Made first Batch yesterday!

And made up my own "recipe" aka I want use some of this because I have it!

I went timidly into the process and I was relatively sure of myself when I started mixing it all together...now after 24hr I'm not sure what kind of soap I have..it looks like soap so that's good at least lol

I thought I'd be able to cut this today? However, I think I should leave it alone maybe another day or 2? I was able to leave a finger poke in there in my "pringles can mold", but the other reused container it seems stickier (flatish plastic tray thing). I also added 1/2 cup of oatmeal and 5 tablespoons of bentonite clay, which I had in the oil hanging out before I got down to business. (Yes...I wasn't thinking about the oatmeal, that got added at the wrong time. I don't think it's ruined it though????:think::think::think: I hope!)

Beeswax 1.13 oz 3.4 %
Cocoa Butter 2.03 oz 6.1 %
Coconut Oil (76 degrees) 4.16 oz 12.6 %
Olive Oil 15.73 oz 47.5 %
Shea Butter (Unrefined) 2.01 oz 6.1 %
Sweet Almond Oil 8.04 oz 24.3 %

Lye (Sodium Hydroxide) 4.33 oz
Ounces of liquid 10.92 oz

No fragrance was added (kind of wish I had, forgot I don't much like the smell of olive oil). It took me like 1-1.5hrs before I got a trace (and I was freaking out) by hand!

I don't think I used some terrible amounts, considering I did it on the fly for amounts. BTW those amounts are from using the same container with just a taring in between. I realize using olive can take a bit longer to unmold and looking at the percentages, I a bit more sweet almond than I probably should have per recommendations.

So I hope I have soap and not just some weird green stuff? Will it set up better?

I'm surprised with that much beeswax and hard butters it's as soft as it is, even with the high OO and Almond in there. Did it gel? Beeswax, even at 1% usually superheats my soap and I have to watch it for overheating.

I don't think it gelled? When I poked the pringle can one, I did cut off the very top of the soap as it was escaping the container. At least what I cut off doesn't resemble any gelled pictures I've seen.

Gidday and welcome to the addiction!

That is some complicated number of ingredients for a first recipe ... but, you have made soap.

First of all - we will need pictures when you cut it!

And yes, it will take longer to set up because of the olive, and it will also take longer to cure (expect this soap to be best at about 8 months).
Yes, the almond is high (so be careful to cure with lots of airflow and keep away from metal to avoid triggering dos).
And the beeswax is a little on the high side, but still ... soap!

Umolding in a day or two, at a guess. Cutting anytime between unmolding and a week from then, depending on your conditions - if the soap is sticky, it's not ready to cut. Then zap testing ... and finally, first wash!

Definitely photo's (and maybe a simple second recipe :grin

What I get for reading all the fabulous sounding recipes. I wanted it all :twisted:

I definitely didn't plan this very well then for being Xmas gifty, but that's alright. I was figuring a 6wk cure, but that's not sounding so possible now.

I don't understand "....expect this soap to be best at about 8 months..." ? I know a cure that long isn't what was meant. And keeping it away from metal? Must have missed that somewhere in my readings...

wickedblonde said:

I don't understand "....expect this soap to be best at about 8 months..." ? I know a cure that long isn't what was meant. And keeping it away from metal? Must have missed that somewhere in my readings...

Click to expand...

Yes, SaltedFig did mean let it cure that long if you can possibly stand to. Soaps high in olive oil tend to have lather that some people think of as 'snotty' or slimy when it's still young. The higher the amount of olive oil, the longer it needs to cure, all the way up to a year or more for pure castile soaps.

You should not let naked soap stay in contact with bare metal. It's one of the things that can contribute to DOS. Quite a few of us have curing shelves that are coated metal wire that we also have plastic canvas or something similar over.

I used the phrase "at it's best" to describe when your soap will have finished curing and be at a point that the qualities provided by the ingredients you used really shine ... that's not to say your soap be won't quite nice a long time before that.

Metal contact can trigger DOS in soap. Your recipe is particular vulnerable, due to the long cure and the high sweet almond oil content.

Awww Well...poo. The gal I worked for in college made mostly olive oil soap. I don't know her recipes as all I did was sell it. I'd cut a few blocks, but that was rare. I don't remember hers feeling slimy.

It's not like I didn't learn anything though from this batch, so that's something. Guess I'll have to take pictures once a month

wickedblonde said:

Awww Well...poo. The gal I worked for in college made mostly olive oil soap. I don't know her recipes as all I did was sell it. I'd cut a few blocks, but that was rare. I don't remember hers feeling slimy.

It's not like I didn't learn anything though from this batch, so that's something. Guess I'll have to take pictures once a month

Click to expand...

The beeswax will help mitigate this a little, and the recipe is only half olive.

Dry your soap between uses, wash using warm water (it helps the soap dissolve more easily, so you'll get bigger bubbles) and never, ever leave it sitting in a puddle of water and you might not notice any snot :mrgreen:

Yes, once a month pictures! (And save a small bar or two - try one in a year or two, and leave the other to see how long it will last for).

wickedblonde said:

It took me like 1-1.5hrs before I got a trace (and I was freaking out) by hand!

Click to expand...

I forgot to mention (but your introduction thread reminded me) ... until you get your stick-blender, you can stir and rest, rather than stir the whole time.

And even the smallest increase in warmth will push things along a little too (think of it as a sourdough batter - a warm resting spot is good).

The soap will still trace in about the same amount of time, but with less effort from yourself :mrgreen:

There it is! I think you can see where I poked it and had this bottle top that has a bee on it. I wanted to see it would impart an imprint, which wasn't very good..hence the circle in the center.

