Simple Customer Explanation for Sodium Hydroxide

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gsc

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I will be listing sodium hydroxide on my soap label. Undoubtedly customers are going to ask what that is. What is the best and easiest way to describe that ingredient without concerning the customers.
 
If they ask then they're already concerned, so I don't think you can avoid that. Just explain that the ingredients listed are what you start with when you make soap, and explain that NO lye is left behind after the soap is done. Sometimes it's as simple as that.

If they insist that soap can be made without lye, you might need to smile kindly, say that's a method of making soap you're not familiar with, and let matters go at that. The one thing I've learned is if a customer has a definite idea about something, you aren't likely to argue them out of it. You're going to be better off if you avoid a wrangle entirely. It won't change their mind and the debate will just ruin your day.
 
I will be listing sodium hydroxide on my soap label. Undoubtedly customers are going to ask what that is. What is the best and easiest way to describe that ingredient without concerning the customers.

Tell them it's a chemical that can melt your face off, but don't worry cuz you know what you're doing.
 
Tell them it's a chemical that can melt your face off, but don't worry cuz you know what you're doing.

That will do more to scare off customers than anything, even if it is true. :mrgreen:

It's better to just give a clear an concise explanation of what happens to lye and oils join teams and saponify. There's always going to be the occasional spastic that will go on a tangent about the evils of sodium hydroxide and what not. God help you if they are eating pretzels in front of you because I would laugh 20 lbs off me and be the size 4 I used to be.:):mrgreen::twisted:
 
Why would you list that on your ingredients? There is no sodium hydroxide left in the bars when you sell it (hopefully you did a zap test before packaging at least).

If you must "account" for it, list the oils as such: Sodium tallowate, sodium palmate, etc. Or "saponified tallow, palm oil, etc"
 
I've only done 1 small show, but when people ask me that I explain that I use oils like lard and olive oil and they chemically combine with the lye to form soap, and the lye is completely gone by the time the bar makes it's way to them.
 
is it required to list ingredients that are less than 1 oz?
 
I've only done 1 small show, but when people ask me that I explain that I use oils like lard and olive oil and they chemically combine with the lye to form soap, and the lye is completely gone by the time the bar makes it's way to them.

"At worst, you will experience a slight tingling sensation.
Nothing to be alarmed about."
 
I will be listing sodium hydroxide on my soap label. Undoubtedly customers are going to ask what that is. What is the best and easiest way to describe that ingredient without concerning the customers.
I have had a few people ask this question. I just tell them the truth. It's food grade lye that is used for peeling cherries, curing olives (making them less bitter), and canned mandarin oranges, just to mention a few. I even use lye to cook raw corn and helps with the peeling off the skin off the corn. I do this for making tamale mesa. Same exact process for making tortillas.
This is food grade, not Liquid Plumr, Red Devil. That is not food grade and it has more chemicals then it is natural. The other things is to mention that lye, back in the day, was made from grass. Look it up there are all kinds of ways that lye was produced in 4000 BC.

http://www.soaphistory.net/
 
I have had a few people ask this question. I just tell them the truth.

Same here. Although I don't sell, I do, however, list all the ingredients that went into making my soap on my labels. I've had a mere one or 2 of my family members ask about the sodium or potassium hydroxide, and I just tell them the truth, plus give them a little mini-education about saponification at the same time.

Spice said:
I even use lye to cook raw corn and helps with the peeling off the skin off the corn. I do this for making tamale mesa. Same exact process for making tortillas.

Awesome! I make authentic laugenbretzel with mine (soft pretzel dough dipped in a lye solution before baking). Oh- and I also make laugencroissants (croissant dough dipped in a lye solution before baking). My favorite to make of the latter are the 'pain au chocolate' version with chocolate rolled up inside of the dough. It makes for a flakey, melt-in-your-mouth chocolaty croissant that tastes like a pretzel.

Lye- it's not just for soap.


IrishLass :)
 
Same here. Although I don't sell, I do, however, list all the ingredients that went into making my soap on my labels. I've had a mere one or 2 of my family members ask about the sodium or potassium hydroxide, and I just tell them the truth, plus give them a little mini-education about saponification at the same time.



Awesome! I make authentic laugenbretzel with mine (soft pretzel dough dipped in a lye solution before baking). Oh- and I also make laugencroissants (croissant dough dipped in a lye solution before baking). My favorite to make of the latter are the 'pain au chocolate' version with chocolate rolled up inside of the dough. It makes for a flakey, melt-in-your-mouth chocolaty croissant that tastes like a pretzel.

Lye- it's not just for soap.


IrishLass :)
Wow you are a Chef! It dinner time in my area and this just sounded so good. :)
 
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