Wax in Soap

[melonie]

Hi All,

I read somewhere that some soapers would use wax in their soaps. Did I get the right information? If so, what's the purpose of wax in soap? Please let me know.

Thanks,

Melonie

 

[donniej]

As in beeswax, yes. Jojoba oil is also technically a wax. I've never read of using parafin wax.

EDITED: I meant to say beeswax, not candle wax

 

[melonie]

Hi Donniej,

I read that soy wax could be used in soap making. What would the purpose be for using wax in general? Please let me know.

Thanks,

Melonie

 

[carebear]

Ecosoya waxes have the SAP listed. And they meet the requirements for cosmetic products.

http://www.ngiwax.com/resources/qa.html?group=7
http://www.ngiwax.com/products/specifications.html

 

[Sibi]

Some folks use a very small percentage of beeswax in soap to make the bars harder. I've tried it myself but I find it very hard to work with in making CP soap.

 

[Manchy]

i didn't use it, but some people use olive wax to make firmer 100% olive soap. they make soap harder in general.

 

[Euphoric]

I use yellow bee's wax in some soaps. It's a little tricky to work with, it tends to gum up on the sides of my ss pot, if you cool your oils in a cold water bath in the sink like I do. So you have to keep taking it out and stirring it off to remix it, gums up on the bottom.

Then when mixing oils with the lye water you get what they call a false trace its the wax gumming up, I just keep mixing, eventually it thins then forms real trace but it can be confusing the first couple times. And while your mixing you will notice it keeps sticking to the sides of the mixing container and you have to keep pushing it down and back into the mix.

It does make a nice harder and sorta silky shiny bar for me. I think its worth the aggravation lol.