# First soap recipe, what do you think?



## Meena (Jan 9, 2019)

Greetings all you tremendously wonderful new soaper friends!!!
(Is it still called "buttering-up" if every word is true???)

I just created a soap recipe for tomorrow and wonder what experienced soapers would think of it?

If you have time and the inclination, any feedback would be greatly appreciated.
I just realized i didn't put any number in for colorant -- is that required in the calc if it's 'just' a half tsp of powder?


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## Dean (Jan 9, 2019)

CO and castor high.  Not enough hardener.  Thats a lot of oils for ur first recipie.  Did u buy them already? If not cut it dn to 4
A latherer - CO
A lather stabilizer -castor
A hardener - palm if thats ur preference
A high oleic  filler - Olive

20
5
40
35


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## Meena (Jan 9, 2019)

Dean said:


> CO and castor high.  Not enough hardener.  Thats a lot of oils for ur first recipie.  Did u buy them already? If not cut it dn to 4
> A latherer - CO
> A lather stabilizer -castor
> A hardener - palm if thats ur preference
> ...



Thank you, and want to mention that I bought Organic Sustainable Palm Oil.   I would use soy, but that's GMO.


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## Zing (Jan 10, 2019)

@Meena , adding castor oil to my basic recipe was life-changing and now it's a must.  A little goes a long way, though.  I use 4.5 to 5%.  You can do 2% to 5%.  More than 10% can make your soap too sticky and soft.


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## Alfa_Lazcares (Jan 10, 2019)

Any reason why you are going for 470 grams of oils? And for that water as % of oils ratio? 

You generally dont want to go with castor over 5-10%. Coconut can be quite drying, depending on your skin. I use 30% with no problems but a lot of people wont go over 15-20%.

I would suggest you google what different oils bring to the soap and what % people like to use to give you an idea.


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## KiwiMoose (Jan 10, 2019)

Yes - too much castor.  I did that once and my soap falls apart even though it's been curing now for 2 months.  
I use 10% in my recipes but most everyone I know on here tells me to use less.
Just up the Olive to 30% and reduce the Castor to 5% - maybe reduce the coconut to 25% and increase the Shea to 10%?
That would get you using all the same oils but just with better ratios.
BUT - I'm a new soaper, so I'd wait for the gurus to chip in...


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## Cellador (Jan 10, 2019)

I think you should reduce your castor oil to the 5%-10% range. Put the remaining 15%-20% into your olive oil.
Like others have mentioned, coconut oil can be drying for some. I like to stay below 20% & have a higher palm amount, but that's just my preference. 
As for the color, you don't add it to the calculator. 
I hope this helps! Good luck! Let us know how the first batch goes!


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## Meena (Jan 10, 2019)

Alfa_Lazcares said:


> Any reason why you are going for 470 grams of oils? And for that water as % of oils ratio?



Hi Alfa!  470 g was my calculated amount.  The beginner mold SO made is 3.5 x 1.5 (and a titch we didn't count, but Way too short -- I wasn't watching him) x 8.5 = 41.4375" x .4 = 16.575 ounces x 28.375 grams conversion = 470.3156 grams.  Did i do that wrong?

The water ratio was given at a number close to my final.  I just shaved off the decimal places.
I realized when i saw that question on Soap Calc that I don't yet know how to judge the ideal water % and more importantly, the Why of it.


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## MGM (Jan 10, 2019)

For my first soap, I used a trusted recipe. For my second soap, I used a trusted recipe. For my third soap....you know it. I've only made 3 soaps. But there are enough trusted recipes online that I feel no need to make up my own for a GOOD LONG TIME. 
For your first try, you should be way more concerned about whether your eye protection is solid, where/how you're mixing your lye, how to get your oils and lye at the right temperatures, and what shows you're going to watch while you mix your soap (with no SB ). I wouldn't add ANY OTHER distractions like, rethinking your recipe. Esp if you're soaping with a concussion :-(


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## Alfa_Lazcares (Jan 10, 2019)

Meena said:


> Hi Alfa!  470 g was my calculated amount.  The beginner mold SO made is 3.5 x 1.5 (and a titch we didn't count, but Way too short -- I wasn't watching him) x 8.5 = 41.4375" x .4 = 16.575 ounces x 28.375 grams conversion = 470.3156 grams.  Did i do that wrong?
> 
> The water ratio was given at a number close to my final.  I just shaved off the decimal places.
> I realized when i saw that question on Soap Calc that I don't yet know how to judge the ideal water % and more importantly, the Why of it.



No, I was asking because that number will give you uneven numbers on the recipe and to me its a bit of a paint to weight .34 grams ha! But thats just me. 

Yes, i noticed about the lye because thr default on cals is as % of oils and that is the setting you kept.  But something i learned here is that choosing “lye concentration” will give you better results (because the concentration is always the same but as % of  oils will vary from batch to batch), in other words it will be more consistent.

One concentration that is very popular is 33% because it works very well with a lot of recipes and gives you a good starting point that you can later change. Personally thats the one i hse and has given ne good results.


