There's Nothing to Fear from Bar Soap

There's Nothing to Fear from Bar Soap

Many folks believe that liquid soap is best for cleaning the hands and body because bar soap is somehow unsanitary. I've even read that bacteria can grow on soap bars, and that people shouldn't share bars because it can spread disease.
    So I went looking for some evidence that bar soap is this vector of contagion. I found several studies that show that bar soap, especially when left to sit in a puddle of water or in a wet soap dish can harbor colonies of bacteria. It makes sense since bacteria love to hang out in wet places.

But one study in 1988 went a step further and asked the question, "Can the bacteria found on soap get transferred to someone else?" That's really the issue, isn't it? What happens to the bacteria that is living on a bar of soap?  (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/3402545)

So the researchers took some bars and spread a whole lot of bacteria on them: 70 times more than anyone had ever found on any soap bars before! Then they asked the volunteers (brave volunteers) to wash their hands with the soap. When they tested their hands for bacterial contamination, there was no detectable bacteria on any of their hands. So they reason that it's very unlikely that germs that are present on soap bars will be transferred to someone using the soap to wash their hands. It makes sense to me, since that's one of the great things about soap, that it dislodges bacteria and makes it much easier to just rinse it away.

I don't make liquid soap, by the way, because I believe that handmade bar soap is better overall for the environment. It doesn't contain any detergents or petrochemicals that can get into our waterways. And there is much less packaging involved with a bar of soap: some shrink wrap (like mine) or maybe a paper wrapper or box. While plastic pump bottles may be recyclable, I still like the idea of trying to make less of the plastic stuff to begin with.

And you can't beat handmade soap bars for variety! You could never get bored with all the scents and colors and designs...

So fear not! Use your bar soap, keep it in a draining soap dish to let it dry out between uses, and enjoy!

Originally posted by Sirona Springs - http://us1.campaign-archive2.com/?u=059ae8bfa060f8fea26f7070a&id=18e732a318

DIY Techniques for Making Unique Cold-Process Soaps

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Soap Crafting: Step-by-Step Techniques for Making 31 Unique Cold-Process Soaps

The Soap Queen, Anne-Marie Faiola, shows you how to make perfect cold-process soap that is better than what you can buy at the store! Simple instructions and great photography walk you through every step of 31 exciting recipes, making it easy to master the techniques you need and produce the soaps you want. 

You'll find chapters on colors (neon, oxides, mica), molds (milk jugs, yogurt containers, pipes), food (pumpkin, coffee, beer, avocado, oatmeal), and building (embedding soap in soap, funnel pour, swirling). Faiola offers everything you need to make your own soap, safely and enjoyably.

"Whether you are curious about making your own soap, or are looking for some soapy inspiration, Soap Crafting is so full of great ideas and gorgeous photos you won’t be able to resist the urge to pick up a stick blender! Anne-Marie Faiola has condensed her  many years of soapmaking experience into this new book that covers
everything from the basics to the beautifully complex (like a 12-color swirl! Wow!). You can’t go wrong with the clear instructions and plenty of inspiring photos. If you love soapmaking, you’ll love this book. If you don’t love soapmaking, get this book and you soon will!" — Ruth Esteves, co-owner of The Nova Studio and Sirona Springs Handmade Soap, and author of Coloring Soap Naturally.

Full book details here:Soap Crafting: Step-by-Step Techniques for Making 31 Unique Cold-Process Soaps

.

DIY Making your own detailed soap molds

Instructions originally posted: http://www.thecakedecoratingcompany.co.uk/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=3905

 Silicone Plastique® is an amazing, food grade silicone mould making putty that has the consistency of cookie dough and is very easy to mix and apply. Created by a chef in order to bring the art of mould making into both commercial and home kitchens.

Silicone Plastique® has become a valuable tool in the creation of custom food moulds around the world. Mould making has always been considered a complicated task, yet with this silicone mould putty a new world of easy mould making has been made possible.

