Vio Posted April 4, 2008 Share Posted April 4, 2008 LMAO I'm laughing just because I really want to try this, because it's said it can't be done easily. Challenge, I love it! I want to make a shaving soap, using 20% beeswax, which is protective and emollient, with moisture drawing properties. I'm also going to add 10% stearic acid, because if it's long lasting, well that is a great thing in a shave soap. Now I know it's going to be hard and I'm ready. No color or fo. This is going to be fun. Will get the blood circulating. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CareBear Posted April 4, 2008 Share Posted April 4, 2008 us a dilute lye solution - and all the best to ya Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vio Posted April 4, 2008 Author Share Posted April 4, 2008 Thanks. Yeah going full water cool as possible. Not tonight though. I feel the fairies in the house. Just too tired to think tonight. Not a good time to be soaping. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cindym Posted April 4, 2008 Share Posted April 4, 2008 'What no clay:cheesy2: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
topofmurrayhill Posted April 4, 2008 Share Posted April 4, 2008 "As cool as possible" is a loaded phrase. The mixture may very well be solid at room temperature. You'll need to have it (and the lye solution) hot enough for everything to emulsify properly. Make sure the oils are totally clear. Maybe if you use enough water you'll have time to get it mixed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vio Posted April 5, 2008 Author Share Posted April 5, 2008 Will do! Still haven't done it yet. I think I'm going to try it tomorrow night though. Can't wait! LOL No, if I had some clay, I'd use some though! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roxanne Posted April 5, 2008 Share Posted April 5, 2008 You've probably already come across info about the best way to melt and combine beeswax with your oils, but just in case you can use more advice, here's what worked best for me when I used it. I melted the beeswax in a double-boiler first (a clean can in a small pot of water works great), because I read that too much direct heat can damage it. Then I melted my solid fats to ~150 degrees, added the melted beeswax, and mixed well. The melting point of beeswax is around 146, and if you add the melted wax to cooler oils, it will solidify in clumps. (Ask me how I know.) After making sure the melted wax was thoroughly mixed with the hot melted fats, I could add my cooler liquid oils and let the whole pot cool down to 80 degrees without the wax separating. This was with only 2% beeswax, though; I'd keep an eye on it to see if it starts setting up sooner with the higher percentage.I agree with Top about soaping when the oils are clear. For my formula, that means at least 90 degrees, and I prefer 95 or so. I use palm, which seems to start clouding when it drops much below 90. The stearic in your batch may do the same.I can't wait to hear how your experiment goes! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vio Posted April 5, 2008 Author Share Posted April 5, 2008 Roxanne I can't thank you enough!!! See, I hadn't come across that melt info. Thank you!!! I'm behind on my laundry so I don't know if this will happen tonight either, but I'm going to do it soon. Have to get caught up on housework. LOL Thank you!!!! I usually do my mixing lye water to oils at like 95 too. Lye cooler than oils. I guess this beeswax is going to be more of a challange than I thought! Even better! LOL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
topofmurrayhill Posted April 5, 2008 Share Posted April 5, 2008 95 degrees is not going to happen this time.If you use as much beeswax and stearic as you plan, I'm sure you'll have to soap well above 100 degrees, maybe above 110. Both the oils and the lye will have to be hot or the mixture will solidify before you can get it properly emulsified. It may seem like acceleration but it'll just be setting up like a candle.Don't forget to adjust your thinking about what the objective is. You're not trying to get this mixture to trace. You're trying to get it mixed sufficiently in the short time you'll have. As soon as you think it's properly emulsified, rush it into the mold or it won't be going anywhere.The mold will have to be pre-warmed and you'll have to put it in a warm heated place. If it cools off in the mold before it's saponified I think it'll turn to crap. A roaster oven or something might do the trick.If it sounds like I'm kinda nervous for you, that's because I am. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vio Posted April 6, 2008 Author Share Posted April 6, 2008 LMAO thank you Top!!! Thank you for the advice will do at 110 or so to be safe, and ready to mix as fast as I can, with mold ready to go. It's a small tube. OMG....light bulb just went off. The bottom of this tube might be aluminum. Must check! LOL I'm nervous too. Still haven't done it yet though. And I'll make sure it's warm enough for sap. Thank you!