Yeah, I'm pretty sure its Borax... Caustic soda or sodium hydroxide. When combined with distilled water, it thickens (along with essential oil, this part of the process is called Trace), then saponifies (a molecular level activity!), becoming soap. After this point, most soap has to cure, but in the book I have, the soap is finished curing as soon as the soap is finished cooking. This book 'cooks' soap in an hour or so, instead of weeks for 'cold process'.
I meant to say before, I have heard the oatmeal in a stocking trick, but have never tried it. Even though it sounds good.
Yup, tis Borax. Liz's bloke made soaps at one stage. I used to make liquid soaps by collecting slivers, watering it down adding an oil and sticking it in a pump.
Shampoos will be tricky. There are lots of good hair/scalp treatments around - rinses etc.
Cai -none of it is really hard. Once you know what does what (astringent/buff/cleanse/soothe) and once you have had a play around with a few things you will be able to make up your own. Just like food.
Blog/net isn't always the answer. Books are!
Last edited by Lulu; October 19th, 2010 at 07:55 AM.
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