Melt and Pour Soap Additive List!

[prairieannie]

We've done this before, but it's been a long time, and I don't remember if the list was on this board or not.

Let's list the things we've added to M&P soap. I'll start, and hopefully everyone will keep adding. This is for everyone, but especially newbies to the MP world who are wondering just what can be added.

Please feel free to inquire as to results of using any of these, or amounts if I haven't included that. And PLEASE add your own to the list! I love learning new things that can be added!!

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Jojoba Oil - This is actually a wax rather than an oil. It's a very silky feeling addition to soaps!

Emu Oil - This oil tends to get very greasy in soap and not a lot is needed. It does have WONDERFUL properties and my research has shown that it doesn't take very much at all to provide these benefits! You may want to research it yourself.. I love using it and it goes in every batch I make.. but in small amounts! Approximately 1 T per pound of base at the most!

Avacado Oil

Evening Primrose Oil

TeaTree Oil

I use approximately 1 tablespoon per pound of base for the above additives. I've used more Tea Tree.. up to 2 tablespoons. Teatree is a very strong smelling oil which needs to be taken into consideration. It can get overpowering very quickly.

________________________

Coffee grounds - I use these wet, and don't use many.. they are VERY scratchy, even if they are wet. For a four pound batch I only use a few Tablespoons total.

Oatmeal - ground quite finely for use as an exfoliant. I also have used whole oats on the top of the loaf for aesthetics.

Honey - 2 Tablespoons per pound of soap

Goat Milk- I use 1/2 to 3/4 cup of fresh goat's milk per four pound batch of soap. You can start with 2 or 3 T per pound. Keep in mind that if you are adding liquid you may need to balance with hard oils or butters.

If you don't have access to fresh, you can use powdered or canned. I don't dilute the canned at all, and I make the powdered extra strength!

To reconstitute the powdered, use distilled water. (Put it in a gravy shaker and shake the shit out of it to get the lumps out! ) You can whisk the heck out of it too if you don't have a gravy shaker or a cup with a lid.

Cream- 2T per pound of base

Shea Butter 1 1/2 - 2T per pound of base depending on other liquids being added

Mango Butter 1 1/2 - 2T per pound of base depending on other liquids being added

Beeswax- 1-2 T per pound of base - This helps to make your bar nice and hard!

Cocoa Butter- same as shea and mango

Veggie glycerin - helps big time with lather and a little with bubbles

Liquid Soap - helps hugely with bubbles!

Peppermint Leaves- I sprinkle them on top.. Adding them in soap turns them dark black.. I think it looks cool, but it has to be the right kind of soap of course. I just sprinkle a tablespoon or two to my full batch of cooling soap and stir them in to suspend

Spearmint Leaves - Same as peppermint leaves

Calendula Petals- 1 or 2 T per pound of soap. They look cool in soap!

Chamomile - A T or so per pound of base.

Lavender Buds - Added to soap base these will turn black and your soap will look like it has mouse turds in it!! I sprinkle a few on top sometimes and it looks nice while holding some of it's color.

Herbal Teas: You can buy teabags and break one or two open into your soap.. suspend by stirring until soap begins to thicken and harden. Keep in mind that large pieces can be very scratchy.. I like to use mainly leaves.

[kestagano04]

Thank you prairieannie for starting this thread! It will make it a lot easier (for me at least) to find the info I'm looking for (instead of trying to weed through numerous past posts). So far I've only added ground oats, green tea leaves (cut open a tea bag), and lavender buds. I can't wait until my order from Southern Soapers arrives! I plan on trying glycerin, silk powder, olive oil, beeswax, and Dr. Bronners.

[DeAnna_EC]

yogurt powder- 1 or 2T to a lb ...it likes to clump up so i sift it over my cut up base then melt and stir alot

strawberry seeds..just a small amount goes a long way

vanilla bean seeds- gets expensive though

[Darbla]

PA or any of you other gurus: is there anything I can add to m&p that will keep white soap white? I know lye using soapers can use a vanilla stabilizer or titanium dioxide, but I don't know if that works in m&p.

I've added:

Kelp or any seaweed - dried, from the health food store; added for aesthetics on top of sea scented soap

Cinnamon, ground - swirled throughout and more on top; made an awesome looking addition to a Halloween soap that was dyed orange

I've got a book by Marie Browning called 'Melt & Pour Soapmaking' that has tons of ideas, but it's too much to type out here. I do recommend the book if you're looking for one on m&p.

