# Desperately need help, immediatelY!



## JuneP (Dec 4, 2014)

I had all my oils melted, then mixed and decided to weigh just in case. And what should be 800.86 grams oi oil only weighs 761.00 grams! 

As I weighed each oil, I put away the bottle. But one bottle was still on the counter  - the castor oil, which should be 40.04 grams in this recipe. I thought I had weighed them all out, but how can I account for 39.86 grams missing? 

Should I add the castor oil, or let it go and get a bad, overly soft soap? My lye is already mixed and cooled, Help!

June


----------



## Obsidian (Dec 4, 2014)

Sounds like you forgot the castor, I would add it. If you don't, your soap could end up being lye heavy.


----------



## TVivian (Dec 4, 2014)

Even if you already added the castor, I doubt an extra 40g would make your soap overly soft.


----------



## JuneP (Dec 4, 2014)

I have the 40.4 grams already weighed out, and ready to go so I'll add it to the other oils.

I checked the bottle and some has been taken out, but I used Casto it in my last batch, so I'm hoping that I was careless and omitted it.

Funny, because when I weigh out my pottery glazes I made a check list on each ingredient as I weigh them; but I was working such a tight space,(where my scale is); and I weighed the hard oils first. Then weighed the olive, sweet almond and avocado. It sure does look like I missed the castor. Lesson learned! 

Thanks again. I'll let you know how it worked after I un-mold it tomorrow or the next day.

June


----------



## JustBeachy (Dec 4, 2014)

If your recipe called for 800 gr and you're sure you didn't make any mistakes weighing your other oils, then you should be just fine. Especially if you didn't have any other oils that were at the 40 gr level. I bet you're gonna be just fine.


----------



## JuneP (Dec 4, 2014)

AARGH! Think I may have found the source of the problem. I went and added the castor again (thinking it was the first time), and suddenly noticed my 3 colorants that I had already mixed using a total of 4 1/2 tsp of olive from the cup when I weighed out the olive oil. I have no idea how many grams 4 1/2 tsp of oil weighs, but there's a chance that this accounts for the missing almost 40 grams. 

So now it appears, I have added twice as much castor oil. What do I do if this is the case? 

Do I put that 40.4 grams of castor in the lye calculator and find out how much more lye and water I need? Yikes! I feel like such an idiot! 

It's my sons 50th birthday and I have to leave here in a few hours to join the party and I'm feeling really stressed at the moment!!

What would you do?????

June


----------



## snappyllama (Dec 4, 2014)

What was your original SF? If it was 5ish, I'd consider your additional castor an extra-bonus SF and not worry over it. You might even like it. I made one batch with 10% SF and thought it felt nice.  If you want to rework the lye and water, you can do that too.


----------



## JustBeachy (Dec 4, 2014)

4.5 tsp should equal around 22 gr.   what was your original SF number


----------



## JuneP (Dec 4, 2014)

I used the lye calculator and figuring in the extra castor oil, the results don't look bad if I compensate for it and add extra water, extra lye and extra fragrance.

This is how it looks if I do all that:

Hardness 33
Cleansing 13
Conditioning 60
Bubbly 22
Creamy 28
Iodine 65
INS 142

Now, as I see it, I have two choices. Go ahead and use it as is; but add the extra water, fragrance and lye: Or, I can wait till tomorrow, and weigh out another batch, but just omit the castor oil, mix them together, Then set one container aside with the original amount of the batch, and the other container would have the amount, less the 40.4 castor oil, which I figure is what was the weight in the 4 1/2tsp of olive oil I used, (and forget about), to mix my 3 colors!

I don't mind waiting till tomorrow to make a whole other batch, since 10% castor oil is supposed to make a very greasy bar! Again, what would be the best thing to do? My lye is mixed and hidden in a cupboard and I can cover everything else or put it away safely for the night. So bottom line, is it worth making a soap with 10% castor oil, or will it be so greasy that me and everyone else will hate it???

Right now I'm going to go on line and see if I can find out how many grams are in 4 1/2 tsp of castor oil!

I feel like such an idiot! :-(


June


----------



## JustBeachy (Dec 4, 2014)

Already gave you that. 4.5 tsp of Castor oil should weigh around 22 grams.  

Take a breath and relax. I think both your options are ok.  Pick which one makes you more comfortable and go with that one.  It'll work out.


----------



## Obsidian (Dec 4, 2014)

I would just go with it. I've used up to 20% castor and the bar wasn't sticky or greasy so 10% shouldn't be a issue.


----------



## Susie (Dec 4, 2014)

4 1/2 tsp is about 22 g.

