Soap Making: Recipes, Tips & Tricks

[ALittleMore]

Material Data Safety Sheet on SLS

I don't mean to be difficult, but what does any of that mean???   

[healthybratt]

Material Data Safety Sheet on SLS

I don't mean to be difficult, but what does any of that mean???   

Well, MDSS is "Contain information on the hazards associated with a chemical, along with guidance on its safe use"

In the sheet it says
"Precautions-Handling/Storing: KEEP CONTAINER CLOSED. STORE AT CONTROLLED ROOM TEMPERATURE. DO NOT BREATHE DUST. DO NOT GET IN EYES, ON SKIN, ON CLOTHING. DO NOT TAKE INTERNALLY."

yet, it's supposedly safe enough to wash my skin and hair with.  There are several other articles quoted in the SLS thread which support this, but this one is a government official report.

This doesn't really prove or disprove the safety of the product, but it does prove that the very people who are telling you it is safe to use don't really believe it is.  The contradiction nullifies the source.

[dara]

Ok, you guys, I have to jump in here. I've been reading and re-reading about this one, and I agree with both  HB and ALittleMore. 

SLS is a known irritant. The MSDS gives info on how the pure, concentrated chemical should be handled. If you get yourself a bucket of pure SLS, you should handle it carefully. In the concentrations found in shampoo, etc., it is not strong enough to cause damage; irritation, yes, but not damage. People who are sensitive to it, like HB, cannot tollerate any of it; for most of us, it is just a little drying. I also have not found any info. online that sounded like well doc. research that said SLS was actually bad for you. Most negative info actually sounded quite hokey.
On the other hand, if you really are looking for "all natural" (whatever that is), you probably do not want to use it... it is synthetic (chemically produced), is an irritant, and cannot be made at home, like soap can be. I have not given up on all detergents, but I now look for plant derived detergents, like you may find in products at the health food store. I wish to avoid SLS as well, but it is not (IMO) the big hairy monster that many web sites/e-mails proclain it to be. There. That is my hours-long-researched-still-just-my-opinion-opinion.

[ALittleMore]

Ok, you guys, I have to jump in here. I've been reading and re-reading about this one, and I agree with both  HB and ALittleMore. 

SLS is a known irritant. The MSDS gives info on how the pure, concentrated chemical should be handled. If you get yourself a bucket of pure SLS, you should handle it carefully. In the concentrations found in shampoo, etc., it is not strong enough to cause damage; irritation, yes, but not damage. People who are sensitive to it, like HB, cannot tollerate any of it; for most of us, it is just a little drying. I also have not found any info. online that sounded like well doc. research that said SLS was actually bad for you. Most negative info actually sounded quite hokey.
On the other hand, if you really are looking for "all natural" (whatever that is), you probably do not want to use it... it is synthetic (chemically produced), is an irritant, and cannot be made at home, like soap can be. I have not given up on all detergents, but I now look for plant derived detergents, like you may find in products at the health food store. I wish to avoid SLS as well, but it is not (IMO) the big hairy monster that many web sites/e-mails proclain it to be. There. That is my hours-long-researched-still-just-my-opinion-opinion.

Thank you Dara for your post! I felt I was the only one, with all the SLS talk online and on the forum, that thought the info available online either sounded fake or inapplicable. I think yours is a very practical conclusion.

In my eyes, SLS is a lathering agent, and as the "Rich, creamy lather..." slogan rises in popularity, so does the amount of SLS being put in bath products and such. This is why all-natural (yes, whatever that is...  ) soaps and shampoos do not lather as much as leading drugstore brands, because they don't have so much SLS.

I've found many leading soaps to be very drying, and if something says "antibacterial" I can't use it! It makes my skin dry so badly it cracks. But the natural soaps I've used (both mine and our midwife's assistant who made soaps) were not anywhere close to as drying, if they were at all. If I feel at all dry, I put on Body Butter or body oil when I get out of the shower, and personally, I've been very pleased with my hand-crafted soaps.

Also, I think part of it depends on both where you live, and your body's health. If you don't drink enough water, your skin will be the first to show it. A body's lack of hydration is evident in dry skin, and your skin is more likely to be "dried out" by other things, and if you've ever noticed, your lips are more likely to get chapped!
Secondly, I've noticed that now that we live in "the desert," my skin feels much more dry much more of the time, whereas before, when we lived in east Texas, my skin only ever got dry in the winter.   

So in essence, I'd say I agree, SLS "is not the big hairy monster."

