Advanced Soap Making- Hands On. Unique Ingredients (Can you soap with that!?) Catherine McGinnis, Soaping 101

Advanced Soap Making- Hands On. Unique Ingredients (Can you soap with that!?) Catherine McGinnis, Soaping 101


Catherine:		So I have series that I do on Soaping 101, I think I told you about it earlier and it’s called “Can you Soap With That.”  So today we are going to soap with a very special ingredient and it’s called Marmite.  Has anyone ever heard of Marmite before? 
Phyllis:		 It’s like Vegemite right?
Catherine:		Similar.   So I’m going to tell you all about it and then we’re going to soap with it.  Marmite, their slogan is “Love It Or Hate It” and I added on to it “Or Soap With It.”    So what it is a thick dark brown paste that’s traditionally eaten as a savory spread eaten on bread, toast, biscuits or crackers by the British, and I took that from the Wikipidia.  So our host, Derek Hodges, when he found out I had made soap with Marmite, got so excited about it and said, “That’s what I want them to make next time we’re here.”  So this is for Derek.
Audience:		He’s not here.
Catherine:		He will be here tomorrow when we unmold it.
So let’s look at the ingredients real quick.    The ingredients are yeast extract, salt, vegetable extract, niacin, thiamine, spice extracts, riboflavin, folic acid and Vitamin B-12 and that’s what is listed on their label.  Let’s break them down a little bit.  Oh, let me tell you how it’s made.  The paste is made by adding salt to yeast, a yeast byproduct from breweries.  They heat the solution until the cell walls of the yeast are softened and then they strain it and then it turns into a smooth paste.  They then put it in a jar, label it and sell it.  
So let’s go back to the ingredients real quick.  What do we care as soapmakers, why would we even want to use it?  What would it do for it?  I told you it was a byproduct of yeast and it was originally supplied by the Bass Brewery, but now modern day Marmite partners with other ones, this is a Guinness one.
When it started, they had all this excess yeast extract, because we made beer before, some of us made it when we were here, so we know that beer adds certain properties to soap.   The yeast from the beer adds to it.  It soothes irritated skin, it softens skin and it adds lather.   Do you guys remember when we made the beer soap, a little bit?   I think we used Budweiser, I don’t remember.  In this case we are not using beer, but rather we are using the pure yeast extract in a blend.  That’s why we would want to use it in soap and also it has salt in it.  You know from our past experience too, when we made the brine soaps, we used salt and what did salt add to soap, hardness and a dense creamy lather.   So we have the yeast extract, we have the salt and we also have niacin and folic acid.  It’s purported to say that they are used as skin-care products as a softening agent.  So that’s in there, so let’s add that to the list of good things, and then Vitamin B-12.
According to the Dermatology Association in 2001, they say that B-12 may be an effective treatment for psoriasis.   Now I’m not a doctor so I can’t say if it works or not, but if the Dermatology Association says it does, I’m going to say, “Yeah, sure, it works.”   We have those items and the ones that I find that really don’t add anything to it are contained in a bottle of Marmite are the vegetable extract, the thiamine and the spice extracts and that is actually celery and riboflavin.  They are in there and I don’t know how to get them out, so we’ll put them in there too.  
So let’s make soap with it, but before we do that, let’s taste it.  This is used by the British, they use it because they have all those extra vitamins and minerals and it is supposed to make them be super super healthy. 
Bonnie:		Is it good with tea?
Catherine:		It’s good with tea and biscuits.
Bonnie:		It’s good with tea and crumpets.
Catherine:		You only need just a small small amount.   I think they are bringing you some pretzels.
Amanda:		I’ve tried it before.
Catherine:		You have to try it again.  You only need a little bit.  Did everybody get a sample of the Marmite?  Does anyone want a second helping?    So we’re going to make soap with it because all those benefits and why not, can you soap with it?  Will it make soap?  
Does anyone want another sample of Marmite?  Does anyone want another teaspoon of Marmite?   
Absolutely, it will make soap.  This is Marmite soap that I made and we are going to cut these and everybody can take some home with them.  
Our recipe today, let me ask this first, is there anybody in this room that has never made cold process soap before?  The ones that haven’t I’m going to split you guys up and I’m going to put Brandy over here and I’m going to put you with Jane.  Is that okay?  So Brandy you are here.  Now raise your hand, not Ron, did I get everybody?  I just want everyone to be paired up with someone who has made it before.  Because I’m not actually going to show you how to make it right here, I’m just going to walk around.  
Oh the recipe, Olive Oil, Coconut Oil, Castor Oil, pretty much a bastille recipe.  We are going to add 1/2 ounce of Marmite and you all should have that and then we have 11 ounces of water, but you guys are going to use ice.   Why do we use the ice instead of water?
Audience:		To cool it down
Catherine:		Keep it down and it keeps the fumes cooled down, so we shouldn’t have the water fumed.  Remember when Bonnie was mixing her water, she had all that smoke, she had steam and it was stinking, well the ice will keep that from happening.   The reason why Bonnie didn’t have to do that because it was just Bonnie, but how many of you are making soap?  So now we really have to use the ice, but you don’t have to use it at home.   Then we have 4.7 ounces of lye and everything is premeasured for you, so before you make it I want to say one thing.  You can add your Marmite whenever you want to add your Marmite but it’s going to start thickening up your soap like this, so when I made it, I added my Marmite after I was at trace, a really thin-like trace.  Someone asked me how I got this on top.  I think a lot of you guys know but if you don’t know I just took a spoon and did a little texture on top.
I’m going to walk around so if you guys have any questions and I’m going to be specifically over here and over there, but I think you guys will be fine.
Kevin:		Do you add the Marmite in the mold or still in the pot?
Catherine:		Still in the pot, before I poured it.  I had already mixed the lye and the oils and then when those were emulsified and then do it with the stick blend because it is going to thicken it up.
Anybody have any questions before we start making soap.   Are you guys excited?
Audience:		yes
Catherine:		Okay be very safe
Dave:		I heard a rumor that Derek has never made soap, so I’m wondering when we are going to do that?
Catherine:		I would really like to know that too because I’m going to get it on film.
Let me say something, when we come back, I said something about someone else’s presentation that was incorrect.  Another reason why Bonnie’s lye water was hot was because the silk had to evaporate in hot water, so I said wrong.
Amanda.		I was telling her about Soaping 101.  
Catherine:		Let’s add her.  Tell me when she applies and then I will be right there by my phone and I will be right there right away and add you right away.  


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