What kind of soap would dissolve the easiest?

[LGFRDH]

I'm a newbie soap maker, but I think I know a bit about that feeling you describe of needing to rinse until you don't feel 'slimy' any longer. I can tell you that it's unlikely 'soap scum' or 'soap residue' you're feeling but the 'un-soapified' oils (when soap is made, oils are converted to soap, but it's possible to have a small percentage remain un-converted, and that leftover bit is called 'superfat,' and is likely what you're feeling).

Many soap users are looking for a bit of smoothness to prevent drying, but your preference is 'squeaky clean,' so I'd suggest finding soaps with lower 'leftover oil,' as others have said here... You may want to see if someone can make a batch for you with low superfat (zero to 2%) that you can try out.

Alternatively, buy an immersion blender and try a small batch yourself! You might find the exact sweet spot for you! Perhaps a coconut & palm oil combo that others would find too dry would be perfect for you (this is why the 'perfect' bar of soap doesn't exist... people are looking for different qualities!).

Since starting to make my own soap, and buying handmade soap from others for the first time, I've had to force myself to stop scrubbing until the slippery feeling is entirely gone... and I think my skin is starting to be less dry! (something I really needed)

I think Jorah said it perfectly.

 

[cmzaha]

I'm a newbie soap maker, but I think I know a bit about that feeling you describe of needing to rinse until you don't feel 'slimy' any longer. I can tell you that it's unlikely 'soap scum' or 'soap residue' you're feeling but the 'un-soapified' oils (when soap is made, oils are converted to soap, but it's possible to have a small percentage remain un-converted, and that leftover bit is called 'superfat,' and is likely what you're feeling).

Many soap users are looking for a bit of smoothness to prevent drying, but your preference is 'squeaky clean,' so I'd suggest finding soaps with lower 'leftover oil,' as others have said here... You may want to see if someone can make a batch for you with low superfat (zero to 2%) that you can try out.

Alternatively, buy an immersion blender and try a small batch yourself! You might find the exact sweet spot for you! Perhaps a coconut & palm oil combo that others would find too dry would be perfect for you (this is why the 'perfect' bar of soap doesn't exist... people are looking for different qualities!).

Since starting to make my own soap, and buying handmade soap from others for the first time, I've had to force myself to stop scrubbing until the slippery feeling is entirely gone... and I think my skin is starting to be less dry! (something I really needed)

While I agree with part of what you are saying about low superfatting I do not agree with all of your opinion. I superfat in the 2% range and have so long before it was popular, in fact, I was at the forefront of the trend in this forum. But the squeaky clean comes from high cleansing soaps which are usually high in Coconut Oil, Babassu, or Palm Kernal oils, being the cleansing oils. These are the oils that create bubbles in our soap and contain high Lauric and Myristic acids. These particulars also create highly soluble soaps that will lather in salt water but are very cleansing and strip the oils from our skin creating that squeaky feeling. My soaps rinse clean and quickly without the squeaky feel because I also use low CO/Pko percentages in my soaps. (17% or below)

Soft water is another ball game when it comes to rinsing off soap, even syndet bars are hard to rinse off in very soft water. I used to hate showering in AZ at my ex-sisters house because of the very soft water when she live in Casa Grande, AZ, I never felt like I was able to rinse off all the soap and this was years before I made real soap.

 

[Blufuz]

If you have trouble with commercial soap, then picking up soap making is a great opportunity to make the soap that’s perfect for YOU! It takes some time, but since your skin is going to stay with you for a while, you might as well take that time

If that’s not possible for you, your next best option is to find some craft markets and make friends with a soap maker there, who may be able to help you. I saw a lot of people posting about how switching to artisanal soap can be a little weird at first because your oils remain, but a very sensitive friend of mine noticed that my soap made her hands feel both really soft and REALLY clean. This may be because she was trying my very young soaps that had only cured for a couple months

If you can’t find any artisanal soap, maybe try African black soap. A lot of people swear by it. If you want to try and see if high cleansing is the solution, try and find one of these all-purpose soaps like Marseille, which is not going to irritate your skin like a detergent, but it’s also not cream and silk.

When you do find the solution, let us all know!

 

[Jorah]

While I agree with part of what you are saying about low superfatting I do not agree with all of your opinion. I superfat in the 2% range and have so long before it was popular, in fact, I was at the forefront of the trend in this forum. But the squeaky clean comes from high cleansing soaps which are usually high in Coconut Oil, Babassu, or Palm Kernal oils, being the cleansing oils. These are the oils that create bubbles in our soap and contain high Lauric and Myristic acids. These particulars also create highly soluble soaps that will lather in salt water but are very cleansing and strip the oils from our skin creating that squeaky feeling. My soaps rinse clean and quickly without the squeaky feel because I also use low CO/Pko percentages in my soaps. (17% or below)

Soft water is another ball game when it comes to rinsing off soap, even syndet bars are hard to rinse off in very soft water. I used to hate showering in AZ at my ex-sisters house because of the very soft water when she live in Casa Grande, AZ, I never felt like I was able to rinse off all the soap and this was years before I made real soap.

