Making soap and lotions etc..

dosa_chick · February 21, 2011, 9:48am

I am hoping to make my own body soap, lotion and laundry detergent. Does anybody have any experience with these, please share your recipes and experience.

Thanks..

miss_adorable · February 21, 2011, 10:11am

Re: Making soap and lotions etc..

Good luck, let us know how it comes out!

dosa_chick · February 21, 2011, 11:18am

Re: Making soap and lotions etc..

thanks i have been looking into reciepes etc...will let u guys know but in the meantime if anybody else makes soaps wagerah tu please share ur exp. thanks

stoppit · February 21, 2011, 12:41pm

Re: Making soap and lotions etc..

Nopes. You can buy eco/natural for all these things.

Having said that, it sounds like a fun thing to try if you have the time. There are a lot of guides on the internet. I buy things like witch hazel, tea tree oil, rosewater from a great online store that also sells it's own brand of natural moisturisers, shampoos, soaps etc.

Chicken_Biryani · February 21, 2011, 1:29pm

Re: Making soap and lotions etc..

I am excited already ! Dosa Chick , I havent tried making any myself but I know someone who makes them and gifts them .. but never tells her business secrets to anyone

stoppit · February 21, 2011, 4:13pm

Re: Making soap and lotions etc..

erg, now i had to go and see what sort of stuff they have and they have a marine collagen moisturiser with really good reviews.

sarab · February 21, 2011, 4:23pm

Re: Making soap and lotions etc..

I sometimes make soap, there is quite a few different methods. There is a method that uses sodium hydroxide (caustic soda) but you have to leave the soap to rest for 3 months before using it, so not very good if you want to make something quick.
My simple recipe for quick soap is
1 bar of unscented, white soap (Simple soap works quite well)
1 Table spoon of olive oil
1-2 Table spoons of coconut oil
few drops of essential oil (lavander, ylang ylang, orange, lemon etc whatever you like really)
Rock salt
Small amount of food colouring (I find powdered best)

Grate the bar of soap
Bring a pan of water to boil and put a bowl on top (like when you melt chocolate)
As the bowl is heated by the water add the grated soap, olive oil and coconut oil
Be patient as it will take time for the mixture to melt
use a plastic whisk to mix
when it has turn to liquid, take off the heat and add a small amount of food colouring (maybe 1/8 teaspoon) mix rapidly and then add the few drops of essential oil
then pour the mixture into a mould, I like those small silicone moulds but you can line a sandwich box with a sheet of grease proof paper.
Leave to set for about 3-4 hours and then sprinkle rock salt on top and gently press down (I do this just to make one side of the soap and exfoliator) The soap should set easily overnight and is ready to use, just tip it out and slice it into peices.

The causic soda method does give better results but I can't remeber the exact quatities and you don't really want to be messing around with 'guesstimates'

dosa_chick · February 21, 2011, 8:07pm

Re: Making soap and lotions etc..

Thanks a lot for the recipe and tips....but using the white soap, isnt it like making a soap out of soap? I always wondered that, how much soap does it yield?

I didn't want to use lye, but I went through hundreds of websites fir soap maing and this seems to be the only way. In old day ppl used to make soap by using wood charcol instead of cautic soda but that is not an easy process.

Since I am in india at the moment I am finding it hard to get my hands on the materials, but someone told my about a laundry shop somewhere in the middle of city where they make their own soaps wagerah, so I am hoping to visit them soon.

Chalo will keep u guys potsed please post anything related to lotion or soap making here, would be much much appreciated/ thx

girl_on_ice · February 22, 2011, 5:02am

Re: Making soap and lotions etc..

sounds fun..good luck and keep us informed