Teach Soap

Because I believe in sharing our experiences, good, bad, or indifferent, I'm going to share mine. It all worked out, in the end, but it had a couple of Holy Cow! moments in it.

I'll add that I don't +think+ I mis-measured anything. I do try very hard to measure twice, mix once, and allow no distractions. Having said so, I'm human too, and I possibly fluffed something. But I don't know +what+ it was, if I did.

I had been asked to make lard and coconut oil soap combo that included safflower, sunflower, and evening primrose oils. Uh-kay. And I always have beeswax in my soaps.

Here's the recipe I used, in percentages.
Beeswax 2%
Palm Kernel Flakes 3%
Castor Oil 5%
Safflower Oil 5%
Sunflower Oil 5%
Evening Primrose Oil 5%
Coconut Oil 30%
Lard 45%
8.88 oz Lye
21.12 oz H2O
1.5 oz Sodium Lactate
2 oz Soapy Clean BB Fragrance Oil

I soaped when lye water was ~ 112 F and oils ~ 115 F. Since I use beeswax, I tend to soap warmer. Usually, I add honey to my soap, but did not get to add it this time.

I put my stick blender in, used it 30 seconds to minute ONLY. That's all I got! It was not custard, it was solid Jell-Oh-Heck pudding thickness. I started scooping into one mold, patted it down with plastic wrap. I went for the second mold, and it came out of my crock pot in one solid, gelatinous blob, and was crumbling by the time I tried to smooth it. This thing went at Warp Speed. I have never seen anything like it.

I put the second mold into a ~ 170 F oven for about 30 minutes. It loosened up to the point I could stir it up, and smooth it properly. They are on the counter, behaving as if nothing ever happened, TYVM.

Some of my soaps have been softer than I like, and I decided to try the sodium lactate this time. Is that the culprit, or did I travel through a random worm hole in the fabric of space-time?

Anyhow, if it helps you learn, more power to you!

Hmm. Have you ever soaped with that fragrance before? FOs are the usual culprits. Palm kernel flakes can speed things up, but they are such a small percentage in your recipe, and I've never seen them make soap move that fast!

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Lesli Sagan
Avital's Apiaries
Like us: http://www.facebook.com/AvitalsApiaries

Have you used this recipe before? Doing the math, 80% of your oils are hard at room temp.

If the soap seizes, let it. Then gel it right in the pot. I find this is the best way so you don't get lye pockets or fragrance pockets. Then mix very well.

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Irena
Closed minds are like faulty parachutes; they refuse to open.

Nope, new recipe. Playing with some ideas.

I let it sit to cool to room temp, and froze it for another 20 hours. I unmolded it just now (1 PM CDT) and it came out great. No zap, nice and creamy, smells fab. I'll let it dry a couple of days and see. I used the crumblies to wash hands with, and I like it. We'll let it age a bit and mature.

I prefer harder bars over softer, but I love the idea of some the special oils. That's why I keep making soap, to try out the next brainstorm. I am sure none of the rest of you EVER feel like that! (she said, sarcastically. Bwa ha ha ha ha)

Glad to know that was a "seize" rather than something else. I'll know next time not to panic.

Honey Lady

Next time try a stainless steel whisk instead of the stick blender.

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Irena
Closed minds are like faulty parachutes; they refuse to open.