[prairieannie]

Here's one from WSP, that is supposed to be for MP soap.

I haven't tried it, so let us know how it works if you decide to.

http://www.wholesalesuppliesplus.com/StoreCategory.aspx?CatalogID=4&GroupID=596&CategoryID=1004&CategoryName=Vanilla+Color+Stabilizer

[Soapymomma]

Cool thread! I have added:

Ground orange peels

Ground rose hips

coffee powder

Once I experminted with a caffine powder because I read that it was supposed to perk up the skin and refresh you. I think it was a dud. LOL

Soapymomma

[Farmhouse Treasures]

I really appreciate you listing your m&p additives but would you please tell me the advantages each of these bring to the soap?

[Soapymomma]

I do know that sometimes an additive just brings color or texture - like ground rose hips.

Other things bring an exfoliation ability - like oatmeal. Ground luffa is a stronger abrasive, so is good to add for a foot soap for example. People sometimes use thing like lavender buds just for the scent and color. Of course lavender is relaxing too, so some additives have many properties and can be added for any or all of them. Some moisturize, others are better at cleansing. Some are just for fun!

Someone else might have other ideas.

Soapymomma

[kestagano04]

Here's one from WSP, that is supposed to be for MP soap.

I haven't tried it, so let us know how it works if you decide to.

http://www.wholesalesuppliesplus.com/StoreCategory.aspx?CatalogID=4&GroupID=596&CategoryID=1004&CategoryName=Vanilla+Color+Stabilizer

My stepmom has used the stabilizer from WSP, not too long ago but it seems to have worked fine.

[prairieannie]

I really appreciate you listing your m&p additives but would you please tell me the advantages each of these bring to the soap?

I don't have time to do each of the additives I listed, but here are a few main additives and advantages:

Butters: most every butter I have ever used has been for it's moisturizing and softening properties, as well as to balance out the ratio of soft and hard oils in soap. This helps to keep the bar from being too soft.

It is my personal belief that cocoa butter helps the most with making a hard bar if I don't want to add bees wax or stearic to make it even harder.

Honey is a wonderful natural humectant. This means that it can draw moisture in, and also retain moisture. It has been used for hundreds of years.. think Cleopatra's milk and honey baths!

Goat's milk just plain loves your skin. I'd say the same for creams, and milks. Very good nourishment for the skin... awesome label appeal as well!

The many different herbs that can be used will each have their own advantages, however, I'm not sure how well we can expect them to perform in soap.. For me the are usually added more for the aesthetic appeal, but of course, some of them will have beneficial properties regardless.. you may have to do a little research on the ones that interest you the most!

If there is a specific item that I haven't mentioned here, please feel free to ask, and I will do my best to get an answer for you.

[Candybee]

Olive Oil - 1-3 tsp (or 1 tbs) per lb

Gives extra moisturizing and is loaded with vitamins and minerals that you skin loves. Too much OO in your base will make it greasy so add sparingly.

Castor Oil - 1-3 tsp (or 1 tbs) per lb

Adds great moisturizing to you soap skin. Your skin beads up with moisture if you use this in your soap. It also gives your base a super rich creamy lather.

Herbal Tea - 1/2 tsp per lb

I simply open up a tea bag of herbal tea and add about 1/2 tsp to a lb of base. You can use any type of tea really. I like adding herbal tea to create an herbal spa type soap. Tea will provide texture, exfoliation, and an organic or 'green' appeal to your customers. My customers buy the herbal soaps 4-1 over the regular plain ones.

Oatmeal - 1 tbs per lb

Oatmeal has natural skin soothing properties including anti-itch. I grind mine in short blasts in my blender. Its also a natural exfoliate and super gentle on your skin. I add it to my goat's milk soap with locally produced honey for an all natural OMH soap.

Lemon Esstential Oil - 1-2 tsp per lb

Lemon EO is used for renewal and the fragrance is clean and natural and refreshing. I love using it to make my sugar scrub soaps. I sometimes add a small amount of Tea Tree oil to the base for its cleansing properties.

Lemon Peel - up to 1 tbs per lb

Lemon is known for its ability to renew and rejuvenate. I love adding it to my soap. I've found 3 types so far:

1) Powdered Lemon Peel - found this at my local health food store.

