# Newbies random soaping questions



## Laurabolyard (Feb 10, 2018)

I hate the thought of staring a new thread every time I have a random question. I hope it's ok to just keep a thread going for them.

First question
In cp, for thinnest batter, Is it better to get to emulsification and then pour and get to trace in the individual color containers?  I'm wanting the batter a bit thinner than I just achieved!


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## lsg (Feb 10, 2018)

If dividing into several containers, just blend until you have a good emulsion and then divide the soap.


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## Cellador (Feb 10, 2018)

I usually stick-blend to emulsion, add FOs & additives, then separate into individual color containers. You don't have to wait until trace to start pouring. A lot of more complex design work requires a really thin batter- waiting until you see trace on the batter can reduce the amount of time you have to play.


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## IrishLass (Feb 10, 2018)

Here's a great swirling prep video from the SMF challenge video channel on youtube, where forum member Newbie shows what emulsification looks like and how to reach it:




IrishLass


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## Saffron (Feb 10, 2018)

Great video. Thanks IrishLass (and Newbie).  I could never tell when it had reached emulsion and would give it another stir just for good luck....  Now I know


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## Laurabolyard (Feb 10, 2018)

Thank you!!  That will buy me much more time!!





 My white wasn't nearly white enough, I was going for a real muted blue and lavender with a nice white and black contrast against gray. Not enough black, for sure, but for the white I used a white mica.  I now wish I had used TD (and more black). Is white mica best used for lightening colors only?  It's only one tsp per lb oils, could I have used more?




 My second attempt on the right.  closer to the color pallet I was looking for, although the purple is now not muted enough.
I used TD this time and got a better white, although it's a bit 'crackly '. I didn't think I used too much. What do experienced soapers do to get a flawless bright white?


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## Misschief (Feb 11, 2018)

That crackling is aka glycerin rivers. I love the look in some soaps and try to get it on purpose.


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## Laurabolyard (Feb 11, 2018)

Misschief said:


> That crackling is aka glycerin rivers. I love the look in some soaps and try to get it on purpose.


Sorry, I hadn't posted the picture!  Is there a reason it only happened with the TD?


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## Misschief (Feb 11, 2018)

I'm not sure about all the science-y stuff. I have noticed that it happens mostly when I use TD. You can see a bit of it in this picture, in the white part. I'll let someone more knowledgeable in the science of it weigh in with explanations. 













Salt And Pepper



__ Misschief
__ Feb 11, 2018


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## Laurabolyard (Feb 11, 2018)

In a natural looking soap like yours, it looks great!!  Natural looking soaps are actually my personal favorite, Therefore what I should be doing, but I feel compelled to practice/experiment with colors and swirls. HOW IS A NICE WHITE ACHIEVED??!!!  Lol!  The white mica sure didn't work. I'm guessing a start would be low olive oil.
I see so many designs on a white base, but I'm afraid!  Not gel??


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## Misschief (Feb 11, 2018)

My whitest soap was made with lard and tallow. They were also some of the hardest bars I've made.


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## cmzaha (Feb 11, 2018)

Heat is the culprit with causing td to crackle. Here is a great site for information on soapmaking and TD Crackle and glycerin rivers  https://auntieclaras.com/2014/05/glycerine-rivers-trying-to-understand-them/. By spending some time on Auntie Claras site you can lean a lot from her tests and experminents


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## Steve85569 (Feb 11, 2018)

For time and thin ( flowing) batter I use a water:lye ratio of 1.5 and plan, plan, plan.
Then I set up for it. Some of the FO's that I use do not allow much time so they get measured out ahead in small quantities and ONLY added when the color is ready to be poured- like in an Hombre or rainbow layer soap. That way I can take advantage of the FO accelerating to get clean layers.

That is a bit of my trial and error for you so you don't need to repeat it.
Steve


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## Laurabolyard (Feb 11, 2018)

Misschief said:


> My whitest soap was made with lard and tallow. They were also some of the hardest bars I've made.


JUST lard and tallow?  I would be willing to give that a try, I wonder how white mica would do added to that.


cmzaha said:


> Heat is the culprit with causing td to crackle. Here is a great site for information on soapmaking and TD Crackle and glycerin rivers  https://auntieclaras.com/2014/05/glycerine-rivers-trying-to-understand-them/. By spending some time on Auntie Claras site you can lean a lot from her tests and experminents


Thank you, heading there now!!
Edit...  HOLY WOW!!  I'm going to have to read that about 5 more times!!  I have to first understand what's considered high and low water soap. I think I will understand a bit more with each read!


