Soap Makers Help!

[ChickenSmitten]

I Baaaack...

My recipe was
145 grams Sodium Hydroxide
375 g. spring water
350 g. olive oil
400 g. coconut oil
200 g. sunflower oil
50 g. beeswax
15 ml lemon EO
5 ml honey

I tripled the recipe and made 40 bars.
I managed to unmold the less intricate bars ( the patterned ones in individual mold depressions with deeper cuts pulled apart the pattern a bit so I left the rest in their molds for a couple more days). The stuff is still pretty soft and oily though.
I had a nice even blend in the bars I cut, with no orange spots or air pockets and a pretty ivory/ honey color!
It was cool to see it lather when I washed up after cutting the bars from the loaf shaped molds!
I am hoping that if it has come this far it will harden enough to give on Christmas?
What do you think?
I already want to make another batch for this weekend and want to use more of my honey and wax from my hives, so if you can think of any adjustments to the recipe for a firmer bar, sooner, please let me know. Plus if I had gone to a heavier trace before pouring would that have helped it set up faster? Like custard or mashed potaotes instead of thick cream?

Thanks!

 

[Morgaine]

I think you are really high on your coconut oil at 40%. I would cut that in half to 20% and make up the difference with either palm or lard. If you use soap calc on the left hand side, it will tell you the different qualities of each oil and after you calc your recipe, of your bar as a whole. Click on the question mark and it will tell you what ranges are good.

ETA
Also 4% superfatting is on the low side. I would bump it up to 6 or 7%.

And I would really reccomend adding castor oil. I have two batches that do not have any in them and they are my least favorite. I can really tell the difference in the bars that have it in them. A 5-10% range is good and keeps your bar from getting too soft.

 

[ChickenSmitten]

Thanks Morgaine

I will add the castor oil and drop some of the coconut and run it through the calculator. I am still trying to get a grip on the concept of super fatting, can someone define it for me?
And are superfats added at trace?
and will a stiffer trace make better soap?

Can't wait to try some more!

 

[redhead83402]

Quote:
Ahhh ~ chiknwhisperer ~ I am so sorry to hear that!! You know, it's not really ever fun to have such things happen, but I guess it gives us life experience, even if we don't want it, lol.

I hope things get better for you!

~Red

 

[chiknwhisperer]

I am making a smaller version of the large molds that have been shown on here. lol UPS was here yesterday and I got all excited that it was an order I had placed with Camden. But no,,, it was my DH's rear end for his truck that had blown out lol. DH asked me what I was so excited about as I was cutting open the box and I pull out a truck part

DH is letting me use his small huntin stove so that I can work on my soap in the basement. I had to beg for it though. He goes your not heating up lye on my stove. I told him if I heated up the lye on the stove I'd be in trouble anyway and that I am using it for the oils lol. Buella my BO was upset yesterday becuase of her man not being there. Everytime I went outside she would come up to me and start talking

I swear she was cussin about the blasted dog.
Well I'm really going to try to get a batch of soap going today while I have one of my breads rising.

 

[Backyard Buddies]

That is hilarious chiknwhisperer! You do have it bad!

A little hint for you - Camden Grey should have sent you an email with a tracking number. Click the link and follow it to UPS. When it says "out for delivery" then it's coming that day and you won't have to be digging into the truck parts, only to be disappointed.

 

[chiknwhisperer]

But thats just it, I never got an email. I've been watching for it but nothin. The bank account is showing it taken out. Should I contact them or somethin?

 

[Backyard Buddies]

That's odd. You should have gotten a reply email confirming your order. It should have had a tracking number on it. You should contact them - They prefer that you contact by the email address on their website. When I had a question, they got back to me pretty quickly.

How long ago did you order?

 

[chiknwhisperer]

Ok I think I got it. i PLACED THE ORDER SATURDAY. I just checked the website and it says there is a minimum turnaround of four days. And they are closed starting tomorrow and won't open again until monday. So I guess when they get ready to ship I will get that email

 

[chiknwhisperer]

I received a confirmation thingy a little while ago with my UPS tracking number

It should be here Dec. 3. See this is what happens, I talk about it and I hear something lol. Like talking about someone and they are standing behind you and you didn't know that they walked up hehe