Thread: Making soap

I have been using Williams for a few shaves now but am growing tired of the smell. I recently went to my local co-op store and found all the supplies to make shaving soap, so I decided that I am going to give it a try. My ingredients will be:
Glycerin
Aloe gel 1:1
Jojoba oil
Apricot oil (maybe)
Carrot oil (maybe)

But I am having a hard time figuring out the amounts for each. I tried searching the internet and only found recipes but no reference on how much of each (maybe I have been doing a wrong search). So I was wondering if some of you will be able to help me. I will be using a standard size glycerin soap bar.
Thanks
Christiano

I only know one soap recipe. Making soaps is one aspect of shaving I don't consider to be shaving. For me, there are too many good soaps out there I still need to try.

RT

Several suggestions.

Do a search on ebay for shaving soap making, as there are several good companies that can help you. Horton Lane Co. is one, and I believe they may even have a shaving soap glycerine base that you can customize. I've tried making shaving soap from regular glycerin and it just isn't possible to get the lather that most shavers expect from straight glycerin. Both olive oil and coconut oil will help to produce lather, but the right amounts are something I don't know. I believe 30%.

The other suggestion is to check out SRP/SMF member "churley"'s posts. Colleen makes shaving soap from glycerin, cold process and shaving creams and has detailed her search for the perfect soap in both forums. I know she is busy these days, but she may be able to point you in the right direction.


Godd luck

Matt

The most important issue when making soap is to get the right ratio of fats to lye (ALL soap is made with lye, regardless of what you've heard). If the ratio is wrong, you'll end of with soap that has unconverted lye and will be harsh or you'll have unconverted fats and a goopy mess.

Search the web for 'saponification' factors - this is the ratio of fat to lye for all kinds of fats - You'll need a scale accurate to 1/10 of an ounce for measuring ingredients - I have an electric postal scale.

Second, is proper mixing of fats and lye - there is the hot method and cold method - hot is NOT recommended for beginning soap makers the batch can explode covering you and everything else in lye.

Third, careful seelction of utensils - DO NOT USE aluminum anything - it reacts violently with Lye - it will instantly burn out the bottom of an aluminum pan.

Fourth, proper protection - use rubber gloves, eye protection, etc.

I've done extensive research into soap making and highly recommend that you get a book first!!!!!

Tom

This is exactly why I said you can CUSTOMIZE glycerin soaps. It is true that glycerin is derived from all types of fats and making a glycerin soap from scratch is a very long, in depth and smelly process.

If you wish to skip the chemicals, exact ratios and sap factors, I suggest using a glycerin base rather than truly "MAKING" you own soap.

I assumed that you were making a glycerin based soap when you mentioned your list of ingred. ie. standard glycerin soap bar.

It's much easier to 'make' soap by melting together various existing soaps and ingredients and reforming into bars.

What most people don't know, is that soap naturally has glycerine when it's made - however, glycerine is more valuable sold separately than in a bar of soap - so soap manufacturers extra the glycerine to sell separately - this is why the brand-name soaps dry your skin out - all the moisturizing glycerine has been extracted during manufacture.

Does anyone know where detergent came from?

During WWII, chemists experimented with making soap from used motor oil and lye - the result was detergent.

I learned everything I ned to know about soap from Fight Club, but I'm not allowed to talk about it.

X

If you are making shaving soap from glycerin soap, you should try to add som bentonite or kaolin clay. I haven't tried bentonite clay but I am expecting some in a couple of days so I am looking forward to see if there is a difference.

And the last time I was making shaving soap I used ceder wood fragrance. Great...

Thanks for all the advice. I have done a lot of research and feel pretty confident in making some. Although that will have to wait now since I took a trip to the co-op and found a shave soap made by Simmons Naturals that was decently priced. It contains olive oil, palm oil, coconut oil, water, aloe, and vitamin E. It lathered up pretty good (well as good as a boars brush will let you) but won't know how good until I shave with it tomorrow. It has a nice citrus scent which is way better than Williams scent. If its good then I'll use it until I'm out and then try to make my own. Thanks again for all the info

Christiano

Originally Posted by chris10

Thanks for all the advice. I have done a lot of research and feel pretty confident in making some. Although that will have to wait now since I took a trip to the co-op and found a shave soap made by Simmons Naturals that was decently priced. It contains olive oil, palm oil, coconut oil, water, aloe, and vitamin E. It lathered up pretty good (well as good as a boars brush will let you) but won't know how good until I shave with it tomorrow. It has a nice citrus scent which is way better than Williams scent. If its good then I'll use it until I'm out and then try to make my own. Thanks again for all the info

Christiano

Chris,

you can google "shaving soap recipe" and get ton's of stuff. One thing to keep in mind, tallow based soaps make better lather over all because of the small bubble. There are some exceptions but the all vegatable based options take a LOT of experiementing. I know I'm still experimenting, as I don't like tallow based soaps, and I've been making soaps for over 7 years now. I use stainless steel muffin tins from the local kitchen and bakery shop for molds, wal-mart may have them also. I "grease" them with food grade mineral oil before pouring the soap in. I slightly bulge the top so I can shave off the excess for a smooth finished look.

If you don't have a curing cabinet you can wrap it with plastic wrap and foil and then insulate it with an old blanket or afgan and keep it in a safe spot while it cures. There are also salt saponified soaps that are really gentle on the skin that work well for shaving. I do a few of these occasionally.

Glen F