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## IrishLass (Feb 11, 2018)

I use TD at a rate of 1/2 to 3/4 tsp. ppo to get a beautiful white. It's rare that I ever get 'glycerin rivers', but when it does happen, it can always be traced back to either my soap overheating during gel, or a particularly pesky/fast-moving FO causing my batter to abnormally heat up before I even pour the batter into the mold. And TD doesn't even have to be a part of the equation, because I've had it happen to me in batches without the addition of any TD. I think why it's associated so much with TD is because it shows up better in lighter colored soap.


IrishLass


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## earlene (Feb 11, 2018)

Laura, you soap is beautiful!  To get whiter soap, with or without TD, your choice of oils would be a good place to start.  Making sure you are not using a discoloring fragrance is the next thing to look at.

I have found that TD doesn't really whiten, but only 'lightens' some soaping oils because they start out so dark.  Some oils lighten on their own over time and the white can become whiter with some oils (OO, for example).

But if I use a discoloring oil like Dragon's Blood, then I will never have white soap, no matter what I do. Also some discoloring fragrances bleed and migrate into the rest of the soap, discoloring adjacent swirls.

And I have discovered some colorants bleed and migrate in the soap.  Brick Red Oxide Pigment (BB) is one such colorant that will darken over time and bleed into lighter colored swirls which over a longer time becomes a solid brick red.  I did not expect that when I soaped with it.  I don't know how many colorants do that, but that one does for sure.


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## Misschief (Feb 11, 2018)

Laurabolyard said:


> JUST lard and tallow?  I would be willing to give that a try, I wonder how white mica would do added to that.



Not just but those were the main oils, if I recall correctly. If I find the recipe I used, I'll share.


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## Laurabolyard (Feb 11, 2018)

IrishLass said:


> it can always be traced back to either my soap overheating during gel,
> 
> 
> IrishLass


I am frustrated that I don't understand, yet, the following...
What conditions (soaping temp, water amounts) allow for soap to gel on its own, vs using the oven?  My first cp, about 6 weeks ago, gelled just fine being wrapped in a towel. I THEN learned of putting it in the oven and turning it off. Ive done this with the last 3 batches as a "just to be sure" measure, but in doing so I may be doing more harm if the oven isn't needed.


earlene said:


> Laura, you soap is beautiful!  To get whiter soap, with or without TD, your choice of oils would be a good place to start.  Making sure you are not using a discoloring fragrance is the next thing to look at.


I DO think that's a good place to start. One of my first soaps is nice and white on its own, I'll have to go back and see what I used, although I seem to remember it was 'shortening heavy'. 
Do essential oils tend to discolor less?


Misschief said:


> Not just but those were the main oils, if I recall correctly. If I find the recipe I used, I'll share.


I would LOVE to give it a try!!


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## Misschief (Feb 11, 2018)

This was one of the recipes that came out nice and white, from Soaping 101. The recipe is in the comments.


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## Laurabolyard (Feb 11, 2018)

Misschief said:


> This was one of the recipes that came out nice and white, from Soaping 101. The recipe is in the comments.



OOOOOOHHH!!  Beautiful!!


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## penelopejane (Feb 11, 2018)

Laurabolyard said:


> I am frustrated that I don't understand, yet, the following...
> What conditions (soaping temp, water amounts) allow for soap to gel on its own, vs using the oven?  My first cp, about 6 weeks ago, gelled just fine being wrapped in a towel. I THEN learned of putting it in the oven and turning it off. Ive done this with the last 3 batches as a "just to be sure" measure, but in doing so I may be doing more harm if the oven isn't needed.



To gel a soap you need to provide a micro climate around the mold so the soap keeps the heat it creates during saponification around the soap until it has helped. 

An easy way to do this is to use an oven. The oven is not used to heat the soap. Preheat the oven to 100*F the temp of a hot day. Turn the oven off. Wrap your soap. Put it in and leave it untouched for 12-24 hours.  This is a reliable foolproof method to use for summer and winter and your soap will always gel completely.  

An oven will not hold the heat for that long but it will just be a little Micro climate for the soap.

If you live somewhere hot and you use a wooden mold with a silicone liner and a timber lid and you wrap it you will not have to use the oven to get gel. 

