Soap Makers Help!

[cockadoodlemom]

Quote:
I would expect this to be a soft bar, until it's cured, at least. I wouldn't try to unmold it immediately after gel & cool-down, and I'd also probably not slice or trim it until it had air-cured for a while after being unmolded. MP might have some other ideas. I can tell you it's going to be a lovely bar for your skin!

I agree with NP. This will be a soft bar initially.

I ran it through another lye calculator - because I roll like that -

Fat Amount(oz wt) % inrecipe
Almond Oil, Sweet 15 27.27
Coconut Oil 10 18.18
Olive Oil 15 27.27
Sunflower Oil 15 27.27
Total Weight 55

% excess fat Lye Amount(oz wt)
5 7.59

For the size of fat batch that you are using, recommend that you use approximately 14 to 21 fluid ounces of liquid.

I would use 16 ounces of goatmilk- it will help with the curing not to be so wet. Make sure the milk is slushy cold. Let the lye mix cool way down - like to 95 - 100 before mixing with the oils. The coconut is your only solid fat (at room temps) it will take this one a longer time to set.

Don't be in a hurry with this one. It will be soft for a while.​

Do yall think it will be ready in time for Christmas Eve? and would this be a soap you would use ? I just didn't have the oils it wanted so I just went with what I have. Could I had honey to it? I just want a really nice smelling good for your skin bar espically if you have sensitive skin. Thank Yall so much for your help and the new hobby (hubby doesn't think I can do it and I am wasting money).

 

[ninjapoodles]

Quote:
OK, here's how I handle the whole wrinkly-outside deal (I like trash bags better than wax paper, too--it's just easier.

I just accept from the outset that I'm going to slice away the outer edges of the soap when it's unmolded, to get rid of wrinkles. I use these scraps that I trim away in one of two or three ways:

1. Save it and collect more scraps to add to it until you have enough to rebatch in a Pringles can (no waste!).

2. Let it cure and then cut it into shapes or shave it into curls (I have even cut long narrow strips and wound them around chopsticks while the strips were still malleable, then cured), or just chop it into tiny diced pieces. Then mix those pieces into a later batch for "confetti" soap.

3. While the soap is still fairly soft, simply roll and shape the scraps into "soap balls" or any other shape you like. Often, these are what I use myself--the soap is just as good as the "pretty" bars.

I use a Delsie soap cutter to trim my soap. LOVE. IT. I can't find her online any more, but it's one of those things that you could make or have made if you could see how it works. Once my camera lens gets repaired (or I borrow a camera), I'll take pictures of it. It uses guitar string to slice and trim soap.

 

[ninjapoodles]

Quote:
I agree with NP. This will be a soft bar initially.

I ran it through another lye calculator - because I roll like that -

Fat Amount(oz wt) % inrecipe
Almond Oil, Sweet 15 27.27
Coconut Oil 10 18.18
Olive Oil 15 27.27
Sunflower Oil 15 27.27
Total Weight 55

% excess fat Lye Amount(oz wt)
5 7.59

For the size of fat batch that you are using, recommend that you use approximately 14 to 21 fluid ounces of liquid.

I would use 16 ounces of goatmilk- it will help with the curing not to be so wet. Make sure the milk is slushy cold. Let the lye mix cool way down - like to 95 - 100 before mixing with the oils. The coconut is your only solid fat (at room temps) it will take this one a longer time to set.

Don't be in a hurry with this one. It will be soft for a while.​

Do yall think it will be ready in time for Christmas Eve? and would this be a soap you would use ? I just didn't have the oils it wanted so I just went with what I have. Could I had honey to it? I just want a really nice smelling good for your skin bar espically if you have sensitive skin. Thank Yall so much for your help and the new hobby (hubby doesn't think I can do it and I am wasting money).

MP and I use the same lye calculator.

I think it will probably be ready for Christmas. I mean, once it's saponified, it's soap, and can be used. Curing time just allows excess moisture to evaporate, lets the bar harden, and some people believe age lets the soap get milder.

If you want to hurry it along, you can stand your bars on end, on brown paper, with plenty of space in between them, and place a fan, on low, to blow gently on the bars. Be sure to rotate the bars occasionally so that the "bottom" gets equal drying time.