2) Course Lemon Peel - use 1/2 to 1 tsp per lb. I use this a lot. Its a natural exfoliant and pairs nicely when adding lemon EO as your scent

3) Lemon Zest - I zest about 1/2 of a lemon for natural lemon zest. It works great in my soap and makes it smell heavenly while adding texture, and exfoliation

Turbinado Sugar - up to 1 tbs per lb

Turbinado is the natural sugar you find in most health food stores. I even find it in the grocers as well. I use it create a sugar scrub soap. Because of its natural light brown color you will want to make soaps that compliment that. Be careful not to add too much sugar as it compromises the lather.

When I am making a lemon sugar scrub I sprinkle some T. sugar into my mold and pour my melted base over it.

Vitamin E

Vitamin E is good for reducing the signs of aging and works nicely in your base. Its also a terrific selling point. You can use vitamin E capsules you get from the store if you don't have any from your soap suppliers.

[Candybee]

Spices:

Ground Cinnamon - 1-3 shakes

Adds texture and eye appeal. My number #1 selling soap has ground cinnamon and ground nutmeg in it. Customers are drawn to the eye appeal of the ground spice.

Ground Nutmeg - 1-3 shakes

See above. I also add ground cinnamon and nutmeg to my fall and holiday pumpkin soaps. Again, gives your soap texture and eye appeal.

Dried Basil & Parsley Flakes - 1/2 tsp per lb

Gives your soap an herbal appeal and adds a nice texture to it. I added some dried basil flakes to my Tuscan Lace (Flickers) soaps and sold out on the first day.

Paprika - 1-3 shakes

I like the color and it gives your soap a nice color variant and some added texture. Keep in mind that if you remelt the soap the paprika will color the base a reddish color. Best if added to a scent like pumpkin, gingerbread, etc. that compliments the color.

[prairieannie]

Awesome advice Candybee!! I had forgotten about mentioning some of the natural things that can be used for colorants!!

[DeAnna_EC]

i forgot about these

rosemary

camomile

calendula

cocoa powder

poppy seeds

pumpkin pie spice

thyme

[Skiminims]

That's neat about using herbal teas. Can you smell any fragrance of the tea in your soap? Or do you still use a FO/EO?

[kestagano04]

That's neat about using herbal teas. Can you smell any fragrance of the tea in your soap? Or do you still use a FO/EO?

When I used green tea leaves I could definitely smell them. I liked how it smelled. I had also used Lavender Cucumber Sage FO and the two scents combining was not a problem. I had only used the tea leaves for looks so I didn't use too much.

[Candybee]

That's neat about using herbal teas. Can you smell any fragrance of the tea in your soap? Or do you still use a FO/EO?

I can smell the strong ones like peppermint. But using the small amount like 1/2 tsp I don't smell in the finished soap so if you want a fragrance use your preference of EO or FO.

There are other ways to get herbs in your soap. You can purchase them seperately at health food stores or herbal shops. You can also make your own dried herbs. I make my own parsley flakes.

[prairieannie]

Yes, it all depends on the type of tea you find. Sometimes you will get one that has a very strong wonderfully herby scent and you don't need a fragrance at all.. especially if you are wanting a more natural look and feel to the soap. I would love to hear what works for you guys as you try new things.. so be sure to share when you find something you love!!

[DeAnna_EC]

i had an urge to put wild rice in my clear once, just to see how it looked

[Darbla]

Here's one from WSP, that is supposed to be for MP soap.

I haven't tried it, so let us know how it works if you decide to.

http://www.wholesalesuppliesplus.com/StoreCategory.aspx?CatalogID=4&GroupID=596&CategoryID=1004&CategoryName=Vanilla+Color+Stabilizer

I was just looking that up on WSP and also found that they have a 'vanilla neutralizer'. There are reviews for both, and some of the reviews are saying the stabilizer is better and some are saying the neutralizer is better. Blah, all they're doing is confusing me.

[prairieannie]

i had an urge to put wild rice in my clear once, just to see how it looked

LOL, so, did you follow up on that urge?? What did you discover?

[kandlekrazy]

You ladies truly are my heroes!! Also making me want to break out the base and get going on something new right now, lol. Why, oh why do I read these late at night?

[DeAnna_EC]

i havent done the wild rice...yet! but im sure gonna try it just to see what it looks like, i'll definitely post a pic of that when i do

[flightoffancy]

I have a question for the oatmeal pros. Do you add your oatmeal at a certain temp? I'm getting ready to experiment with my first batch using oats and I don't want to end up with a slimey bar of soap.

[kestagano04]

I add my ground oats after I add the fragrance (which I add when the base has cooled enough to stick my finger in and not feel any pain ). I keep stirring in an upward motion as it thickens until I see that the oats stay suspended throughout.