A warm resting spot, hmmm...

SaltedFig said:

I forgot to mention (but your introduction thread reminded me) ... until you get your stick-blender, you can stir and rest, rather than stir the whole time.

And even the smallest increase in warmth will push things along a little too (think of it as a sourdough batter - a warm resting spot is good).

The soap will still trace in about the same amount of time, but with less effort from yourself :mrgreen:

Click to expand...

Oh goodness yes! What I do is stir for 10 minutes or so, then set a timer and walk away for 30 minutes. Repeat as many times as needed to get the soap to trace. The only times I've used a stick blender to mix my soap, it came to thick trace WAY too quickly for my liking, so I've stuck to hand power and a whisk since then.

Congratulations on a beautiful soap! The first soap is the scariest, then you gotta chase that high with another batch. Are ya ready to try another yet? We're here to help!*


*enable

Kittish said:

Oh goodness yes! What I do is stir for 10 minutes or so, then set a timer and walk away for 30 minutes. Repeat as many times as needed to get the soap to trace. The only times I've used a stick blender to mix my soap, it came to thick trace WAY too quickly for my liking, so I've stuck to hand power and a whisk since then.

Click to expand...

That sounds much more manageable ! And wouldn't require investment right now

And yes Millie I think I am. I'm thinking about trying a HP so I can still have some gifts for Xmas as any CP won't have enough time to cure.

Hp needs as much time, if not more, than cp to cure. It's safe as soon as you mould it up, won't be as harsh to use straight away as cp will, but it will dissolve very quickly if you don't let cure

I know what saltedfig is saying and a hate to disagree as she know what she's talking about when it comes to soap but I make a recipe like this and it's fine after an 8 week cure. Yes it will get harder over time but it is great to use at 8 weeks.

You are going to have to get a stickblender and use it for 30 secs at a time then wait a few mins in between just mixing with the blender turned off unless you have all day to make 1 batch of soap. It's $10 for a cheap one.

I make 100% OO soap and it does not take 10mins to get to emulsion.
Did you soak your clay in oil from the amount required in the recipe? Or did you use extra oil? If you used extra oil it will lead to soft soap.

I use bentonite clay at 1 teaspoon ppo (per pound of oil) and oatmeal at 1 Tablespoon ppo. I think you might have overdone both.
I have never used beeswax so can't help you there.

I also use almond oil at 30% and love it. My friends and family prefer it to avocado oil in blind tests. I have never had DOS touch wood.

penelopejane said:

You are going to have to get a stickblender and use it for 30 secs at a time then wait a few mins in between just mixing with the blender turned off unless you have all day to make 1 batch of soap. It's $10 for a cheap one.

Click to expand...

Hand mixing like I do takes around 3 hours total for the mixing, or a bit less if you keep things just a touch on the warm side (110-120F). When I make soap, though, I'm not in any hurry, so I'm quite willing to tie up 4 or more hours making a batch (or two- the way I set my batches up it's pretty easy to have two batches going at once and just alternate between them). I'm also just a hobbyist, I'm not trying to sell my products so the time I invest in each batch really isn't a factor.

For sure I reckon this soap will be good to use at 8 weeks (see post #7).
I do, however, believe that in addition to becoming harder, your soap will continue to improve in lather and skin feel as it ages past this time.

Seriously wickedblonde, if you even make it to 8 weeks before you use your first soap, you will surprise me! Just keep notes every time you try it, you’ll like having them as a reference later in your soaping journey.

Some dos prone oils I just wouldn’t bother with, like soy, but sweet almond oil is worth the effort! I still have a test bar of a soap I made last decade that was about 1/3 almond - it's dos-free.

And now (thanks penelopejane! :grin I am going to have to redo a batch, just to double-check my comments on making it by hand – it’s been a while!

Ok...sounds like no soap for Xmas. Oh well, will have to settle doing chapstick and lotion bars then !

The clay I added was hanging out in the oil I was using, so it was not extra. As for the amount I used was under a recommended of 1tbspn/lb of oil. A recipe I read, she used 10x the amount in hers and it turned out great. Five tablespoon seemed about "right" to me, but guess I'll see eventually ! The oatmeal...well that as I mentioned I added at the wrong time. I wanted some texture in there. From what I can see so far in it. I got the desired effect.

And it's going to be more than 8wks for a cure...I did unmold the Pringle can...I should have just let it alone. I had a feeling. Should have listened to my guts. Anyway I'll get a picture of it.

So the top 3rd looks good...then it looks like it got squished in the middle. I know I didn't as I have tiny hands and the very bottom was quite sticky. Since it was I the can I couldn't put it back in (had to open it like store bought crossaints - no scary pop at least).

The middle looking as if squished. I'd have to guess it got too hot...it did escape a bit. I'd guess probably just from the container...

It's hanging out covered on shelf now. I keep learning more after the fact! Just like my biology labs that never went right lol.

Thanks everyone for your help!

I'm not getting a picture, just this. Is it my phone?

SaltedFig said:

For sure I reckon this soap will be good to use at 8 weeks (see post #7).
I do, however, believe that in addition to becoming harder, your soap will continue to improve in lather and skin feel as it ages past this.

And now (thanks penelopejane! :grin I am going to have to redo a batch, just to double-check my comments on making it by hand – it’s been a while!

Click to expand...

Yes I agree that OOv oap only gets better in all characteristics.

You have far greater patience than me. I can barely contain myself for long enough to hand stir between stick blending let alone spending ages and ages handblending. My stickblender is my best friend when it comes to soap. :mrgreen::mrgreen: