Teach Soap

This is the second batch I've made my recipe is as follows:

20% Castor Oil
34% Coconut Oil
26% Organic EVOO
20% Palm Oil
(TOTAL WEIGHT 59.1 oz. of oils)

Lavendar EO 1.4oz
Peppermint EO .6oz

LYE 8.5OZ
WATER 23.9OZ
(soapcalc read 26.1637% lye concentration and water:lye ratio read 2.8221:1 if that helps)

I tried a different method this time. I added the fresh lye solution directly to the unmelted hard oils. When they had completely melted I poured in the soft oils and stick blended until just before a good trace. Then I added the EO and stick blended some more until trace. It took me a minute to get it into the mold and when I was pouring I noticed some lumps already in the soap. I filled the mold but I think maybe I overfilled a bit. The soap stood for about 15mins. insulated and I put it into the oven at 170degrees for 25mins. and then turned the oven off and left it for another 20mins. Then I put it back on the counter insulated with blankets and left it for 18 hours. I found this a.m. that the soap had expanded a bit and my lid to my box had come in contact with the soap and peeled off when I pulled it up. It is still soft but solid if that makes sense. I can make finger impressions easily and feel the oils a lot. I don't see any separating but I'm wondering if it will fail. Do I just leave it alone? It is still warm this a.m. after 18 hours.

When I ran this through the soap calc it came out with:
Hardness=38
Cleansing=21
Condition=51
Bubbly=38
Creamy=34
Iodine=49
INS=153

Am I just being impatient? How long shall I wait to unmold and attempt to cut? I also lined the box with wax paper (but not the lid of the box). I didn't try to smooth it on top because I like the chunky/messy look on top but maybe I should have. It looks gross! Please tell me I can salvage it!

_________________
~Rachel~

Rachel....in all honesty?

I'd be afraid to use that soap. For a couple reasons...

Adding the lye solution to unmelted hard oils, then melting, I've never heard of that before. I don't know what the odds are you will have lye pockets, but it seems to me this is not a good method.
The high % of hard oils...I've done that before and found the bars to be too drying.
Clumps when you poured? Hmmm...not sure what that could be. Could be your hard oils resolidified, could be chunky soap, we just don't know.
All the jockeying around with mix, pour, heat, unheat, blankey, do a jig, heat, etc....who knows what is *really* going on with the heat 18 hours later.

You can always rebatch and you may just have to do that. I'd say read a little bit more and go for smaller batches while you're learning.

How soon can I rebatch?

_________________
~Rachel~

I would be a little more optimistic. From what you said and from looking at the picture, I think that the only thing that could have caused any trouble was taking RTCP and forcing it to gell. Usually you soap at room temp to avoid gelling. When I looked at your pic, the first thing that came to my mind was HP. You say its soft. Is it still warm?

Adding the lye solution directly to hard oils then adding the soft oils is an advanced soaping method. Actually, it shouldn't be called advanced because its actually a very easy way to do it. My recipe is about 25% soy shortening and that is the only oil that I expose to direct heat when I CP at room temp.

_________________
Always be kind to your enemies. It messes with their heads.

My blog:

http://blog.knoxfarms.com/

Leave me lots of comments!

^^^So, you're saying it's perfectly acceptable practice to add lye solution directly to unmelted hard oils?

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

_________________
Steph
www.cajuncauldron.com

Isn't whipped soap made this same way? You whip the hard oils and drizzle in the liquid oils like salad dressing and then slowly drizzle in the lye solution as you are whipping it?

I have not tried whippped soap....currently looking at a recipe to try. I'll report back.

Here is a link to the whipped soap site I found...

_________________
He is the Good and I'm the Forest.

Nizzy was the first that made whipped soap. A pic of my whipped soap is pictured on his web site. I made it about 3 years ago. It uses all oils at room temp and cold lye.

I have pics of the process if you are interested.

Here is a link: http://nizzymoulds.com/Whipped/index.htm

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

I tried the whipped soap a couple of times........and yes, it's make the very same way. you dont melt any of your oils (unless you're using something like cocoabutter that cant be whipped while at room temp).

I had trouble with cutting it and it disappointed me into not trying it again. how do you get it to NOT stick to your blade and come out all chunky looking???

_________________
Steph
www.cajuncauldron.com

Okay here are some pictures of this soap after being cut. I'm not sure what the pattern is in the middle. The soap is still very soft, you can see one pic where I have bent it into a half circle and it is not breaking. Will this harden up for me with a few weeks?
As I poured this, it was very thick like custard and there had been a few lumps but I used EO (lavendar & peppermint) and NO FO. I also did not smooth it out on top and I think I may have accidentally tilted it when I put it in the oven (the sinking over to one side thing going on).

Is a rebatch called for here? I used a little chunk this a.m. and washed my hands and it felt fine. I could feel the oils left behind after I rinsed, it lathered nicely and did not tingle at all. There does appear to be some small cracks where I am seeing liquid oils here and there. Not on every bar but on a few of them.

Any thoughts?
Thanks in advance!

_________________
~Rachel~

Oooh, I don't know. That does look a bit strange. Check it to your tongue to see if there's any lye. I would definately cure it until it gets harder.

_________________
Always be kind to your enemies. It messes with their heads.

My blog:

http://blog.knoxfarms.com/

Leave me lots of comments!

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