# Simple Recipe for a Beginner



## Bamagirl (Sep 26, 2015)

Anyone got any ideas for a simple recipe for a beginner. I have been reading through the forums and think I want to try a recipe with lard or crisco and one that is really simple since it will be my very first batch. TIA


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## Seawolfe (Sep 26, 2015)

For a very first recipe I would try:

65%  lard
20% olive or sweet almond oil
15% coconut oil 76 deg
5% super fat
1 tablespoon sugar per lb of oils mixed in the water before you add the lye to boost bubbles (add sugar before lye or it won't dissolve)

No color, no scent, or a very basic scent like lavender essential oil using brambleberrys fragrance calculator  http://www.brambleberry.com/Pages/Fragrance-Calculator.aspx

Use a calculator like soapee.com or soapcalc.net to get the actual amounts of oil, water and lye. There is a good tutorial on how to use soapcalc stickies in the beginners forum. 

I'm sure others will chime in with recipes that are just as good, but this is one of my favorites, and very simple


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## The Efficacious Gentleman (Sep 26, 2015)

I would suggest 50% Lard, 30% OO, 15% CO and 5% castor - a very simple recipe that will not disappoint.


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## Bamagirl (Dec 1, 2015)

As the time draws near for my supplies to get here and me to finally be able to soap, I find myself with more and more questions.

I plan on using both of these recipes as my first two batches. However, I have a question, since I will be using lard and coconut oil is it going to be ok to soap at room temp, especially for a newbie who won't know what false trace is? And speaking of false trace, how do you recognize it?


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## shunt2011 (Dec 1, 2015)

Bamagirl said:


> As the time draws near for my supplies to get here and me to finally be able to soap, I find myself with more and more questions.
> 
> I plan on using both of these recipes as my first two batches. However, I have a question, since I will be using lard and coconut oil is it going to be ok to soap at room temp, especially for a newbie who won't know what false trace is? And speaking of false trace, how do you recognize it?


 
I would just soap a touch warm.   Just slightly heat your solid oils before adding your liquid oils, then add your lye mixture.  Mine is generally made the day before or masterbatched.   As long as your oils are fairly clear and not murky you will be fine.


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## Susie (Dec 1, 2015)

I would make sure my solid oils were completely melted before adding the lye water.  Especially with this cool weather.  

False trace is when your oils re-solidify before trace is reached.  That makes you think you have trace, when all you have is cold lard/CO.


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## lsg (Dec 1, 2015)

25% coconut, 30% palm, 37% olive oil and 8% Castor oil.


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## penelopejane (Dec 2, 2015)

lsg said:


> 25% coconut, 30% palm, 37% olive oil and 8% Castor oil.




^^^^That makes a really nice, lathery, hard bar as long as CO doesn't worry you.


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## Arimara (Dec 2, 2015)

penelopejane said:


> ^^^^That makes a really nice, lathery, hard bar as long as CO doesn't worry you.



A super fat closer to 10% might help for that recipe. 100% coconut oil with a 20% superfat and made using 1 part water/lye solution and 1 part coconut milk (added to oils) is also quite nice. I'm waiting for a batch to finish curing.


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## lsg (Dec 2, 2015)

Some people are sensitive to coconut oil, but my soap usually contains 30% coconut with a 5% superfat and I have never had a complaint.


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## hyperhounds (Dec 4, 2015)

The Gentleman:  I just tried this recipe and I had tons of bubbles in my batter. the lard seemed to froth a lot. I was careful with mixing and it still happened. I'm afraid my soap will be full of air pockets.  is this normal with lard? It's the first time I have tried lard in a soap recipe.


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## The Efficacious Gentleman (Dec 5, 2015)

I can't say that I have ever notices bubbles forming. Was it from the stick blending?


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## Susie (Dec 5, 2015)

Lard does not create bubbles.  You have to be careful to "burp" the stick blender before blending, and keep the bell fully immersed while blending.  Bubbles come from air stick blended into batter.  

Did you fully melt your lard and CO?


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## Dharlee (Dec 6, 2015)

lsg said:


> Some people are sensitive to coconut oil, but my soap usually contains 30% coconut with a 5% superfat and I have never had a complaint.



My early recipes all had 30% co and they are great for us. I have read that many cannot use co at that rate, but we had been used to store soap previously so for us it was a wonderful change.


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## CaraBou (Dec 6, 2015)

I have seen lard froth.  I can't say for sure at this point but I think it might be from overheating it. Next time try not to let it get very hot when you melt it.


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## penelopejane (Dec 6, 2015)

Dharlee said:


> My early recipes all had 30% co and they are great for us. I have read that many cannot use co at that rate, but we had been used to store soap previously so for us it was a wonderful change.



Yes home made soap of just about any kind beats commercial soap


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## JayJay (Dec 6, 2015)

Bamagirl said:


> As the time draws near for my supplies to get here and me to finally be able to soap, I find myself with more and more questions.
> 
> I plan on using both of these recipes as my first two batches. However, I have a question, since I will be using lard and coconut oil is it going to be ok to soap at room temp, especially for a newbie who won't know what false trace is? And speaking of false trace, how do you recognize it?



Okay I am not of the experts around here but I will attempt to answer the part about recognizing false trace.  False trace seems to look more like thick batter but it does not really look like trace on the surface when you trail the batter across the top. It doesn't sit ontop itself in the same way. And the surface doesn't reflect light in the same way. I don't know if this makes sense or is helpful. 

If someone knows better please feel free to chime in. It's possible that what I think I've seen with my solid oils isn't really false trace. I won't be offended if someone corrects me.


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## LBussy (Dec 6, 2015)

Bamagirl, get yourself one of these while you are collecting supplies and equipment:




Non-contact Infrared Thermometer

At $13 you will find it invaluable.  You can then figure out the temp of your lye and your oils so you need not worry about false trace OR a soap volcano.


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## Bamagirl (Dec 6, 2015)

LBussy said:


> Bamagirl, get yourself one of these while you are collecting supplies and equipment:
> 
> 
> 
> ...



My husband has one of those, I don't think he uses it, so I can probably use it.


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## LBussy (Dec 6, 2015)

He said it's fine, don't even bother asking.


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## Susie (Dec 6, 2015)

It really is not necessary to take the temperature of the oils or lye water unless you are doing fancy stuff.


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## LBussy (Dec 6, 2015)

Susie said:


> It really is not necessary to take the temperature of the oils or lye water unless you are doing fancy stuff.


Definitely not ... but for a new person it's a Good Idea (TM) because when she says "did I get false trace?" we can ask important things like "how hot were your oils and your lye?"  Without that information we'll be guessing.  A new person also has no reference for cool, warm and hot.  A quick pull of the trigger and all is very clear.


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## hyperhounds (Dec 6, 2015)

maybe I did overheat it. I will keep it cooler next time. It might have been when I added the liquid oils to the melted lard. I wasn't really careful to avoid bubbles. I will definitely take more care next time.


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## penelopejane (Dec 7, 2015)

LBussy said:


> He said it's fine, don't even bother asking.




lol. [emoji2]


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