[mexmarr]

I am very interested in getting into making homeade soap.  Not just the melt and pour method where you buy the soap already made, and just mold and flavor it.  I mean from scratch, where you start with fat and lye.

Does anybody else do this.  I'd love tips, hints, tricks, suggestions, ect.   And sources for supplies, too.  I''ll probabaly use suet tallow, as my MIL already has some prepared.

Thanks!

[o2bhealthy]

I personally don't but my sister does and has for years. I like most of her stuff, especially a shampoo bar. Anyway, I watched her do it in her kitchen, her husband actually taught her as he is a teacher at a high school, he teaches art.

From what I gathered, getting the fat and lye ratios is important in order for it to set up. I know she bought some books and depending on your library system you could get books that have recipes. One would have to just check and research as to where and the best prices of ingredients. She has always used all natural ones without chemicals and if she used scents it was with essential oils, I do think she may have delved into more later though.

It can be quite an undertaking but she at one point did home parties and sold that way as well. I would also encourage you to use a tea tree oil or something like that or you may experience what we did, not getting the smell off ones body, like for whatever reason one would use the soap that didn't have it and then the b.o. would linger. hmmm not so nice.

Keep in mind that one is suppose to cure the soap so it isn't ready immediately in certain recipes. It was pretty neat to see her do it and her results. 

heidi

[SONBEAM]

My kids and I made soap once.  It was a lot of fun! An acquaintance of ours makes it for civil war demos.  At the time my children were learning about Colonial times and how the women made their own soap.  So we had her show us how as a school project.  We had to take turns stirring because it took over an hour for the soap to thicken.  She did tell us that everything you need could be found at your local walmart.  With the exception of your essential oils.  I do remember that you need a large enamel pot and a thermometer was important.  She also said not to reuse the pot for cooking!  Something about not taking any chances with the lye.  Sorry that I can't help more.   Soap making is actually something I'd like to do for my family.  I just don't have the room right now to store anything.  Hope that it is as fun for you!
                                                                    ~Dawn~

[dara]

Soapmaking is easy and fun! It is something you have to be careful of around children because the lye used is caustic and can cause burns.

I would recomend getting books from the library (or amazon) as you get a lot of complete information that you can refer to often. One author I like is Melinda Coss, also Susan Cavitch, and Sandy Maine.

A simple explination of the process is that when lye is mixed with fat (various oils, animal and or veggie) a chemical reaction occurs and causes the fats to change into soap. That process is called saponification. After the soap is made, it needs to cure for 4 weeks in order for the lye to evaporate. There is no lye remaining when the soap is finished curing. Hope you try it. I think you'll enjoy it!

[anynomouse]

Ok so after all of these posts and suggestions I am wondering if any of you has tried making your own soap.

What distributor do you find to have the best priced no chemical (sodium l Sulfate, Propolyne glycol etc) Please post web address for me

also what is the least expensive method? I am overwhelmed with the informaion here 
I would just like to find out what is the least expensive and the best place to purchase it .

then I will start my adventure 
thanks for the tips and tricks all of you

[mexmarr]

Well.....  I haven't gotten to it yet.....BUT, I am still planning on it!  (Do good intentions count?  )

[Kati*did]

Well.....  I haven't gotten to it yet.....BUT, I am still planning on it!  (Do good intentions count?  )

Yes!!!!!!!!!!!!  I've conquered the world with good intentions!! 

Then I got back to work.

 

[yanceysemdj]

An easy economical way to start is with library books, I like Clean Naturally by Sandy Maine for beginning. Most of her recipes use things you can find in the regular grocery store or super walmart, like olive oil, crisco, and coconut oil. I use palm oil instead of crisco so that the soap is more moisturizing, but there is nothing wrong with crisco soap, it's really hard and lasts a long time. I can give you our recipe using palm if you want it. Use the cheapest olive oil you can find, it actually makes better soap than the good stuff.
 Lye can be hard to find these days though. It used to be available easily and cheaply as Red Devil drain cleaner but they have changed their formula and it is no longer 100% lye. I get mine in bulk from Boyer Chemical, they have a web site, I think it's www.boyercorporation.com, or do a google search for Red Crown Lye, but shipping is pricey. I've seen it on ebay,  it's not cheap either but might be a good way to get a small quantity to get started. Make sure you don't use hard water to mix with your lye. And a thermometer and scale that reads ounces are really important. Use a pyrex, stainless or heavy plastic container(a handle comes in really handy -he he-too) to mix lye and water, the heat will shatter regular glass sending caustic lye flying all over. Don't breathe right over the dish while you are mixing the lye and water and NEVER touch either the lye or the lye/water solution. Keep some vinegar on hand to neutralize any lye spills or burns.
I use essential oils which I buy in bulk from Sunfeather, www.sunsoap.com, if you use aromatherapy grade(expensive) you don't have to use as much. I use about 4 tbs per 6 pounds of soap of lower grade oils. It helps if you warm them ( to about 85-90) before adding to the soap and put them in just at or before trace. If you wait much longer you soap can seize (looks like applesauce) and will be hard to get into the molds, you can still use it, it just won't be as pretty. At trace is also when you want to add any herbs, oatmeal, pumice etc.
We take the soap out of the molds the next day and store in brown paper-never plastic- for 4 weeks before using.
Sorry to go on and on, but I love making and using our soap. I hope I helped. It is scary at first, but if you can cook, you can make soap-- really great soap.

