DIY-Homemade Soap(non-shaving)

Nick the Knife said:
@khun_diddy , thanks pal - haha they're actually not that rustic looking as they've got a very smooth exterior, nice set and even dimensions. If you make HP body soap, as @filobiblic did you tend to get pretty rustic looking bars as whereas I get to pour basically a thick batter (think milkshake) into my mould. He's going to have something more like mashed potatoes to scoop out of his. Smoothing that down and getting nice even bars is apparently a bit of a challenge.
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I'll try to get a photo of my very "rustic" looking pile of mashed potatoes... [emoji14]
 
Oh @filobiblic FWIW I noticed that you said your HP body soap was,"...good to go the next day."

Though HP isn't my area and I'm sure you've already researched this yourself I feel obliged to tell you that whilst the saponification process may be over in your soap (HP speeds this up whereas it can occur for weeks in CP) you'd still be very strongly recommended to NOT USE your soap for atleast 4-6weeks whilst it cures. A big misunderstanding with HP vs CP is that folks think HP is ready to use right away.....which is incorrect, it's safe to use but it'll perform quite poorly as it's nowhere near properly cured. So regardless of which approach you take the curing time for body soap is still about them same....which is prolly another reason why for body soap CP is preferred.

Shaving soap is a tad different as the curing time isn't so important but major factor with body soap - unless you want a pile of mush in your shower after a single use.
 
Thanks NtK. It was still a little soft the following day but I used it in the shower a week later and it was terrific. In fact, I've been using it constantly since then and it's been a wonderful soap. Thanks for the original recipe (which I adapted slightly).

Straight after I made it I used PH indicator paper and it was OK. So no probs using it. In terms of hardening up, it has gotten harder over time but not much difference between a week and 3 weeks as far as I can tell. I think I could use it the day after but if I waited a week it would be perfect. [emoji106] Too easy.
 
Nick the Knife said:
3 weeks later and no photos? Surely it's not that ugly a duckling? :sick:
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Nah. Seriously, I just haven't made some wire to cut it! I'll work on it tonight.
 
Cut it off your guitar. You probably don't use it often enough anyway.
Or am I the only person who never gets around to learning how to play?
 
Nick the Knife said:
3 weeks later and no photos? Surely it's not that ugly a duckling? :sick:
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Ok, here's 'ya piccies...

Soap Log
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Individual Soap block
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I filled a loaf tin plus about 6 silicone muffin patties. I've been using one for the past few weeks.

Scent: Peppermint & Rosemary (with dash of lemongrass) 3.2% EO

Method: HP

RECIPE (courtesy of @NicktheKnife)
Beef Tallow 45%
Coconut Oil 20%
Olive Oil 15%
Rice Bran Oil 15%
Castor Oil 5%

Superfat: 10%

Additions:
4 tsp sugar
3 tsp colloidal oatmeal
Several drops of colouring

My Thoughts
Too easy.
> Sourcing the ingredients is straight forward; mostly through a supermarket.
> Measuring and mixing is simple. The melting takes time.
> Hot Process take about 40 minutes more and you have a soap you can use within a week.
> The final 5 minutes of the HP is the frantic dash. It quickly sets and you add scent & colour before pouring (or more like it - scooping and splatting) into moulds.

BUT I think HP gives a more "rustic" (ie rough-looking) soap. That's ok for at home use but it's not going to win any prizes at the local show. You can't make any pretty swirls or fancy colour patterns. You're hard pressed to make sure the additions like oatmeal is well incorporated through out the batch. So that's why my colour is a bit...well...
 
BUT I think HP gives a more "rustic" (ie rough-looking) soap. That's ok for at home use but it's not going to win any prizes at the local show. You can't make any pretty swirls or fancy colour patterns. You're hard pressed to make sure the additions like oatmeal is well incorporated through out the batch. So that's why my colour is a bit...well...
 
Nice work @filobiblic , I'm impressed though you certainly didn't get the tip/inspiration for your blue swirls from myself! :confused:

A few quick thoughts which may/may not assist the next batch you do (for bodysoap anyway):
  • I'm assuming the grainy pieces I can see in it are the oatmeal? For oatmeal to be colloidal oatmeal it has to be as finely milled/ground as flour, so certainly not able to be seen. That said your oats that are visible will act as an exfoliant but won't have the colloidal benefits.
  • Your SF is getting up there a little at 10% but still should be no issue - I did reference 8% to you and have gone no higher than that myself.
  • Even though the colour is definitely NOT my thing, I do think you've done a very good job with it given that from all I've read swirling etc with HP is a major PITA - so fair play to you on this.
  • If you want to get a more even/regular shaped bar place gladwrap over the top of the loaf (which you should have been doing anyway to stop soda ash build up) and with something flat and as close as possible to the size of the gap you've got to work in press down on it to even out. Better still take a few hours and knock yourself up a wooden loaf/rectangular mould - but the silicone baking mould just WORK and I suppose there's a lot to be said for that.
  • The % of EO/fragrance you put into a mix is different depending on whether you do HP or CP - when you spoke to me I was fully under the belief that you were going to do CP (there was zero mention of HP other than referencing @bald as 's great work and your desire to do a shaving soap down the track) - but you can use SIGNIFICANTLY less EO/scent in a HP soap - your %'s to me look like CP type levels (the lower % needed in HP is one of the big reasons shaving soap makers like it as it reduces their costs a LOT).
  • If you find via your HP method additives hard to evenly mix - you can often toss them in with the oils right from the get go (the oatmeal would have been fine to do this). Only exception is where they're significant in size e.g exfoliation stuff like poppy seeds, coffee grinds.
  • Yes, HP body soaps will have a very rough and rustic look - but in a way there's a charm to that as they scream homemade, of course the rough edges etc of HP or CP soap go after a wash or two so it really isn't an issue at all.
Again very impressed that you dove into the deeper end of the pool with the HP body soap right off the bat, personally not something I'd have done but to who dares wins eh! As you seem to have wanted to use it right away HP probably was the only choice for you - but if you feel you can resist the temptation for atleast 4 weeks then maybe give CP a go for your next body soap, haha I sense you've got some inner swirling/glamming that you could really go to town with with all the extra time it allows you! ;)

