Soap Makers Help!

[Morgaine]

Ok, I would up my superfat from 5% to 7%. I would also add some Olive, Coconut and castor oil. You should be able to get all those at your grocery store.

Try this recipe

Olive 13 oz
Lard 10 oz
Coconut 8 oz
Castor 2 oz

Lye 4.5 oz
liquid 12 oz

 

[Morgaine]

Quote:
Regular water is tap right? Are you on a well? If you have hardwater it could be the minerals in the water. On the dish forum someone was just going through that. Since this is happening so early, it has to be something that was added to the soap or touched the soap. I would switch to distilled water and no more curing on metal at all. Just put a layer of parchment paper between the soap and the rack and turn the soap once a week.

Now aslong as the soap is for personal use, I think you can still use the soap as long as it doesn't start stinking too much. It's really more of a cosmetic thing.

Oh, forgot, what fo did you use? Are you positive that you mixed it all the way in?

I can't really think of anything else that could have caused the spots.

 

[Dipsy Doodle Doo]

Wow Morgaine! Luscious, beautiful soap!
I made a deal with myself that I wouldn't make any more soap til I tackled some unpleasant chores (defrosting my chest freezer and cleaning the frig).
If I wanted to use these proportions:

Try this recipe

Olive 13 oz
Lard 10 oz
Coconut 8 oz
Castor 2 oz

Lye 4.5 oz
liquid 12 oz

and add almond oil or Vit E oil, could I drop superfat % (rerun through the calculator) back to 5% and add them at trace?
Does that make sense?
Thanks!

Lisa​

 

[Morgaine]

Are you doing cold process or hot process? I'm just wondering why you are adding at trace. For cold process, I just add everything in up front (oils wise) because even adding at trace, you can't controll which oils will saponify with the lye. Hot process is a little different if you add the extra oils in after the soap has been cooked and the lye is neutral.

If you wanted to add some Almond, I was take take some % off the olive and add it as almond, say at 5 %. Too much almond makes a really sticky soft soap.

How about this

Almond 1.6 oz
Castor 1.6 oz
Coconut 8
Lard 9.6
Olive 11.2

Lye 4.4 oz
Water/liquid 12 oz

 

[Dipsy Doodle Doo]

...because even adding at trace, you can't controll which oils will saponify with the lye

Cold Process. I thought adding at trace WOULD control that --- my mistake.
If I wanted E oil to be present / un-saponified in the finished soap, I'd have to hot process or remelt a finished soap?
There's SO MUCH I don't understand about the process. Thanks for the tip about almond oil, wouldn't want sticky soft soap.
Thanks!

Lisa​

 

[savingdogs]

Quote:
Regular water is tap right? Are you on a well? If you have hardwater it could be the minerals in the water. On the dish forum someone was just going through that. Since this is happening so early, it has to be something that was added to the soap or touched the soap. I would switch to distilled water and no more curing on metal at all. Just put a layer of parchment paper between the soap and the rack and turn the soap once a week.

Now aslong as the soap is for personal use, I think you can still use the soap as long as it doesn't start stinking too much. It's really more of a cosmetic thing.

Oh, forgot, what fo did you use? Are you positive that you mixed it all the way in?

I can't really think of anything else that could have caused the spots.

Yup, on a well. I'll get some distilled for next time. I used Baby Rose FO from Brambleberry, which worked wonderfully on my very first batch of soap. I am NOT positive that I mixed it all the way in, because it came to trace so quickly. I blended it what seemed like a long time until it was starting to almost set up, but I got it into the mold in time and it looked awesome. I did also add a few drops of food coloring at trace now that I think of it, but that was red and these spots are kind of yellowed. Maybe I should have heated it up a bit to keep mixing longer? that was my husband's suggestion but I thought I had it well mixed so poured it.
I used some of the soap today and it worked great. Homemade soap is the best! On the bar I used the spot seemed to wash off.

 

[Morgaine]

Well, I did my first weekend at the renaissnace festival. I didn't do quite as well as I had hoped, but I'm still happy with it. There were a lot more vendors there than I thought would be. The grounds looked fantastic!

As far as the demo's go, I was soooo nervous! I need to get a sign that tells the times. and I need to do a few more other things. But it was a great learning experience. My hubby actually is a good hawker, we did even better the second day even though there were a lot fewer people because he was out there bringing people in. He is sooo cute!

I totally forgot pictures, but I did get interveiwed for TV!!!!! That was scary and cool at the same time. I;m not sure when it will show.

One weekend down, five more to go!!!

 

[Backyard Buddies]

How cool, Morgaine!!! Although you didn't do as well the first day, it sounds like you picked up some tips that will help in the following weeks. And, who knows . . . Your TV interview may even bring a few more in! Congrats on your first week!

 

[Morgaine]

OK, quick question for those who made beer soap. Did you just leave the beer out to go flat or did you boil it? I wanted to make some beer soap scented with sandalwood fo.

 

[MullersLaneFarm]

Boiling it will dissapate the alcohol quicker. I always use boiled, frozen beer and treat it like my 100% milk soaps, except I superfat a bit higher (7%-10%)