Unusual soaping oils or ingredients...

[luluzapcat]

The thread on Personal Use Favorite Soaps just brought up water buffalo milk, which made me remember a favorite soap of mine...

I first tried soaping many, many years ago (then stopped; recently re-obsessed) when when my boyfriend was a hunter. At some point he brought home African wild boar fat and we soaped with it. It was like the 3rd batch I ever made, and with the internet being so young and the fat so unusual, I had to guess at a SAP value (I would guess I used what I found for lard). At the time I made them I remember thinking they were under-saponified (MAYBE it was the reverse? lye-heavy? so long ago), but I kept them and as they aged they seemed to get better and better. I actually still have a few bars and more than 25 years they are the BEST! I don't know if it's the fat or the aging but I'll be really sad to see the last of them. (Unlike now ex-bf--NO just kidding; we're great friends now and I love thinking about fun stuff like this we did together.)

So anyway...anyone care to share the most unusual soaps they've made?

 

[Mobjack Bay]

That’s fantastic that the soap lasted 25+ years! I’m impressed that you thought to make soap with it. The best I can offer up is soap intentionally made to look like mud and another made with orange peel wax, which it seems is not widely used in soap. I can’t wait to see what others contribute. Thanks for starting this thread

 

[luluzapcat]

That’s fantastic that the soap lasted 25+ years! I’m impressed that you thought to make soap with it. The best I can offer up is soap intentionally made to look like mud and another made with orange peel wax, which it seems is not widely used in soap. I can’t wait to see what others contribute. Thanks for starting this thread

Kids would love soap made to look like mud! that's brilliant. Makes me think how some kids would like soap made to look like other similar very-not-clean things...in particular shapes...which could lead to another thread about unusual molds!

 

[Zany_in_CO]

The most unusual (and fun!) soap for me was colored with a common weed found almost everywhere and called by various names. I call it Yellow Dock. The end result was a raspberry pink soap. That was the fun part... seeing a lime green infused oil finish a bright pink:

https://sapuhusid.blogspot.com/2010/07/raspberry-pink-soap-yellow-dock.html

FYI: I purchased yellow dock root to make the oil infusion from Monterey Bay Spice CO

 

[luluzapcat]

The most unusual (and fun!) soap for me was colored with a common weed found almost everywhere and called by various names. I call it Yellow Dock. The end result was a raspberry pink soap. That was the fun part... seeing a lime green infused oil finish a bright pink:

https://sapuhusid.blogspot.com/2010/07/raspberry-pink-soap-yellow-dock.html

FYI: I purchased yellow dock root to make the oil infusion from Monterey Bay Spice CO

That's a gorgeous color!

 

[Mobjack Bay]

The most unusual (and fun!) soap for me was colored with a common weed found almost everywhere and called by various names. I call it Yellow Dock. The end result was a raspberry pink soap. That was the fun part... seeing a lime green infused oil finish a bright pink:

https://sapuhusid.blogspot.com/2010/07/raspberry-pink-soap-yellow-dock.html

FYI: I purchased yellow dock root to make the oil infusion from Monterey Bay Spice CO

I keep wondering about yellow dock and hadn’t quite tracked down the right sources about using it for soap. Thanks Zany!

 

[Zany_in_CO]

You're welcome @Mobjack Bay
When I order from them, I get the 4 oz size... which is plenty for oil infusions. I usually buy a few different herbs at a time. Prices & shipping are so reasonable that way. Let me know if you need help choosing what to add to your order.

 

[RobinRogers]

The most unusual soap I’ve made is from a recipe I found for “Recee’s Peanut Butter Soap”. It used Crisco, Peanut Butter and Cocoa. In the end, it has a slight peanut butter and chocolate scent. However, it is very brown and will certainly stain any fabric it touches!! It doesn’t lather well but it is a hard bar. I was later told that Crisco shortening isn’t always predictable. I haven’t used it again The PB soap was a novelty worth trying and might sell if I were selling soap, just because of the label appeal. However, I don’t sell and won’t be making it again.

