# Questions re liquid soap-pretty please??



## blackthorn (Sep 6, 2008)

Hi :biggrin
I make bar soap and lotion's, I've been doing that now for over a year but I'm always getting asked for shower gel or body wash and I have to admit I love the liquid stuff myself :lol There is no one else selling them near me and I'd love to have a go, here is what I've learned so far, plus my questions:
*I'm going to use half water half milk-do I do what I do for bar soap and add my milk and water to the lye and continue with the whole process or do I mix the water and lye and add the milk after the cook (or during)??
*I'm planning on a 3% super fat, I'm going to use polysorbate 20 to disperse my supper fat oil-this okay? Linkage to where I read this:http://essencesupply.com/liquid/page3.html
*Can I get my liquid soap think enough to use a pump dispenser? Or will it shoot out all over the place? I'd love to use my purple pump bottles for it.
I'm sure I'll think of more q's as I go along but that's a start!
Vanessa


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## Guest (Feb 13, 2009)

Liquid soaps.. You can add the milk at the beginning or at the end of the cook, the preference is yours.. Adding at the beginning will cause your soap to be a much darker amber..
I have never tried adding polysorbate to my soaps, so I cannot help you much there.. I do superfat my liquid soaps with glycerin sometimes, but a good liquid soap if cooked good and neutralized good does not need superfatting in my opinion... I age mine for a year before using and they just are so gentle and cleansing to the skin without the superfat.
Using Borax as a neutralizer helps thicken your soaps and yes you can get them thick enough to use pumps.
Barb


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## Kalne (Oct 25, 2007)

Do you need a preservative in liquid soap? Dd cannot use liquid soap at all and I keep saying one of these days I'm going to try it. A YEAR, really? Is it usable at all sooner than that?


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## adillenal (Feb 6, 2009)

I do not age mine for a year but several months for sure. The oder it is , the milder it is. I would age it a year if I didn't sell it so fast. 

I use Snowdrift Farms method of making goat milk liquid soap and I do not use 50% water and 50% milk. The milk is a much smaller ratio. Snowdrift method introduces the milk after trace is reached. Their website has the instructions on it. It is a nice amber color. I only sell liquid soap in foamer bottles so it is diluted even more. I have used a preservative since I was introducing more water after the soap is made. I am experimenting at the present time with NOT using a preservative since I prefer trying to go as natural as possible. 

For shower gel I use Failor's book for instructions and her Coco Loco recipe. I superfat with turkey red since it is water soluble. 

I am certainly not an expert on liquid soap but I have perfected a nice mild soap for my use and for my market using goat milk.


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## Sondra (Oct 25, 2007)

Do you use the same lye as in bar soap??


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## Guest (Feb 13, 2009)

No, you use potassium hydroxide in liquid soap.

Sara


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## Sondra (Oct 25, 2007)

Thanks that is just why I haven't given it a try yet


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## Guest (Feb 13, 2009)

Sondra, you should give it a try it is absolutely wonderful.. I love the stuff and can't get enough of it.. 
No I do not add preservatives to my liquid soap, I age it a year also and have never never had a problem... even adding more water to it.. But i do use distilled water in my liquid soaps since tap water can have minerals that will cloud your soap up..
Barb


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## Sondra (Oct 25, 2007)

yeh I know but you have to have that lye which I don't and since I rarely order online and have to buy 50 lb of the stuff it just isn't gona happen soon


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## blackthorn (Sep 6, 2008)

Thanks Barbara  I'm amazed at just how daunted I am by the whole liquid soap thing, but I'm going to try it for sure! And if adding 50% milk at the end of the cook-will I need a preservative and will it make the soap milky looking?? I'm thinking I might add before the cook.........
Polysorbate 20 makes any oil water soluble-meaning instead of using turkey red I could use olive or something.
Vanessa


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## adillenal (Feb 6, 2009)

Sondra - I buy the potassium hydroxide in 2 pound bottles from AAA chemical in Houston. 

Vanessa - I personally would not use polusorbate 20 in liquid soap but I believe in experimentation. Make a small batch and try it out. I use distilled water and when the soap is traced and cools down somewhat, I add the goat milk. But not as high as 50%. I add it before the cook. There are several methods to making liquid soap and I think I have tried them all or at least all I have seen cited. The end product looks the same regardless of the method for me.

I love liquid goat milk soap. I have it in all of the bathrooms at work and have my staff spoiled.


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## Guest (Feb 14, 2009)

Same here, it all looks the same when finished.. I do use 50 percent milk, because I want milk in my soap and I do not add preservative.. it cooks.. 
Barb


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