Syndet Shampoo Bar Trials

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I made some lotion with shea butter and it was grainy. I found somewhere...don't remember and didn't book mark it...sorry. It said shea butter needed to be cooled fast or it would turn grainy. So I reheated the container of lotion and stuck it in the refrigerator for a couple of hours. It was no longer grainy. Wish I could remember where I found the info, but at least it worked for what I was doing with the shea butter.
 
I made some lotion with shea butter and it was grainy. I found somewhere...don't remember and didn't book mark it...sorry. It said shea butter needed to be cooled fast or it would turn grainy. So I reheated the container of lotion and stuck it in the refrigerator for a couple of hours. It was no longer grainy. Wish I could remember where I found the info, but at least it worked for what I was doing with the shea butter.

Hi i read the same thing and i order from Windy Point Soaps and it was in the little blog they put in when describing the item.
 
It's not grainy in CP soap because it's not
Hmm - I don't think I've ever had a problem with it that I've noticed anyway.. I use it at 10% in all my CP soap, and at 5% in my syndet bars.
There's no butter left in the soap so I don't think it can get grainy... I have only had that in body butters and lip balms, and maybe a little bit in syndet bars, but it's hard to notice, since it's such a small amount.
I have tried tempering shea and it did help with the graininess. But I just don't use it in lip balms any more.
 
I made some lotion with shea butter and it was grainy. I found somewhere...don't remember and didn't book mark it...sorry. It said shea butter needed to be cooled fast or it would turn grainy. So I reheated the container of lotion and stuck it in the refrigerator for a couple of hours. It was no longer grainy. Wish I could remember where I found the info, but at least it worked for what I was doing with the shea butter.
Tempering works, but grainy-ness will evenutally appear if conditions aren't kept perfect. For instance, I have tried and tried to use it in my lip balms, I even tried using cera bellina as a stabilizer. I still get grainy balms after a few months if there are temperature fluctuations...for instance if I keep a lip balm in my pocket (which I do all of the time). I've since given up on it in this application. In lotions, it shouldn't have much of a problem because of the emulsified nature, but I have heard of it happening. I think it happens more with anhydrous products.
 
@TashaBird she does a good job of explaining the process, which is nice. Personally, I'm not crazy about bentonite clay for my hair, which is already quite dry and gets really dried out by bentonite. I prefer rhassoul clay, which is usually suitable for all hair types. It isn't as absorbent as bentonite, which might affect the liquid balance in the recipe.

My shampoo bars with SCI and CapB are more than bubbly enough without adding soap nut powder, but if you have some around already, then it might be worth trying to see if you like it.
 
@TashaBird she does a good job of explaining the process, which is nice. Personally, I'm not crazy about bentonite clay for my hair, which is already quite dry and gets really dried out by bentonite. I prefer rhassoul clay, which is usually suitable for all hair types. It isn't as absorbent as bentonite, which might affect the liquid balance in the recipe.

My shampoo bars with SCI and CapB are more than bubbly enough without adding soap nut powder, but if you have some around already, then it might be worth trying to see if you like it.
That recipe of yours looks really interesting! I’m going to try the DIY recipe from etsy to cut my chops. But, I’m having a hard time picturing having to smoosh them.
 
@TashaBird she does a good job of explaining the process, which is nice. Personally, I'm not crazy about bentonite clay for my hair, which is already quite dry and gets really dried out by bentonite. I prefer rhassoul clay, which is usually suitable for all hair types. It isn't as absorbent as bentonite, which might affect the liquid balance in the recipe.

My shampoo bars with SCI and CapB are more than bubbly enough without adding soap nut powder, but if you have some around already, then it might be worth trying to see if you like it.
May I ask which DIY recipe s a good starting off point? I found a couple on Etsy. Not sure where to start!
 
@TashaBird after mixing, the consistency is similar to a sticky soap dough, if that helps.

@Sharyl a bunch of us have used - and really like - the recipes on Etsy from DIY Bath and Body. So far I’ve tried their shampoo bar recipe (win) and conditioner bar recipe (win). I have several others but haven’t gotten to them yet.

I’ve also used information from the SwiftyCraftyMonkey Blog to learn more about shampoo bar ingredients, recipes, and substitutions. I only pay for the $1/month subscription level and have access to tons of info. Just be warned that it is a total rabbit hole that is not organized in a very user-friendly way, IMO. But the info is there if you don’t mind clicking through many different links.
 
@TashaBird after mixing, the consistency is similar to a sticky soap dough, if that helps.

@Sharyl a bunch of us have used - and really like - the recipes on Etsy from DIY Bath and Body. So far I’ve tried their shampoo bar recipe (win) and conditioner bar recipe (win). I have several others but haven’t gotten to them yet.