Once mixed, Silicone Plastique® will stay workable for about 15 minutes giving ample time to make an accurate and well made mould of almost any object. Cure time is only about an hour at room temperature to create a pliable yet durable rubber mould suitable for direct food contact. This amazing mould putty can be put in the freezer without losing flexibility and resists temperatures as high as 230°C.
(Durometer) Shore Strength: 35 

Re-Moulding Silicone Plastique - Once Silicone Plastique has cured, it is a commercial grade silicone rubber that cannot be melted or dissolved in order to make another mould. Remouldable materials are usually made of gelatin and have many drawbacks like:
- The gelatine dries out and the mould shrinks and cracks.
- Gelatine moud making materials cannot be used for hot applications like cooked sugar and Isomalt.
- Gelatine moulds perform very poorly when placed in a freezer or frozen.

 

Almost half of mould making customers purchase Silicone Plastique®™ for use with non-food materials. Reasons given are ease of use, high quality from a platinum based curing system and the peace of mind that comes from using a product that is not harmful or toxic.

Silicone Plastique® is Outstanding to Make Moulds For: Soap, Chocolate, Butter, Fondant, Ice Cream, Pulled Sugar, Cheese,  Ice, Gelatine, Hard Candy, Gum Paste, Pastillage, Royal Icing, Candy Clay, Butter Cream, Marzipan, Sherbet, Sorbet.

Silicone Plastique will work with any material in the gypsum category. Examples of these materials are:

Plaster, Cement, Concrete, terra cotta, clays of all types.  

Silicone Plastique will also work with any of the following materials:  

Casting Resins of all types, Epoxy Resins of all types, Fiberglass Resin, Hot Glue, Air Dry Clay, Polymer Clay (sculpey, fimo, cernit), paper mache, low melt metals, 

Materials Silicone Plastique does not mould well are: Spent Uranium  Cryptonite  Mana From Heaven &  Molten Lava. 

Step 1

Silicone Plastique® has the consistency of clay. Equal amounts of Part A (blue) and Part B (white) are scaled by weight or volume.

Step 2

Parts A and B are combined and kneaded until a uniform colour is achieved. Silicone Plastique® can be flattened by hand or rolled with a pin between sheets of plastic.

Step 3

A small amount of plastique is rubbed into detail of a medallion. The medallion is pressed into Silicone Plastique® that has been rolled out twice the thickness of the medallion.

Step 4

Silicone Plastique® has a work time of about 10 minutes and a cure time of about an hour at room temperature. Silicone Plastique® should be allowed to fully cure before removing medallion.

 
Step 5

Chocolate is poured into cured mould.


 
Step 6



With a flex of the mould, a perfect chocolate copy of the medallion pops out of the mould, ready to garnish your favorite dessert.

Easymold silicone putty is ideal for a wide range of impression type mold applications. Keep this stuff in mind for things like smaller guest sized soaps, although, I really suggest pouring silicone rubber for big bars of soap.

Easy to use, 3-minute working time, 25-minute cure 
Ideal for small molds, excellent detail from original 
Strong, flexible, reusable molds 
High Heat range, up to 400-Degree F 
Self releasing, no mold release agent required for most applications  

See it here:
Environmental Technology 1-Pound Kit Casting' Craft Easymold Silicone Putty

 Instructions originally posted and available in England: http://www.thecakedecoratingcompany.co.uk/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=3905
.
http://www.pinterest.com/pin/create/button/#widget

Jessiepearl's Christmas Gift Selection

4 Bars Handmade Natural Soap BY JESSIEPEARL'S HANDMADE SOAPS

For jessiepearl's Christmas Gift Selection, choose from any soap described in this Etsy store.


