# Vegan Bars



## Anita Martin (Dec 26, 2007)

I'm planning to do a couple of vegan bars with coconut milk. For those of you who do a specific vegan milk bar, what fragrance/essential oils would be the best to use? I'm only planning to do a couple of these and want to use a scent that will appeal to that type of customer. 
Thanks,
Anita


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## Kalne (Oct 25, 2007)

spearmint/eucalyptus and lavender/mint do okay for me. And I have another that is a citrus blend. I have few EO buyers but I try to keep a few going just for them. I need to find something to replace the lavender/mint because I'm almost out of lavender and the price is just too high for me now.


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## Aja-Sammati (Oct 26, 2007)

One that was very popular for me was called Going Coconuts- it was high coconut oil, coconut milk & dessicated coconut. I used to do Raspberry-Chamomile as a vegan bar, too.


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## Anita Martin (Dec 26, 2007)

I was thinking I would do the eucalyptus/peppermint or one close to that. I only have a little lavender left and want to save it until sales increase to buy more. I love adding ground chamomile, it adds nice texture to the bar without being harsh. 
Thanks


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## NubianSoaps.com (Oct 26, 2007)

I have several vegan fragrance oil bars, like Michelle I do a 100% coconut...coconut milk, coconut oil, coconut and coconut fragrance (mine is not really a coconut fragrance because they smell like plastic, it's actually a fruity mix. And my cucumber mellon is all cucumber puree. I do my eucalyptus both ways, vegan with aloe vera juice and also with regular goatsmilk for folks to choose from, and it's all EO's. Vicki


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## Anita Martin (Dec 26, 2007)

Thanks Vicki. For the coconut milk, do you use it straight out of the coconut? I used the canned stuff, only it wasn't straight coconut milk, it contained sugar and other stuff. It heated up really fast, even though frozen and I had to pour it (with the lye) into my oils before all the cubes were melted as I could see the lye was burning it. I ended up with lye crystals all over my soap. Disgusting. Anyway, I don't know why I didn't think to use the coconut milk out of the coconut. Also, can I chop up the coconut, or grate it and use it in the soap without it turning brown? 

I have an opportunity to do a wellness celebration in March and I'd like to have a few vegan-styled soaps to take with me. And I'm thinking they will all be EO soaps with clays or mica's for color if I use color. 

Thanks!


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## hsmomof4 (Oct 31, 2008)

Well, the added sugar I would think would be a big part of your problem! You can get canned coconut milk that doesn't have any sugar added (I've got some on my shelf that I'm planning to use that just has some added preservative). I would think that would work better. And if you put your lye mixture through a strainer, that will help with crystals and such.


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## Kalne (Oct 25, 2007)

Or you could use a 50/50 lye/water mix and add the coconut milk later. I haven't tried it but I've had a can on my self for a couple months now just waiting for me.


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## Anita Martin (Dec 26, 2007)

I could only find the one variety. I got it near the canned milk. I was thinking I could get a more consistent milk in a can than from a coconut...which is sometimes bad inside, plus expensive. 

Yes, I think the sugar did that. No, I don't usually strain. I haven't had a problem with the crystals for awhile....probably since last winter I guess. The house feels warm to me, but I guess it's still not as warm as when soaping in summer.

For the 50/50 lye water blend which I want to try, is that 50/50 by weight each of lye and water? I've only made soap with water once and actually don't remember how!


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## Kalne (Oct 25, 2007)

Yes....take your lye amount and mix it with the same amount of water. Then when it's cooled and you've stirred it well into your oils you can add that same weight again in milk. That will give you the equiv. of using a 33% lye solution. If you normally go lower then just figure what amount you of milk you need to get to that.


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## NubianSoaps.com (Oct 26, 2007)

Sorry, the canned coconut milk I use (also in cooking makes wonderful additions to chicken) doesn't contain sugar or gar gums, mine is in the Mexican food isle....we have a cool ethnic store called HEB here where I buy alot of my stuff from...they also carry coconut that isn't sugared I use as an exfoliate in my coconut soap. Not being a true milk, lye doesn't burn coconut milk like it does mammal milks. Vicki


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