Teach Soap

Hi All,
I am from India. My name is Julia Rajasekhar. Mother of 2(Boy-8yrs and Girl-2 and 1/2yrs).
I am new to soap making.I joined this forum so that I could get the required guidance from the expert.

Here there are a couple of handmade"commerial" soaps. They use paraffin wax and talc which I have not come across in any of the soapmaking recipes I have gone thro' so far.I wanted to know if they are safe to use in my recipes. My experience with one of the soap was unpleasant. I got pimples using them.

Looking for your reply and continues guidance.

JJulia

I have seen paraffin in commercially made soaps and they were awful. It's a cheap ingredient and a cheap filler, which can clog the pores.
We don't use talcum powder in soaps as it can have some cancer causing properties.
There is a lots of info on soapmaking on this forum. Start reading!

_________________
Irena
Closed minds are like faulty parachutes; they refuse to open.

Thanks Irena.

I have another query.
I had made an activated charcoal soap with peppermint EO. Its kind if curing for past 2 weeks. I tried using it.
I got a good lather. However I could not smell the EO in my hand after washing and the soap is leaking black when it is we. However the lather is white.

Please explain

Hello, Julia!
How much EO did you use and what size is your batch?
I've never used activated charcoal, but usually too much colorant will cause colored lather. I have some soaps that are brown from the fragrance and they will leave brown residue on the soap dish, but the lather is still white and they don't stain a wash cloth.

_________________
Linda
I know the voices in my head aren't real, but they sure have some great ideas!

Again a sincere thanks for the quick reply.

I think that soap was a learning curve for me, a beginner. I got the recipe from the net and did not feed in the lye calculator. I didnt mention one important thing in my last post. The soap dried my hand after the wash and only then did I feed the recipe in the lye calc. It was 27(range 12-22) for cleansing. So I think the whole soap is a failure. As for the leaking I am not sure. It could be because of a bad recipe.
However for your reference I am giving you the recipe:
Super fat 5%
Water discount 38
1 T Activated Charcoal.

Castor Oil 3.20oz 92gm
Coconut Oil 6.40oz 181.4gm
Olive oil 6.40oz 181.4gm
H2O 6.08oz 172.37gm
NaOH 2.33oz 66.00gm

EO: peppermint
Mixing temp 80-100
Please let me know if you need any further detail.


JJulia

How much Peppermint did you use for this batch?

_________________
Irena
Closed minds are like faulty parachutes; they refuse to open.

I think it was 0.9 oz.
I accidentially spilt it on the counter. Then I took it by hand and tried to add in as much as I could.

I don't sell my soap, but stockpile it in the closet for personal use.
I have given my brother various quantities of my soap to sell at his
step-daughter's place of employement.

I use all my soaps to wash with = never had/seen a problem.
However, my brother says he sees colors run/get in his wash-rag.
Funny I haven't seen any, but, guess it's possible = don't consider it
a major issue, soap works great .......... period .........

Hi,

However, I want to sell my soap once I am confident with it.
I am going to try another batch of Activated Charcoal with some alteration. Let see how it works.

Thanks

_________________
Irena
Closed minds are like faulty parachutes; they refuse to open.