Soap Makers Help!

[MullersLaneFarm]

Things must be different in NH than in IL!!

I find that my gelled soap is harder more quickly than non-gelled soap since it completes saponification faster.

Saponification is an exothermic reaction ... meaning it gives off heat. Preventing the gel mean it takes longer for the saponification to complete.

As for lasting longer. That is totally up to the amount of liquid used in the recipe & the 'cure' time given to the soap. The less liquid used in the lye solution and the longer the 'cure' time, the longer the soap will last. It doesn't have anything to do with if the soap gelled or not.

At least, that's what I've learned making soap the last 10 years. YMMV

dun chick, you said you have had partial gel. The non-gelled soap will look like the portion of your partial-gelled soap that didn't gel (usually the outer sides.)

A plus side that I have found with gelled soaps is I don't get the ash I did when I tried to prevent gelling. Maybe it has something to do with the gelling, or maybe I've just been lucky.

 

[Backyard Buddies]

This is a question for Morgaine . . . .

I searched high and low and cannot find it. You commented at some point about the usage rate for Yellow Kaolin Clay in a soap recipe. Whatever you used you said you'd do less the next time. I'm in the middle of making a citrus confetti soap and want to color the base yellow. But, what amount?

 

[Morgaine]

I used around 1/4 teaspoon ppo and it gave me a nice color the second time, 1 teaspoon ppo was too much, I have slightly yellow lather from that first batch.

 

[Morgaine]

Personally, I'm not a fan of not gelling. Just personal preference I guess. I also find them (not gelled) to be softer longer, though after 8 weekd there was no difference. 4 weeks in though they are softer and get used faster than gelled. And the colors are not nearly as vibrant as gelled soap. But my lavender & goat's milk non gell was very white, no tan at all. All milk.

 

[Backyard Buddies]

Quote:
Thanks! If it doesn't look horrible when I'm done with it, I'll post pix!

I have an idea, but we'll see if my idea actually works.

 

[dun chick]

Quote:
My gelled soap was darker. I will post a pic if I can. It was a creamy yellow on top, when I cut into it about I found the soap had gelled about 3/4 way up and a dark yelllow, not sure if this was an ash or a partial gel.

 

[cheeptrick]

You can still have saponification without the exothermic reaction...I guess that is my main point here. The texture/hardness varies slightly...but upon a full 6 weeks cure it is still soap. How do we have soap...if your exothermic reaction does not occur??

Also...the frozen milk can still saponify...when it hits the lye...like you said the lye is not picky which fats it saponifies.

 

[MullersLaneFarm]

Quote:
Sounds like partial gel, dun chick. Was this a milk soap? The control of the color of the final soap is all in the temperature of the milk/lye solution.

Gelled & non-gelled soap will be darker on the inside until the soap cures. If you cut it into bars, let sit for a good 6-8 weeks (yes, I'm old school), you will no longer see the darker portion because the excess dampness has evaporated.

I discount my lye solution and still wait a good 4-6 weeks. My customers love it that my soaps last a lot longer than other hand made soaps they've bought. Sure, it takes longer to get re-orders, but I know they're coming back to re-order once they've tried my soap.

 

[dun chick]

Quote:
Sounds like partial gel, dun chick. Was this a milk soap? The control of the color of the final soap is all in the temperature of the milk/lye solution.

Gelled & non-gelled soap will be darker on the inside until the soap cures. If you cut it into bars, let sit for a good 6-8 weeks (yes, I'm old school), you will no longer see the darker portion because the excess dampness has evaporated.

I discount my lye solution and still wait a good 4-6 weeks. My customers love it that my soaps last a lot longer than other hand made soaps they've bought. Sure, it takes longer to get re-orders, but I know they're coming back to re-order once they've tried my soap.

No it actually wasn't a creme soap. I actually have not tried any of those yet. This is still rather new for me just started cp in may of this year. Anyways I'm learning with each batch. Most times I have no problem and just let it gel. It is only about a week old and it is starting to dry out already but I will let it go for about the 8 weeks like you suggested.

 

[dun chick]

I'm so proud of myself! I was thinking about doing a creme soap. No goats milk but bought some buttermilk and made a buttermilk with my black raspberry creme scent mixed with a pink grapefruit. The base is golden but I mixed some soap with a little of pink clay and made my first swirl! It looks like raspberry blondies, sitting in my deep freeze. I was afraid it would cook and change color.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/41999875@N02/