Thread: Melting VDH

Actually there is not a "standard" VDH soap. All three are different. One is a glycerin soap, indicated in its name. Then there is "select" which, I don't think, contains glycerin. Then there is Deluxe, which is "Select" plus aloe vera and shea butter.

I find VDH Deluxe melts just fine in the microwave in about 20 seconds or so and firms up in the mug in about an hour or so, no problem. I don't put it in the freezer or do anything else.

In the freezer 24 hours, you might have actually done something to the mix of ingredients. Not everything responds the same, or well, to freezing or boiling. If you are putting it in the freezer, i'd say give it just an hour. The idea is if you mixed something with the soap, you don't want it settling out so you try to cool it quickly. But that's just an hour or so in the freezer, not all day.

But I melt VDH all the time and pour it in my mug, in a travel tin, whatever, and it does fine.

Originally Posted by bhinks

I think I may have made a bit of a boo-boo here:

Recently got a puck of the standard VDH soap at CVS, as I wanted something inexpensive to mess around with proportions for uber-lather.

Anyway, I was having trouble with the puck spinning like a top in the mug, so using what I assume is the correct double-boiler method (placed the soap in the bowl and the bowl in a pan of lightly boiling water), I melted it to fit. Stuck it in the freezer for about 24 hours and thought I was set. The soap came out still a bit soft though, and I figured it just needed a bit more time to set and firm up.

Well it's been almost 3 days now, and the whole puck still has about a thick whipped-cream consistency, and I'm wondering if in my newbie zeal, I didn't quite pay enough attention to the shaving & pressing vs. melting method for glycerin- and non-glycerin based soaps. I'm wondering if I'm going to have to toss this puck now (not a huge heartbreak at a whopping $3, but still...), or if there's something I can to do get it back to the right consistency?

Ok, sorry everyone for taking so long to get back, it's been mid-terms this week; and thank you all for your input, I'll try to address all the points that were made in my absence, but forgive me if I neglect anyone.

First, I do know about the three kinds of VDH, but as it was the only one on the shelf and I pretty much needed some soap, I neglected to not which one before I threw out the packaging, which partly leads to why I was confused.

Second, I did throw it in the freezer figuring if I left it out to solidify, it might stratify by density first and I'd have a puck of essential oils followed by soap, water and glycerin in layers; I maaaayyyy have forgotten it in there for a bit.

I actually needed this soap because I tried microwaving the williams I'd had before, which is another story in and of itself. I actually picked up my boar brush that I still use on my senior class trip to spain on a complete whim, and bought the williams and stuck it in a coffee mug when I got home. For years, every once in awhile, I'd shave with those and my mach 3, just based on what I'd seen in movies and having no clue what I was doing, but I think those two whims were what implanted the seed in my head to eventually try straight-shaving. Anyway, when I read up on uberlather and decided to try it, I'd had a handful of straight shaves with just proraso and tossed the williams in the microwave quickly as it was just loose in the mug and completely ruined it. Not only did I melt it but it burned to the cup, the microwave, everywhere! I almost even kept it, since it was almost a toasted-almond type smell and would have been nice except for the stubborn burnt-toast beneath it. So anyway, I ran out to pick up the VDH and proceeded to bungle the melting process again in short order, bringing us up to the original post.

Anyway, the update: I stuck the bowl back into the freezer all week figuring, "what harm could it do now?" Took it out this evening and it had firmed back up pretty much completely, although the consistency was still somewhat... off. Tried lathering some up just to see and... wow! The stuff formed a wonderfully thick, rich, creamy lather almost immediately! I've been a cream-type-guy because I always either got pretty wimpy lather from soap or had to work at it forever to get a good one, but this was as perfect as I've ever seen, in maybe 30-45 seconds! I was floored and will definitely be having a shave with this new mystery in the morning.

So that's my story and I'm sticking to it. Please excuse both my delay and the super-long post- being away from SRP for more than a day or so really is like an eternity and ya'll jumped right in to help out, which I sincerely appreciate. I'm not sure this is an experiment I'd repeat or recommend to others, but it sure seems to have worked out this time. I guess next time I'll know that even little things like this require forethought and an artist's touch, just like shaving itself!

