1. basic ingredient 0 cleansing and honey added
2. basic ingredient 0 cleansing and egg yoke added

5 people tried both of them and only one of them said #2 is good and 2 of them said #1 is good and the rest said hairs stick together they gave up using it. I told them to use vinegar after shower but they didnt. I am thinking to make another one with vinegar instead of water but I am not sure if this will solve the problem. any idea or suggestion will appreciate.

Andre

 

[DeeAnna]

The information you've given is not enough to give really specific advice. If you want more on-target help, post the recipe please!

 

[The Efficacious Gentleman]

A shampoo bar isn't for everyone. Which one works for you?

 

[tarkus]

I have the recipe at home. I will send it later today. what I remember it was similar to this:

1 Avocado Oil 9.60
2 Castor Oil 3.20
3 Olive Oil 12.80
4 Shea Butter 3.20

I remember olive oil was highest number

 

[Seawolfe]

Using vinegar as the liquid to make the soap will not help - it will only increase the superfat.

The monster shampoo bar thread - have you read it? Many people report that it takes their hair a while to adjust.

Using non-detergent soap for hair is not for everyone.

 

[tarkus]

what about adding salt ?

 

[Obsidian]

Yep, stick weird feeling hair is perfectly normal when switching to shampoo bars. Rinsing with vinegar water is a absolute must for most people, myself included.

Adding a bit of coconut oil and lowering your SF might help a little but for the most part, gunky feeling hair is just part of using a shampoo bar you have to get used to. It gets better in time.

Don't use vinegar to make the soap, that will just increase the SF and make the bar feel worse.

Salt isn't going to really help. Hair feels sticky because the high PH of soap makes the cuticle lift up and the hair acts like little pieces of velcro sticking to itself. Using vinegar helps smooth the cuticle back down.

 

[tarkus]

Since the sugar is acidic does this mean by adding sugar it reduces PH. I have PH tester I can check it.

 

[Obsidian]

I'm unsure if sugar lowers PH but if it does, its by such a small amount it wouldn't make a difference. Soap is naturally high PH, you can't lower it and still have soap. The only option is use something like vinegar to adjust the PH of your hair after washing or not use a shampoo bar.
There is no magic ingredient that will make a shampoo bar feel like commercial shampoo.

 

[DeeAnna]

Also since the product you're making is a true soap, it will make soap scum if your water is hard. Soap scum is sticky and will make hair feel unpleasant.

Sugar is NOT acidic. It is neither an acid or a base -- it is a neutral, covalent molecule.

Obsidian is correct -- adding an acid (vinegar, citric acid, etc.) will not reduce the pH of your soap; it causes the soap to break down. It will instead increase the superfat if acid is added in small amounts. If you add enough acid to soap, the acid will cause the soap to turn into a gloppy non-soap mess.