There truly is a ton to learn in this craft. Thanks for these insights!

If you want to try and see if high cleansing is the solution, try and find one of these all-purpose soaps like Marseille, which is not going to irritate your skin like a detergent, but it’s also not cream and silk.

I'm still very new to trying out various soaps, but I'm starting to really like the 80-100% olive oil soaps like Castile that are allowed to cure for 8-12 months.

 

[soap_phobia]

I'm a newbie soap maker, but I think I know a bit about that feeling you describe of needing to rinse until you don't feel 'slimy' any longer. I can tell you that it's unlikely 'soap scum' or 'soap residue' you're feeling but the 'un-soapified' oils (when soap is made, oils are converted to soap, but it's possible to have a small percentage remain un-converted, and that leftover bit is called 'superfat,' and is likely what you're feeling).

Many soap users are looking for a bit of smoothness to prevent drying, but your preference is 'squeaky clean,' so I'd suggest finding soaps with lower 'leftover oil,' as others have said here... You may want to see if someone can make a batch for you with low superfat (zero to 2%) that you can try out.

Alternatively, buy an immersion blender and try a small batch yourself! You might find the exact sweet spot for you! Perhaps a coconut & palm oil combo that others would find too dry would be perfect for you (this is why the 'perfect' bar of soap doesn't exist... people are looking for different qualities!).

Since starting to make my own soap, and buying handmade soap from others for the first time, I've had to force myself to stop scrubbing until the slippery feeling is entirely gone... and I think my skin is starting to be less dry! (something I really needed)

yeah, youre probably right it's something like this.
so what I need is basically a blender and the ingredients?
maybe I should try it out, isnt it dangerous though? the only thing i know is from that scene in "Fight Club" when brad pitt burns a hole in edward nortons skin with.... Lye ?

 

[soap_phobia]

While I agree with part of what you are saying about low superfatting I do not agree with all of your opinion. I superfat in the 2% range and have so long before it was popular, in fact, I was at the forefront of the trend in this forum. But the squeaky clean comes from high cleansing soaps which are usually high in Coconut Oil, Babassu, or Palm Kernal oils, being the cleansing oils. These are the oils that create bubbles in our soap and contain high Lauric and Myristic acids. These particulars also create highly soluble soaps that will lather in salt water but are very cleansing and strip the oils from our skin creating that squeaky feeling. My soaps rinse clean and quickly without the squeaky feel because I also use low CO/Pko percentages in my soaps. (17% or below)

Soft water is another ball game when it comes to rinsing off soap, even syndet bars are hard to rinse off in very soft water. I used to hate showering in AZ at my ex-sisters house because of the very soft water when she live in Casa Grande, AZ, I never felt like I was able to rinse off all the soap and this was years before I made real soap.

thanks for all this input! wow! yeah im starting to think of maybe trying out some soap making myself. but how does Glycerin soap work? is it based ONLY on glycerin? ive ofc tried googling but all I get are ads....its all about buying the stuff. not how it works?

 

[soap_phobia]

If you have trouble with commercial soap, then picking up soap making is a great opportunity to make the soap that’s perfect for YOU! It takes some time, but since your skin is going to stay with you for a while, you might as well take that time

If that’s not possible for you, your next best option is to find some craft markets and make friends with a soap maker there, who may be able to help you. I saw a lot of people posting about how switching to artisanal soap can be a little weird at first because your oils remain, but a very sensitive friend of mine noticed that my soap made her hands feel both really soft and REALLY clean. This may be because she was trying my very young soaps that had only cured for a couple months

If you can’t find any artisanal soap, maybe try African black soap. A lot of people swear by it. If you want to try and see if high cleansing is the solution, try and find one of these all-purpose soaps like Marseille, which is not going to irritate your skin like a detergent, but it’s also not cream and silk.

When you do find the solution, let us all know!

thanks for the input! I bought (sadly only one) marseille soap on EATALY in Rome, while travelling there last year. I think it was supposed to be based ONLY on olive oil? i really loved it, it rinsed easily. then I bought some other olive oil soap where I live, only to be disappointed as it contained mostly other oils as the base, and also smelled like lavender which gives me a headache....

So, tell me more about Marseille soap? it's supposed to be made only with olive oil??

