Honesty

I unmolded my soap this morning and chopped it into bars. Cut beautifully and looks quite spectacular if you ask me. Then I began looking at it in morning sunlight and I'm not sure but I think it might still have some lye crystals in it. I won't know for sure until I get some ph test strips but this might be a failed batch.

I guess that would be why milk soapmaking is so tricky. You cannot tell whether the crystals have completely dissolved or not. The book says to take its temperature and when the temp starts falling, the lye is dissolved. I thought the temperature was falling but maybe I was impatient.

I will not be discouraged. I am going to get some more coconut oil today and try again. This time I think I'll used powdered goat milk so I can see that the lye is completely dissolved in the water.

If at first you don't succeed, try, try, try again!

A Peak Into my Fridge

When I was a little girl, the anticipation of Christmas morning always kept me awake until the wee hours of the morning. Would I get the Barbie styling head? Would some Cabbage Patch Dolls find their way under my tree? Could Santa possibly fit a new bike in that bag of his? All the things that mattered to me most when I was 8 are so silly now that I am mid-30's, a wife, and mother. What would I want Santa to bring me today...fabric, a new cooktop, a toilet for the basement, nothing an 8 year old would think very exciting.

I often think of our first refrigerator in our first house. It was a housewarming gift from my in-laws. It is not particularly fabulous. It has no ice/water dispenser in the door. It's not a fancy french door, stainless steel model. It's basic white with an ice maker. I was so excited about that refrigerator because it was something we did not have to buy when money was tight after we had purchased our first house. It was something we so desperately needed and my in-laws had been so wonderful to provide. That refrigerator has moved with us and resided happily in 3 kitchens. The door is dented from one of the moves and the moulding piece on the bottom tends to pop off when bumped. The ice tray is often filled with a solid rock of ice topped with a few new ice cubes. It is covered from top to bottom with homemade magnets, pictures, artwork, memos, and dental reminders. It is in one word, utilitarian.

Utilitarian, that is my view of soapmaking. I do not want to run a business. I do not want to make fancy soaps. I want to make soap because quite simply, I want to use it. Plain soap with no fancy perfumes, synthetic detergents, and petroleum based products are expensive. My youngest has extremely sensitive skin and has been known to break out in a head to toe rash from sunscreen. At $4/bar for Dr. Bronners it may be eco-friendly but not economically friendly.

So when the lye arrived today, I was as giddy as an 8 year old on Christmas morning. I had frozen some goat milk earlier in the day so I was ready to go. I used the basic recipe from Milk Soapmaking by Anne Watson. Not having an ice cube tray, thanks in part to my beloved ice maker, I used several small gladware containers. I suppose all went as planned and after some stirring and glamorous moments in rubber gloves and goggles, my first batch of soap made it safely to the fridge. It may not be pretty but here's hoping it turns out to be useful.

Oh Mr. Fedex Man...

My lye should be here tomorrow! Hopefully tomorrow, I'll get to post some pics of soap in the making.

Hemp vs. Cotton

I have tried repeatedly to find time to get this post typed up and now the sun is setting and the girls are trying to suck jello up a straw (great April Fool's day prank), so I best get typing before the day is gone. I have been tossing around this post all day and intermittently poking around the internet doing a bit of research. I was all set to expound on the benefits of hemp. I was looking for information to back up my suspicions but unwilling to further unsubstantiated propaganda.

I have heard that hemp is the wonder crop. Growable in all 50 states, organic by nature in that it doesn't require herbicides or insecticides, and wholly held at bay by the cotton lobbyists. I have heard that hemp fabric would cost $1/yard if produced locally whereas now hemp fabric is between $9-$20/yard or more. I have heard that it is it's use as marijuana that keeps it from becoming a US crop. A weedy plant that has proven useful in various industries, as food supplements, body care products, and animal feed, hemp remains forbidden in our country. It is grown in Europe, China, France, and Canada.

From all that I have heard, this is what I have found to be true. Industrially used cannabis plants have very little if any medicinal value. Meaning the level of THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) is so low that it is worthless as a drug. The United States imports more hemp than any other country. Hemp does not require the pesticides and herbicides needed for cotton crops however it does have some fungi and insect pests that can damage the plants, however they typically do not do enough damage to require pesticides. Because of this, it is naturally more suited to organic products. Every part of the hemp plant is useful either as food or in industrial applications. Hemp can be grown in all 50 states however poor soil would yield a poor crop. It does require the use of some fertilizer when grown industrially.

Cotton is a staple of the US economy however it has been used for thousands of years around the world. It is native to the US but needs a long growing season with ample rainfall. It has been genetically altered to resist Round Up and some pests but is still insecticide dependent. About 25% of the worlds insecticides and 10% of the world's pesticides. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cotton) The cotton industry is also heavily reliant on herbicides and fertilizers which contaminate our water and land. While cottonseed is useful as a food product it does not have equal benefits as hemp seed.