You're really going to have to be patient in the beginning. With only one solid oil (the coconut), this is going to be some soft soap in the beginning. But I'm someone who makes many many batches of just olive oil soap, so it can be done!

One thing about olive oil in soap--it's soft in the beginning, but NOTHING makes a harder bar once it's cured! A pure olive oil bar is really white, and rock-hard.

 

[ninjapoodles]

Quote:
I have never had that happen! What was the mold made of? Did it melt soon after the soap was poured, or later, during the gel phase?

ETA: I think I have some snowflake molds, and I almost never, ever use individual molds any more. IF I can find them (and please understand, that's a big IF), I'll be happy to send you mine.

 

[ninjapoodles]

Quote:
I LOVE Applejack & Peel FO!! I would use the maximum amount for the recipe. The fragrance may be strong at first, but trust me, it fades as it cures. You are going to LOVE the smell of that as it cures over the next few weeks!

Be aware that clove and cinnamon are potential skin irritants (I'm sure you are). I've used cinnamon in soap with no problems, but if someone were allergic...

As far as tweaking the recipe with additional oils, as long as you're using your lye calculator, you really can't "mess up" as far as the formula. Yours looks like something I would do.

My only note on the oats, milk, and honey recipe would be to do that one LAST, after you've practiced on the others!

Instead of one "superheating" ingredient, you'll be using THREE. But it can be done--you just have to be extra cautious.

I can't wait to hear about your day!

 

[Backyard Buddies]

Quote:
OK, can you explain exactly what that means? I asked that question a few weeks back, but no one really answered. Most of the sources I've found suggest .5 ounces fragrance/lb. of oils. I've also seen reference to "1% usage rate" which I would interpret as 1 ounce of fragrance/every 100 ounces of oils, which may be a wrong interpretation. That's why I aimed somewhere in the middle of the two. What works best?


Quote:
I hope what I did is OK. I tried to keep it on the low end since I was guessing. I added the peel of one orange (from the backyard tree) and baked it in the oven to dehydrate it. Then I added about a 1/2 t. of cinnamon and 1/3 t. of cloves. I stirred the ground spices in the avocado oil and added them at the same time at light trace.

Quote:
Thanks. Good to know, especially coming from someone with your knowledge.

Would you add any more or less of the particular oils I'm using? Since I'm new at this, I'm not entirely sure how my tweakings are working.

Quote:
Cautious as in how? I know to make the milk slushy in the freezer before adding the lye. Is it a straight exchange of water to milk or is there any other tweaking I need to do? I assume that I want to be sure that the lye/milk and oils are on the lower end, temperature wise before mixing, but how low would be best to avoid this superheating issue? I also know that I shouldn't insulate, or only lightly so. What else?

Also, I have two drawers. Both are the same size 10 X 13, but one is nearly twice as deep. Would there be any benefit in doing the milk batch in the deeper drawer, but pouring it at the same level as the shorter drawer? That'll give a little bit of head space before putting the lid (cardboard box lid) on it.

Quote:
I will definitely report back in. If everyone who has said they'd come actually makes it there, I'll be working on this with up to 6 other people.

 

[ninjapoodles]

ACK! With all the questions!

Working my way backward:

Milk causes soap to superheat. So do oats. So does honey. Using all three at once is a recipe for a scorched batch if you're not careful. That said, oats/milk/honey is a VERY common combination for soap, so it's not like it's never done or anything. I do it all the time. For your first milk batch, I might stick with just the milk so you can see how it reacts differently than water, without the added complication of the oats & honey. Does that make sense? I mean, if your first milk batch also contains other "heaters," you won't know for future reference how much was due to the milk and how much to the additives.

One easy way to jam-pack a bar with milk, oats, and honey and not worry so much about it burning is to make it a straight OO soap. Low lather, but stunning to bathe skin.

If you are wanting the fragrance of oats, milk, & honey, then for your first attempt at milk soap, I'd go with an OMH FO, and add just a smidge of honey and oat flour to the soap at trace...just to be able to say it's in there, you know?

I'd definitely pour the milk batch shallow this time (I do mine in blocks, but I've got it down to a science--even your local humidity can affect it), and go ahead and put the lid on at first, but check it frequently for progression of gelling. Once it has gelled into all four corners of the mold, I'd take the lid off, and depending how hot it was, possibly put a fan on it or move it to a cool spot. That's the trick with milk soaps--getting from gel to cool-down without burning.