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## Meena (Jan 10, 2019)

MGM said:


> For my first soap, I used a trusted recipe. For my second soap, I used a trusted recipe. For my third soap....you know it. I've only made 3 soaps. But there are enough trusted recipes online that I feel no need to make up my own for a GOOD LONG TIME.



This is excellent advice, and actually Cee phoned me this morning and one of her suggestions was to use a recipe out of my David Fisher book, "The Complete Photo Guide to Soap Making."  Yes, no need to make up a recipe at this stage because @Alfa_Lazcares made me realize there are things I still don't "get".




MGM said:


> For your first try, you should be way more concerned about whether your eye protection is solid, where/how you're mixing your lye, how to get your oils and lye at the right temperatures, and what shows you're going to watch while you mix your soap (with no SB ). I wouldn't add ANY OTHER distractions like, rethinking your recipe. Esp if you're soaping with a concussion :-(



I purchased 3M Professional Chemical Splash/Impact Goggle.  Also, heavy duty gloves that are "chemical protective."
I am going to mix the lye in a #5 pitcher outside on the walkway in front of my door.  Then I will wait for everything to come down to somewhere between room temp and 100 degrees F. before adding the lye water to the melted oils.

I am going to review the "how" of mixing the lye ("snow on the water", etc), review all the steps, probably make myself a simple step by step list so i don't forget anything, and proceed very carefully!  I also may wait until tomorrow to put the plan into action.  Today may be another prep day where i make sure my little duckies are all lined up.  

Thank you SO much, your concern is super-appreciated, as is your great advice!



Alfa_Lazcares said:


> No, I was asking because that number will give you uneven numbers on the recipe and to me its a bit of a paint to weight .34 grams ha! But thats just me.
> 
> Yes, i noticed about the lye because thr default on cals is as % of oils and that is the setting you kept.  But something i learned here is that choosing “lye concentration” will give you better results (because the concentration is always the same but as % of  oils will vary from batch to batch), in other words it will be more consistent.
> 
> One concentration that is very popular is 33% because it works very well with a lot of recipes and gives you a good starting point that you can later change. Personally thats the one i hse and has given ne good results.



Thank you so much for this.  I looked at that 'lye %g" several times, but realized that I didn't know what to put in as a value so, as you said, I left the default.  You are very helpful, thank you!


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## Chris_S (Jan 10, 2019)

Meena said:


> Thank you so much for this.  I looked at that 'lye %g" several times, but realized that I didn't know what to put in as a value so, as you said, I left the default.  You are very helpful, thank you!



I started off using a recipe online and as i got more used to things and got more confidence i started to research into things like substitute oils then set to work on finding a different recipe and adapted it after the first try and since then have chamged things about. Now after about 5 months iv finially got to a recipe i really like however i have actually made changes to even that to see if i could get naughty fo to behave themselves with less butters and more slow moving oils but it didnt help. I got impatient today and tried a scrap of a soap i made just before new years si a few weeks ago and omg its lovely lathers really well and makes my hands lovely and smooth cant waut to use it in the shower will have to be more patient for that though.

Iv found 5% castor is absolutly fine and i use 15% coconut p
oil because when iv used higher % for shower soaps its had that dry feeling for a few minutes once its washed off. That dry feeling is the reason i stopped using commercial soap in the shower. It wasnt anything like as bad as commercial mass produced soap but still not something i liked.

Although i get what your saying about gloves but i find that blue nitrile gloves are brilliant can just be thrown away and they are actually chemically resistant to caustic soda i checked before i bought it. I was using marigolds but they got expensive and i had a box of these gloves for my beekeeping so once id used them i was happy they worked. I do always have long sleeved tshirt or hoody on so my wrist skin is covered! but use what you feel most comfortable with.

I noticed that too @dixiedragon but forgot to mention that. Iv never seen anything other than 76F coconut oil


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## dixiedragon (Jan 10, 2019)

Welcome to the forum! Is there a reason you chose 92 degree coconut oil? I ask because that's not commonly available. The stuff you find in stores is the 76 degree, which is regular coconut oil. You may see the liquid variety but I don't recommend that for soaping. 

Here's a recipe I suggest:

40-50% lard, palm or tallow
5% castor
10-20% coconut (of you 
Remainder in olive, or divide between olive and some other liquid (safflower, sunflower and rice bran are good choices)
5% superfat


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## MGM (Jan 10, 2019)

Meena said:


> This is excellent advice, and actually Cee phoned me this morning and one of her suggestions was to use a recipe out of my David Fisher book, "The Complete Photo Guide to Soap Making."  Yes, no need to make up a recipe at this stage because @Alfa_Lazcares made me realize there are things I still don't "get".
> 
> 
> Thank you SO much, your concern is super-appreciated, as is your great advice!



You sound *very* ready, and I was *mostly* ready...I can give such specific warnings because I just went through my first (unsupervised) soap a week ago yesterday! Check out my description of how it actually went down here--and my top 3 lessons learned


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## Alfa_Lazcares (Jan 10, 2019)

Meena said:


> Thank you so much for this.  I looked at that 'lye %g" several times, but realized that I didn't know what to put in as a value so, as you said, I left the default.  You are very helpful, thank you!



