I wanted to make some new shampoo bars, but I was having a hard time figuring out what I wanted to try  next. My fist couple were just your pretty basic shampoo bars, this time I really wanted to do something a little outside the box.

In researching I came across some sites that referenced using Apple cider vinegar in place of distilled water when mixing the lye. Of course I also came across some sites that said do not mix your lye with Apple cider vinegar it will not come out.

So of course I had to try it, right? Right, I had to know for myself if this would work,  so I set out on making a shampoo bar with Apple cider vinegar in place of distilled water. I also wanted to use several hair loving oils, and butters but not the standard shea butter, coco butter, olive oil, coconut oil you usually see.

In general I tend to stay away from short shelf life oils, unless I have a specific recipe I am going to make that requires sunflower, hazelnut, soybean, wheat germ, and walnut oil.  I keep my sweet almond oil refrigerated so it remains good for 1 year.

I used braggs Apple cider vinegar, but if you wanted to try making this soap I would think any Apple cider vinegar would work the same.

I measured out my Apple cider vinegar and lye and set them both to the side. I then measured out my DL Panthenol, water and citric acid, mixed them together then set the mixed solution to the side.

I mixed all of my oils,  and when the oils and lye water were within 10 degrees of each other I poured the lye water into my oils and using a stick blender mixed them together for a minute and added the dl-panthenol and citrus acid mix and blended until I started reaching thin trace and added my peppermint rosemary essential oils. When the batch was ready to pour I poured into (2) 2lb loaf molds, covered and left for apporimately 24 hours before I unmolded.

After 3 days I cut the loafs into bars . Maybe I should have cut after 24 hours, or waited longer not sure which. At first I thought this loaf was going to end up crumbling on me, but it didn’t. After 6 weeks I used it and loved it.

I feel I made this bar work but it does not look amazing, so I will continue to try this different ways to see if I can master making this work and look amazing.  Let me know if you have tried and succeeded.