If it’s winter or you live somewhere cold you will have to do something different - heat mat etc. 

Everyone soaps at different temps, uses different oils, has a different climate, has a different soaping room, cures in a different place. Soaping is a matter of trial and error and finding what works for you.


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## Laurabolyard (Feb 11, 2018)

Thank you for that,  Penelopejane.

To what degree does the temp one soaps at have an influence on gel, not gel?
  I understand that water does play a role. I just have to do more reading on that. What is 33% lye concentration considered (high/low/average)?
I don't want to put it in the oven, potentially overheating it, if it isn't necessary and I might be creating too much heat.
As earlier said, My first cp soap gelled well just being wrapped in a towel, but I had soaped warmer.  Looking to know if that makes any/much difference in the world of gel!


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## cmzaha (Feb 11, 2018)

Unless you are using palm shortening most will lend to a whiter soap. Light Olive Oil, Canola, and Sunflower oil will also lend to a white soap along with tallow and lard. I prefer 45% tallow with 25% lard, of course many here will remember I run into Dos issues lard when no one else seems to, plus lately in some of my older soaps with lard I am beginning to smell the lard, and I fragrance strong. Funny how some things work well for one and not another person. Tallow shortening never give me problems but it is not as luxurious feeling as lard


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## dibbles (Feb 11, 2018)

Your soaps are very pretty. I don't get glycerin rivers often, but was only unable to embrace them in one batch. I think they look pretty cool most of the time. I often soap cool (95-100 - and occasionally cooler than that), so I do force gel. I put my mold on a baking sheet to transport it, set it (baking sheet and all) on a heating pad which sits on top of a thick blanket, turn the heating pad on high and wrap it all up. I will check to see if the mold feels warm or peek to see if it is starting to gel. If not, I will turn the heating pad back on at a medium temp and wrap it all up again. That usually is enough to get it generating heat on it's own and achieving gel.

If you want to get the most of your black or white mica, or TD and AC, stick blend them once adding to your batter. For whatever reason, black and white seem to need that where other colors can generally just be stirred in.


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## earlene (Feb 11, 2018)

Laurabolyard said:


> I am frustrated that I don't understand, yet, the following...
> What conditions (soaping temp, water amounts) allow for soap to gel on its own, vs using the oven?  My first cp, about 6 weeks ago, gelled just fine being wrapped in a towel. I THEN learned of putting it in the oven and turning it off. Ive done this with the last 3 batches as a "just to be sure" measure, but in doing so I may be doing more harm if the oven isn't needed.



Conditions and variables that affect gel:

The specific oils you use (some heat faster than others - 100% CO soap heats up fast and gels on its own if you want it to or not - I think it even does this if you put it in a freezer, as I remember reading someone did that and it still heated & gelled)

How much water you use in your recipe (or water replacement)  - high water soaps can heat more than low water soaps

Temperatures are of course a factor.  Example:  HP soaping requires the addition of heat to force a faster gel

Fragrances that contribute to heat

Additives that contain heating agents, such as sugar or alcohol

If you use more heat and ingredients that contribute to heating, your soap will most likely gel on its own without any help.

If you soap cool and use a water discount and use no heat contributing ingredients, the soap probably won't gel unless you do something to help it along.

So, it really comes down to learning how a particular recipe is likely to act and adjust your methodology based on your desired outcome.



Laurabolyard said:


> Thank you for that,  Penelopejane.
> 
> To what degree does the temp one soaps at have an influence on gel, not gel?
> I understand that water does play a role. I just have to do more reading on that. What is 33% lye concentration considered (high/low/average)?
> ...



To what degree?  Heating soap batter leads to gel.  It's that simple.  Soaping at higher temperatures leads to gel.  That's what HP soap is all about.

Cool soaping temperatures slow down how fast the soap batter reaches gel so you have more time to do intricate designs and swirls.  That's one major benefit of CP and soaping cool.

But to what degree depends on the variables mentioned in previous posts.

_"My first cp soap gelled well just being wrapped in a towel, but I had soaped warmer.  Looking to know if that makes any/much difference in the world of gel!"_

Yes, it makes a difference!  But so does your recipe and water amount and heat facilitating additives.

_"What is 33% lye concentration considered (high/low/average)?"_
I don't know how to answer that question.  50% Lye Concentration is HIGH Lye Concentration.  25% Lye Concentration is low lye concentration.