There are several topics about lye concentrations here because i think that is something confuses us a lot of people at the begining, i was one of them. 

I read that you plan to mix your lye outside, while that is fine and a bunch of people do it, my preference is to just mix it on the sink, since, if there are spills or whatever you only need to run water and thats it, while if you mix it somewhere else you are gonna need to take a few more steps. Also you dont need to wear a biohazard suit to work with lye haha, just be careful but a splash wont be too too bad, and the fumes wont make you drop dead. I feel that i read too many alarmist post about the lye (including someone who mixed the lye and went out running), that i really felt it was super dangerous when it really is not that bad. 

I also made the mistake of putting too much castor on my first recipe, but i asked for feedback like you and people told me it was too much. Thats what prompted me to search for “apropiate” amounts of different oils. Same for the lye %

Finally i would also leave the colorants for a future batch, you dont need to make things harder on yourself.


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## MGM (Jan 10, 2019)

Alfa_Lazcares said:


> I read that you plan to mix your lye outside, while that is fine and a bunch of people do it, my preference is to just mix it on the sink, since, if there are spills or whatever you only need to run water and thats it, while if you mix it somewhere else you are gonna need to take a few more steps. Also you dont need to wear a biohazard suit to work with lye haha, just be careful but a splash wont be too too bad, and the fumes wont make you drop dead. I feel that i read too many alarmist post about the lye (including someone who mixed the lye and went out running), that i really felt it was super dangerous when it really is not that bad.



I agree that lye was less of a big deal than I expected, but that was perhaps because I was being careful. I DID mix it outside both times and one benefit was that I never noticed any fumes. And because it's cold outside, the lye could cool quicker. Mind you, if the lye had been in the room with me the first time, I might have noticed that *it hadn't all dissolved* (I discovered a layer of undissolved lye on the bottom of my container as I poured it into the oils....)


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## Alfa_Lazcares (Jan 10, 2019)

MGM said:


> I agree that lye was less of a big deal than I expected, but that was perhaps because I was being careful. I DID mix it outside both times and one benefit was that I never noticed any fumes. And because it's cold outside, the lye could cool quicker. Mind you, if the lye had been in the room with me the first time, I might have noticed that *it hadn't all dissolved* (I discovered a layer of undissolved lye on the bottom of my container as I poured it into the oils....)



I just feel like there is a lot of people out there that makes you feel like this is radioactive and you will instantly drop dead if you inhale even just a bit of fumes and a hole will form in your arm in seconds if you get a splsh (by the way, just rinse the splash with water!). And it was soooo underwealming when i finally mixed my lye... 

My house is open plan with a lot of airflow, thats why i find it easier to just mix on the kitchen sink, but it is personal preference, no right or wrong way to it, was just giving another option that to me is the easiest if anything were to happen. 

The only time i do go oit of my way to mix on my back patio is when i am using coffee cause that thing stinks soooo bad!


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## Chris_S (Jan 10, 2019)

MGM said:


> I agree that lye was less of a big deal than I expected, but that was perhaps because I was being careful. I DID mix it outside both times and one benefit was that I never noticed any fumes. And because it's cold outside, the lye could cool quicker. Mind you, if the lye had been in the room with me the first time, I might have noticed that *it hadn't all dissolved* (I discovered a layer of undissolved lye on the bottom of my container as I poured it into the oils....)



Iv had that a few times and have had to break up the lye disc but i have found that a minutes or 2 of slow stirring when first mixing the lye and water was enough to keep that from happening.

@Alfa_Lazcares i felt the same it seems very daunting when first going into it but as long as you take the nessicary basic precautions its really not that bad like you say. I had never thought of mixing it in a sink although now that i have a room dedicated to soaping setup that would mean walking up stairs from the kitchen sink to the room i use and my bathroom sink i dont feel would be suitable because of how curved it is it wouldnt garantee the container is steady. Iv been adding the lye to the water and putting it on a windowsill in the room i use with the window open just because the fumes arnt particularly pleasent to breathe in as i found out last batch i made and all my windows are shut in winter to keep heat in so i feel that method works best for me for winter at least  defo total overkill going for a run unless its to let it cool down and its just routine lol

Definatly agree with the coffee comment knocked me sick when i mixed that i luckily had my door a jar and it was just about possible to tolerate it with a lot of trips to get some fresh air unfortunately i think it was raining at the time so couldnt even move outside lol


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## Savonette (Jan 10, 2019)

I started with Anne L. Watson formulae.  It was the best start I could have ever asked for.  I've found that 8% castor oil is perfect for most soap, and I can go up to 10% if I add clay.


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## KiwiMoose (Jan 10, 2019)

I'm pretty blasé now when I mix the lye.  Luckily for me I am not an accident prone person ( touching wood as we speak!) and I'm not a sloppy cook nor soap maker so I am fairly confident in my method.  

