Squishy M&P

[peaches]

I've just started making M&P soap, and I notice that it's not hard before I even melt it. If I press on it with my finger, there's a little give.

I experimented with a couple of recipes over the last couple of days. One is for a spicy soap, and in addition to the eo, I threw in paprika, cinnamon and cayenne pepper to give it an interesting color. The smell of the bar is fantastic, the color is a dark orange, and the bar is rock hard. Great! I love it. The other recipe I tried was for an OHM soap. I put in small amounts of honey and molasses, and larger amounts of powdered milk and oats. If I squeeze the bar (not very hard, either!), it squishes in my hand. In the shower it fell apart completely! I noticed that other bars I've made that don't have additives apart from fragrance and color are also quite soft (though not as soft as the OHM soap). I realize that the powdered spices I added to the first bar acted like cement and made the bar really hard, but I can't do that with every bar of soap I make.

How do I make a really hard bar of M&P soap that's got fun additives but won't fall apart in the shower? Thanks!

 

[peaches]

Clearly I'm the only person with this problem. :? Maybe it's a sign that I shouldn't do M&P soap!

 

[beachgurl]

Peaches, I don't do melt and pour, but maybe it's the base you're using?? Are you getting it from a reputable source that sells a really great base?

 

[carebear]

how much of each additive did you use?

 

[Healinya]

I'm not an expert on it either, but all I can think if is too much honey and molasses. You say a small about - you mean between a teaspoon and tablespoon per pound, right? Honey I've worked with before, molasses I've heard of but never actually seen before so I don't even know what it looks like and can't really help. Maybe try again without it?

 

[JumpinKaren]

I don't do melt and pour either.

It sounds like with the second one though that maybe the honey and molasses acted like liquids. Maybe a longer cure time would help?

Oh, and watch out with the cayenne pepper! Despite it being able to color naturally, I really don't think you'd want to wash with that!

 

[carebear]

I've done some MP but it's certainly not my forte.

This said, you really want to limit your additives. absolute max of 1Tablespoon per pound of added oils, max 1 tablespoon per pound of powders. you added water based liquids and not oils, so I'd keep it even lower - like maybe a teaspoon max per pound of soap.

you have a lot of humectants in your mix - the honey, the molasses, the milk powder...

 

[pepperi27]

I've just started making M&P soap, and I notice that it's not hard before I even melt it. If I press on it with my finger, there's a little give.

I experimented with a couple of recipes over the last couple of days. One is for a spicy soap, and in addition to the eo, I threw in paprika, cinnamon and cayenne pepper to give it an interesting color. The smell of the bar is fantastic, the color is a dark orange, and the bar is rock hard. Great! I love it. The other recipe I tried was for an OHM soap. I put in small amounts of honey and molasses, and larger amounts of powdered milk and oats. If I squeeze the bar (not very hard, either!), it squishes in my hand. In the shower it fell apart completely! I noticed that other bars I've made that don't have additives apart from fragrance and color are also quite soft (though not as soft as the OHM soap). I realize that the powdered spices I added to the first bar acted like cement and made the bar really hard, but I can't do that with every bar of soap I make.

How do I make a really hard bar of M&P soap that's got fun additives but won't fall apart in the shower? Thanks!

where did you purchase this soap?

 

[Lil Outlaws]

I do MP and I had the same soft bar (OMH).
Most of mine are fine without additives though, which makes me think it may be your base. Where did you get it, and what kind? (olive oil, goat's milk, glycerin..??)

The one time I added actual honey to a batch (instead of my OMH FO) it came out soft and a little sticky. Another time I added the FO, some ground oatmeal, and a touch of milk powder and it came out just as delicious smelling but not falling apart soft. That's a best seller for me now but the first one with the honey in it, I wouldn't have dared sell it.

I would evaluate your base, and if that's not it, I'd try a batch without real honey but you could use honey FO or OMH FO and see if that helps.. ?

 

[peaches]

Wow! Thanks for all the feedback. I used this soap base. I've been ordering bath bomb supplies, butters and beeswax from this company for some time, and everything has been great quality. I don't think it's the base. I probably added too much honey and/or molasses.

Oh, and watch out with the cayenne pepper! Despite it being able to color naturally, I really don't think you'd want to wash with that!

I didn't add that much. I found a soap from Lush that I really like, and I thought I'd try to recreate it. It turned out okay, and I've been washing with it. Just like with any soap, I make an effort not to get it in my eyes.

 

[pepperi27]

Well i've added honey to my bases when I made (omh) and it wasnt soft, so I don't think its your additives because you said when you touched the base it was soap initially. I get my bases from peaks they are sfic and I think are the best. My soaps come out very hard without any additives at all. I usually add 1 tbs of olive oil to make them harder. Jojoba oil can be added to glycerin bases to make them harder. Like someone else said I don't add too many additives but when I do its 1tbs pp.

 

[topcat]

Hi Peaches!

I make MP soap and agree with carebear (excellent info by the way!), too much water additives will make for a soft bar that will break apart in the shower easily - I know cause I learned the hard way too!

I have made a nice milk and honey bar with 1 tablespoon honey MAXIMUM to 1lb of base; I also added 1 tablespoon beeswax (melted) to the mix and ended up with a nicely hardened bar. If you are using a combination of honey and molasses don't exceed 1 tablespoon per pound of total water additives and you should be okay. (Water additives are anything that will dissolve/wash off your skin with cold water - so not oil based ). The 'milk' part of the milk and honey bar was the goatsmilk MP base I used - lovely!

Cheers,

Tanya