My grand kids likes using my homemade soap, however, it always breaks the skin out on there face. I usually SF at 7 but I was wondering if I SF higher, which would reduce the amount of lye if that would help. My cleansing number typically is around 22.
Soap Irritating Face
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Thats pretty high for me. I stay at 15 or less. Im betting your co is 25% or higher? Over 20% is kind of high for a vast majority of us. Some people can handle it, but if theyre rashing out I'm betting it's too cleansing. Could be allergies to ingredients also. So to troubleshoot we need exact measurements and all additives involved.
For facial bars I keep my cleansing number at 10 or under and for women's body bars 10-13, men's soaps 14-15. For young children I sell a sls free m&p soap.
You could try plugging this in to soap calc...
Lard 75%
CO 15%
OO 5%
Castor 5%
I keep the water to lye ration between 1.5 and 2 to 1 and SF at 7%. Makes for a mild soap that still cleans.
Steve
Lard 75%
CO 15%
OO 5%
Castor 5%
I keep the water to lye ration between 1.5 and 2 to 1 and SF at 7%. Makes for a mild soap that still cleans.
Steve
I wash my face with my "0" cleansing recipe or a castile. Still gets me clean but its gentle enough not to completely dry out my skin. I agree that its likely too high in cleansing.
Soapmaker145
Well-Known Member
They may be reacting to specific oils or butters. My skin hates all sorts of butters. I can use them sparingly in soap. I've use up to 25% coconut oil in my soaps without any problems. I make a soap with hazelnut oil for a friend who had severe acne. It clears her skin up and reduces the redness.
My suggestion is to look at the final composition of the soap and try to change the percentage of the various fatty acids to figure out what is causing the problem.
My suggestion is to look at the final composition of the soap and try to change the percentage of the various fatty acids to figure out what is causing the problem.
If your superfat is at 7% then the lye will be all used up by the time your soap is cured. It won't make any difference to the lye if you raise the superfat any higher.
I'm inclined to agree with the others that your soap is too cleansing to the skin. The use of coconut oil in particular can be irritating to some people's skin. Don't know if you are using coconut oil, but I thought I'd throw that out. Some people also react to butters (sensitivity to shea butter seems to be common).
A full recipe -- fats, lye, water, fragrance, and any other additives -- all in weights, not percents -- will get you better advice than talking in general like this.
I'm inclined to agree with the others that your soap is too cleansing to the skin. The use of coconut oil in particular can be irritating to some people's skin. Don't know if you are using coconut oil, but I thought I'd throw that out. Some people also react to butters (sensitivity to shea butter seems to be common).
A full recipe -- fats, lye, water, fragrance, and any other additives -- all in weights, not percents -- will get you better advice than talking in general like this.
LittleCrazyWolf
Well-Known Member
I think your coconut oil % is too high if it is irritating their skin. I have dry skin and anything over 15% coconut oil will make my skin feel dry, tight, and itchy. My face is really sensitive so I don't use any coconut oil in my facial bar. I think lowering the coconut oil would do more for you than increasing the SF. Soap with a cleansing value of 0 (in SoapCalc) will still clean.
Saponista
Well-Known Member
If they are breaking out, all the excess oil from the superfat could also be clogging their pores so it may pay to try something a bit lower.
What is your recipe? There are all sorts of potential irritants. Some people are sensitive to coconut oil, some to mango butter (I have read that people with latex allergies can react to mango butter), some to certain EOs or FOs - like clove or cinnamon are known irritants, some react to colors like some reds. Do you use water or some other liquid? Glitter on the soap? Nut oils?
And yes, cleansing numbers don't seem that important unless you've got cable grease on your hands or something.... A cleansing number of zero cleans my face just fine.
And yes, cleansing numbers don't seem that important unless you've got cable grease on your hands or something.... A cleansing number of zero cleans my face just fine.
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The lye amount is not the problem. The skin on our faces are generally more sensitive than our bodies and a 22 cleansing soap is bound to cause some problems with only a 7% superfat. You may want to bump up the superfat or lower the cleansing levels. I think you'd have less of an adventure by lowering your cleansing levels.
Please define if they are breaking out in a rash or pimples. Each has it's own causes. What the answer for one is, is not the answer for the other.
I too choose not to use CO in my facial soap but I love my salt bars. I alternate them for my face as I'm getting old and my skin is a bit drier as I get older.
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