I thought I would update the progress of my
soap making adventure.
My first batch has cured enough to start using.
The milk carton moulds worked well as I could just tear them away and put them in the recycling.
The batch of soap made 13 bars that were between 80g -110g each - obviously need to work on cutting a bit more evenly LOL - doesn't matter though it just adds to the rustic handmade charm!
It has quite a few little air bubbles where I had to swap to using the hand mixer to get it to trace as the stab mixer was overheating, and it is still a little softer than I would like, but it will continue hardening until it gets used.
It has a lovely creamy lather and my skin feels great when I'm using it.
While I was away I was using a commercially produced 'natural' soap (a cheapy from the local market) and continued using this when I got home as I kept forgetting to bring another bar of my soap in from box in the shed. My skin quickly became dry and itchy. I swapped back to my home made bars and it was like slathering myself in moisturiser. Ive never been one use many cleansers etc, I'm lucky if I remember to pop a bit of moisturiser on every now and then! The skin on my face is definitely thanking me for its daily dose of moisturising goodness.
This morning I even used it to wash my hair. My favourite shampoo (Panteen) has changed recently. I'm not keen on the new scent, and it seems to be making my scalp dry and itchy as well. I figured if the rest of my skin liked my soap then maybe my scalp might too. If nothing else the olive oil, coconut oil, glycerin, honey and goats milk would give my hair a nice mini treatment.
( I'm not totally crazy - there are lots of people who make similar soap and use it for soap, shampoo, even a version for washing dishes and clothes.)
What was the worst that could happen - my hair could look limp and yuck and I would have to wash it again tomorrow! Well I'm pleased to report that it worked surprisingly well. When I first washed it it felt a little too clean - I'm very used to that lovely smooth coating of chemicals after I condition my hair! As I dried it, it became beautifully soft and silky and not at all limp or greasy looking as I was concerned it might
I will definately be using it again - probably as a treatment every few weeks...not sure if I'm psychologically ready to go completely to using just soap and water - there are a lot of years of commercialism, that have drummed into my mind the need for all these specialty products, to come to terms with yet!
