Making Shampoo Bars and Soaps with Fresh Aloe

I use fresh homegrown Aloe vera in my Vegan Aloe Shampoo Bar and my Sesame Aloe Shampoo bar for Sensitive Scalps. Yesterday I restocked my Sesame Aloe Bars so I harvested from this Aloe in the planter box outside my front door. The yeild was about 8 oz. I also harvested a couple large leaves from my mother plant in our raised bed, for about the same amount of gel by weight. After I cut the leaves, I let the yellow orange sap drain out for a while.



Then I slice off the spiny edges, the tips, any other irregular areas. Then I separate the green leaves from the inner gel.



I weigh out approximately one part fresh gel to 2 parts distilled water and put it in the bender.



Then I have a beautiful frothy bubbly liquid for creating a 28% Sodium Hydroxide solution to mix with the base ois.



The rest is just basic cold process soap making.

Today I cut the bars and they will be curing for about 4 weeks. In the meantime I still have 2 of these Sesame Aloe Bars in stock.

Here is some feedback on this shampoo bar from one of my customers:

"I LOVE the aloe vera shampoo bar. I have been facing itchy and flaky scalp for years, since I still used commercial liquid shampoo. After I switched to shampoo bars, the itchiness hasn't disappeared but it did lessen a bit, and some shampoo bars did actually clear the flakiness away. Since the first time I tried your aloe shampoo bar, the itchiness disappeared! The flakiness disappeared too! I have used it 5 times with very satisfying result. It also gives my hair volume and doesn't dry out my hair. Amazing! I wonder what your secret is for creating such a wonderful shampoo bar :)"

Now you know one of the secrets!

Thanks for reading. If you have an older browser and had trouble viewing the products at AquarianBath.com, then you can also find my shampoo bars on Etsy.

Winter Soap & Herbal Classes at Maggie's Herb Farm In St. Augustine 2011

Happy New Year's to you all. Hope 2011 is treating you right so far. I have some new classes coming up for the Winter Season at Maggie's Herb Farm in St. Augustine. Hope you can join us for some of them. Please call the farm to register in advance. 904-829-0722

Soap Making For Sensitive and Problem Skin Types February 5 Saturday time 10-2
Learn to make soap from scratch using the cold process method and the specialized hot process method for sea salt spa soaps. We focus on hypoallergenic formulations for those with sensitive skin and those well loved by persons with multiple problems including acne. Specialty herbal additives for problem skin types in formulations will be discussed. Bring lunch, safety glasses and gloves, and a small cardboard box. Fee $35

Herbal Powders For Body Care March 5 Saturday time 10-2
Learn to dry and process herbs for making body powders. We will used dried herbs from the farm as well as other clays and ingredients for creating your choice of body powders from among 5 basic recipes. We will cover face masks, deodorant powders, anti-heat rash powder, baby powder, and foot powders. Bring a sack lunch and a toothbrush. You will have a chance to sample and experiment with herbal tooth powders. Fee $35 Bring a sack lunch

Herbal Valentine's Day: Herbal Love Potions Saturday February 12:
Learn about various herbs used as aphrodisiacs and tonics. We will make a passion potion (herbal syrup), heart-shaped lotion bars with aphrodisiac and calming essential oils, and a rose body butter. $40 Bring a sack lunch

Fresh Batch of Pumpkin Soap: Post Holiday Restocking

I got quite low on soaps over the holidays, and now I have just begun the process of making more. I plan to spend my free time in January stocking up as much soap as possible. February and March I have classes and shows planned. Also, I don't think I will find soap making terribly enjoyable when eight & nine months pregnant in April in May. I am dreaming that I can get enough soap made that I won't have to restock again until October when the humidity dies down, but that may be a bit too much wishful thinking.



Yesterday I made a new batch of my Pumpkin poppy seed soap. The pumpkins I used were from my garden like the Seminole pumpkins in the picture taken by Jason Aufdenberg at our Fair Share Garden. To make the puree for the soap I first roast it in the oven and then store what I don't use immediately in the freezer. The pumpkin puree I mix together with distilled water and lye. Here is is freshly poured into my two wooden molds. They have poppy seeds added as well as Ginger and Sweet Orange essential oils and a bit of Patchouli to help anchor the Sweet Orange.



Here it is all set up in the molds in less than 24 hours. I woke up at 2 am this morning with nothing better to do so I took the soap out of the mold and cut it.



The cut came out nicely.



The next step is to let them set out to cure for about a month. During the curing period water evaporates from the soap and they become harder and milder.



Next on the restock checklist is my Dark Stout soap made with Guinness beer, and after that more Neem oil shampoo bars.

Is there something that you don't want me to run out of in the midst of the upcoming late pregnancy/new baby era? Leave a comment and let me know! I'm scaling back on some items but plan to have more popular ones well stocked.