This of any use @AngelaR ?
That’s a very interesting document @RicePudding - thank you! I hav saved it, partly because of the explanations but also because of the recipes. I was interested to note that the authors claim that the reason “normal” soap is considered to be drying and irritating for the skin is because industrial processes use high temperatures rather than using a cold process. I may test this theory out on my partner since he is prone to eczma 
Always better to test it out on one’s partner first 
Document saved as well.
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My memory of saponification techniques dates a bit, but the reaction is exothermic anyway, and probably the degree of saponification obtained is related to some order of the reaction kinetics, meaning that extra heat (i.e. energy input) probably leads to greater saponification and thereby reduced unsaponified fatty acid residues. An increased number of unsaponified residues from lower temperature conversion probably results in a soap having a more soothing effect when applied to the skin. I imagine that there are publications to hand which talk about this somewhere.
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I always thought it was classed as an irritant, and not for use on skin, but that might be because of what the french side of my family use it for.
Potassium based soaps are pretty common as they are usually liquid, so they get used in hand washes. What I have not been able to figure out is what is the differ between the potash based savon noir and your bog standard hand wash. There is more to it than just potassium.
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A more effective detergent (soap) will more effectively remove the fats that help keep your skin supple, hence industrially produced soaps are highly effective by design but not necessarily kind.
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Probably some kind of emollient, e.g. glycerin, lanolin, or other such component. Most of the alcohol based handwashes that have been widely distributed since Covid19 came to the fore have a glycerin component of some kind in them, or aloe vera, etc.
I like to use it for cleaning as I have a parrot and their respiratory systems are very sensitive to the chemicals used in many household products.
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It’s been a while since I first asked the question about savon noir and the replies were very interesting too!
Because I wasn’t getting very good results with the lessive I was making with savon de marseille I gave up making it. Also the local supermarket started stocking a commercial one for extra sensitive skin and my partner with eczma got on with it fine so I continued.
However, this product doesn’t seem to be available now and I’m back to making my own. My question is, what proportion of savon de marseille to anything else does everyone else use? I followed the instructions on the packet which were 60g to 1 litre of hot water, left overnight, then another litre of cold water added. I’ve since noticed other recipes which have very varied ratios, even up to nearly 50:50 with bicarbonate of soda.
What proportions seem to get clothes reasonably clean for you?
Ah, so you can use it as a wax as well!
You can get savon de Marseille shavings (copeaux) for washing clothes and sundry other purposes 
I make my own soap from scratch with daughter #3 when she is around but I’ve never made washing gloop.
It’s the copeaux that I’ve been using. I’ve never found a satisfactory formula for using in the washing machine though.
Oh how annoying. How about if they are just dissolved in hot water and poured in through the drawer? I get vrac washing gloop from my local biocoop which is super nice and easy, it just means as soon as one 5 litre bottle is empty I have to remember to fill it up before the other is empty too. They do vrac washing up liquid and cleaning stuff and softener, not that I use that (and probably shampoo too). Very good for my family’s atopic skin.
That’s very interesting, @vero . I’ve never tried the stuff our reasonably local Biocoop as new stuff is always a rick with my partner’s skin. Perhaps I should give it a go
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I expect if you want a tester they will give you a yoghurtpotful
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Thank you for the suggestion! I’ve got to go past there in the next couple of days, so I’ll ask…
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