Melting glycerin soap.
Newsgroups: alt.folklore.herbs
Subject: Re: Herbal soap making
From: missandree.aol.com (MissAndree)
Date: 28 Dec 1994 09:07:49 -0500
>Please help, I'm trying to melt glycerine soap in order to add herbal oils and mold as I wish. However, the soap is not melting- any ideas/and /or recipes would be appreciated. What soap do you use?
Though I am by no means an expert soap-maker, I find that, yes, it is possible to use, and melt, (pure) glycerine. What you need is a bain-marie (double-boiler?) i.e. one pot containing chopped up or grated glycerine, placed inside a larger pot containing boiling water. The glycerine needs to be stirred constantly, until it reaches a creamy consistency. While stirring, add olive or almond oil, orange and/or rose water, essential oils, then pour/scoop immediately into an oiled mold. It will look lumpy and "doughy," but will be sheer bathing heaven. It works for me...Enjoy!
MissAndree
From: C.prodigy.com (Joseph Line)
Use Dr. Bronner's Magic Soap, made with Almond oil. Grate the soap with a cheese grater. Make an infusion of your favorite herbs. Melt the soap on medium heat adding herbal infusion a little at a time. Heat until the soap is ready to pour into oiled mold.
From: torraco.lanl.gov (Dennis Torraco)
>>Please help, I'm trying to melt glycerine soap in order to add herbal oils and mold as I wish. However, the soap is not melting- any ideas/and /or recipes would be appreciated. What soap do you use?
> You're not going to be able to melt glycerine soap, I'm afraid. My best advice to you would be to make your own soap.
Forget about making the soap and melt it as you initially requested. While soap doesn't melt is does dissolve in water - the longer you keep it covered with water the softer it will get. Scraping aside the soft layer will hasten the process. Then add your perfumes/oils and work them in. The less water you use to dissolve the soap the sooner it will dry and harden, but don't get in any hurry as it will take awhile. But mold?
Dennis Torraco