I don't know if this link will help or muddy the waters for you, but Roberto Akira has put together very good information on lye concentration: http://www.japudo.com.br/2013/05/14/the-importance-of-lye-concentration/


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## Steve85569 (Feb 11, 2018)

Here's an informative post. Not really what you are looking for now but it's good information for helping get started.

https://www.soapmakingforum.com/threads/geek-tips.57129/

I'll keep hunting the post I was looking for and link it in too.


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## Laurabolyard (Feb 11, 2018)

WOW, Earlene, thank you!!!  That REALLY gives me a point of reference!!    I'm thinking, at this point, I should really start learning about oils and what they do. SO much to learn, partly why I am loving this new hobby, although the frustration is part of the learning process!!  I'm thinking, at this point, that I should find a recipe and stick with it for awhile, for comparison sake.  Then I can experiment with temp, water, and additives, AND FRAGRANCE!!


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## Misschief (Feb 11, 2018)

Laurabolyard said:


> SO much to learn, partly why I am loving this new hobby, although the frustration is part of the learning process!!  I'm thinking, at this point, that I should find a recipe and stick with it for awhile, for comparison sake.  Then I can experiment with temp, water, and additives, AND FRAGRANCE!!



That's one of the reasons I love soap making. There's always something to learn, isn't there? I don't know if you ARE a science teacher or not, but me? I failed Chem 11 the first year I took it and just barely passed it the second time and, yet, here I am... doing chemistry every time I make a batch of soap. And loving it!


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## dixiedragon (Feb 11, 2018)

Laura, you may want to check out Kevin Dunn's book "Scientific Soap Making." He is a chemist by trade and really dug into the science behind soaping.

You may find that you get more responses by posting a new thread, because people may read your first post and respond to that question, without realizing you have a new question on page 2 or 5.

Welcome!


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## Laurabolyard (Feb 11, 2018)

Misschief said:


> That's one of the reasons I love soap making. There's always something to learn, isn't there? I don't know if you ARE a science teacher or not, but me? I failed Chem 11 the first year I took it and just barely passed it the second time and, yet, here I am... doing chemistry every time I make a batch of soap. And loving it!


I teach elementary school, so all subjects. Science is my FAVORITE, though chemistry would be my Achilles heel!  My feeling right now is that I've basically learned the "HOW", but in order to progress as a learner, I need to know the WHY!!


earlene said:


> I don't know if this link will help or muddy the waters for you, but Roberto Akira has put together very good information on lye concentration: http://www.japudo.com.br/2013/05/14/the-importance-of-lye-concentration/


Earlene, that is good info. It took me a while of looking at it to start to make some sense of it, but the more I learn, the more sense it will make!  Thank you!!


dixiedragon said:


> Laura, you may want to check out Kevin Dunn's book "Scientific Soap Making." He is a chemist by trade and really dug into the science behind soaping.
> 
> You may find that you get more responses by posting a new thread, because people may read your first post and respond to that question, without realizing you have a new question on page 2 or 5.
> 
> Welcome!


thank you so much!  Sometimes I have a really random question and hate to start a thread for it!  You make a good point!



Steve85569 said:


> Here's an informative post. Not really what you are looking for now but it's good information for helping get started.
> 
> https://www.soapmakingforum.com/threads/geek-tips.57129/
> 
> I'll keep hunting the post I was looking for and link it in too.


Thank you, heading there now!!


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## Steve85569 (Feb 12, 2018)

There are links buried within that thread that should make for an epic read.

Soap tends to gel at lower temperatures with higher water contents. I was looking for a specific thread that explained at what water content: temperature it gels.  So a LOWER lye concentration helps soap gel at a lower temperature. The Higher the lye concentration the higher the temperature needed for the soup to enter the gel phase. There was a challenge using a split batch of soap where we kept one half at low water and WAITED forever for it to thicken at which time water was added to the second half and a swirl was poured (quickly). Makes for a very interesting effect. Aunti Clara has something on it too. That really helps one to understand more about HOW to create gel or not.


