Saturday, October 2, 2010

Orange dog soap

The old books were used as props for the wedding. They were
stacked here and there in the house. We got them for free at the
Good S. Those fall colours we had this year were fantastic.
I thought I would do an orange soap to keep Jennifer at Jenora soaps company. One of the reasons is that I saw unrefined Palm oil in an asian food store the other day and I just had to have it. I have never used Palm oil because it isn't sold here. I know that there is a lot of controversy surrounding Palm oil and I respect that. But I wouldn't be human if I didn't succumb to trying out a new oil!

I decided for some reason that this would be a good dog soap and that it should go into a tube. I had intended to cut it into long half rounds since I thought that would be a good shape to fit nicely into the palm as I wash the dogs. I did cut a few that way, but some I cut smaller. I have no idea why, but ever since I have been thinking of trying to do a landscape, using this as a setting sun. That would be very patriotic.

The soap is without scent, but with some herbal oils because Bichons have a tendency to have skin problems and I thought it would be nice for my bitches to have nice skin conditioning ingredients.

Recipe:

Coconut oil               25% 125 g / 4.4 oz
Palm oil                     25% 125 g / 4.4 oz
Olive oil                    25% 125 g / 4.4 oz
Soybean oil               20% 100 g / 3.5 oz
Castor oil                     5%   25 g / 3.5 oz

Water                        38%  190g / 6.8 oz
Lye                                       71g / 2.5 oz

In addition to this I added 1 tsp. of Comfrey infused oil and 1 tsp. of Yarrow infused oil, both infused in olive oil. So the SF is a bit more than the 5% that the recipe reports.

But the soap traced very, very fast and I had quite a time getting it into the tube. I was therefore a bit surprised that the soap was quite soft when I took it out of the mould. The colour is a very strong orange-yellow. It is a little bit too saturated for my taste.  The colour is not dissimilar to the Sea Buckthorn soaps that I did some time ago but it is more orange, so not a bad try for an orange soap.  But maybe I'll try to use more socially acceptable colourants next time.
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12 comments:

  1. For shiny hair in a soap for dogs is well to add hydrolyzed silk. To obtain the hydrolyzed silk, natural silk fiber to dissolve in NaOH. I'm using a surgical suture silk. Just as another option for dog's hair very well add the egg yolk in a trace. For a time the soap have little smells. But after 4-6 weeks, when the soap will be usable - an unpleasant odor completely disappears.

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  2. The colour looks beautiful, I really like it, do you think it comes from the unrefined Palm? I've only used refined before so not sure on the colour. Lucky Bichons!

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  3. I really like the color! I have been trying to achieve a color like that since my sister requested a soap that would have a tropical fruit type of scent.

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  4. Ambra, searched your blog but got impatient so I have to ask this way..has little to do with your post (sorry..lovely orange, tho...I like to juice carrots for an orange soap) anyways...there is Rumex in abundance around here and I would like to try coloring with it as you have. Could you plz send me a short summery of the go aboutz, as in which part did you use, did you make a concoction, etc...info(at)juliakalkbrenner.com...thanx so much!

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  5. Love the peachy orange.... nice!!! xo Jen

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  6. It looks so yummy! If I don't look closely, I'd think they're mango slices. ;)

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  7. Ambra te quedaron lindos los jabones y con respecto a la controversia del aceite de palma,si es de Colombia es aceptado por Ecocert, ya que alli existen plantaciones hechas para la tala.
    Un beso

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  8. Another beauty just love all your soaps Ambra and your little doggies will love it too the colour is so pretty well done x

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  9. Hellen: Thank you for the tip about silk. I didn't know that disolving it in the lye would work. I will try that.
    AromaBeauty: Yes, the colour comes from the Palm oil. It was a very dark yellow/orange.
    Cocobong: I sent you an email.
    Jen: Thanks :) I'm so glad I could make a test. I'll have to do another.
    BetweenFriends: Um, that would be a great scent for that :)
    Texia: Thanks, that is good to know. I would love to get hold of some refined palm oil to try. I'll probably find some in one of the Asian stores one of these days.
    Edith: Thank you Edith. They really need a bath right now!

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  10. What lucky puppies! Nothing is too good for our pets :) Great shape (looks like a nice grip for those squirmy puppies avoiding their bath).

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  11. Anne-Marie - Yes, it is a good shape for a dog soap. I had made some cylindrical ones before and they tended to slip as my little darlings tried to squirm out of my grasp. I just used those and they were very steady in my hand and the dogs are as white as snow!

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  12. Great recipe, but be careful with the Comfrey, it is harmful for dogs! I read it on this site: http://ottawavalleydogwhisperer.blogspot.gr/2012/11/good-beneficial-and-bad-dangerous-herbs.html

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