PS- just one last clarification after all this: am I correct in understanding that in order to fit a new container, glycerin-based soaps should be gently melted and other types should be shaved and pressed? Thanks again all!

Originally Posted by bhinks

PS- just one last clarification after all this: am I correct in understanding that in order to fit a new container, glycerin-based soaps should be gently melted and other types should be shaved and pressed? Thanks again all!

First off thanks for the info and a great post..

second the PS part
Yes you have it right, if you had shaved/grated the Williams you would have had a wonderful lather experience

Originally Posted by gssixgun

Yes you have it right, if you had shaved/grated the Williams you would have had a wonderful lather experience

Well, at least now the lesson will stick in my mind! Although now I have this whisper in the back of my mind that if I can figure out how to overheat a soap just right, or by some other method, I can get that wonderful toasted-almond scent all by itself. I smell a new obsession setting in...

The melting business isn't about whether it's glycerin or not. VDH Deluxe, for example, is not a glycerin based soap and it melts wonderfully. Mitchells Wool Fat is also, AFAIK, not glycerin based, but it doesn't melt nicely and has to be shaved and pressed to fit a mug if you want to do that.

I don't know, but i think the matter of meltability is more related to the other fats and oils in the soaps, since one non-glycerin soap will melt and another won't.

I actually don't know all the other names something like glycerin might go by, so I'll post the ingredients common to all three VDH soaps:

• Propylene Glycol
• Sorbitol
• Water
• Sodium Stearate
• Sodium Laureth Sulfate
• Sodium Myristate
• Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate
• Fragrance
• Titanium Dixoxide
• Triethanolamine

This is the "VDH Select" soap, and it's a whitish/grey color.

In addition, the "Deluxe" soap, which is a pinkish yellow color, contains:

• Aloe Vera
• Shea Butter
• FD&C Yellow #5
• FD&C Red #40

I think the VDH Glycerin just adds glycerin to the common list of ingredients.

Is there a soap handeling area in the wiki? As in the best way to melt or shave common brands of soap?

Originally Posted by Alraz

The double boiler produces slow and even heating of your soap, you chose wisely. This is the best method for your experiment. A microwave heats very fast and the heating is not homogeneous. The chance of evaporation of volatile components increases, not to mention potential bursts. I would not recommend using a microwave to melt soaps, regardless of their kind.

I agree with livingontheedge, your soap should recover its original consistency at some point but since the glycerin content is high and glycerin is very hygroscopic, this may take some time. This happened to me when I put a lid on the double boiler, this should be avoided. Placing the bowl containing the soap inside a sealed plastic bag can also help. The chemical composition of your soap has not changed, it is still a soap, only more diluted unless, you added other ingredients. You should expect the exact performance as before, just use less water.

Al raz.

+1 With what Al told you already...

One thing to add on the "Double Boiler" method it should really be called the "Double Heating" method
The water does NOT need to be rapidly boiling, the soaps melt at about 160 degrees, so just a gentle bubble will do it.. Also you don't even have to melt the whole puck, just enough to even out the soap in the bowl/cup...

Apparently I use the "deluxe" variety, thanks to a previous post.


Sounds like you've got it covered now but I want to re-assure that if your in a pinch again you can microwave it. It may not be the "best" way. I put it in the microwave for a whole 10 sec. Then check it. I'll go another 10 sec. etc.

I honestly forget how much time it takes, and it'll vary from machine to machine anyway.

The point is I go in 10 sec intervals and allow time for the heat to even out a little between each zapping. I melt it only enough to "glue" the puck to the bottom of the mug.

Originally Posted by livingontheedge

Sounds to me like your soap soaked up too much steam/water while you were boiling it. I would just let it sit out and it should reharden eventually.

I think you are right. I also melted VDH (in microwave). I put it in the fridge for several hours just to cool it down but pulled it out and let it dry out completely at room temperature. Worked fine for me.