OATMEAL SPICE
LAVENDER .
LEMONGRASS TEA
THYME GARDEN .
PINK GRAPEFRUIT .
PATCHOULI .
PEPPERMINT LEAF .
BLOOD ORANGE BERGAMOT
MONTANA PRAIRIE .
CITRUS LAVENDER .
FOREST TONIC .
SENSITIVE SKIN / UNSCENTED
GARDENER'S HAND SOAP .
SHEA HONEY OATMEAL

(soap only - decoration not included )

````````````````

We offer Handmade Soaps made in small batches using high quality Essential Oils, Herbs and other natural soap making ingredients.

Our soap bars are not meant to be cute and displayed on a shelf - they are meant to be used to moisturize your body, make you smell good.and most importantly to clean your skin.

Our over sized bars are carefully handmade in small batches so they may vary slightly, Each is approximately 3 3/4"x 2 "x 1" and weigh approximately 4.5 oz each. That's a big enough bar to cut in half to share or to prolong it's useful life.

https://www.etsy.com/listing/165255130/christmas-gift-selection-4-bars-handmade?ref=shop_home_active 

..

..

Handmade Fluted Wooden Soap Tray

This offer is for a Handmade Fluted Wooden Soap Tray - Wood Dish for proper drainage for all soaps - single or wholesale BY JESSIEPEARL'S HANDMADE SOAPS

By using a well draining soap holder, your handmade and store bought soap will be able to dry between uses, resulting in a longer lasting bar.

Our soap holders measure 37/8" by 4" by 3/4", a perfect size to hold just about any soap.
These soap dishes are not stained, they are in their natural state. We also offer them finished with vegetable oil when requested.


These trays are also useful for drying sponges at the kitchen sink or airing out steel wool.

These soap trays are a great green, eco-firendly gift!s

SPECIAL: When you BUY 5 BARS OF SOAP YOU RECEIVE A SOAP TRAY FOR FREE!

Soap makers - Ask us for wholesale prices

 https://www.etsy.com/listing/163251826/handmade-fluted-wooden-soap-tray-wood?ref=listing-shop-header-0

Coffee Kitchen Soap

" Coffee Kitchen Soap" SOAP BY JESSIEPEARL'S HANDMADE SOAPS.

Coffee Kitchen Soap has a heavy dose of Dark Coffee Grounds and Powdered Cocoa that acts as a deodorizer and exfoliate in soap.

Used in the kitchen, it removes the smell of garlic and onion from the hands. Great for chefs and those who look to cook.

Plus the exfoliation will get your fingers sparkling clean. A very pretty soap with an awesome scent!


INGREDIENTS
saponified oils of soybean, olive, coconut & shea butter.
Essential oils: none
Botanicals: freshly ground coffee beans, powdered cocoa.
Color: a hint of brown and black oxides

https://www.etsy.com/listing/163249310/two-bars-coffee-kitchen soap-handmade?ref=shop_home_active

..

Camping and Hiking soap - repel bugs and mosquitoes

A soap bar that repel bugs and mosquitoes - Great for travel, hiking, camping and outdoor adventures - Soap that gets the dirt out

   You receive one bar of our mosquito repellant soap that you can cut in half because while traveling you want your favorite soap with you but do not want having a full sized wet soap bar to carry.

When you go camping or hiking you also want to take a soap that you are confident is biodegradable, and has no polluting chemicals, No worries about upsetting Mother Nature!

Why Camping Mosquito Soap?

1)Recently the CDC came out with a press release stating the lemon eucalyptus oil was a good, natural alternative to Deet,
2)All the essential oils in this soap are present because they have a tendency to repel different types of bugs.
3)Anyone who grows lavender knows that you never need to use pesticides on it because bugs naturally stay away from it.
4)Citronella has always been known to keep nasty little bugs away.
5)The Cedarwood oil in the soap, reminds us of how pet bedding is usually filled with cedar chips in order to deter fleas.

Camping Mosquito Soap Ingredients:
saponified oils of soybean, olive, coconut & shea butter.
Essential oils: lemon eucalyptus, citronella, cedarwood, lavender

4+ oz      .

https://www.etsy.com/listing/166041737/camping-and-hiking-soap-repel-bugs-and?ref=shop_home_active

..