[anynomouse]

OK, to make things stretch until I get my first batch of soap made and cured I purchased Kirk's Original Coco Castile soap at my local store. Anyone ever used this? it's only $1.05 per bar and the ingredients listed are..... Coconut soap, water, coconut oil, Vegetable glycerin, natural fragrance.  That is it, it also says no animal by products or synthetic detergents.  Sounds pretty good to me

P.S. The problem I have with the SLS and the propylene glycol is an issue called Estrogen Dominance, my body was turning all of the synthetic detergents etc into Estrogen. If you want more info it is pretty easy to find it if you google search Estrogen Dominance. It is very yucky.

[healthybratt]

P.S. The problem I have with the SLS and the propylene glycol is an issue called Estrogen Dominance, my body was turning all of the synthetic detergents etc into Estrogen. If you want more info it is pretty easy to find it if you google search Estrogen Dominance. It is very yucky.

That's very interesting.  Thanks for the head's up. 

[anynomouse]

P.S. The problem I have with the SLS and the propylene glycol is an issue called Estrogen Dominance, my body was turning all of the synthetic detergents etc into Estrogen. If you want more info it is pretty easy to find it if you google search Estrogen Dominance. It is very yucky.

That's very interesting.  Thanks for the head's up. 

BTW I love your new photo

[anynomouse]

ok, what "fats" have you all been using? I am getting two of the books listed in this thread today and I was just wondering what types of fats you have been able to find that work well and do not have any hormones in them.....Can you find animal fats that are hormone free at a co-op? or is it better to use non animal fats?
thanks

[dara]

I use only veggie and nut fats because it is hard to find meat sellers who sell HFAF (hormone free, antibiotic free) meat to render your own fat out of (with their fatty scraps). My favorites are, in order, Olive Oil, Coconut Oil, Palm Oil, Safflower oil, Shea Butter, Cocoa Butter, and Sweet Almond Oil. There are a myriad of options, but I have not tried them all.

[mexmarr]

I am going to use Suet Tallow, that has been rendered.  Suet tallow is the best animal fas option to use.  It is the far aroung the kidney of a cow.  My FIL happens to work at a meat processing plant.  It then then "rendered"  which bascially means that it is bioled down and all the impurities are removed.  It is a nasty job, says my MIL.  Fortunately she rendered musc more that she needs, so I will get to use hers, which is already nice and pure.

My plan is to make a basic soup from tallow, lye and water.  Once it is cured I will grate it and then add additives to it and mold it.  Then it would be "milled soup" and be harder and last longer.  I got cocoa butter to add to some and aloe butter to add to some. 

[healthybratt]

Can anyone provide us with a reliable source for why SLS is truly even a threat?

Environmental compounds called xenoestrogens are common sources of estrogen that men and women in industrialized developed nations are exposed to. These substances, primarily of petrochemical origin, have potent estrogen-like activity and are found in our air, fuels, herbicides, pesticides, plastics, clothing, propylene glycol and sodium laurel sulfate. This causes all women in developed countries to have to have too much estrogen (estrogen dominance)...from

I'm still researching this, and I would encourage you to as well.  Thanks to anynomouse for the headsup.  I've already stopped using SLS in most of my products, but we still have toothpaste and dishsoap in the house for lack of better replacements (sofar), but I've recently found out I have an ovarian cyst and I believe that estrogen dominance may be a factor.  Now I just have to find all the other contributors..*sigh*.  It's a never ending battle.

[dara]

Might want to think about your meat sources, HB

Mexmarr, your initial soap may be pretty soft, with only tallow, until it cures/sits a long time. I've heard said by some smart soapers that it will have to sit about 9 months to get good and hard. You may want to consider adding a little coconut oil, and your cocoa butter to the initial batch. It will harden it up nicely. You can create your own recipes by using on online lye calculator. Just google it, and you will get several options.

