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Bananas in soap...


TeriM

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have any of you ever done this.. ? I was thinking about giving it a try.. don't think there are any benefits.. but thought it sounded kinda cool so I was going to do a batch this weekend..

just curious if anyone has tried it...

thanks

TeriM

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Lush used to have a banana soap but it was discontinued long ago. I still have a chunk and it is yellow-brown (mostly yellow). And those litle tiny banana seeds are in there as well (I think). I love the stuff. If you can figure it out that would be great!

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I do make a banana soap. I place the banana in a blender and then add at trace. I have been making and selling the soap for over 6 months now with no problems. They key is not adding too much.

The bananas by themself in soap really do not smell but I found a banana FO that I add and it makes the soap a yellow color with no colorants added.

Bananas are a natural moisturizer. Burt's Bees has some banana lotion that is wonderful.

HTH.

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  • 6 months later...

Okay, I tried to make a banana soap...and now its like a banana soup. It was impossible to pull it into trace! UGH. I finally thought I had it, poured at thick (so it seemed)...then within two hours, I went to 'move' my mold off the table...and it cracked open and let loose some kind of oil puddle.

Now, I'm wondering...is there fragrances that just don't soap? Or is it the banana that's throwing it all off?

I used Orange & Honey from The Candlemaker Store.

Instead of adding the banana at trace..I actually had it in with the oils when I added the lye/water.

1 banana

3.5 lbs of Oil

hmmm, can I save it?

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Hmm....not sure if it was the banana or not. When I did banana soap, I puried it and used 1 tbsp pp at trace, and it turned out fine. Not sure putting it in before trace had anything to do with it or not. I have never had my soap do that before, so I can't say if it would have been the FO or not.

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Would you have to do any water discount for the additional juice in the banana? I ahve done cucumber soap, carrot soap, avocado soap and mango soap with success, but no banana yet.

While bananas may have some moisturizing properties as someone said, I don't think they themselves contain much moisture. I make fresh juices with my juicer and a banana is used, not for the juices but to add thickness. I couldn't get juice from a banana. I've yet to eat a banana and have the juices run down my arm. So I would think a water discount would not be necessary. :undecided

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Well, I was at 1.8:1 for the water...but I did use an entire banana too...figured what the heck, if anything it would make it a softer soap..not a liquid layer on the soap.

I think its all the fo on top...it smells like it. I think I should just dump off the top layer and see what happens.

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Hmmm .... I just moisturized my throat and stomach. I just got done eating a banana. :laugh2:

If you go to a spa some of them offer banana masks that are made with real bananas. It is supposed to help really dry skin.

Granted, none of us really know what benefits there are once you add them to soap but it smells good, looks nice and is different, that is why I make it. ;)

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Bananas are a natural moisturizer. Burt's Bees has some banana lotion that is wonderful.

I have that lotion, it's pretty good but it's so old now it's stinky. :undecided MM, you always do great soaps, thanks for the help with the banana, I may try this one.
Mountainmadness ... I hope you didn't take my comment as sarcastic. I was just being silly seeing as I really had just finished eating a banana.
When I read it I didn't take you as sarcastic. :wink2:
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While bananas may have some moisturizing properties as someone said, I don't think they themselves contain much moisture. I make fresh juices with my juicer and a banana is used, not for the juices but to add thickness. I couldn't get juice from a banana. I've yet to eat a banana and have the juices run down my arm. So I would think a water discount would not be necessary. :undecided

Lol, well neither have I:wink2:

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I found this...who knew?

"Banana or plantain has been widely used as an anti-wrinkle treatment. Mash 1/4 banana till it becomes a smooth paste. Cover your face with it and leave it for 15-20 minutes before rinsing with warm water followed by splashes of cold water. Pat it dry."

This website makes bananas sound like a miracle fruit:

http://www.secret-tenerife.com/2006/08/banana-fruit-plantain-health-benefits.shtml

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well I let it sit...then poured the top layer of liquid off. It was well over 16 oz of oil. So, I'm guessing...and this is just a guess

That maybe Bananas have a saponification value when you put an entire banana into a 3.5lb batch. LOL. OR, could my lye solution have done what it could to the 'easier' oils to pull it into trace & the leftover was the olive?

I just don't think my lye was off that much if any as I made two identical water/lye solutions up at the same time. The other batch came out just dandy..without a banana.

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Ok, found it in my history, she used 2 small bananas. My rational behind the water discount is if you puree a banana it turns into mush. Let it sit for about 30 minutes and it turns into runny mush (ie juicy.) So if you are going to use a considerable amount in your recipe, maybe take a bit of water out of the recipe, just like you would with other fruits:

http://www.soapnuts.com/cp8.html

Finola's Banana Beat Soap coconut oil 32oz

virgin coconut oil (local traditional) 30oz

olive oil (pomace) 20oz

soy oil 20oz

shea butter 4oz

cocoa butter 4oz

lye 17oz - disc about 5 %

water 34 (discounted 3oz)

Add two med size (small for you chiquita banana people:o) bananas -

just ripe enough to eat

2tbs yoghurt (cold) - blended together and added at trace

6tsps citrus zest - I use fresh zest or frozen -mixed grapefruit,

orange, lime, whatevers seasonal in or out of our freezer

FSS Banana FO - 5tsp (I dont' like strong scents)

Sweet Orange EO 2 tsp

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I made a banana soap with no added scent. It was very mild and had a nice mellow scent. I loved it! I didn't take any extra precautions. Final color was a light yellowish/tan with little brown specks. I used it down to the last little sliver.:D

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