 

[Jorah]

.
so what I need is basically a blender and the ingredients?
maybe I should try it out, isnt it dangerous though? the only thing i know is from that scene in "Fight Club" when brad pitt burns a hole in edward nortons skin with.... Lye ?

A blender, yes, but one like this, an 'immersion' or 'stick' blender.
For the ingredients, some lard or olive oil for the fat, filtered water (distilled if you can get it but people made soap for thousands of years with creek water!), and lye; the lye needs to be 100 pure lye. I've used several brands that I got at the hardware store; just make sure there are NO other ingredients.
For mixing, you need a sturdy plastic or stainless steel bowl or pitcher, and that's pretty much it. There are tons of good guides, like this one: Step-by-Step How to Make Cold Process Soap for Beginners

My first batch, I poured the soap batter into a cardboard 1-liter/quart milk carton and let it harden overnight, then peeled off the cardboard and cut it with a knife.


I haven't made glycerin soap yet, so won't comment on that question.

 

[Blufuz]

thanks for the input! I bought (sadly only one) marseille soap on EATALY in Rome, while travelling there last year. I think it was supposed to be based ONLY on olive oil? i really loved it, it rinsed easily. then I bought some other olive oil soap where I live, only to be disappointed as it contained mostly other oils as the base, and also smelled like lavender which gives me a headache....

So, tell me more about Marseille soap? it's supposed to be made only with olive oil??

Marseille soap is not a protected name, but in spirit it should be 100% olive oil (although they will also market it as 72% olive oil, reflecting the fact that there’s also water and lye). The real deal should be unscented, and comes in these big olive green cubes. I think you can order it from Amazon.

If they do anything specific to make it feel different than normal olive oil soap, I don’t know. I personally find it a bit too harsh on my skin, and generally use it for hand-laundry.

 

[soap_phobia]

A blender, yes, but one like this, an 'immersion' or 'stick' blender.
For the ingredients, some lard or olive oil for the fat, filtered water (distilled if you can get it but people made soap for thousands of years with creek water!), and lye; the lye needs to be 100 pure lye. I've used several brands that I got at the hardware store; just make sure there are NO other ingredients.
For mixing, you need a sturdy plastic or stainless steel bowl or pitcher, and that's pretty much it. There are tons of good guides, like this one: Step-by-Step How to Make Cold Process Soap for Beginners

My first batch, I poured the soap batter into a cardboard 1-liter/quart milk carton and let it harden overnight, then peeled off the cardboard and cut it with a knife.


I haven't made glycerin soap yet, so won't comment on that question.

wow it's that easy? isn't it dangerous though that the ingredients could like react and explode in your face and blind you etc?
I came here just asking for some info but now I guess you're getting me involved in this soapmaking stuff. thanks, now I feel like I have to try! will check out the link!

 

[Shelley D]

wow it's that easy? isn't it dangerous though that the ingredients could like react and explode in your face and blind you etc?
I came here just asking for some info but now I guess you're getting me involved in this soapmaking stuff. thanks, now I feel like I have to try! will check out the link!

It really is pretty easy. Just remember goggles & gloves, you should wear a long sleeve shirt also, and old/cheap shoes (in case a splash splatters onto your feet). Watch a LOT of "how to" videos on YouTube, they are very helpful and informative. Compare hot process to cold process to see which you would prefer.
I work in small batches and prefer deep bowls or tubs to shallow and wide to help contain sloshes (I can be an aggressive mixer ). I wear glasses so safety goggles are cumbersome and interfere with my clear view so I usually just wear my glasses but I did have one teeny tiny splatter hit dead center of one of my lenses and it ate the anti-glare coating off (like a pin dot spot) so just be cautious. I have gotten a spot on my skin but my kitchen is small so I literally turned straight around and washed it off with cold water ~ no skin burn. The first batch is your biggest hurdle, after that it's easy peasy lemon squeezy

 

[Blufuz]

wow it's that easy? isn't it dangerous though that the ingredients could like react and explode in your face and blind you etc?
I came here just asking for some info but now I guess you're getting me involved in this soapmaking stuff. thanks, now I feel like I have to try! will check out the link!

Fair warning: it’s addictive! You start with one batch and the next thing, you’re supplying everyone you know with lifetime supplies of soap they didn’t really ask for

Also, watch out for the fumes; I soap outside or right next to an open window. I don’t know what the fumes do, but I’d rather not risk it.
Generally though, I don’t find it substantially more dangerous than frying oil, and actually less chance of explosions! I’ve been very grateful to my kitchen gloves and goggles though.

 

[AliOop]

wow it's that easy? isn't it dangerous though that the ingredients could like react and explode in your face and blind you etc?
I came here just asking for some info but now I guess you're getting me involved in this soapmaking stuff. thanks, now I feel like I have to try! will check out the link!