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greensoaper Posted April 7, 2008 Share Posted April 7, 2008 I'm so confused.Why are you using beeswax in a shaving soap? Too much beeswax will make the soap sticky and reduce lather. This is the exact opposite of what you want in a shaving soap. Am I missing something? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vio Posted April 9, 2008 Author Share Posted April 9, 2008 So you've soaped beeswax before? This is going to be a personal thing on a very small scale for myself. I'm looking for creamy and not sudsy really when it comes to shaving. The rest can be all coconut for all I care after the beeswax is in it. I'm still undecided on exact what I'm doing, but I want to see what it does for myself. It's a curiousity thing mostly and if it comes out good for me, then it's even better. LOL Here's what soaper's choice says about it...Beeswax has emollient, soothing and softening properties and helps the skin retain moisture do it is often used in cosmetic and skincare products as a thickening agent, emulsifier, and humectant.After processing, beeswax remains a biologically active product retaining anti-bacterial properties. It also contains vitamin A, which is essential for human cell development . Throughout time, people have used it as an antiseptic and for healing wounds. Hippocrates even recommended and used it himself.Part of it's gonna sap, the unsappables, I want to see what's good or bad about it. I might even try to do an exact lye with like 1% superfat, then add something else after it's traced a bit, to superfat it for more slip. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greensoaper Posted April 9, 2008 Share Posted April 9, 2008 Yes, I've soaped beeswax. I've never gone over 10% though. At 10% things moved fast. I can only imagine what it'll do at the rate you're looking to try.I'm just wondering what it is that you're expecting from the beeswax. That info you posted from SC isn't talking about bw in soap, just bw in general. I've only used it in projects where a bar needed to last longer in less than ideal circumstances. Good luck on your project. Be sure and report back when it's done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CareBear Posted April 9, 2008 Share Posted April 9, 2008 I think she's just goofing around at this point!Vio - if you are going to experiment like that (which I applaud) I suggest trying one new thing at a time. See what each item adds on its own (at varying levels), then move on to checking out combinations of them (again at various levels). Experimental design is your friend. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vio Posted April 9, 2008 Author Share Posted April 9, 2008 Yup it's a goof, and I want to see the effects of the higher beeswax. I'm still undecided on adding the stearic too, but it's a tiny batch I'd be doing and just want to try it. It's nothing serious, it's just for fun and if it works and is something good, then I know what I can do. I like to push myself like this with stuff. Keeps it exciting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CareBear Posted April 9, 2008 Share Posted April 9, 2008 have fun! you might want to have your crockpot nearby for rebatching the seized soap... no point in waiting LOL! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dabbledoya Posted April 9, 2008 Share Posted April 9, 2008 I agree with Carebear~~go for it! It's just a gal and her soap pot, have fun! Isn't that what it's all about anyway lol? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vio Posted April 9, 2008 Author Share Posted April 9, 2008 LMAO thanks for the advice! LOL I'm actually thinking of using something that I can mix it right in it's mold somehow. Just trying to figure the attack out exactly. Kids are sick and soap plans just not moving forward so it's not happening yet. Still devising it though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pjb31apb Posted May 20, 2008 Share Posted May 20, 2008 so have you done this yet? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vio Posted May 20, 2008 Author Share Posted May 20, 2008 Nope! After thinking about it a while, not going to either. Is there a chicken smilie? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Louise Posted May 21, 2008 Share Posted May 21, 2008 Vio, you nut! Glad to hear you're not going to do this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vio Posted May 22, 2008 Author Share Posted May 22, 2008 LMAO I was drunk!!! I had to be. I look at it now and think, what the heck was I thinkiing? Sounded good at the time though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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