You need to learn to weigh each ingredient into a separate cup.  Then you double check each weight before you mix the first thing.  I pull out all bottles, weigh each ingredient.  When I get done weighing that ingredient the first time, the bottle goes up.  Repeat for all ingredients, checking off on the recipe.  Then I re-weigh and highlight each item.  This is all before mixing the first two items.  I learned this the hard way, so don't feel bad.  I typically use re-purposed cream cheese tubs that all weigh the same, so I don't have to wonder what each cup weight is.


----------



## JuneP (Dec 4, 2014)

Thanks for all the help and support. I couldn't find any weight for castor oil; but did find it for olive oil. If it was 22 oz, that certainly accounts for part of the 40.04 I'm thinking that some may have been lost on the sides of the containers and the spatulas. 

So I'll weigh out more fragrance, more lye, and more water after breakfast tomorrow to compensate for the extra 40.4 grams of extra oil. By the way I also have 40.4 grams of avocado in this recipe. 

I'll make a note now of how much of those I need, and story my pre-mixed colors, and sodium lactate and oil away in a cupboard not in the kitchen, and get to it right after breakfast tomorrow. 

Thanks for helping me calm down. What a journey; and of course the door bell and phone were ringing what seemed like non stop, while I was trying to get soap made and do the calculations to fix this error. I will be grabbing a glass of wine the minute I get to our sons place. I need it! LOL But first, I need to eat something, since I totally skipped lunch and now have a headache. Interesting day!

June


----------



## JuneP (Dec 4, 2014)

Susie, I had a few glass bowls for the smaller oil amounts. I first weighed the olive, then added the melted hard oils to that. Then I weighed out the smaller amounts individually, and when done weighing, I added that to the bigger container of oils, and put that bottle away. 

Next time I'll do it your way, or do what I do when weighing our my pottery chemicals, and check each one off the minute I finish weighing.

Hard lesson learned; but being optimistic, I might actually wind up with a nicer soap than originally planned, just a bit softer! One can hope! 

June


----------



## Susie (Dec 4, 2014)

Don't mix anything until you have everything weighed individually.  If you run short of something and have to re-run the recipe, you will thank me.


----------



## Chefmom (Dec 4, 2014)

I work right to left on my counter.  My scale and pot is in the center, all the oils to be weighed are sitting on my right side.  I weigh each one in order on my recipe that is taped to my cupboard door at my eye level.  When it's weighed, the container gets put down on my left side.  That way I know what is weighed out, even if I have to step away in the middle of weighing.


----------



## JuneP (Dec 4, 2014)

Good method Chef Mom. My problem is that my gram scale is electric and I didn't have room on the kitchen counter since the largest part of my island, next to the range top was totally taken up with my setup of bowls, molds, mixers, spoons, etc. etc. and I had to work on a tiny counter, already half filled top in little area between the kitchen and dining room that houses my bread and ice cream machine and not much more room than that, other in the front of those. So I did put all the oils around the scale; but the problem was I didn't put away the castor which was the last thing weighed; and of course that made me think I missed weighing it. Oh well, as I said, "Lesson learned".

So tomorrow morning I'll fix this batch and hopefully have it made before lunch time. I didn't have enough time to do it tonight. I would have had to rush and I was so tired and headachy it is just as well I didn't. Plus, my order from WS arrived with 3 new fragrances, and a few other things. Husbands favorite from this group (we did a sniff test of al l3), was the mango peach. He wasn't up for the oatmeal milk and honey but I suspect that will smell better in the soap. The 2nd favorite was the white tea, something or other - very clean, crisp scent. I'm already thinking of colors to use for these! 

June


----------



## JustBeachy (Dec 4, 2014)

Not to add more stress, but now we're all expecting pictures. 

Enjoy your wine and evening with the birthday boy.


----------



## reinbeau (Dec 4, 2014)

Yes, no pressure, but pictures would be nice


----------



## Jstar (Dec 4, 2014)

I think it will turn out fine..just keep calm and remember we have all been there a time or 3. And yes, we want pics


----------



## JuneP (Dec 5, 2014)

*A.M. Checking in*

Oh, don't worry, I will definitely post pictures - good, bad or ugly! LOL

I just realized that SF means Super fat! I'm pretty sure it was 7. 

If I can figure out how to set up my tiny video camera (the size of the early iPhones). I might just make a video. It would be good to review a video as part of the learning process. Now I have to see if I can mount this tiny video camera o to a regular tripod.

What would really work s one of those cameras your wear on your head! 

Time for my first cup of "wake up" tea. Then I need to wash some of my mixing tools and bowls from yesterday. Cleaning lady comes early this morning so I'll have her do the kitchen first  so I can get in there right after breakfast to weigh out that little bit of extra water and lye I need to correct the recipe. I may have to add a tiny bit more of the sodium lactate too. 

June


----------



## cmzaha (Dec 5, 2014)

Do remember to scrape out your bowls with a spatula to get out as much oil as possible. You would be suprised how much oil stays in the measuring container. Granted not enough to bother a larger batch but with small batches maybe


----------



## JuneP (Dec 5, 2014)

*Scraping oil*

Thanks Carolyn, fortunately< I instinctively did that. And you're right, there is a lot that stay in the containers. I even went back a second time and found a few more drops. 

June


----------



## JuneP (Dec 5, 2014)

Good bad or ugly! Ok, you can judge if it's good, bad or downright ugly. But I'm thrilled I  made it through the process! So from that point of view, it's a success.   

My hands were shaking through the beginning of  the pouring. I tried to get it to a light trace, before weighing out the soap that I  needed for the 3 colors, but after long emulsifying, it didn't seem to be  tracing, (everything was at room temperature) but the consistency looked pretty good, so I decided to stop mixing. I had started with the blender on low pulsing, then stopping the blender and just using it to stir. Finally, after what seemed like forever, I just turned it on to high,  still only doing short bursts, and then hand mixing. Well, by the time I  moved the cups to the weighing area, it seemed the soap was tracing on its own! Who knew!

Anyway all behaved well. I was a bit  concerned about the sodium lactate after reading it can accelerate  trace. But everything was at room temperature and having a lot of soft  oils probably delayed it, which I was grateful for! 

In hindsight I should have done the figure 8 design on top which is what I originally planned,; but I had he extra soap, so I decided to do what you see. I wish I had maybe waited a bit more ot mixed more to get it to thicken a bit more.. Strangely one side seemed to be thicker than the other and I was constantly mixing before I set down the colors. 

After I took  the picture I put a double layer of a bath towel under it and covered  it with a box since the soap was above the mold. Then I covered the box  with another double layer of bath towels. Since this soap has a much  higher percentage of soft oils, even before my goof up yesterday, it  will probably need at least two days, maybe more before I attempt un-mold  it. 

Any and all suggestions and critiques are most welcome.  I'm eager to learn, so don't go easy on me!

June


----------



## JuneP (Dec 5, 2014)

*Jim's reaction*

PS: Jim said it looks like a dessert (don't know if it was a compliment or a bad review! LOL

June


----------



## JustBeachy (Dec 5, 2014)

Tell him to take a taste and let us know what he thinks.  haha.

I'd say so far so good. Nice job pulling it together.


----------



## IrishLass (Dec 5, 2014)

That looks pretty darn good! Can hardly wait to see it cut!


 IrishLass


----------



## JuneP (Dec 5, 2014)

*Cutting the soap*

I'll be eager to see it cut as well - just hope it isn't a messy blur! Watching so many of these hanger swirl videos, I noticed some did simple up and down in one direction and then back again;  and some got pretty fancy, so much so, I couldn't follow what they were doing! It made me wonder if they just wing it or is it part of a learned routine. Hmmm???

So I did the basic up and down and back again and then,  I think I went up and down only from one side to the other in a looping/wavy kind of  motion, pulled out the hanger at the end and then went down  in the middle and  made a few circles starting small and going bigger wider and deeper with each one. 

I don't think I'll be able to un-mold in a day or even two, with this many soft oils; but maybe the sodium silicate will help. I didn't use it in my first CP soap, so I don't know what to expect. I only put 1% in based on the original weight, but didn't bother to add more for the extra 40.4 grams. of castor oil. So much to learn!

June


----------



## Jstar (Dec 5, 2014)

Ooooo I dont know about anyone else..but that looks good enough to eat! 

Can't wait for cut piccies....doesn't matter how many times I have made soap, Im like a kid on Christmas morning when it's time to cut to see what neat prezzies are inside :smile:


----------



## The Efficacious Gentleman (Dec 6, 2014)

Looks good so far. 

One of the things that I love/hate about loaf swirls - you don't know what it's like until you cut it


----------



## snappyllama (Dec 6, 2014)

It looks like a lovely pudding from the top! I cannot wait to see the yumminess inside when it is cut!


----------



## The Efficacious Gentleman (Dec 6, 2014)

Couldn't help it - 



via Imgflip Meme Maker


----------



## DeeAnna (Dec 6, 2014)

"...My hands were shaking through the beginning of the pouring...."

Good to hear I'm not the only one who's had this problem!  I'm much better now, but ya shoulda seen me shake when I make my first few batches. Scary. :Kitten Love:


----------



## JuneP (Dec 6, 2014)

*Shaking and quaking while pouring*



DeeAnna said:


> "...My hands were shaking through the beginning of the pouring...."
> 
> Good to hear I'm not the only one who's had this problem!  I'm much better now, but ya shoulda seen me shake when I make my first few batches. Scary. :Kitten Love:



My biggest fears were being able to recogize when it was emulsified and when I hit light trace. It seemed to take forever, probably because I had the blender on low and was being super careful about turning it on and off, as I have seen in all the videos I've been watching! And I never saw a sign of light trace (a touch of soap sitting o top and quicklym moving into the mix), so when it looked like heavy cream I started weighing out the soap for the 3 colors. By then it seemed to be thickening on it's own, so I worked as fast as I could weighing it out and adding and mixing the colors in.  But I was shaking so much when I first poured, I was making a mess! Good thing I had a lot of hand towel paper handy! About midway through I settled dow, since I felt confident that I was going to make it through without the soap batter getting to hard. 

