Looking to add some oil to a soap

[Boba Fett]

I am going to be melting down my latest puck of Col. Conk's Amber shaving soap, as I did with my last pucks (almond and another amber). I have found it doesn't have the same lubricating properties as the almond shaving soap, so when I melted it to fit into a small dish, I was going to add and mix in some oil of some kind.

What would you suggest? I was thinking about adding a little bit of olive oil, but are there any other oils or decent moisturizers I could add that would increase the lubricative effects?

 

[Fnord5]

Go to Whole Foods, and pick up a bottle of Lanolin.

I added it to a puck of VDH, and it lathers and is almost as slick as Tabac.

 

[BrewMaster]

Jojoba oil is probably best if you are looking for lubricity.

 

[Sue]

You may make it worse and end up with no lather if you add too much oil. If you aren't happy with it, why not return it?
Sue

 

[Boba Fett]

You may make it worse and end up with no lather if you add too much oil. If you aren't happy with it, why not return it?
Sue

Well, returning used soap pucks probably won't fly. Besides, I love the smell and lathering capapbilities, and seems to keep my skin soft like the almond soap, it just isn't AS slick. Not saying it doesn't work great already, but if I can get a little more out of it, I will.

 

[Crazy Dave]

I have been using Johnson's baby oil as a pre-shave and it works great. However, I have not tried mixing it in soap. How do you melt down soap?

Dave

 

[kingfisher]

I agree with the lanolin suggestion. My only question about it is whether it might affect the lathering if you added too much, and obviously I don't know how much should be added. Maybe Sue has some ideas with regard to this or maybe fnord5 can tell us what he did, since it seemed to work for him.

 

[David in Boston]

Go to Whole Foods, and pick up a bottle of Lanolin.

I added it to a puck of VDH, and it lathers and is almost as slick as Tabac.

That sounds very interesting. How much Lanolin did you add to each puck of VDH? Also did you mix it after you microwaved the puck?

Details please!

 

[Sue]

I agree with the lanolin suggestion. My only question about it is whether it might affect the lathering if you added too much, and obviously I don't know how much should be added. Maybe Sue has some ideas with regard to this or maybe fnord5 can tell us what he did, since it seemed to work for him.

I'm sorry I have no suggestions to offer for changing a products ingredients. (We stand behind everything on our website but we won't guarantee SCS products if they have been altered.)
Sue

 

[RichGem]

Olive oil, while adding moisturizing properties, will kill the nice lather, so I'd avoid that. I'd try adding some glycerin instead. It should be readily available at your favorite drug store or pharmacy.

OTOH, how about some nice 10w40 for that manly man's scent?

 

[Sue]

Olive oil, while adding moisturizing properties, will kill the nice lather, so I'd avoid that. I'd try adding some glycerin instead. It should be readily available at your favorite drug store or pharmacy.

OTOH, how about some nice 10w40 for that manly man's scent?

Sue

 

[_JP_]

Well, returning used soap pucks probably won't fly. Besides, I love the smell and lathering capapbilities, and seems to keep my skin soft like the almond soap, it just isn't AS slick. Not saying it doesn't work great already, but if I can get a little more out of it, I will.

Using a little more soap should give you a little more out of it. Sounds like you need more soap in the mix when you lather.

Don't try adding anything to the soap. If you want to use oil, then apply it directly to the beard before lathering up. There are preshave oils for that purpose.

 

[krissy]

Adding to much oil will decrease your lathering of the soap so to answer how much to add depends on the type of soap that it is. If it's a typical melt and pour type of a soap then the rule of thumb is 1-2 tbs per POUND of soap.

http://www.fromnaturewithlove.com/reprint/meltandpoursoapmaking.asp

Vegetable butters and vegetable oils can be added during the heating of the melt and pour soap base. Adding additional oil or butter will add greater moisturizing and nutritive properties to your final bars. A good rule of thumb is to use approximately 1-2 tbs. per pound of soap base.

If your puck weighs (yes actual weight) say 3.5 ounces then you need to add only 1 tsp of the oil/butter of choice. Not much but if you add too much it will kill your lather.

 

[Fnord5]

I actually did not(and likely will not) microwave my soaps.
I basically use a double boiler(a bowl in a pan of water) with the bowl sitting slightly above the bottom of the pan.

I believe that I added about 1 tablespoon or so while the soap was completely liquid, constantly stirring.

After I was satisfied that the oil was fully incorporated, I removed from the heat, let cool a little bit, then tossed into the fridge.
Here is my thread.
http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php?t=91424