100% olive oil soap didn't gel

[SudsMcKenzie]

Made some 100% olive oil soap.
I did a water discount - 1.5 water to 1 lye - which I think is the opposite thing I should have done and I let the lye cool down before I mixed it withe the room temperature oil. Which I think I should not have done that either.
Poured into a loaf mold, wrapped in a bath towel. Entire contents were goop the next day.
To salvage this, I put it in a pan on the stove, it got a little too hot, I think it made soap on the sides of the pot. I left some on the bottom since it seemed like it was "cooked". It was on its way to soap on a stick as poured it into the mold. It looks like "different" soaps are combined - not real obvious, but if you are looking for things you would notice. but it is really hard and really white for the most part.
Since this derailed I did another batch of 100% olive oil "regular" ratio of water to lye and I didn't let the lye/water solution cool before mixing with the oil. It is softer and also not the bright white it'is kind of the color of beach sand and softer. Should I use hot process for Castile soap to get that lighter color and hardness? Any feedback would be appreciated.

 

[TheGecko]

First of all, there is no such thing as a 'water discount' just a high Lye Concentration. In fact, it is easier to use Lye Concentration instead of a Water to Lye Ration. With that said, your ratio is a 40% Lye Concentration and there wouldn't be an issue with room temperature oils and Lye Solution. The most logical reason why your soap was goop the next day is because you didn't blend your batter enough. 100% Olive Oil takes a long time to trace and if I were making a Castile Soap, I'd but it in my Kitchen Aid and let it mix for a good thirty minutes.

As for your second batch...it wouldn't be white because of the color of the Olive Oil. You could add some dispersed TD to get a "white" soap. And a 100% Olive Oil soap won't be hard for a good six months to a year.

You could try a Bastille Soap...80% Olive Oil, 20% Coconut Oil.

 

[AliOop]

I agree with @TheGecko. Using the 40% lye concentration (1.5:1 water:lye ratio) was a good thing to assist with faster hardening in the mold. The other thing that would have helped (as you already figured out) was not to let that lye solution cool off at all. Also, go ahead and heat the OO up to 150F, too. Soaping hotter will encourage the soap to trace faster, which is a blessing for a 100% OO soap that otherwise takes a long time to trace.

When you hot processed your soap, the residue on the edges and bottom cooked faster than the mass of soap batter in the middle of the pot. If you scrape those cooked bits back into the batter, they will usually remain distinct in the soap, often as lighter, almost translucent bits of soap. It's still usable soap, just maybe not the appearance you were trying to create.

Your CP castile soap will eventually cure to a harder, lighter soap. I'd give it a few months and see what you think.

 

[Zany_in_CO]

Welcome to SMF @SudsMcKenzie !

ADVICE TO NEWBIES

 

[SudsMcKenzie]

First of all, there is no such thing as a 'water discount' just a high Lye Concentration. In fact, it is easier to use Lye Concentration instead of a Water to Lye Ration. With that said, your ratio is a 40% Lye Concentration and there wouldn't be an issue with room temperature oils and Lye Solution. The most logical reason why your soap was goop the next day is because you didn't blend your batter enough. 100% Olive Oil takes a long time to trace and if I were making a Castile Soap, I'd but it in my Kitchen Aid and let it mix for a good thirty minutes.

As for your second batch...it wouldn't be white because of the color of the Olive Oil. You could add some dispersed TD to get a "white" soap. And a 100% Olive Oil soap won't be hard for a good six months to a year.

You could try a Bastille Soap...80% Olive Oil, 20% Coconut Oil.

Thanks for clarifying on the lye concentration/oil temperature. I did not know it took a long time to trace-I did notice it seemed to have an oily look on the top that I kept trying to get mixed in. I will label the soap, date made and "6 mo. to a year".

I agree with @TheGecko. Using the 40% lye concentration (1.5:1 water:lye ratio) was a good thing to assist with faster hardening in the mold. The other thing that would have helped (as you already figured out) was not to let that lye solution cool off at all. Also, go ahead and heat the OO up to 150F, too. Soaping hotter will encourage the soap to trace faster, which is a blessing for a 100% OO soap that otherwise takes a long time to trace.

When you hot processed your soap, the residue on the edges and bottom cooked faster than the mass of soap batter in the middle of the pot. If you scrape those cooked bits back into the batter, they will usually remain distinct in the soap, often as lighter, almost translucent bits of soap. It's still usable soap, just maybe not the appearance you were trying to create.

Your CP castile soap will eventually cure to a harder, lighter soap. I'd give it a few months and see what you think.

Thanks for the break down on what I did vs. what I can do next time. I have seen some recipes and videos with thermometers and it seemed so complicated and easy to mess up, but now I will be adding one thing to what I have been doing and won't be so daunting. I can wait a few months on the soap. I was afraid to scrape too much of that "fried soap" into the batter, but there was some thick chunky portions so there were those lighter bits.

Welcome to SMF @SudsMcKenzie !

ADVICE TO NEWBIES

Thanks for the welcome!
Regarding the quote: "There is no substitute for the joy a certain degree of innocence brings to discovery." - Cissy Kuberski
I will never forget the first time I popped a loaf of soap out of the mold. Then I flew too close to the sun. Soapris (Soapmaking Hubris).

 

[Nona'sFarm]

Since this derailed I did another batch of 100% olive oil "regular" ratio of water to lye and I didn't let the lye/water solution cool before mixing with the oil. It is softer and also not the bright white it'is kind of the color of beach sand and softer. Should I use hot process for Castile soap to get that lighter color and hardness? Any feedback would be appreciated.

First, let me say I have only made high olive oil soaps, 80% olive oil, rather than 100%. What I do/have noticed, in no particular order:
1) use a 40% lye concentration
2) soap at 130 F for faster emulsion
3) I do CPOP
4) let it cure for at least 12 weeks, as high olive oil soaps do take longer to get as hard as other soaps
5) they get lighter in color as they cure, but never bright white unless I add TD
6) I pour mine in individual molds and don't attempt to remove for at least a week
7) I do not add fragrance to this particular recipe, so cannot comment on the impact that may have

 

[SudsMcKenzie]

Follow up question about my rescued 100% olive oil soap above - the one that was goop the next day then I "rebatched" and let the oil get a little cooked, yes, there were lighter swirly streaks due to that...It seemed pretty hard, so I took a half bar (one bar broke in half when I cut it...the first time I ever had any soap that was not like a paraffin-yes I love CP). It was working as soap pretty well, very silky, not "cleansing"/oil stripping at all, not too bubbly. I carelessly let it sit in water, it melted a little bit, instead of the usual white soft soap forming where it dissolved, it was clear and had the consistency of snot (sorry, gross). I did not expect this and I have not read anything about this anywhere before. The more things go wrong, the more I learn. Any info would be appreciated.

 

[Zuleika]

Try looking up "Oleic gel" and "ZNSC". The reason why high olive soaps are slimey/snotty is the high Oleic acid. I've learnt that these kind of soaps cannot be left wet as you have discovered. I hang up my net bag of soap to dry near a window. Can't keep it in the shower also as the high humidity makes it slime up.

I highly recommend you give ZNSC a try. I liked it enough to make a 2nd batch.

 

[SudsMcKenzie]

Thanks! I will look those up and get a net bag.