My kitchen is well situated for proximity to stove top, sink and open windows etc.  There is a portion of my bench that I use for mixing the lye water ( it has a silicone mat down now to protect the benchtop). It is right next to the stove AND an open window.  I use the extractor fan on the stove.  The lye water does not leave that area, as once my oils are ready they also move onto the silicone mat where the lye is, and it gets poured and blended and moulded all in the same area. I usually make an ice water 'bath' with a bigger container to sit the lye water in once it's mixed, and that cools happily away while I get the oils, fragrance, colours, etc ready on the bench on the OTHER side of the stove - so that i have no fear of bumping or spilling the lye water.

I still wear gloves, but I don't wear safety goggles anymore as I have glasses and they cover my entire eye area so any splashes would not get in.

The first time I did it I was very scared, but now it's like making a cup of tea


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## MGM (Jan 10, 2019)

Chris_S said:


> Iv had that a few times and have had to break up the lye disc but i have found that a minutes or 2 of slow stirring when first mixing the lye and water was enough to keep that from happening.


Yes that's what it was, a perfect crusty disc ... BUT by the time I saw it  I had dumped out all the water into the oils!! So instead of mixing my batter right away, I worried about adding more water as I had read it could throw the recipe off , added tap water, and tried to mix hard to dissolve the disc, all the while slopping lye water around AND noticing how warm it was getting  now that the lye had water to react with. And doing all of this while wearing cloudy swim goggles because I couldn't find my safety glasses. This is why I was telling Meena to keep it simple the first time ...


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## Chris_S (Jan 10, 2019)

MGM said:


> Yes that's what it was, a perfect crusty disc ... BUT by the time I saw it  I had dumped out all the water into the oils!! So instead of mixing my batter right away, I worried about adding more water as I had read it could throw the recipe off , added tap water, and tried to mix hard to dissolve the disc, all the while slopping lye water around AND noticing how warm it was getting  now that the lye had water to react with. And doing all of this while wearing cloudy swim goggles because I couldn't find my safety glasses. This is why I was telling Meena to keep it simple the first time ...



Haha well she can learn from our mistakes cant she but you are spot on keeping it simple is definatly good advice to start off. Iv said before that i kinda jumped in at deep end but i didnt have any of the rational voices shouting no at me like i would now if id mentioned such things on here shouting in a nice way of course . Tbh i think if that had happened to me id be more bothered about having to add water to lye i keep hearing bad things can happen if its done that way round and not lye to water. Probably would of just left it to do what it does and not tried to salvage it. I know you will of learnt from that now but you do know the lye solution should be clear before mixing with oils? Every time its done the disc thing to me which it never has as long as iv stirred its been cloudy and i knew that wasnt right thats how iv noticed the lye disc and caught it before any issues occured


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## MGM (Jan 10, 2019)

Chris_S said:


> Tbh i think if that had happened to me id be more bothered about having to add water to lye i keep hearing bad things can happen if its done that way round and not lye to water. Probably would of just left it to do what it does and not tried to salvage it. I know you will of learnt from that now but you do know the lye solution should be clear before mixing with oils? Every time its done the disc thing to me which it never has as long as iv stirred its been cloudy and i knew that wasnt right thats how iv noticed the lye disc and caught it before any issues occured



1. Yes, now I know that the solution needs to be clear, but I don't think I had ever read that before. You're right...it was still cloudy, which would've been a clue had I known to look for it.
2. I had just read an article about how CRUCIAL it is to have the proper lye ratio....you can have more or less oils, different combinations of oils, can do a water discount, but LYE UBER ALLES! So I knew I had to get that disc out of the container and into the oils, by hook or by crook! And I have to say, on Day 1 that soap was doing better than the one I made yesterday, which is very sticky still :-(


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## Chris_S (Jan 10, 2019)

MGM said:


> 1. Yes, now I know that the solution needs to be clear, but I don't think I had ever read that before. You're right...it was still cloudy, which would've been a clue had I known to look for it.
> 2. I had just read an article about how CRUCIAL it is to have the proper lye ratio....you can have more or less oils, different combinations of oils, can do a water discount, but LYE UBER ALLES! So I knew I had to get that disc out of the container and into the oils, by hook or by crook! And I have to say, on Day 1 that soap was doing better than the one I made yesterday, which is very sticky still :-(



Dont worry about the stickyness honestly it can happen iv had a few batches that have been sticky and have turned out fine. I had a batch about mid december that went perfect in every way until i tried to get the silicone out the wooden box tried for at least a week still refused so ended up sacrificing half the bar and cuting it any way i could to release it no idea why it did this about 3 days after i made that one i used the same recipe %s ect and that released within 24 hours of making i even traced it to roughly same amount gelled it same and even wrapped in in the same towels. So a bit sticky is nothing lol
Infact my only try at lard soap took about 3 weeks to feel more than soft.

Did you gel the soap thats sticky? Even if you did it could just be hardening.

Fair enough if you saved it you did well as i said id probably just of chucked it if it didnt work. Iv got 3 failed loaf batches in my wardrobe that iv still not decided what to do with they have white areas all over them and looked at me in a very sinister way when i look to see if they have improved i havnt even cut them into bars. Might just chuck em.