That all said, you would think that we should whole heartedly support hemp farming in the US. If we import so much of this product would it not be cheaper to farm it locally? I read an article that made me think about the implications of this statement. Purdue From 1935 - 1950's the government encouraged farmers to plant kudzu to control erosion and thus was born the great vine that ate the south. Where something is encouraged with enthusiasm without considering the cost, disaster generally ensues. The US is not equipped to process hemp as are the countries that have been doing so for years. Hemp is not native to the US, but has been previously farmed, most notably for sail cloth and rope.

Hemp could be a profitable crop for the US with some restrictions. This plant is misunderstood in this country. Hemp used to be synonymous with rope but now is synonymous with the war on drugs. Before this plant could be successful in this country, the reputation would have to be changed. I see hemp showing up in sportswear and organic, eco friendly textiles. I have used it personally in cloth diapers and for a t-shirt that has become my favorite. I have made children's play cloths, dresses, and pants. They have all survived repeated washings and abuse. Hemp fiber is durable and beautiful when combined with other fibers like cotton and silk. Used in soaps and bodycare products it provides moisturization, essential fatty acids, and has anti-inflammatory properties useful for eczema and dermatitis.

Someday, I would love to see industrial hemp in the United States. I don't know if the $1/yard fabric is just a dream but I do know that the cost would definitely drop because there would be no import fees. I am excited that Canada is growing hemp and hope that it brings some renewed interest in it as a viable agricultural product. Even my favorite Dr. Bronner's uses hemp oil. I cannot wait to add some to my soaps, assuming the lye ever arrives!

Sweet As Honey

"All the people came into the forest; and there was honey on the ground." 1 Samuel 14:25

To say that honey is ancient is an honest observation. It is mentioned repeatedly in the Bible most well known in the phrase "the land of milk and honey". What vivid imagery that produces, flowing with milk and honey. It seems very idyllic but what is honey and what can it do today?

I often wonder about things we take for granted like nuts and berries but especially honey. What unknowing person decided to tackle the hive in search of food? Did they survive the experiment and why would anyone that witnessed the event, attempt it themselves? Never the less, we have honey today and surely it is still as valuable even if we have taken it for granted and forgotten it's historic utility. Honey is touted as the cure all around the world. It is said to be useful for everything from arthritis to bad breath.

What makes this natural sugar so special? It is mostly fructose and glucose and 17% water. The water is important in that it makes it thin enough to still be a liquid but not so watery as to allow contamination. Honey is shelf stable almost indefinitely. The reaction of glucose, water, and oxygen also produces a small amount of hydrogen peroxide making it useful as an antiseptic. Honey also contains amino acids and nearly all of the trace elements needed by the human body. Bees work tirelessly collecting nectar and pollen from millions of flowers to provide us with this delectable gift. Surely even non-Christians can see God's hands in the design of the diminuitive bee.

What does honey add to our beauty and cleaning rituals? Honey as a natural antiseptic is great for healing up blemishes. Just put a dab on your pimple before you go to bed. It will be amazingly better by morning. Honey also works wonders when applied to the face. Beauty Secrets of the Bible states that honey is a "natural humectant and exfoliant, and gives the skin better absorption of product." I would suspect the natural antiseptic is also beneficial in fighting breakouts. I have tried this and it really did reduce the fine lines starting to show up around my eyes. Now I am only 35 so if you are 70 and this doesn't make a noticeable difference, don't yell at me!

I decided that I needed to make my own lotion and scoured the internet for a good recipe. I found this one Basic Lotion and played with the ingredients a bit. My first attempt included too much beeswax and made a very thick lotion. I thought it was a throw away batch but my husband has been using it on his hands to fight eczema during the dry winter months. Surprisingly, this mistake works better than the expensive lotions he had been buying. I don't know the exact measurements though so I have been trying to recreate my mistake. So my second attempt included some precise measurements and it made a nice lotion for my face but not the thick hand lotion. I added 1/2 tbsp of honey and used brewed green tea in place of the water and increased the beeswax to 1 1/2 tbsp. At first I did not think it made very much but a little of this goes a long way. Even my normally dry brittle nails have been growing.

Perhaps my lye will come today and I will have some new experiments to try tomorrow. Until then, you are stuck with my interest in historical tidbits and the chemistry of it all.

Goats, Olives, & Napoleon's Buttons

Certainly my title is intriguing. After all what in the world do these things have in common and how could they possibly relate to soap? First a Bible lesson since it is Sunday.

