Scrubby Sugar Cubes

[coco]

Re-posted by request:

60g BTMS (or Ewax)

50g Shea Butter

50g Cocoa Butter

50g MP

10g Carrier oil of choice

5g Vitamin E

Approx 500g Sugar

FO/EO to taste

*I use a preservative because I am paranoid about water content in the soap, as well as possible water introduction to the container, but completely your call.

Melt BTMS, Shea Butter and Cocoa Butter. Heat MP until just melted and add carrier oil, FO and vitamin E. Stir and add to melted butters. Slowly add sugar until you reach desired "scrubbiness" and pack into molds (ice cube trays work great) or silicone baking dish. I refrigerate mine at this point until it sets up. If using a tray, be sure to cut up (small cookie cutters also make for fun shapes-think holidays) before it completely hardens or it will be a real treat to cut.

If you do not want to use MP, double the amount of Cocoa Butter and use SLSA or the surfactant of your choice (I don't have exact amounts on this, as I am still playing with the perfect balance of a combination of surfactants. I suggest adding a small amount at a time until you reach desired amount). If this is too firm, lower the Cocoa Butter and up the Shea. I adjust the recipe accordingly in the Summer and Winter months. This is a fairly forgiving recipe that can be played with for consistency. Have fun!

[puddin1970]

Thanks for the recipe. I have tried other ones too - and I liked them but I was looking for a softer type recipe. I am gonna give it a try. Thanks for all the input

[asheebeans]

Awesome!! Do you find that scrubbier sugar (such as demerrara or turbinado) work better in this kind of recipe? Thanks for sharing, this will definitely be on my to-try list!

[Abbiepql]

Diana with Southern Garden is going to be doing a demo on these at the Mid-Atlantic gathering in PA - can't wait, looks to be something maybe I could do!

[coco]

I will be doing a class on these here coming up shortly (trying to find the time)! Will keep you posted.

[coco]

Awesome!! Do you find that scrubbier sugar (such as demerrara or turbinado) work better in this kind of recipe? Thanks for sharing, this will definitely be on my to-try list!

I don't know that I would say they work better. It is definitely personal preference. I like a finer grain because of the creamy feel (it dissolves faster). That said, I do like extra scrubby and tend to use alot of sugar. I have also used pumice and made them foot scrubs, and even ground loofah (which I LOVE). Play, experiment, have fun!

[singleyellowrose]

I tried a 4oz version of your formula last night with a couple of changes.

I used SMC Taurate Paste in place of the MP and used 125 grams of sugar.

They are nice, but I think a bit too soft. Haven't used one in the shower yet... just a small piece on my hands. Not much lather either. So tonite I am dropping out the SMC and changing the CB & SB and oil amounts. I don't really want it to lather as much as I want it to make my skin soft. Will post if it works!

[puddin1970]

Singleyellowrose - if you get a recipe that works would you mind sharing it? I have made a few versions - they were either too soft or too hard. I cant find one in the middle that I like yet. I am going to the gathering in PA (hopefully) and I will see what they do there too. But I like this idea - I have made them and given them to friends and coworkers to try and they liked them also.

Thanks!

[curlycoat2]

Hi Syr,

I use SMC Taurate Paste to make a shampoo bar and it is really a soft paste. I don't think that it would work to make a solid sugar cube. The beauty of the sugar cube is that it is solid and holds long enough and strong enough that you can rub against your skin. The taurate just wouldn't get that hard and with the oil and the shea there wouldn't be enough "hard solids". I wouldn't think. SCI or SCS would be hard enough though if you are looking for a surfactant.

Hope that helps explain why they were too soft.

jo

[singleyellowrose]

Yes it is a soft paste, but I changed out & added in some other ingredients to compensate for the softness.

I have SCI noodles and flakes and some SLSa. Haven't tried them yet.

Actually, the batch I did last nite (v4).. a bit different than the one above worked well, but I feel it "cleaned" too much. Not enough moisture left on my skin...but close.

I think the surfactant is effecting the moisture left on the skin, so I will omit it altogether for v5 and up/change out a few of the ingredients.

[singleyellowrose]

Hey guys!

Check out this thread

http://www.craftserver.com/forums/showthread.php?t=82272

[Ruina]

Did a 1/2 batch last night. I converted the grams to ounces so my amounts may have been a little off from Coco's recipe. Tried one in the shower this morning. Even though it was a bit soft, it melted nicely as I was rubbing it.

I'll have to play a little more and so to inspire me, I joined the swap

[trishsmecca]

Diana with Southern Garden is going to be doing a demo on these at the Mid-Atlantic gathering in PA - can't wait, looks to be something maybe I could do!

We just did a class on another list so Diana should be ready. I made these for a swap recently and I think the thing I like most about them is that they are single/individual serve of sugar and soapy scrubs (of course the number of times you use them depends on the size you make). I wrapped them in foils.

coco, I will look forward to the class here also (hummm....I am supposed to be preparing an unrelated class too - oops!)

Thanks,

Trish

[singleyellowrose]

trish,

you should join our swap.

[Scented]

coco, I will look forward to the class here also (hummm....I am supposed to be preparing an unrelated class too - oops!)

Thanks,

Trish

Hummmm LOL!!! Yes to both of ya

This dang stuff has me going through sugar like I have an addiction lol!

[singleyellowrose]

The upside is you are wearing it and not eating it!

[Starr]

Hmm, Ok, so I promised to do the swap if I got something decent made. I've tried this twice now, first time was a total bust. I'm pretty sure it was my fault so I went for a second try.

As I've never used something like this commercially, I've got a question, how sudsy is it supposed to be? My hands feel GREAT but I don't think I had even one little soap bubble/sud/lathery bit. Is this normal? If so... WOOHOO, a-swapping I will go.

[coco]

They aren't incredibly sudsy, more of a creamy lather. Oils will always reduce the amount of suds (think of dish soap in a greasy pan- surfactants are meant to cut the oils), it is just the nature of the beast. It really is near impossible to have the best of both worlds when it comes to suds and moisture, but you can come close! Some surfactants will definitely leave your skin feeling softer than others, and is completely a matter of what your skin "likes". For example, most people find SLSA drying, while it leaves my skin really soft. Go figure..

Before you determine that they are too soft, be sure to pop them in the freezer for a bit because it does take quite some time for the butters to set up. If following this recipe and using melt and pour, I have found that some batches seem to contain quite a bit more water than others. Leaving the cubes out for a few days before wrapping will allow for some of that to evaporate out and the cubes will harden up.

I am swamped with shows for the next month, but am dying to get in on this swap! And I haven't forgotten about the class, just waiting for some breathing room in my schedule!

[coco]

Hummmm LOL!!! Yes to both of ya

This dang stuff has me going through sugar like I have an addiction lol!

LOL! Between these and the scrubs, my kids are always screaming "where's the sugar"?!

I'm sorry, no Kool-Aid for you!

[Starr]

Hmm. Well, the problem I'm having actually is that these things are hard as rocks. I'm almost considering upping the oil content with some SAO hoping that maybe that with give me a little boost in suds too.