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## KiwiMoose (Jan 10, 2019)

Chris_S said:


> Dont worry about the stickyness honestly it can happen iv had a few batches that have been sticky and have turned out fine. I had a batch about mid december that went perfect in every way until i tried to get the silicone out the wooden box tried for at least a week still refused so ended up sacrificing half the bar and cuting it any way i could to release it no idea why it did this about 3 days after i made that one i used the same recipe %s ect and that released within 24 hours of making i even traced it to roughly same amount gelled it same and even wrapped in in the same towels. So a bit sticky is nothing lol
> Infact my only try at lard soap took about 3 weeks to feel more than soft.
> 
> Did you gel the soap thats sticky? Even if you did it could just be hardening.
> ...


I can see some confetti soap on the agenda ;-)


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## Chris_S (Jan 10, 2019)

KiwiMoose said:


> I can see some confetti soap on the agenda ;-)



Mmmmmmmm iv got some white curls from a beeswax and goats milk soap obtained after bevelling the soap before packaging. That sounds like it would be worth a punt to see how they would look. Iv got lots of scraps honstley like 4 sandwich bags of them but they are very scruffy ill see if i can make any use for them too.


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## TeresaGG (Jan 10, 2019)

Alfa_Lazcares said:


> (including someone who mixed the lye and went out running)


I feel the dump stir and run mentality is where you see problems like lye volcano, undissolved lye crystals in your soap, discs of undissolved lye or others.
Which is why I like the recommendations that I've gotten. Slowly add lye to your liquid while sitring in a well ventilated area until clear.  Know what could go wrong and what to do when it does. Have first aid and cleaning supplies on hand. Try to be calm and collected.


Alfa_Lazcares said:


> I just feel like there is a lot of people out there that makes you feel like this is radioactive and you will instantly drop dead if you inhale even just a bit of fumes and a hole will form in your arm in seconds if you get a splsh (by the way, just rinse the splash with water!). And it was soooo underwealming when i finally mixed my lye...


I have done alot of research in the hope to not panic if I ever have a spill, splash, volcano, etc.
EDIT
Added until clear. I forgot that part.


Chris_S said:


> I know you will of learnt from that now but you do know the lye solution should be clear before mixing with oils? Every time its done the disc thing to me which it never has as long as iv stirred its been cloudy and i knew that wasnt right thats how iv noticed the lye disc and caught it before any issues occured


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## MGM (Jan 10, 2019)

I read someone comparing lye to bleach....you splash a litre of bleach all over your face, you're going to have problems. However, most of us use bleach all the time, a bit cautiously, and we're fine. Even if you get a dribble of lye somewhere, it's not a big deal....if you spill the jug onto the cat in a panic while trying to clean up that dribble, well that's when you have troubles. Calm and collected, and of course, mix it *right* the first time, so you don't have to improvise like I did....


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## Meena (Jan 10, 2019)

dixiedragon said:


> Welcome to the forum! Is there a reason you chose 92 degree coconut oil? I ask because that's not commonly available. The stuff you find in stores is the 76 degree, which is regular coconut oil. You may see the liquid variety but I don't recommend that for soaping.
> 
> Here's a recipe I suggest:
> 
> ...



Yes, sort of a reason:  I didn't know what the heck they were talking about!  hahahaha
My reasoning was:  coconut oil at 76 is still solid but at 98 it's liquid, so maybe they mean "am i gonna melt the oil"

I have a concussion....    lol!!!

I'm loving this because it's showing how precious LITTLE i know at this point!


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## shunt2011 (Jan 11, 2019)

I mix my lye in the kitchen sink.  Just don't keep your head close to the mixing container.  I generally add my lye then stir at an arms length gently with my head turned.   No fumes to inhale and no risk of tripping an falling by mixing it in another room/outside.  I leave it in the sink until it's room temperature (if not using masterbatched lye).  

I use nitrile gloves, inexpensive and not too bulky.


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## Meena (Jan 11, 2019)

MGM said:


> Mind you, if the lye had been in the room with me the first time, I might have noticed that *it hadn't all dissolved* (I discovered a layer of undissolved lye on the bottom of my container as I poured it into the oils....)



What did you do when that happened (undisolved lye discovered)?  And what are people using to stir up the lye solution, that part is never shown in the videos i've watched so far -- a steel rod, a silicone spatula, something else?


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## MGM (Jan 11, 2019)

Meena said:


> What did you do when that happened (undisolved lye discovered)?  And what are people using to stir up the lye solution, that part is never shown in the videos i've watched so far -- a steel rod, a silicone spatula, something else?



Well, first I panicked and took off my swim goggles to get a better look. Then I remembered about how lye ratios must be maintained ABSOLUTELY. And water ought to be, but really LYE MUST BE. So I added some tap water, but not too much, and poked at the crust until it dissolved. Problems were: instead of carefully prepping lye outside, I was frantically trying to dissolve lots of lye in little water while the rest of my lye water had already gone into my oils. And of course lots of lye plus little water generates plenty of heat, so I was thinking about that. And wondering what else might go wrong.

So yeah, don't be me: dissolve!


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## Chris_S (Jan 11, 2019)

Meena said:


> What did you do when that happened (undisolved lye discovered)?  And what are people using to stir up the lye solution, that part is never shown in the videos i've watched so far -- a steel rod, a silicone spatula, something else?



i use a silicone spoon to stir it apparently wood will get eaten away by the lye so not good. Just make sure the lye solution is clear before you pour if its cloudy then it needs more time.


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## Misschief (Jan 11, 2019)

My mother used to use a wooden spoon when she made soap... a dedicated wooden spoon. I use a silicone spoon/spatula.


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## melinda48 (Jan 11, 2019)

Meena said:


> Greetings all you tremendously wonderful new soaper friends!!!
> (Is it still called "buttering-up" if every word is true???)
> 
> I just created a soap recipe for tomorrow and wonder what experienced soapers would think of it?
> ...


I would recommend taking your recipe to Soapcalc.net to check your oils,lye, water. I do this even with trusted recipes just so I will get myself in the habit of doing so. I don’t think I will ever make a recipe without double-checking on SoapCalc. I know there are other calculation tools out there and I am sure they are fine as well. I like the idea of “trust but verify.” Lye is not a “big deal” until you get one little bit on your skin and it gets wet-wow! You will not believe how much it hurts! I use nitrile gloves and a face shield from Harbor Freight. Works great!


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## melinda48 (Jan 11, 2019)

Misschief said:


> My mother used to use a wooden spoon when she made soap... a dedicated wooden spoon. I use a silicone spoon/spatula.


For sure! Lye dirstmtirned my wooden spoon yellow-it was down hill from there. . I, too, use plastic except for with my hard oils. I use a wooden spoon to break up palm and coconut oils!


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## Alfa_Lazcares (Jan 11, 2019)

Meena said:


> What did you do when that happened (undisolved lye discovered)?  And what are people using to stir up the lye solution, that part is never shown in the videos i've watched so far -- a steel rod, a silicone spatula, something else?



I got a big stainless steel spoon to stirr my lye.


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## Marilyn Norgart (Jan 12, 2019)

Alfa_Lazcares said:


> There are several topics about lye concentrations here because i think that is something confuses us a lot of people at the begining, i was one of them.
> 
> I read that you plan to mix your lye outside, while that is fine and a bunch of people do it, my preference is to just mix it on the sink, since, if there are spills or whatever you only need to run water and thats it, while if you mix it somewhere else you are gonna need to take a few more steps. Also you dont need to wear a biohazard suit to work with lye haha, just be careful but a splash wont be too too bad, and the fumes wont make you drop dead. I feel that i read too many alarmist post about the lye (including someone who mixed the lye and went out running), that i really felt it was super dangerous when it really is not that bad.
> 
> ...


I mix mine in the sink also and found if its mixed in a deeper dish (I am using a container that 5#s of yogurt came in)  the fumes arent as bad.  I also bought one of those dust masks that is designed for chemicals--it wasn't too spendy. it makes clean up very easy and I am not walking around with a container of lye in my hands.


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## Marilyn Norgart (Jan 12, 2019)

am curious if you made some yet and how it turned out!!!


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## Meena (Jan 12, 2019)

Marilyn Norgart said:


> am curious if you made some yet and how it turned out!!!



I did!!  It's over in What Soapy Thing Did You Do Today, page 470-471  https://www.soapmakingforum.com/threads/what-soapy-thing-have-you-done-today.42556/page-470


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## Meena (Jan 12, 2019)

KiwiMoose said:


> I usually make an ice water 'bath' with a bigger container to sit the lye water in once it's mixed, and that cools happily away while I get the oils, fragrance, colours, etc ready on the bench on the OTHER side of the stove - so that i have no fear of bumping or spilling the lye water.
> 
> I still wear gloves, but I don't wear safety goggles anymore as I have glasses and they cover my entire eye area so any splashes would not get in.



I  like your lye cooling bath idea, hmmm.  But sweetie, your eyeglasses are giving you false confidence.  I have reading glasses and they are open all around, yes?  I read something yesterday on one of the pro-soap folks' page that said:

                   " * If you don't want to wear goggles, please find another hobby. "*


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## shunt2011 (Jan 12, 2019)

I don’t wear goggles either. I have large frame glasses and feel comfortable wearing them.  Making soap for 8 years.  Please Don ’t tell someone to find another hobby.  I can’t wear goggles. It distorts my vision and makes it harder to see therefore more apt to make a mistake.  I don’t always wear gloves either. Usually yes.  For beginners it’s highly recommended.


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## KiwiMoose (Jan 12, 2019)

Yes - mine have good coverage too. They have about 2-5mm clearance between frame and face at the bottom, and are practically touching my eyebrows at the top, so it would be highly unlikely that anything could get in there.


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## Misschief (Jan 12, 2019)

I wear glasses, too (not the ones I'm wearing in my profile pic). I've yet to find safety goggles that I feel comfortable with. As shunt said, they distort my vision. You know, every time I read about the "rules" of soap making, I think about our grandmothers and great grandmothers. They didn't have all kinds of safety equipment. What it really comes down to is "respect the lye". Know what it does and work accordingly. 