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## earlene (Feb 12, 2018)

Steve85569 said:


> There are links buried within that thread that should make for an epic read.
> 
> Soap tends to gel at lower temperatures with higher water contents. I was looking for a specific thread that explained at what water content: temperature it gels.  So a LOWER lye concentration helps soap gel at a lower temperature. The Higher the lye concentration the higher the temperature needed for the soup to enter the gel phase. There was a challenge using a split batch of soap where we kept one half at low water and WAITED forever for it to thicken at which time water was added to the second half and a swirl was poured (quickly). Makes for a very interesting effect. Aunti Clara has something on it too. That really helps one to understand more about HOW to create gel or not.



Here is the High Low water challenge thread - December 2015:  https://www.soapmakingforum.com/threads/smf-december-challenge-high-and-low-water-batch.57559/
Links to Auntie Clara's ghost swirl blog posts are in the first post.


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## Steve85569 (Feb 12, 2018)

And the links come pouring in....

https://www.soapmakingforum.com/threads/numbers-on-soap-bar-quality.50018/


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## Soapprentice (Feb 12, 2018)

I think I am one of those odd balls who absolutely love glycerine rivers.. 

And I remember that video, learnt a lot from it.


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## Saffron (Feb 12, 2018)

Here's a random question:

Q. How long does NAOH keep if stored in its original airtight and sealed container which has never been opened?  

I thought it kept for good, but am seeing people talking about 'old lye' messing up their soap batches.


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## Steve85569 (Feb 12, 2018)

Watch for chunks in your NaOH. They are the tell tale sign that moisture has gotten in. As long as there is no air/moisture getting in the container it will keep indefinitely.


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## Saffron (Feb 12, 2018)

Steve85569 said:


> Watch for chunks in your NaOH. They are the tell tale sign that moisture has gotten in. As long as there is no air/moisture getting in the container it will keep indefinitely.



Thanks. I thought as much.


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## amd (Feb 12, 2018)

Saffron said:


> Here's a random question:
> 
> Q. How long does NAOH keep if stored in its original airtight and sealed container which has never been opened?
> 
> I thought it kept for good, but am seeing people talking about 'old lye' messing up their soap batches.



The shelf life is 3 years from manufacture, so entirely possible it is old lye, regardless if air/moisture gets into the packaging.


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## Laurabolyard (Feb 12, 2018)

earlene said:


> Here is the High Low water challenge thread - December 2015:  https://www.soapmakingforum.com/threads/smf-december-challenge-high-and-low-water-batch.57559/
> Links to Auntie Clara's ghost swirl blog posts are in the first post.


Thank you!!  I'm about to dig in!!


Steve85569 said:


> Watch for chunks in your NaOH. They are the tell tale sign that moisture has gotten in. As long as there is no air/moisture getting in the container it will keep indefinitely.


Thank you!  I'm on my way to a little more understanding!  Your post above was very helpful!  I dropped my lye concentration to 30% and soaped at about 95 degrees. I don't know if that's enough on either end.   We will see!  I liked soaping warmer, ensuring gel, but not such a fluid batter!  Truth be told, so far I still think I prefer hp, but I'm enjoying the experimentation and having fun with some designs!

Ok, with this evenings reading, I'm leaning toward these conclusions...

More water, (25-27% lye ratio) better to insure gel, increased instance of soda ash (which I've not yet encountered) more likelihood of glycerine rivers, longer to unmold, longer to cure, but more time for intricate designs.  
Thus far, I haven't used that low of a lye ratio.  The lowest was this evening at 30%. I began pouring at emulsification and was happy to not being in a panic because everything moved NICE and slow!
Back to reading!!

Wow, even at 30% lye concentration, this soap is REALLY soft after 24 hours!!  Kind of like play dough!  NOTED, a few percentages makes a big difference, but I DID get a lot of 'play time'!!


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## toxikon (Feb 13, 2018)

Laurabolyard said:


> Wow, even at 30% lye concentration, this soap is REALLY soft after 24 hours!!  Kind of like play dough!  NOTED, a few percentages makes a big difference, but I DID get a lot of 'play time'!!


Sorry if I missed it, what recipe did you use?

There's definitely a few reasons your soap could be soft! Using lots of soft oils can definitely cause a slower hardening. 

I'd still consider 30% Lye Conc fairly high water, I usually stick to 35%. But that's all personal preference. My soap sets up hard in about 24-48 hours and my recipes are around 60% hard oils (lard, tallow and coconut).