Tomorrow or Monday, or whenever I can un-mold yesterdays soap, I want to make a lavender soap.

June


----------



## Obsidian (Dec 6, 2014)

I would say that heavy cream is what we call light trace, just starting to thicken but not quite enough to see the drizzled soap sitting on the batter. After awhile you will learn what emulsion looks like. 
If you really watch at the edges of your bowl when you start to mix, you will be able to see a oil ring. If you stop mixing the ring will get bigger and start to spread across the surface. Once you hit full emulsion, the oil ring will be gone and once you stop mixing, the batter will remain in a creamy light state but still be watery. If any oils start to form on the surface, its not quite there yet.
If you haven't yet, watch soaping101 videos on youtube, she always separates at emulsion. The videos are short and well done.


----------



## DeeAnna (Dec 6, 2014)

I hear you, June. At first I tended to go too far with my mixing because I was learning about what soap was like when it was properly emulsified and starting to head into an obvious "trace". The other problem was I didn't have any sense of how fast the process moved once saponification really got to rockin' and rollin'. So I glopped rather than poured too many batches of soap in my early days. I thought I was never going to get it figured out. The confidence comes with time -- I'm stirring more, stick blending less, and am more comfortable about stopping at emulsion. 

I agree with Obsidian -- your description of "heavy cream" is pretty much what I think of as light trace. A trail of batter doesn't leave a ridge, but it does make a faint visual disturbance on the otherwise smooth surface of the soap batter. Light shining at a bit of an angle onto the batter helps me to see this.

Right before that would be the stage of stable emulsion. The emulsion stage is a bit of a guess, since there is not a strong visual cue at that point to tell me if the emulsion is actually stable or not. If there's any hint of a sign it's that the surface sheen of the soap batter changes a wee bit right at point. This is not something I would have been able to see when I was an anxious, distracted new soaper, so I'm glad no one told me about it at that stage in my soaping misadventures.


----------



## reinbeau (Dec 6, 2014)

I've said this elsewhere.  I look for the paisleys.  You can see them dancing on the top of the soap as you move the stick through the batter.  That tells me emulsion has been reached.


----------



## Susie (Dec 6, 2014)

I know exactly what that means!


----------



## DeeAnna (Dec 6, 2014)

Paisleys ... yeah! Perfect description, Reinbeau.


----------



## JuneP (Dec 6, 2014)

Well, the sodium lactate worked. 24 hours later I was able to easily unmold my higher soft oils, first swirl soap.

The problem I have was with the cutting in my $1, old, wood, bargain miter box. The blade didn't go all the way to the bottom, so I removed the log of soap, and measured out 1" increments. But my I wound up with some 1" bars and a couple bigger and 2 smaller. Good thing I ordered a cheese cutter earlier, so I won't be making more soap until that arrives!

Looking at the finished soap, I think I over did the hanger swirl. Next time I'll try something simpler. There seems to be a bit of smudging or???  around the bottom and I have no idea how that happened or how to avoid it in the future. Or is that acceptable??? The scent seems strong enough, so I'm glad I didn't add any extra to make up for the 40.4 extra grams of castor oil, ye and water I had to add.

Now I just have to wait for it to cure, so I can test it and see if my recipe is one I want to stay with for a bit. 

June


----------



## JustBeachy (Dec 6, 2014)

Great save and nice looking soap. I knew you'd recover. haha


----------



## Obsidian (Dec 6, 2014)

Looks good and as far as the smudgy swirls go, of course it acceptable. Handmade soap isn't perfect and you never really know whats going to be inside. That said, I don't care much for hanger swirls myself, I prefer a more variable look from a drop swirl or in the pot swirl.
Don't worry about uneven bars either. Its just another facet of being handmade. You should see what my soap looks like if I don't use a guide, its terrible.


----------



## JuneP (Dec 6, 2014)

Thanks! I'll have to try those as soon my my cheese cutter arrives. 

June


----------



## IrishLass (Dec 6, 2014)

Great swirls! You should be proud! :clap:

 IrishLass


----------



## Jstar (Dec 6, 2014)

Those look great! Good job!


----------



## reinbeau (Dec 6, 2014)

Yes, nice job - soaps always surprise us, don't they??


----------

