"Homemade" Glycerin Soap

[chuck81]

I found a clear 25 lb block of high lather, coconut oil-based glycerin soap online. I'm not sure if this will work as a shave soap, but it's got some decent ingredients: Sodium Cocoate (Fatty acids of Coconut Oil), Glycerin, Propylene Glycol, Water, Sorbitol, Sodium Stearate (salt of stearic acid).
I figure I can melt it down in small amounts, add some essential oils, aloe juice, maybe another moisturizer, and maybe kaolin clay, and have a nice "homemade" glycerin shave soap. Has anybody here ever tried something like this? Any thoughts on the ingredients? If I pull the trigger on this, I plan to try a Bay Rum, Lavender, and a Cedar-based soap. Would anyone potentially be interested in subsidizing my experiment by purchasing a 4-5 oz puck for a few bucks, provided it works? I'm not trying to start a cottage shop or anything, but I think I could sell SWMBO on the idea of a 25 lb block of soap sitting in our apartment if I can recoup the costs on it.
Just an idea. Let me know what you guys think!

[kingfisher]

It would probably work OK. The ingredients list is similar to VDH. 25 pounds is a lot to commit to before you know how it works, though. Any way you could get a smaller sample first?

I personally wouldn't use it because I don't use "soaps" that aren't really soaps, and a large amount of propylene glycol disqualifies it for me.

[jdrum3]

This has been talked about at length on this forum. Search melt and pour or home made soap for more threads and ideas. This is the one that most use http://www.brambleberry.com/Shaving-...ase-P4384.aspx
add kaolin clay if you want less discoloration. Bentonite for slicker, but going to gray it up a little more. Consider stearic acid for a harder soap, avocado oil, castor oil. Be careful of essential oils that might also irritate the skin. Good luck and you can always buy the 1 or 10 lb blocks for smaller tests.

[michiganlover]

Brambleberry Shaving Soap base can be bought in bulk too. Why take a chance with an unproven product, when you could just buy a product that has been tested to work instead?

I am fairly convinced that this base is used by at least one of our popular shaving soap makers (possibly more).

I have some Brambleberry in my stock right now, and it makes for a pretty nice shaving soap without any further modification. I just added some scent (which I also purchased from Brambleberry).

Also, this shaving soap base is real "soap", and doesn't rely upon lather boasters as the base you linked to (and the well liked VDH) does.

Here is a link to the shaving soap base:

http://www.brambleberry.com/Shaving-Melt-And-Pour-Base-P4384.aspx

[eyebright]

Not all glycerin soaps are the same, Brambleberry has a special one for shaving - I'd go with that instead of a generic one intended for bathing.

[fccexpert]

It would probably work OK. The ingredients list is similar to VDH. 25 pounds is a lot to commit to before you know how it works, though. Any way you could get a smaller sample first?

I personally wouldn't use it because I don't use "soaps" that aren't really soaps, and a large amount of propylene glycol disqualifies it for me.

It is really soap, that's what sodium cocoate and sodium stearate are. Who knows how much popylene glycol there is in the mix. Propylene glycol is commonly used to stabilize foams.

[chuck81]

It would probably work OK. The ingredients list is similar to VDH. 25 pounds is a lot to commit to before you know how it works, though. Any way you could get a smaller sample first?

I personally wouldn't use it because I don't use "soaps" that aren't really soaps, and a large amount of propylene glycol disqualifies it for me.

I'm looking at a larger amount because that makes it a lot more cost effective. $2 a pound for the big block versus $8 plus shipping for a 2 pound block. I figure if it doesn't work, I'll just use it as shower soap. Even so, it would take up a lot of storage space in a small NYC apartment.

[kingfisher]

It is really soap, that's what sodium cocoate and sodium stearate are. Who knows how much popylene glycol there is in the mix. Propylene glycol is commonly used to stabilize foams.

One thing we know for sure is that it has more propylene glycol than it has sodium stearate. Maybe if it had better base oils it wouldn't require so much stabilizer.
Feel free to use any soap you want, but that ingredient list is not for me.

[Go West Young Man]

The problem with looking at ingredient lists is that they don't tell you the whole story.
Filet Mignon and McDonalds hamburgers have the same ingredients, but proportion and processing play a big role too!

[chuck81]

Well, it seems the 'nays' have it.