 

[szaza]

I once made soap with lotus EO that a friend got from an excursion to a lotus oil distillery in India. I still have a sliver left just to remember the smell and almost 2 years later the scent is still there! It was the most wonderful smelling soap I've ever made, but can't find the EO anymore. That's to say, I can find lotus EO but it's rediculously expensive and I don't know which variety she brought (white, pink or blue). I have a small bottle of lotus EO, also from India, that smells nothing like the stuff my friend brought, so I'm a bit afraid to order such an expensive oil without being sure it's the right one..

 

[Nanette]

The flower eos-jasmine, lotus, rose....even neroli are as you say really really expensive--IF you can even find the real deal. Try a really good eo company for authentic eos and ask your friend which one she got you! I like Floracopia for good eos...they may even be able to help you figure out which lotus eo you have. And this doesnt have much to do with unusual.....I make soap with creosote (greasewood) leaf tea...and Dead sea salt..the greasewood is a desert plant used for medicinal purposes by indigenous people here. I dont put the lye in tea, add it separately and use less water for the lye.

 

[szaza]

Thanks @Nanette. I asked my friend and she had no idea which one she got. She just bought it as a souvenir and decided she wanted to make soap with it because it ended up just sitting on her shelf[emoji14] (we made it together and since I supplied the other ingredients I got to keep a few bars for myself [emoji4]) I'm in Europe, so I prefer to use European suppliers. The one where I normally get my EO's only has pink lotus and going from the description the one we soaped with was probably white (or blue). There's another company that carries all 3 and even sells small test viles with only a few drops, but 3 mini viles and shipping is already so expensive and then I'd have to go back and pay for shipping again when I want to order an amount I can soap with.. I might do it at some point, but right now I am still mentally preparing myself to spend all that for a few bars of soap[emoji6]

 

[Nanette]

Thanks @Nanette. I asked my friend and she had no idea which one she got. She just bought it as a souvenir and decided she wanted to make soap with it because it ended up just sitting on her shelf

(we made it together and since I supplied the other ingredients I got to keep a few bars for myself

) I'm in Europe, so I prefer to use European suppliers. The one where I normally get my EO's only has pink lotus and going from the description the one we soaped with was probably white (or blue). There's another company that carries all 3 and even sells small test viles with only a few drops, but 3 mini viles and shipping is already so expensive and then I'd have to go back and pay for shipping again when I want to order an amount I can soap with.. I might do it at some point, but right now I am still mentally preparing myself to spend all that for a few bars of soap

Ah, I see....good luck in your search!

 

[Zany_in_CO]

Thanks @Nanette. ...so expensive and then I'd have to go back and pay for shipping again when I want to order an amount I can soap with..

I'm wondering if it would be worth taking a train? Make a day of it. Good excuse to get out and about. When we toured Europe, I loved the train system.

 

[Nanette]

Who else would travel on a train to get soaping supplies......lolol..soapers are unique people!

 

[szaza]

I'm wondering if it would be worth taking a train? Make a day of it. Good excuse to get out and about. When we toured Europe, I loved the train system.

The company is actually really close to my parents so that was my initial idea! Unfortunately, they don't have a real shop and only sell online (sent an email to ask).. so even though I could probably bike there when I visit my parents (weird Dutch habits[emoji14]) I would have to buy online and pay for shipping.. [emoji26]

 

[Zany_in_CO]

...they don't have a real shop and only sell online

You know, sadly, that's true here too! Elements Bath & Body is an hour and a half drive for me, but I got the same response from them... no store, have to buy on line and pay for the shipping... cost about the same as gas to get there & back! And not nearly as much fun as it would be to peruse all the tempting products they have!

 

[newlee]

I live 30 minutes from Bulk Apothecary and they do allow customer pick up. So when I got there I expected a store that I could browse but nope. It's a corner of a huge warehouse. They do have some things to sample but not much. I'm not complaining because it's cheaper to drive there than paying for shipping.

 

[szaza]

You know, sadly, that's true here too! Elements Bath & Body is an hour and a half drive for me, but I got the same response from them... no store, have to buy on line and pay for the shipping... cost about the same as gas to get there & back! And not nearly as much fun as it would be to peruse all the tempting products they have!

Frustrating, isn't it?! [emoji6]

 

[Nanette]

You know, sadly, that's true here too! Elements Bath & Body is an hour and a half drive for me, but I got the same response from them... no store, have to buy on line and pay for the shipping... cost about the same as gas to get there & back! And not nearly as much fun as it would be to peruse all the tempting products they have!