Right now, I don't even have gloves. If I even think I've splashed raw soap on my hands, I'll be running my hands under cold water; I mix my soap right next to my kitchen sink so water is always near at hand.


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## shunt2011 (Jan 12, 2019)

The only time I had an issue with raw soap I had gloves on and rubbed my nose. Ended up with a burn as I didn’t know I had soap on that finger.  When it’s on my skin it starts to itch first so I was with dawn and water.


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## Zing (Jan 14, 2019)

Misschief said:


> I wear glasses, too (not the ones I'm wearing in my profile pic). I've yet to find safety goggles that I feel comfortable with. As shunt said, they distort my vision. You know, every time I read about the "rules" of soap making, I think about our grandmothers and great grandmothers. They didn't have all kinds of safety equipment. What it really comes down to is "respect the lye". Know what it does and work accordingly.
> 
> Right now, I don't even have gloves. If I even think I've splashed raw soap on my hands, I'll be running my hands under cold water; I mix my soap right next to my kitchen sink so water is always near at hand.


You are a bada--, no gloves even?!  My grandmas have been gone 20 years.  I've only been soaping for just over a year and would love to talk to them because I know they made soap.  Probably lard and tallow because they used as much of their farm animals as possible.  Funny how over decades "homemade" turns into "artisan."  I now make my grandma's Scandinavian flatbread for holiday "treats" and for her it was her weekly "chore."


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## Chris_S (Jan 14, 2019)

Meena said:


> Yes, sort of a reason:  I didn't know what the heck they were talking about!  hahahaha
> My reasoning was:  coconut oil at 76 is still solid but at 98 it's liquid, so maybe they mean "am i gonna melt the oil"
> 
> I have a concussion....    lol!!!
> ...



Just checking you do know and understand the difference now. the 76f and 92f is the melt point of the coconut oil


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## zanzalawi (Jan 14, 2019)

hi @Meena 

i second what @Dean and @dixiedragon suggested for recipes guidelines, it really helps to keep it as simple while you're getting the feel for it
*edit*
i'm late to this party, i didnt even see this was 3 pages lol. i apologize, i need a nap


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## Meena (Jan 14, 2019)

shunt2011 said:


> I don’t wear goggles either. I have large frame glasses and feel comfortable wearing them.  Making soap for 8 years.  Please Don ’t tell someone to find another hobby.  I can’t wear goggles. It distorts my vision and makes it harder to see therefore more apt to make a mistake.  I don’t always wear gloves either. Usually yes.  For beginners it’s highly recommended.



I was quoting something I read, and at any rate, I do stand by it.  I'd never work with lye without goggles.

As for vision, the 3M Professional chemical splash goggles are made to fit over other eyeglasses.    Glad i got these slightly spendy ones because they don't distort.  They're beautifully clear, too.

So happy that you've been lucky.  May your luck continue, and for all others saying 'i don't wear goggles either'!



Chris_S said:


> Just checking you do know and understand the difference now. the 76f and 92f is the melt point of the coconut oil



Yes, thanks!  The 92F is that liquid stuff you see in the health food stores.


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## melinda48 (Jan 15, 2019)

Zing said:


> You are a bada--, no gloves even?!  My grandmas have been gone 20 years.  I've only been soaping for just over a year and would love to talk to them because I know they made soap.  Probably lard and tallow because they used as much of their farm animals as possible.  Funny how over decades "homemade" turns into "artisan."  I now make my grandma's Scandinavian flatbread for holiday "treats" and for her it was her weekly "chore."


Buy a face mask as Harbor Freight, Home Depotor other such store. It fits over your glasses easily as it is work on your head, not worn like glasses. It is critically important that you protect your eyes and skin! If you want an example of how it feels to get a lye burn, put about three gains of lye on you skin and wet it. It will hurt for days. Do not mess around with lye!


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## Zing (Jan 15, 2019)

melinda48 said:


> Buy a face mask as Harbor Freight, Home Depotor other such store. It fits over your glasses easily as it is work on your head, not worn like glasses. It is critically important that you protect your eyes and skin! If you want an example of how it feels to get a lye burn, put about three gains of lye on you skin and wet it. It will hurt for days. Do not mess around with lye!


@melinda48 , you are preaching to the choir.  I've always used all protective gear.


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## melinda48 (Jan 15, 2019)

Zing said:


> @melinda48 , you are preaching to the choir.  I've always used all protective gear.


Oops. My comment was meant for Meena.


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## TeresaGG (Jan 16, 2019)

Another reason to use protective gear especially protective glasses over  prescription glasses is that I do not want lye messing up expensive prescription glasses

Edit lie to lye


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## Cherrydene soapy (Jan 31, 2019)

dixiedragon said:


> Welcome to the forum! Is there a reason you chose 92 degree coconut oil? I ask because that's not commonly available. The stuff you find in stores is the 76 degree, which is regular coconut oil. You may see the liquid variety but I don't recommend that for soaping.
> 
> Here's a recipe I suggest:
> 
> ...