Unless you are working at pretty high temps, or you put water onto lye (instead of lye into water), an explosion is highly unlikely. Small spatters, however, are quite common. The spatters don’t instantly burn off your skin, but your eyes need to be protected at all costs. This is why you wear goggles, gloves, and clothing, and work in a calm, undistracted environment.

 

[soap_phobia]

It really is pretty easy. Just remember goggles & gloves, you should wear a long sleeve shirt also, and old/cheap shoes (in case a splash splatters onto your feet). Watch a LOT of "how to" videos on YouTube, they are very helpful and informative. Compare hot process to cold process to see which you would prefer.
I work in small batches and prefer deep bowls or tubs to shallow and wide to help contain sloshes (I can be an aggressive mixer ). I wear glasses so safety goggles are cumbersome and interfere with my clear view so I usually just wear my glasses but I did have one teeny tiny splatter hit dead center of one of my lenses and it ate the anti-glare coating off (like a pin dot spot) so just be cautious. I have gotten a spot on my skin but my kitchen is small so I literally turned straight around and washed it off with cold water ~ no skin burn. The first batch is your biggest hurdle, after that it's easy peasy lemon squeezy

WOW! <3 I like your style

 

[soap_phobia]

Unless you are working at pretty high temps, or you put water onto lye (instead of lye into water), an explosion is highly unlikely. Small spatters, however, are quite common. The spatters don’t instantly burn off your skin, but your eyes need to be protected at all costs. This is why you wear goggles, gloves, and clothing, and work in a calm, undistracted environment.

thanks for all the help!
Alas, what is glycerine soap? So the glycerine remains more than in normal soap, and it is supposed to be transparent? it has something to do with re-heating, I read on wikipedia, but found pretty limited info.
But like, it's not like you take glycerin INSTEAD of the other fats when you make the soap? right?
I understand maybe it's hard to answer if you never made it, but please make me understand this better ?

 

[AliOop]

What some people call “glycerine soap” may be referring to premade melt-and-pour (MP or M&P). That is a premade base that may be clear or may be opaque. The lye reaction has already been completed, so all you do is chop some into small bits, melt it, color and scent it (optional) and pour into molds.

There is also transparent soap, which can be made from M&P, or that you can make yourself with lye, oils, glycerine, and other ingredients.

 

[soap_phobia]

Have you ever used a handmade soap before? If so, did it feel any different to you than what you have been using from the store?

Here in the states, the store bought soap has to have a label with ingredients listed on it. If you have a hard time deciphering it, we can help.

Everything that everyone has told you was based on the assumption that you were making soap or at least using handmade soap, so you will have to be patient while everyone adjusts their thinking.

Ok, so I recently discovered this Brazilian soap in a special store, and I really like it. Now, I would like the help from you guys in understanding why I like it, so that maybe I can buy/make(?) something similiar, something even better. I realize the text is partly in portuguese, but I'm sure you can decipher what it means, it looks like the ingredient names are actually in English?? The soap is transparent and smells really good. It makes a very fine foam, almost like shaving foam, and actually it feels like it cools the skin somehow. And most important for me, it dissolves pretty easily in my soft water. Attatching photos. Thank you

 

[AliOop]

This is a combination of a true soap and synthetic detergents. It appears to be scented primarily with amyl cinnamal, a synthetic jasmine fragrance that is a known skin irritant for a fair number of people. Other scent components (citronellal, for instance) may be a result of using essential oils, or from using the individual oil constituents.

Making this would be an advanced soaping project for sure. However, you may be able to purchase a melt-and-pour soap base that comes close to the main ingredients. Then it would be a matter of finding the scent components that you like. You could start with jasmine and citronella and go from there.

 

[soap_phobia]

This is a combination of a true soap and synthetic detergents. It appears to be scented primarily with amyl cinnamal, a synthetic jasmine fragrance that is a known skin irritant for a fair number of people. Other scent components (citronellal, for instance) may be a result of using essential oils, or from using the individual oil constituents.

Making this would be an advanced soaping project for sure. However, you may be able to purchase a melt-and-pour soap base that comes close to the main ingredients. Then it would be a matter of finding the scent components that you like. You could start with jasmine and citronella and go from there.

Yeah, I'm not gonna try to make it myself I guess. Also since im new to this soapmaking thing.
I probably didn't specify my question well enough :
Anybody has any clue WHY this soap in particular rinses off so easily, even in very soft water?
Is it possible to deduce that from the ingredients?
Can one make any guess as to how much superfat this soap has ?

 

[AliOop]

It’s the syndet ingredients that help it wash off so easily. They aren’t as affected by hard or soft water.