# Cactus Soap



## Jenny M (Nov 21, 2009)

Anybody do this? I have access to lots of cactus but can also buy it if it's too much of a hassel to work with. The big question is scent. I need ideas. Something green but with a little floral note? I want to call it Cactus Flower.

Thanks for any and all suggestions!


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## Anita Martin (Dec 26, 2007)

How do you plan to incorporate it into your soap? Yes, If I had some close by I would certainly be using as much as I could. You have a special niche there with cactus that most of us don't have. I would probably juice it, or possibly dry it and make tea, or infuse it in my oils, especially the flower parts. You could do a cactus line, with various scents that remind one of the dessert or herbs. If you have access to a market that gets a lot of tourists, I'm sure your cactus soaps would do very well.


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## Kalne (Oct 25, 2007)

Sounds like a neat idea!


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## Jenny M (Nov 21, 2009)

Well, I was going to peel it, chop it & run it thru my food mill & see how that would work. Use it as part of my liquid. I think i can get the juice at specialty markets but it's pricey. There are several recipes for it on line but the trick is finding a good scent that is not recognizable as something specific. Cactus doesn't have very much scent on it's on. 

Yes, I'm trying to do some desert themed soaps. My markets & the shops that sell my stuff are in high tourist areas. 

Just trying to have fun with what's here.


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## NubianSoaps.com (Oct 26, 2007)

How funny...I just this last weekend went to Starrville to smell scent to make a soap for a Mexican family who sells at farmers markets. They want a chilli pepper a cactus fruit and a leather soap to sell. I am going to use my Pear Berry for the cactus fruit scent and am going to incorporate the cactus fruit they are giving me into it just like I do my cucumber soap. I found a really good leather there and will soap it tonight to see about color but don't think I can use the actual peppers in the soap, although Tamara told me about a pepper scent she is using already I am going to order. It's a great way, when you do custom soaps for folks to expand your soap selections. Vicki


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## Jenny M (Nov 21, 2009)

Pear Berry. I think I know that one. It's just a little sweet & fresh smelling, right? Do you mind if I try it too?

I'd like to do a sweet grass but was not so thrilled with the sweet grass scent I found. but that was a while back. I should look again. Today an inn keeper asked me for the aloe soap I used to do all the time. She said her guests loved it. It soothes sun burn. Probably the shea in it that does it but the aloe can't hurt.

Do any of the benefits of the botanicals we use carry over to the soap? I've heard yes & no. I just try not to make any outrageous claims.


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## 2Sticks (Dec 13, 2007)

I think the cactus soap sounds really nice!

Vicki, do you want me to send you a bar of the fragrance now that it's soaped so you can see what you think of it before ordering? I named it "Desert Falcon". I like to name the soap after my goats :lol


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## NubianSoaps.com (Oct 26, 2007)

Oh Yes Tamera, even if it's just a sliver sent in an envelope!

Sure Jenny!


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## 2Sticks (Dec 13, 2007)

Ok Vicki,
I'll send it out tomorrow :lol :lol


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## MF-Alpines (Mar 29, 2010)

Cactus soap sounds pretty cool!


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## NubianSoaps.com (Oct 26, 2007)

Tried, Tamara's Desert Falcon today, it is going to be my scent for my Texas Pepper soap. It's lovely Tamara, and loved your shrink wrap! Your bars are lovely, I think I created a monster  Tamara can share her supplier if she likes  (per the other thread). Vicki


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## 2Sticks (Dec 13, 2007)

Vicki, 
I'm so happy you liked the fragrance as much as Jimmy & I do. As for the shrink wrap, you set me on that road. I couldn't stand the idea of people having their hands all over the soap (I worry about germs :shudder). I'm trying to do the best I can and I have appreciated your help so much. "Texas Pepper Soap", name sounds great and I know it'll be a hit!


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## NubianSoaps.com (Oct 26, 2007)

So how are you shrink wrapping? Vicki


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## 2Sticks (Dec 13, 2007)

I just buy the 4x6 bags and slide the soap in and then add cards and use a hair dryer. Once you figure what works best for you it goes fairly fast. I bring a tray our of the soaps I want to wrap, get them loaded in the bags and then hold the bag from the opening and start applying heat from the bottom. If you hold it from the top the weight of the bar causes it to mold around the bar nicely. I then heat the ends where the corners are and press them down good. After I get a bunch of them to that stage I go back and cut the excess tops off and then heat that and press down. That way you have the opening on one end so they can smell. It doesn't take but one or two times to figure out how much to cut off so you will end up being able to still cover the open end but leave the area that they smell from. It's pretty quick once you get a routine figured out, and not expensive at all. The bags cost about two cents each.


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## adillenal (Feb 6, 2009)

I started out with bags but went to rolls of shrink wrap. I use a heat gun. On my second one. My first finally died. ACE hardware here stocks them so it is easy to pick up a new one. That way both ends have an opening to sniff and people still try to sniff fron the closed sides. Anyway, it is a quick process to shrink wrap in my opinion. I have a routine down also and can move pretty fast. I like shrink wrap because you can see the soap and it is still protected since a lot of my shows and markets are outside. And I agree with Tamera that it is cost efficient. I also use the roll to shrink wrap bottles, jars, whatever. Multi purpose shrinl wrap.


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