# bar shampoo



## marlas1too (Feb 28, 2010)

http://www.motherearthnews.com/the-crunchy-chicken/foamy-shampoo-bar-recipe.aspx#axzz2KKGBYycn
saw this and thought everyone would like it as I will be getting the ingredients to make my own


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## goshengirl (Dec 18, 2010)

That's a good thing to have on hand. Thanks for the link!
(It also seems like it would be fun to personalize the bars with different herbs/scents.)


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## Grimm (Sep 5, 2012)

I'll be printing that one out in the morning and adding it to my recipe binder. Once we move I'll give it a whirl. I can't start new projects while I'm downsizing our crap- I mean cherished belongings.


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## Lake Windsong (Nov 27, 2009)

goshengirl said:


> That's a good thing to have on hand. Thanks for the link!
> (It also seems like it would be fun to personalize the bars with different herbs/scents.)


Rosemary, as in the rosemary mint recipe in the link, would be a good one to start with. Very beneficial to your scalp, helps balance oil, and promotes hair growth.


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## AuroraHawk (Sep 12, 2012)

I've never made soap but this looks like something worth learning to make. Now to find space in this house for another project.


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## Wellrounded (Sep 25, 2011)

I make a basic cold process olive and coconut soap and use it to wash my hair as well. It's the only thing I don't react to, I learnt the hard way after years of acne and horrible hair. I use vinegar as a rinse once a week or so.


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## Grimm (Sep 5, 2012)

Wellrounded said:


> I make a basic cold process olive and coconut soap and use it to wash my hair as well. It's the only thing I don't react to, I learnt the hard way after years of acne and horrible hair. I use vinegar as a rinse once a week or so.


Apple cider vinegar is a great conditioner. I use to wash my hair with baking soda and acv.


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## Asiza (Aug 24, 2014)

Thanks for this! In a pinch, baking soda works really well in keeping you clean but, it's too harsh for cleaning your hair with on a regular basis. I'm glad that you've found this recipe. It's a big help but, I am scared to death of messing with lye because I am chemically sensitive. I may have to use the oils as a base for a no-lye alternative, somehow ...


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## Grimm (Sep 5, 2012)

Asiza said:


> Thanks for this! In a pinch, baking soda works really well in keeping you clean but, it's too harsh for cleaning your hair with on a regular basis. I'm glad that you've found this recipe. It's a big help but, I am scared to death of messing with lye because I am chemically sensitive. I may have to use the oils as a base for a no-lye alternative, somehow ...


I use the baking soda/avc method everyday. Some days I just use the baking soda. AVC makes my hair a bit greasy if too much is used. The key is to find the amount of BS that works for your hair and dilute dilute dilute.

I also use J.R. Liggett's bar shampoo when I can find a good deal. I store a lot of it for SHTF but I can't justify using a $4 bar on my head everyday when the bar I use on my body is 50¢. When Vitacost has a sale I stock up and use the Liggett's more often.

I also found that using a good quality boar bristle hair brush helps distribute the scalp oils and limit my need to use shampoo.


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## Asiza (Aug 24, 2014)

Grimm said:


> I use the baking soda/avc method everyday. Some days I just use the baking soda. AVC makes my hair a bit greasy if too much is used. The key is to find the amount of BS that works for your hair and dilute dilute dilute.
> 
> I also use J.R. Liggett's bar shampoo when I can find a good deal. I store a lot of it for SHTF but I can't justify using a $4 bar on my head everyday when the bar I use on my body is 50¢. When Vitacost has a sale I stock up and use the Liggett's more often.
> 
> I also found that using a good quality boar bristle hair brush helps distribute the scalp oils and limit my need to use shampoo.


Diluting doesn't change the PH in baking soda, unfortunately. BUT, BUT -I've been looking for boar bristle body brushes for years now! Were do you get yours? What is the bar you use every day?


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## Grimm (Sep 5, 2012)

Asiza said:


> Diluting doesn't change the PH in baking soda, unfortunately. BUT, BUT -I've been looking for boar bristle body brushes for years now! Were do you get yours? What is the bar you use every day?


I use a boar brush for my hair. My current one is made by Paul Mitchell since the Mason Pearson brushes are out of my price range.

I use a handmade crocheted hemp and cotton soap saver for my body bar. Right now I am still trying to use up the 3 years supply of Dove body bars I stored. I am replacing them with handcrafted soap from local makers and Dr. Bronners bar soap. There are a lot of really great soap makers on Etsy that have wonderful products at dirt cheap prices.


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## Asiza (Aug 24, 2014)

Grimm said:


> I use a boar brush for my hair. My current one is made by Paul Mitchell since the Mason Pearson brushes are out of my price range.
> 
> I use a handmade crocheted hemp and cotton soap saver for my body bar. Right now I am still trying to use up the 3 years supply of Dove body bars I stored. I am replacing them with handcrafted soap from local makers and Dr. Bronners bar soap. There are a lot of really great soap makers on Etsy that have wonderful products at dirt cheap prices.


lol, I've just used up my own dove soap supply as well :2thumb: <-- I'm having fun with these, lol. I like Dr. Bronners too; not sure if I'll stock up though. Thanks for the link!


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## nightwing (Jul 26, 2014)

There's a bar where you can get a shampoo the beer must be pretty bad 
if they use it for shampooing. :beercheer:


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## bbrider (Sep 27, 2013)

We quit stocking large amounts of bar soap. After making our own with other items we already store, we decided to eliminate bar soap and add lye crystals. Less space, stores easily, and also makes more soap than I would want to store.


