Slimy soap?

[Dharlee]

I got a bar of soap for an early Christmas gift from a person and wondered about it. The ingredients listed are only olive oil, water, coconut oil, lye and fragrance. The soap is really soft and extremely slimy. There is zero lather, but tons of "slime". 2 showers and it's half gone. I just cannot use it again. Is it not cured well, or what? I know I did hear her tell someone she could do a custom order and have it ready in 3 weeks. So I had to wonder about that.

 

[dixiedragon]

My guess is the high olive oil content. Soap that is mostly olive oil needs 6 months or more cure.

 

[IrishLass]

Ah yes- the infamous olive oil slime. From your description, it wouldn't surprise me if she may have used something like 90% olive and 10% coconut- very close to a Castile. If so, such soaps do much better with a cure of 3 months at the very least, or a 1-year cure for optimal results. You'll probably still get slime with it (I always do....even in my high-olive soaps that have been sitting for at least 3 years), and it won't lather much without a nylon pouf, but it will at least last longer.


IrishLass

 

[penelopejane]

Ah yes- the infamous olive oil slime. From your description, it wouldn't surprise me if she may have used something like 90% olive and 10% coconut- very close to a Castile. If so, such soaps do much better with a cure of 3 months at the very least, or a 1-year cure for optimal results. You'll probably still get slime with it (I always do....even in my high-olive soaps that have been sitting for at least 3 years), and it won't lather much without a nylon pouf, but it will at least last longer.

IrishLass

Hi IrishLass,

Do you think slime depends on the type of Olive Oil you use?
I always use first pressed olive oil and I have had slime at 1 month cure but after 12 months I don't get the slime (with honey added).

I often use 1 tbs of honey per 700 g - 1 kg batch and I wonder if that makes a difference?
In under a year I will be able to do a better test.