I’ve also used information from the SwiftyCraftyMonkey Blog to learn more about shampoo bar ingredients, recipes, and substitutions. I only pay for the $1/month subscription level and have access to tons of info. Just be warned that it is a total rabbit hole that is not organized in a very user-friendly way, IMO. But the info is there if you don’t mind clicking through many different links.
Thank you so much @AliOop ! I tried SwiftyCraftyMonkey. It was so disorganized I thought I had a bad link! I’ll go back and try again.
 
Thank you so much @AliOop ! I tried SwiftyCraftyMonkey. It was so disorganized I thought I had a bad link! I’ll go back and try again.
I totally sympathize. I only look there when I have a block of time to research, copy, and paste into a document that I can organize in a way that makes sense to my brain!

For a ready-to-go, easy-to-understand recipe, the DIY Bath and Body shampo bar recipe on Etsy is well worth the $10.
 
But, I’m having a hard time picturing having to smoosh them.
I've found that the dough gets less sticky as it cools. I know it's ready to smoosh into the mold when it starts sticking to my spatula less and less. If you've ever had a batch of CP soap really accelerate by a misbehaving FO and you've had to quickly plop and smoosh into the mold, you have the experience you need. 😆 Syndet bar dough, however, is pliable for a lot longer than accelerated CP batter is. In fact, if you don't freeze them before unmolding it's hard to get them out in one piece.


I’ve also used information from the SwiftyCraftyMonkey Blog to learn more about shampoo bar ingredients, recipes, and substitutions. I only pay for the $1/month subscription level and have access to tons of info. Just be warned that it is a total rabbit hole that is not organized in a very user-friendly way, IMO. But the info is there if you don’t mind clicking through many different links.
Susan at swiftcraftymonkey also sells ebooks. I don't have any of them but I'd think the information there would be a fair bit more organized than her blog, due to the format. She has a very thorough book on shampoo bars available, and another one that is just four recipes and not much else.
 
I totally sympathize. I only look there when I have a block of time to research, copy, and paste into a document that I can organize in a way that makes sense to my brain!

For a ready-to-go, easy-to-understand recipe, the DIY Bath and Body shampo bar recipe on Etsy is well worth the $10.
@AliOop i got them! The shampoo, conditioner and foaming cleansing grains. (20% off in three, lol) Thanks so much. I was seriously getting boggled into paralysis with all the research.
Just a note...i also have the DIY shampoo recipe and it is nice but she uses 73% SCI noodles and the safety value is only up to 55% at most. I called her on it and she got a little defensive. So i just did some adjustments.
Just a note...i also have the DIY shampoo recipe and it is nice but she uses 73% SCI noodles and the safety value is only up to 55% at most. I called her on it and she got a little defensive. So i just did some adjustments.
@Gaisy59 Safety Value?
 
Safety Value?
Most ingredients have a safe upper limit, percentage wise. In other words, if you use too much of that ingredient in your product, it can irritate skin. The vendor you buy ingredients from will sometimes have it on the product page, other times you have to do a little research.
 
Most ingredients have a safe upper limit, percentage wise. In other words, if you use too much of that ingredient in your product, it can irritate skin. The vendor you buy ingredients from will sometimes have it on the product page, other times you have to do a little research.
Oh! Gotcha. Thanks for calling that to my attention! I remember seeing max %’s listed on ingredients from WSP.
So do you suggest bringing the percentage down and using something else to even it out?
 
Oh! Gotcha. Thanks for calling that to my attention! I remember seeing max %’s listed on ingredients from WSP.
So do you suggest bringing the percentage down and using something else to even it out?
I used the percentage she suggested and it's great for me and all of my testers. And I am someone who tends to react to all kinds of things that don't bother other people.
 
and really like - the recipes on Etsy from DIY Bath and Body. So far I’ve tried their shampoo bar recipe (win) and conditioner bar recipe (win). I have several others but haven’t gotten to them yet.
We should be getting paid for promoting and selling her recipes! I love them though! All of them! I’ve made the shampoo bars, conditioner bars, lotion, face cream, deodorant and the solid oil face cleanser stick! My face is in great shape! My hair has never been so soft and shiny! And my whole family uses it!

But, I’m having a hard time picturing having to smoosh them.

If you’re talking about the DIYBATHANDBODYSHOP Etsy store recipe, I ended up combining the powder SCI recipe and the SCI noodle recipe together and while following the directions somewhat... I mix the powdered together well, then add liquid and melted liquid ingredients and mix some more. I let it mix in the mixer for about 5 minutes. Then I add fragrance and preservative and mix a bit more! But once it’s all mixed I would just press it in a lined 1/3 cup measuring cup(2 oz) and pulled it out by the plastic wrap! That was the easiest for me. The noodle recipe didn’t stick together as well as I liked and the powder recipe kept cooling and not pressing smoothly.They all worked exceptionally well though! I did end up buying an cute little 3-D printed shampoo bar press on Etsy though. It’s even easier! Sorry for rambling... I just love making the shampoo & conditioner bars!
 
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