@gthomas04 , hows your initial effort getting on? Have you given it a run yet - unlike our mutual younger friend above I know you'd have had no issue with patiently holding off using it. (y)
 
Thanks for the advice and thoughts @NicktheKnife. I was fully going CP until the Missus thought homemade soap would make a great present for her friend's wedding on the weekend. I did the only thing a husband could do - and agreed. "Yes dear". [emoji16]

I didn't realise the oatmeal had to be powder- it makes very nice exfoliant as is... Thanks for the tips about flattening the top and EO %. I just went with the flow on that one. It's got a nice strong scent anyway!

Colour ain't my thing either but I thought the other half would like it. It turned out a slightly different hue to what I expected- oh well.
 
Pretty decent first up effort I reckon. I do like Nicks samples he sent me, just something about it that put a smile on my face.
 
Monsta_AU said:
Pretty decent first up effort I reckon. I do like Nicks samples he sent me, just something about it that put a smile on my face.
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@Monsta_AU , awww thanks ya horrible sod! (y) Haha yes I never did hear back from you after I sent them that you liked them or even a quick thanks! :cautious: BUT it was just as you'd been jet setting, propping up small Father and Son Barbershops and photo bombing on celebrity chefs....so I figured what the hey and let it slide. (n) Just jokin', your track record speaks for itself and I figured you were flat out like a one legged man in a backside kicking contest.

But it is nice to hear that it put a smile on that ruddy dial of yours. FWIW if you'd like some more of my latest efforts (there's a Tea Tree one there) drop me a line and I'll get another load off to you. ;) Nick
 
It's gone a tad quite in this thread - no more soaps from yourself @filobiblic ? I know that small Western Sydney artisan has churned out a few more batches. Haven't done much myself, actually need to buy some more castor oil and tallow.

No pix, as it's still in the mould but did a batch of Grapefruit, Rosemary & Peppermint with Seaweed, Aloe Vera & Kaolin Clay. We'll see how that works out. 50% of the water replaced by fresh Aloe. ~0.7% ppo ground seaweed (we keep some in the house for making Miso). I was intending to put 1% in but the smell is very strong and thought better to go a tad lower as have read of other folks having to toss batches away as it smelt like washing with a dead fish!
 
Nick the Knife said:
It's gone a tad quite in this thread - no more soaps from yourself @filobiblic ? I know that small Western Sydney artisan has churned out a few more batches. Haven't done much myself, actually need to buy some more castor oil and tallow.
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I haven't made any more since the first batch. The main problem was that I broke my foot a month ago... It kinda slows life down. [emoji21]

I've been reading up in the meantime and have some recipes to cook up. I'll definitely be back into the swing of things once I'm back on my two feet (literally!). [emoji106]
 
Kicking into the first bar of @Nick the Knife's 'Coffee Grounds' soap. And let me tell you it is extremely exfoliating - maybe too much so for my liking.

Scent also still has that slight coffee smell, but seemingly works well with whatever EO's were in the actual soap (no idea, cannot remember).
 
Monsta_AU said:
Kicking into the first bar of @Nick the Knife's 'Coffee Grounds' soap. And let me tell you it is extremely exfoliating - maybe too much so for my liking.

Scent also still has that slight coffee smell, but seemingly works well with whatever EO's were in the actual soap (no idea, cannot remember).
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If it smells of roasted espresso beans it must be good.
 
Monsta_AU said:
Kicking into the first bar of @Nick the Knife's 'Coffee Grounds' soap. And let me tell you it is extremely exfoliating - maybe too much so for my liking.

Scent also still has that slight coffee smell, but seemingly works well with whatever EO's were in the actual soap (no idea, cannot remember).
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Yup, thats a fair point as this was the first time I'd used grinds in the soaps and upon review they were a tad coarse (think the grind used for plunger) if/when I do again I'll use a tad coarser than espresso grinds. If you use the soap directly on you (we tend to use washers) they can be a tad sharp, which is somewhat surprising as they've been steeped/brewed and then put through the soap making so you'd think they'd soften up but nah. So apologies about that but your thoughts concur with mine.

I didn't actually detect much coffee scent on them at all myself - but the EO's used on them were Tea Tree & Rosemary (with a smidge of Bay Laurel) and also has some Kaolin clay - the usual type of oils I use in the soap but a bit of Avocado Oil as well. :)
 
Made my first 'Castile' soap this arvo. It was also the first cold process I've attempted. It's another one inspired by @roger - cheers mate! Your all-in-one soap is superb.

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It took about 15 mins of constant blending to get it to something resembling trace. Perhaps it could have been mixed longer. I'll be able to better judge this point the more CP I do. Once this was reached I added the vetiver EO, stirred a short while longer and transferred to a homemade mould (cardboard and baking paper).

Initial thoughts: the mould is too big and the batch size too small. For this particular mould I reckon a batch of ~1800 g is indicated. I'll have a better idea tomorrow when I unmould it.

Can't wait until the 15th of May to give it a whirl!
 
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