Re: choosing oils--I think you're on the right track, because you're starting with the basics and adding/changing just a little each time. That way, if you like one batch a whole lot better or worse than the last one, you'll know why. Know what I mean?

Re: spices--I think you're OK. Just be sure to label those so that anyone with those allergies will know. If you're hoping for fragrance from the spices, you'll likely be disappointed. You'd really have to use the essential oils of clove or cinnamon to get the scent, and you can only use a little because they're irritants.

Re: Usage rates of FOs--.5oz per lb. of oils is fine. I always use at least .7oz/lb., and if I can afford to, even up to one whole ounce per pound of oils. If you're making, say, a 30lb. batch, that adds up fast! I tend to use a little more because I use full liquid, so I know my curing times are going to be longer, and I want the soaps to still be nice and fragrant when they're sold (especially if sales are in person, people choose soaps with their nose). When I store the bars, I usually soak a bit of cotton with the same FO or EO, and close that up in the box with the soaps. I store my finished bars in boxes designed for storing baseball cards, which are PERFECT for bars of soap! Pizza boxes are also pretty good for storing/transporting soap bars, and usually you can get pizza joints to sell you some for cheap.

Oh, and some FO sellers will TELL you what the usage rate for each FO is, so check that.

With EOs, it's tricky, because some are stronger, and some, like citrus EOs, fade like crazy. You just have to experiment. Lots of people use FOs to "anchor" their EOs, but then, that would blow any "all natural" claim, so you have to be aware of that, if it matters to you. Honestly, most quality FOs use a lot of EOs in their formulas. One of my favorite fragrances is a bergamot/coriander scent that is mostly EO, but with FO to strengthen and anchor the scent.

 

[cheeptrick]

Ok...Ninja Poodles is right about the Oatmeal Milk and Honey heating the soap. I NEVER insulate any cold process soap I incorporate milk, honey or oats in. I also prevent the GEL stage...by either refrigerating it or stirring the traced soap in the mold as it cools/sets up. This helps....but does not completely prevent the gel stage. I use a wire whisk....turning the soap over every 20 minutes or so for 2 hours until it is completely set up.

Refrigerating LARGE molds are tough though....that is why living in NH helps....you can take your molds outside in the snow (i put mine on the front porch) for a few hours. I even had a batch FREEZE and still got GREAT soap....no separation happened. ???? Don't ask me why....but it works. There are a lot of soapers who can testament to preventing the gel phase....you do not need to GEL to get saponification.

I'd cut the soap you do not gel 4 days into cure instead of the 2....NON gelling soap is stickier at 48 hour cut time.

Soaping right now....
Making
Goatsmilk and Lavender
Goatsmilk and Clean Cotton

I prefer to use goatsmilk because I can skip the insulation stage!

 

[Backyard Buddies]

Thanks so much for the wonderful answers to my many, many (did I say, "many"?

) questions!

With this set to go for tomorrow, I wanted to be sure I knew what I was in for before leading others down that same path, ya know?!

OK, I have an OMH FO and have enough to add 3.5 - 4.9 ounces as you directed, so I'll do that as my primary source. I'd still like to add a bit of the oatmeal and honey, but I'll keep it pretty limited. I just wanna be able to say that I did and, well, I promised everyone that we could.

How would a half cup of oats and a couple T of honey do in my 112 ounces of oil recipe? Should I do even less?

Thanks for all the info on the FO's and EO's. I'll check into that further.

No snow here (ever!), Cheeptrick, so I'll try the fan idea and limit insulating.

Humidity is 23% here in my part of the world right now. That's dryer than normal, but this time of the year tends to be like that. With these superheating recipes, which is worse - more or less humidity?

OK, I'll stick with what I've been doing as far as the oils go and I'll tweak it more after we get to try them out.

I'll definitely label regarding the spices. I wasn't looking for scent, just speckles.

 

[ninjapoodles]

Quote:
Oh, yeah, this is absolutely right! If you can keep it from gelling at all, then by all means, try it that way! Where I live, it's nearly impossible, but I've managed to do it with slab batches (but never with block batches).

Thanks, cheeptrick, for adding that great tip!