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## swinneyswitch (Apr 6, 2014)

*making soap*

I have been making soap for about 10 years now and it is so simple and so much better than store soap. The most difficult part is deciding on a recipe. I can make 1 years supply (+ some) in my crockpot, choose my fragrance if any and add all the goodies that I want. Goodies may be ground oatmeal, ground lavendar flowers. ground calendula flowers, etc. I give away so much soap and everyone says that I should sell it. But I have so much fun giving it away. I use cheap oils, extravagant oils, vitamin e; all sorts of fun things that are so good for your skin. I can go simple with crisco, lard, veggie oil. There are so many good sites on internet to choose from but the most important part when you find a recipe to your liking is to run it through a "saponification calculator" (50 cent word). MMS has one on their site and it makes sure that your oils to lye to water ratio is balanced.


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## Asiza (Aug 24, 2014)

swinneyswitch said:


> I have been making soap for about 10 years now and it is so simple and so much better than store soap. The most difficult part is deciding on a recipe. I can make 1 years supply (+ some) in my crockpot, choose my fragrance if any and add all the goodies that I want. Goodies may be ground oatmeal, ground lavendar flowers. ground calendula flowers, etc. I give away so much soap and everyone says that I should sell it. But I have so much fun giving it away. I use cheap oils, extravagant oils, vitamin e; all sorts of fun things that are so good for your skin. I can go simple with crisco, lard, veggie oil. There are so many good sites on internet to choose from but the most important part when you find a recipe to your liking is to run it through a "saponification calculator" (50 cent word). MMS has one on their site and it makes sure that your oils to lye to water ratio is balanced.


can you use baking soda instead of lye? you end up with an alkaline soda water that suds when added with the acidity of fat either way but, hows the chemistry on something like that?


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## swinneyswitch (Apr 6, 2014)

*Possum Hollow Farm Soap Directions*

Found this site on Mother Earth News which explains soap making process.

http://www.motherearthnews.com/diy/...h-possum-hollow-farm-soaps.aspx#ixzz3BcyEx3id


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## Grimm (Sep 5, 2012)

swinneyswitch said:


> I have been making soap for about 10 years now and it is so simple and so much better than store soap. The most difficult part is deciding on a recipe. I can make 1 years supply (+ some) in my crockpot, choose my fragrance if any and add all the goodies that I want. Goodies may be ground oatmeal, ground lavendar flowers. ground calendula flowers, etc. I give away so much soap and everyone says that I should sell it. But I have so much fun giving it away. I use cheap oils, extravagant oils, vitamin e; all sorts of fun things that are so good for your skin. I can go simple with crisco, lard, veggie oil. There are so many good sites on internet to choose from but the most important part when you find a recipe to your liking is to run it through a "saponification calculator" (50 cent word). MMS has one on their site and it makes sure that your oils to lye to water ratio is balanced.


I am curious about your process using the crock pot to make soap. Please share. Your basic recipe would be good too.


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## airdrop (Jan 6, 2012)

I buy Zote soap about as close to home made as you can get. Mexican made http://laundry.about.com/od/product...6224c380-8161-42ef-8ec2-8071c7ecf42a-0-ab_msb 
I use it on my ball caps when they get dirty and sweat stained plus for bath soap get my hair very clean lol


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## Grimm (Sep 5, 2012)

airdrop said:


> I buy Zote soap about as close to home made as you can get. Mexican made http://laundry.about.com/od/product...6224c380-8161-42ef-8ec2-8071c7ecf42a-0-ab_msb
> I use it on my ball caps when they get dirty and sweat stained plus for bath soap get my hair very clean lol


I use zote as part of my laundry soap recipe.


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## airdrop (Jan 6, 2012)

my wife used 1 of my bars for that Grrrrr but the laundry worked well.


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## Grimm (Sep 5, 2012)

airdrop said:


> my wife used 1 of my bars for that Grrrrr but the laundry worked well.


I try to keep at least 8 bars just for the laundry soap on the shelf. It crumbles better if it has been sitting on the shelf for a year or so.


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## tc556guy (Apr 28, 2011)

Saved to the information collection. Thanks very much for the link


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## swinneyswitch (Apr 6, 2014)

*soap holders*

Being the tightwad (uhhhhhhhhhhh sensible) person that I am, I re-use my bath scrubbies when they wear out to hold my homemade soap*. * I just unravel and drop each bar of soap into the netting and tie two knots between each bar of soap. This way I can cut one bar off when I need it. 
Linda


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## Grimm (Sep 5, 2012)

swinneyswitch said:


> Being the tightwad (uhhhhhhhhhhh sensible) person that I am, I re-use my bath scrubbies when they wear out to hold my homemade soap*. * I just unravel and drop each bar of soap into the netting and tie two knots between each bar of soap. This way I can cut one bar off when I need it.
> Linda


That sounds like how we store our onions...


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## swinneyswitch (Apr 6, 2014)

*storing onions*

Hi Grimm
how long can you store onions this way. and what kind of climate are you in.
swinneyswitch


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## Grimm (Sep 5, 2012)

swinneyswitch said:


> Hi Grimm
> how long can you store onions this way. and what kind of climate are you in.
> swinneyswitch


I can keep them for 4-7 months if in my pantry. I am in what they call the high desert in California. Actually we are in the foothills of the mountains we use to live in. The temperature has fluxed here for the last few months from the mid 90s to the 60s with humidity also fluxing to 80+%.

My parents live in a coastal area about 3 miles from the water and my mom can keep onions for almost a year in the space under her stairs.


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