# Stearic acid for shimmer



## PippiL (Aug 28, 2014)

How much SA to add to white soap to get that shimmer ?
I can't remember.Thanks.


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## lady-of-4 (Aug 28, 2014)

I would be very cautious in adding any acid to soap without having a proper method of pH testing. Any of the individual fatty acids can lower ph the same way Citric Acid will. I personally like to use Lauric acid, the major fatty acid in Coconut and palm kernel oils, to lower ph as it dissolves clear and provides added benefits such as light thickening and even Cleansing and bubbles. Though quite a bit need to be used to achieve the latter. 

And as with any additive to attain a certain effect, each recipe will behave differently. Maybe you can experiment with a small 8oz sample of finished soap, then resize to fit the entire batch?


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## FGOriold (Aug 28, 2014)

Stearic Acid is a fatty acid that is saponified when used with your base oils - it has no relevance to or affect on pH like citric acid (which is not a fatty acid).

I have never had luck with adding stearic acid up front (I have only tried small amounts because I find it can be very drying) in getting an opaque soap.  Animal fats can give you a pearlized effect though too.  You can also try glycerol stearate after dilution to get a pearlized look, but I have only had success with that when also adding an emulsifier.


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## lady-of-4 (Aug 28, 2014)

If used alone,  it will most certainly effect pH,  which is what it sounds like OP is asking since she's said add to soap, and not up front. Though OP is more than welcome to clarify as to when she plans on using SA. 

And actually,  now that I think about it, when I first started making soap,  I didn't have table salt to thicken,  so I used the sea salt I had on hand,  and that gave it a pearly effect.  Maybe you can try that?


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## FGOriold (Aug 28, 2014)

Stearic acid will not affect pH - in fact it is used at up to 5% (some may use even higher percentages) with glycerin to superfat cream soap (this is what gives cream soap its pearlized look) - does not affect pH.  Also, some cream soap recipes use up to 70% stearic acid with the base oils - pH is not affected.  Again, it is a fatty acid.


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## lady-of-4 (Aug 28, 2014)

I'm quite aware of what it's used for. And I'll say it again, it's a weak acid, and will effect pH if additions aren't monitored. I use MCTs regularly to lower pH. In Jackie Thompson's slideshow on liqud soap making, she uses a variety of Additives, singularly of course, for neutralizing soap: Citric Acid, gluconic acid, and stearic acid. I invite you to go take a look at her website for more information.


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## FGOriold (Aug 28, 2014)

http://swiftcraftymonkey.blogspot.com/2013/06/stearic-acid-few-questions-answered.html?m=1


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## lady-of-4 (Aug 28, 2014)

This isn't cosmetics,  this is saop.  Swift has said time over she doesn't make soap.  Plus,  there are times even Swift is wrong and has been corrected by well known chemists on her own blog. 

Jackie Thompson however does,  has a book coming out in a few weeks,  and uses stearic acid to neutralize.  She describes it's use here:

https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B3e5_Ew1Rt6fcDl0YkpLYTBOWkU/edit?usp=docslist_api


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## FGOriold (Aug 28, 2014)

Neutralizing excess lye and adjusting pH are two different things. Yes, some ingredients may do both (citric acid as it is a pH adjuster) and others do not.


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## lady-of-4 (Aug 28, 2014)

Faith,  I'm not going to argue with you.  Stop derailing the thread to start a fight with me.  I'm seriously over it.  If you can't answer the question,  move on please.  Thank you.


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## cmzaha (Aug 28, 2014)

If making LS it is lard that will give a shimmery pearl effect. Stearic acid is usually used in bar soap to add hardness. It is used in high percentage for cream soap making. Also used in varying amount for shave bars. I have not heard of it being used for ph adjusting.


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## Lindy (Aug 28, 2014)

Let's set this straight shall we? Stearic Acid is not an acid as we think of them. IF the OP puts it in with her oils/butters when she starts making the LS it will add a pearly look to the soap without negatively impacting pH.  OP start with 4% and see how that goes for you.

I'm going to ask that the bickering stop and allow this to be a conversation without trying to prove someone else wrong. If you don't agree please move on and get over it.

Ta


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## Susie (Aug 28, 2014)

Lindy said:


> Let's set this straight shall we? Stearic Acid is not an acid as we think of them. IF the OP puts it in with her oils/butters when she starts making the LS it will add a pearly look to the soap without negatively impacting pH.  OP start with 4% and see how that goes for you.
> 
> I'm going to ask that the bickering stop and allow this to be a conversation without trying to prove someone else wrong. If you don't agree please move on and get over it.
> 
> Ta



Do I include that in SoapCalc right up front, or use it as an additive?


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## Lindy (Aug 28, 2014)

Right up front as a base oil, it does have a SAP number and does need to be part of the saponification process.


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## FGOriold (Aug 28, 2014)

If adding stearic acid as one of your oils up front, yes, you include it in your lye calculations.  If trying to use it after the fact, you need to be careful because you will be superfatting your soap.  If your soap has excess lye, then the stearic acid can neutralize that excess lye by giving it something to saponify, if you add too much, you may end up with cloudy soap or the excess fatty acids floating around in it.