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## Laurabolyard (Feb 13, 2018)

toxikon said:


> Sorry if I missed it, what recipe did you use?
> 
> There's definitely a few reasons your soap could be soft! Using lots of soft oils can definitely cause a slower hardening.
> 
> I'd still consider 30% Lye Conc fairly high water, I usually stick to 35%. But that's all personal preference. My soap sets up hard in about 24-48 hours and my recipes are around 60% hard oils (lard, tallow and coconut).



I had been using 33%, but I thought I would try lower, to get some design time!  My only additive was SL, 2 tsp.
I poured at saponification for the first time. Does that make a difference as well??  I didn't let it trace.  It was definitely thickened by the time I was done.


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## toxikon (Feb 13, 2018)

Yeah I think pouring at emulsion might slow things down too. Your recipe doesn't look like it'd cause too much softness. Interesting! I'm sure it'll set up nicely soon.


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## Laurabolyard (Feb 14, 2018)

I was checking to see if using more water would help it gel on its own, as it was a thin mold. I got partial gel, so in this case I know that I should have forced with maybe a heating pad. I didn't use sugar because I don't really understand the roles it plays yet. I need to do more reading. I have read that it helps with gel, but I don't know if it also speeds trace.



cmzaha said:


> Unless you are using palm shortening most will lend to a whiter soap. Light Olive Oil, Canola, and Sunflower oil will also lend to a white soap along with tallow and lard. I prefer 45% tallow with 25% lard, of course many here will remember I run into Dos issues lard when no one else seems to, plus lately in some of my older soaps with lard I am beginning to smell the lard, and I fragrance strong. Funny how some things work well for one and not another person. Tallow shortening never give me problems but it is not as luxurious feeling as lard



Are you saying that crisco with palm doesn't lend itself to a whiter soap?  I really thought it would!  I have palm kernel flakes that I haven't used, what about those?


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## DianaMoon (Feb 24, 2018)

Laurabolyard said:


> Thank you!!  That will buy me much more time!!
> 
> View attachment 28694
> My white wasn't nearly white enough, I was going for a real muted blue and lavender with a nice white and black contrast against gray. Not enough black, for sure, but for the white I used a white mica.  I now wish I had used TD (and more black). Is white mica best used for lightening colors only?  It's only one tsp per lb oils, could I have used more?
> ...


I think they're gorgeous. They look like camo to me.


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## DianaMoon (Feb 24, 2018)

Here's my random question. I have heard repeatedly that you need to cure at least 4 weeks - perhaps longer - but a guy on Youtube (yes, I know) says that's bunk, and that curing is actually unnecessary, that the PH value of the soap is the same after you unmold it as it is after weeks of curing. He recommended the tongue test (which I can't bring myself to do, yet) to prove the theory but he didn't prove it with an actual test.
What do people here think?


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## IrishLass (Feb 24, 2018)

YouTube guy is lacking in understanding of a few things. While most us here (me included) do recommend applying the  *tongue test*, he lacks the understanding of what a tongue test actually indicates. Hint- it is _not_ an indictator of pH-  rather, it's an indicator of unreacted lye (two very different things). Because of his faulty understanding of what the tongue test is for, his conclusion is wrong. The pH does drop, although not dramatically. 

Fellow forum member, DeeAnna, has a few excellent posts on what goes on inside of a soap during cure and why it is necessary:

*http://www.soapmakingforum.com/showpost.php?p=634104&postcount=51*

_*http://www.soapmakingforum.com/showthread.php?t=35831*_

*http://www.soapmakingforum.com/showthread.php?t=35831&page=2*

and here's another of DeeAnna's posts in regards to pH (what it does and does not indicate):
*http://www.soapmakingforum.com/showpost.php?p=553574&postcount=96*


IrishLass


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## DianaMoon (Feb 24, 2018)

IrishLass said:


> YouTube guy is lacking in understanding of a few things. While most us here (me included) do recommend applying the  *tongue test*, he lacks the understanding of what a tongue test actually indicates. Hint- it is _not_ an indictator of pH-  rather, it's an indicator of unreacted lye (two very different things). Because of his faulty understanding of what the tongue test is for, his conclusion is wrong. The pH does drop, although not dramatically.
> 
> Fellow forum member, DeeAnna, has a few excellent posts on what goes on inside of a soap during cure and why it is necessary:
> 
> ...


Thanks - I never doubted that cure is necessary, which is why I brought it up here.
I have some cleanup safety questions. I started a new thread on it.

PS - thanks for the links. This is all such wonderful information & I am so thankful I stumbled across this website.


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