How To: Single Use Creamy Pink Soaps


These little pink nuggets are single use soaps. They are quick and easy to make if you can get the star ingredient in paste form (which I have used here), but I imagine they are just as easy to make if you can get the surfactant in liquid form.

They can be decorated quite easily by 'dusting' them with some of the leftover herb and clay mixture if you like, but they are just as functional and make an equally creamy lather without added decoration.

You only need about 20 minutes to make these if you have all the ingredients at hand.

Shall we get started?

Foam Paste - Moldable Fun

The main surfactant has the INCI name Disodium lauryl sulfosuccinate and is sometimes referred to as Plantapon SUS or 'Foam Paste'. This is an anionic, sulfate free, EcoCert surfactant that is available in liquid, powder or paste form and is useful for every kind of lathery cleansing product you might want to make: from shaving creams, shampoos and bath soaps to single use soaps.

The fun part of this is that the dough is moldable so you can either press it into molds or simply shape your soaps by hand.

This portion makes a 'try-me' sized portion of 100 grams / 3.53 oz

LisaLise’s Single Use Creamy Pink Soaps

Ingredient Grams Ounces
Foam ‘Paste’ 19.5 0.69
Rose Glycerite 20.0 0.71
Pink Clay 2.0 0.071
Hibiscus Powder 2.0 0.071
Demineralised Water 3.5 0.12
Cornstarch 53.0 1.87

Method:

Sift the herb powder and clay together (make extra if you want to use some for decorating)
Mix the first 5 ingredients together in a bowl
Add cornstarch and work together to form a dough
Shape into single use sized soaps
Optional: roll soaps in leftover herb and clay mixture
Allow to set and air dry


You can use these right away if you like. The texture of the dough is a little 'rubbery' and reminds me a bit of a soft eraser.

Above is a pic of how I shaped these. The dough was molded into a long shape and gently patted to make it into a squarish shape. The pieces were sliced off and allowed to dry.


A Bit About the Ingredients


Glycerite

If you make your own glycerites, these soaps are a perfect place to put them to use. I added a rose glycerite here but you could use any glycerite or replace with glycerine if you prefer.

Herbs and Clay

I chose a pink illite and a powdered hibiscus extract for these soaps. You can use any clay and herb you like. My main reason for using these ingredients was to underline the pink of the rose glycerite. If you want to use the clay and herb to dust the surface then mix up a little more than you need.

Demineralised Water

This is the same as distilled water. You might easily find this at a supermarket or the likes. It is often sold as water to be used in steam irons.


Sudsy Demo

Here's how this soap lathers up. There is actually more lather to be had  but this is as good as I could get doing one-handed lathering with one-handed photograpy. The soap dissolves readily into a creaminess that is quite pleasant.

 Have fun!

Links to a Few Suppliers of the Surfactant

Bay House Aromatics
Aroma Zone
The Soap Kitchen

PS:

Have you seen my latest e-book? It's perfect for artisans and crafters interested in making preservative free products with a long shelf life.


Do Tell

Have you ever worked with this surfactant? Which kinds of products did you make with it?

Comments

Laurie said…
I am learning something new every day. This looks like a bit of fun! Do you think there is any way you could safely add some essential oils?
LisaLise said…
Hi Laurie — This surfactant may ‘swallow up’ tge scent if many EO’s but you might give it a try and see.
LisaLise said…
Hi Laurie — excuse the typos! 👆🏻
Laurie said…
Haha/ - happens to me all the time! I will give it a try!
Unknown said…
Hi. can we turn these into solid shampoo cubes? They are trendy now. I am thinking of adding sci to your formula. what do you think?
LisaLise said…
HI Unknown -- I am not sure this amount of cornstarch is going to be favorable in a hair product, but in the other hand you never know until you try. I'd love to hear how it turns out for you if you give it a go :)