In cream soap, quite a bit if glycerin is used to counter the drying effects of stearic acid so that is something to keep in mind when adding it to your soap.  I have found that for my needs, stearic acid added after dilution (with an emulsifier) was far too drying.  I would stick to adding it to your base oils like Lindy has indicated.


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## Susie (Aug 28, 2014)

Ah!  Thank you so much!  Shimmery liquid hand soap will be so pretty in a foamer bottle, so I was planning on making some as soon as the splint comes off, so this was a timely discussion!  I thought I could make some red and some green for Christmas presents.


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## FGOriold (Aug 28, 2014)

I also find that goat's milk (going back to animal fats) always gives my liquid soap a pearlized shimmery look too depending on how much is used.


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## cmzaha (Aug 28, 2014)

Thanks for the info about the stearic adding the pearl effect to LS. I only knew about lard and it does add a gorgeous pearl look.


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## PippiL (Aug 29, 2014)

Hola, did I stir controversy , LOL ?
But thanks everybody, I only used 2%, thickened my soap, no pearly shine.
And I used it at the diluting stage.


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## Lindy (Aug 29, 2014)

Interesting.  Are you going to try it in your base as part of your base?


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## Lindy (Aug 29, 2014)

There is a product sold by Voyageur that is called EZ Pearl that does a fantastic job and I love the look of my LS when using this. I'm actually not a big one for clear LS because I love the look of the pearlescent soaps.

I should add with the Stearic Acid, my recipe included tallow and stearic, I wonder if that is where the pearl look came from rather than the stearic?  I was giving the Stearic the credit for it as I had heard that it did it.  I stick with the EZ Pearl (which I add to my base) because it makes such a gorgeous pearl...


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## seven (Aug 29, 2014)

i've not tried making pearl LS. i think i need to experiment  it does sounds lovely *i have this image in my head... pearlescent soap*


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## Susie (Aug 29, 2014)

Hmmm...I feel a lard ls in my (hopefully) near future...


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## cmzaha (Aug 29, 2014)

Believe me Lard gives a beautiful pearl to LS


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## ronrho56 (Aug 29, 2014)

I have added Stearic Acid at 2% of my base oils when making liquid soap and it did add a pearlescent effect to the finished soap. The recipe had no animal fat.


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## Kyra (Aug 29, 2014)

What percentage of lard would give you the pearly look in LS? I never used lard in LS, but I do love it in CP. Now I can't wait to try it


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## IrishLass (Aug 30, 2014)

I can't believe I didn't see this thread until just now. As a matter of regular practice, I always add 2% stearic acid 'after the fact' (i.e., during dilution) to my glycerin liquid soap formula that contains a 25% combo of cocoa butter & shea butter. The rest of the formula consists of coconut oil, castor oil and olive oil. I got the idea to add the stearic at dilution from 3bees~1flower over at the Dish forum on that famously looooong glycerin liquid soap thread.

Anyway, without the added stearic acid, my finished soap is quite the ugly duckling- i.e., a dull, murky, semi-translucent amber color. But _with_ the addition of the stearic, my ugly duckling is transformed into an opaque, pearlescent, creamy-looking swan.

I always add a bit of PS 80 along with the stearic to solubize it and keep it from precipitating out of my finished liquid soap. For what it's worth, I've held back a few dilutions of my formula for over a year for observational purposes and am happy to report that they have held up great. There have been no separation or rancidity issues. 

I've also tried adding 2% stearic to my crystal-clear glycerin liquid soap formula that contains mostly olive oil and _no_ butters, but instead of creamy and pearly, it just turns into dull, murky, semi-translucent amber (yuck), so I stick to just using the stearic in my cocoa/shea formula where it really shines (and adds a nice feel to the soap, too).

IrishLass


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## PippiL (Aug 31, 2014)

Thanks Irish.
I have a question, it's been a while since I made LS.
I did my paste using glycerin.I was done cooking in 30 minutes,did the test with
phenolphthalein came out clear,but I didn't do the milky test.Is it possible to be done cooking LS in 30 minutes ?


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## FGOriold (Aug 31, 2014)

PippiL said:


> Thanks Irish.
> I have a question, it's been a while since I made LS.
> I did my paste using glycerin.I was done cooking in 30 minutes,did the test with
> phenolphthalein came out clear,but I didn't do the milky test.Is it possible to be done cooking LS in 30 minutes ?



Yes - using the glycerin method will greatly speed up the processing time in making liquid soap and 30 minutes is not at all unusual using that method.  You will always still want to test it for excess lye (which you have done) and clarity though.


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## PippiL (Aug 31, 2014)

I forgot to do the clarity test, I need to make LS more often.But I SF 1%.
The pearl EZ looks great, but I read up on it and they use it for antifreeze and some other nasty stuff


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## Susie (Sep 1, 2014)

If you SF at 1%, and no zap, there should be no issue with clarity.


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## PippiL (Sep 2, 2014)

It's not clear, I used lot's of palm,shea butter.But I don't care much for clarity,I use them in amber bottles.


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