Why do you super fat??? As a really newbie to soap making is it ok to do 0%? What advantage does superfatting give me? Sorry for all the questions x


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## Dean (Jan 31, 2019)

Misschief said:


> I wear glasses, too (not the ones I'm wearing in my profile pic). I've yet to find safety goggles that I feel comfortable with. As shunt said, they distort my vision. You know, every time I read about the "rules" of soap making, I think about our grandmothers and great grandmothers. They didn't have all kinds of safety equipment. What it really comes down to is "respect the lye". Know what it does and work accordingly.
> 
> Right now, I don't even have gloves. If I even think I've splashed raw soap on my hands, I'll be running my hands under cold water; I mix my soap right next to my kitchen sink so water is always near at hand.



Two batches a ago, I ran out of gloves so I engaged in unprotected soap.  Last batch, I realized too late that I forgot to buy again but found one glove so I made soap Michael Jackson style.  No moonwalking, monkeys or little boys were involved.  Got to remember to get more gloves!

I found the only benefit of superfat is ensuring the soap is not lye heavy.  I did not find that it counteracted cleansing/stripping, even at very high amounts.  At 0%, my soap looked like brie  from the thick ash (lye reacting with air instead of oil).  Since that debacle, I keep it at the recommended 5%.


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## Cherrydene soapy (Jan 31, 2019)

I will definitely have a go at superfatting at 5%


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## Meena (Jan 31, 2019)

Cherrydene soapy said:


> Why do you super fat??? As a really newbie to soap making is it ok to do 0%? What advantage does superfatting give me? Sorry for all the questions x



No worries about questions, that's what you and we are here on SMF for.  

To me, the primary benefit of SF is as insurance against a lye-heavy soap.  To the extent of SF, there should (or will?) always be more oil than lye, so when the soap is unmolded, it should theoretically be zap-free already.  Other reasons include having a bit of unsaponified oil to momentarily 'coat' the skin which is probably more of a psychological effect than a real one, but may contribute to a perception of 'mildness'.


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## Meena (Jan 31, 2019)

Dean said:


> Two batches a ago, I ran out of gloves so I engaged in unprotected soap.


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## Cherrydene soapy (Jan 31, 2019)

Meena said:


> No worries about questions, that's what you and we are here on SMF for.
> 
> To me, the primary benefit of SF is as insurance against a lye-heavy soap.  To the extent of SF, there should (or will?) always be more oil than lye, so when the soap is unmolded, it should theoretically be zap-free already.  Other reasons include having a bit of unsaponified oil to momentarily 'coat' the skin which is probably more of a psychological effect than a real one, but may contribute to a perception of 'mildness'.


Thank you x


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## Clarice (Jan 31, 2019)

Zing said:


> @Meena , adding castor oil to my basic recipe was life-changing and now it's a must.  A little goes a long way, though.  I use 4.5 to 5%.  You can do 2% to 5%.  More than 10% can make your soap too sticky and soft.


thanks much for this insight - i may have added far too much to my most recent soap!


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## cmzaha (Jan 31, 2019)

shunt2011 said:


> I don’t wear goggles either. I have large frame glasses and feel comfortable wearing them.  Making soap for 8 years.  Please Don ’t tell someone to find another hobby.  I can’t wear goggles. It distorts my vision and makes it harder to see therefore more apt to make a mistake.  I don’t always wear gloves either. Usually yes.  For beginners it’s highly recommended.


Same here, I wear glasses, no goggles, no long sleeves and open shoes. I want to be able to remove everything as quick as possible in case of a spill or splash. 

Speaking of safety, I strongly suggest mixing lye solution in the sink in case a problem arises, such as a melted plastic container. Also the more you carry lye solution around the more chance of an accident. The fumes only last for a few seconds so you can turn your head or wear a mask


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## Cherrydene soapy (Jan 31, 2019)

Hi everyone I have been reading all you're really informative comments and have come up with this recipe and wondered what people think any advice would be extremely welcome hoping to mix tomorrow xx


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## Chris_S (Jan 31, 2019)

The only thing i will pull out of that recipe is the % of rice bran this is because i guenuinely dont know if this is right iv been sticking to 10% tpps after i read something on here i think irish lass wrote although it was about 10 year ago she said she didnt like going higher than 10% because of the high levels of something(?) in rice bran oil. And its potential to cause dos further down the line this is all i could find with regards to the percentages for rice bran oil so ill be reading up on any replies


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## shunt2011 (Jan 31, 2019)

I use 25% Rice Bran with no issues.  It’s personal preference. I’m not big on olive oil.


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## Chris_S (Jan 31, 2019)

shunt2011 said:


> I use 25% Rice Bran with no issues.  It’s personal preference. I’m not big on olive oil.



fair enough i didnt want to say it was wrong just hadnt found anything with solid info and seeing irish lasses post although old i decided go stay cautious with it. thank you shunt


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## shunt2011 (Feb 1, 2019)

@Chris_S it's just a personal choice, some like some oils and others something else.  I suggest trying different things until you find what YOU like in your soap.   It takes time and a lot of small batches and testing it is all.  There's no right or wrong in most cases.


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