What does the Bible say about beauty and cleanliness? God's laws were very specific on cleanliness. I believe God was taking care of his people and ensuring their survival by insisting on certain laws regarding disease and it's exposure to the tribe. They were instructed to go outside the camp and wait. Upon being deemed clean by the priest they were to wash their body and clothing before returning to the tribe. There have been soap making instructions found in ancient Babylonian times so it is not far fetched to assume the Jews had soap too.

Beauty is a gift from God. Not outward beauty, but the beauty of our spirit. He made us and we are beautifully and wonderfully made. Have you ever noticed that when you get to know someone they either become more attractive or less attractive. It is their personality, their heart, and their spirit that makes them truly beautiful. A friend brought a book to my attention that is a delightful book that I think all women should read. It is Beauty Secrets of the Bible by Ginger Garrett. She talks about beauty and gives some great beauty tips that are cheap and effective. It also contains a months worth of great devotionals. My favorite tip is the oatmeal and goat milk face scrub. Mix equal parts oatmeal and powdered goat milk in a blender and blend until fine. Mix it with a little water and scrub your face. I was a little skeptical at first but it did improve my skin. It also did wonders for my pre-teen daughter's oily complexion. The second skin care product that Ginger recommends is olive oil. It has been used for thousands of years in all sorts of beauty products. It was in the 8th century that Spain began making its Castile Soap. By the 13th century the soaps of Spain and France were famous for this luxury item (Napoleon's Buttons). Olive oil by itself is a wonderful moisturizer that does not inhibit the skins natural exfoliation or clog pores. Use it around your eyes especially to smooth away fine lines and wrinkles.

So goats refers to goat milk, olives to olive oil and Napoleon's Buttons, other than a previous reference, seems rather obscure. There is a great book called Napoleon's Buttons: How 17 Molecules Changed History by Penny Le Couteur and Jay Burreson. I read this book some time ago and it made me think about the molecules (foods) we put into our bodies. A slight change can mean the difference between something healthy and something deadly. Add another OCH3 to a common ingredient found in nutmeg, cloves, dill, and carrots and you get the drug Ecstasy. I believe this book spurred me on to find healthy foods, naturally grown, and without pesticides. Interestingly enough, this book also talks about soap. It details the taxation on salt which lead to a decreased use of soap because of the increased cost. Apparently Britain did not drop the salt tax until the industrial revolution. Without reasonably priced salt, mass production of necessities was impossible (p 306). Additionally there is an entire chapter on oleic acid found in abundance in olive oil. I will not ruin the book though and will leave the reading up to you.

No Lye, I've Been Reading

I am in research mode at the moment. The lack of lye has slowed my soapmaking process considerably so I am left with my books and a cup of tea. It's raining and raining here, so no better time to read and re-read the soap books. They are actually very interesting and I have read 90% of them. Of course if you have no interest in making soap, you might find the chemistry behind soap dreadfully boring. Just like if you have no interest in sewing, reading my beloved Ottobre Magazines would be equally boring.

So here are a few interesting facts I've learned about soap. The big scary word in soapmaking is saponification. The definition is: a process by which triglycerides (oils or fats) are reacted with sodium hydroxide (lye) to produce glycerol (AKA glycerin) and a fatty acid "soap". Soap works by trapping dirt and allowing water to wash it away. It is both hydrophilic and hydrophobic meaning it will dissolve in both water and oil which allows it to clean. It dates back to at least 600 BC and was likely discovered by accident. Lye was originally produced by running water through wood ashes. Sacrificing animals in a fire would have combined just the right ingredients to make naturally occurring soap when it rained. Because of the inconsistent nature of lye, the soaps made in the recent past were notoriously unpredictable. I'm sure we have all heard the jokes about Grandma's lye soap that would take your skin off. Today the lye is predictable and the measurements precise enough to make wonderful soaps, not that I have been able to try it yet.

So why do we use sodium laureth sulfate in most of our cleaning products? Blame it on the war! Fats were in short supply back in World War I in Germany so an alternative had to be found for soap. Enter some synthetic cleaners that were cheaper and did the job. Add a few whiteners and water softeners (more chemicals) and you had a cheaper cleaning product that preserved precious fats. The US jumped on board and converted airplane fuel factories into detergent production and the use of detergents became widely acceptable by the 1940's. They are also made from petroleum byproducts. Again, I am not a scientist but there is a raging debate over whether they are carcinogenic or not. The problem is that some of these detergents clean too well. They remove the oil that protects our skin and leaves us dry and scaly.

Another tidbit, just as the peanut oil is removed from mainstream peanut butters, replaced with cheaper oils, and sold for more money elsewhere, glycerin is removed from mass produced soaps decreasing the moisturizing properties inherent in natural soap. Did you know that glycerin is hygroscopic meaning that it attracts water?

Now that I've taught you all a bit of history, some big words, and a little chemistry to boot, don't you want to take the soapmaking plunge with me?