[healthybratt]

Might want to think about your meat sources, HB

I'm on it, just didn't post it here.    I'm really fretting about giving up my chicken 

[mexmarr]

Might want to think about your meat sources, HB

Mexmarr, your initial soap may be pretty soft, with only tallow, until it cures/sits a long time. I've heard said by some smart soapers that it will have to sit about 9 months to get good and hard. You may want to consider adding a little coconut oil, and your cocoa butter to the initial batch. It will harden it up nicely. You can create your own recipes by using on online lye calculator. Just google it, and you will get several options.

My MIL's book says that it will be quite hard.  She has made it three times and hers was very hard.  She only uses water, lye, and tallow.  I have a recipe from The Complete Book of Soapmaking.  It is the homesteader's recipe.

Now I am curious to see what will happen with mine....

[mexmarr]

Oh, I have a soap-making date with my MIL!  Yea!  We will do it on Thursday.  I'll let y'all know how it works out.

[Kari]

I don't have a scale.  Any recipes that use measuring cup measurements? 

Also, I can't buy lye anywhere in town (I've called grocery stores, hardware stores, and chemical/janitorial suppliers) b/c it has been taken off the shelves b/c of illiegal use of it.  Any suggestions?  Thanks.

[yanceysemdj]

I don't have a scale.  Any recipes that use measuring cup measurements? 

Also, I can't buy lye anywhere in town (I've called grocery stores, hardware stores, and chemical/janitorial suppliers) b/c it has been taken off the shelves b/c of illiegal use of it.  Any suggestions?  Thanks.

I can't think of any recipies that don't use scales off the top of my head. HAve you tried yard sales etc for a scale? Thay have some inexpensive ones at walmart. Other than soap supplyers and chemical companies I'm not sure of where to get lye. Are there any soap makers near you that might sell you some of their lye? I'd be happy to share with anyone near me.

[dara]

lovingmomof2- you can get lye online from soap making supply companies. I like Dianna's Sugar Plum Sundries, or Majestic Mountain Sage... but if you google it, there are many.

HB, you may be able to find "all natural" at the store; otherwise, it may be time to try some of those meat rabbits in the back yard... 

[anynomouse]

AMEN, it is a never ending battle....but our heavenly father never said that all of our battles would be social ones!

This website is a blessing to all of us fighting the battles; Thank God for that

Can anyone provide us with a reliable source for why SLS is truly even a threat?

Environmental compounds called xenoestrogens are common sources of estrogen that men and women in industrialized developed nations are exposed to. These substances, primarily of petrochemical origin, have potent estrogen-like activity and are found in our air, fuels, herbicides, pesticides, plastics, clothing, propylene glycol and sodium laurel sulfate. This causes all women in developed countries to have to have too much estrogen (estrogen dominance)...from

I'm still researching this, and I would encourage you to as well.  Thanks to anynomouse for the headsup.  I've already stopped using SLS in most of my products, but we still have toothpaste and dishsoap in the house for lack of better replacements (sofar), but I've recently found out I have an ovarian cyst and I believe that estrogen dominance may be a factor.  Now I just have to find all the other contributors..*sigh*.  It's a never ending battle.

[mexmarr]

Other than soap supplyers and chemical companies I'm not sure of where to get lye

Here in my little town of 500, they still sell it at the grocery store 2 blocks away.  People here must still make soup, because it is all gone right.  My MIL is going to get me some at the nearest Walmart, 70ish miles away.  That is where she used to get hers, but now you guys have me worring about whether she will find it now!

[healthybratt]

lovingmomof2- you can get lye online from soap making supply companies. I like Dianna's Sugar Plum Sundries, or Majestic Mountain Sage... but if you google it, there are many.

HB, you may be able to find "all natural" at the store; otherwise, it may be time to try some of those meat rabbits in the back yard... 

We bought 2 rabbits last spring.  We still have 2 rabbits.   

[mexmarr]

Other than soap supplyers and chemical companies I'm not sure of where to get lye

Here in my little town of 500, they still sell it at the grocery store 2 blocks away.  People here must still make soup, because it is all gone right.  My MIL is going to get me some at the nearest Walmart, 70ish miles away.  That is where she used to get hers, but now you guys have me worring about whether she will find it now!

Walmart didn't have it!    I'm not sure that the store can order more before we move.     We are just 2 blocks from my MIL, and we wanted to make soap together before we move, and we start moving on Saturday.....