Added glycerin seizing/reacting with lye?

[Peter]

Hi everyone,

im a relatively new small time artisan shaving soap maker. Recently i have started making larger batches (approx 2,000grams of oils). My recipe has additional glycerin added after 'trace'.

I think the glycerin is reacting with the lye (potassium and sodium hydroxide)? The mixture ends up having small-hard lumps that dont break down/melt on their own.

When i was making small batches this didnt occur.

I was thinking of adding the glycerin at the start when im melting all the oils.

Would anyone have any suggestions as to what could be happening? and how to avoid this from happening.

Many thanks.

 

[lenarenee]

If you post your recipe and process that would be very helpful - necessary actually.

I've only made shave soap once so I'm not much help. The experienced shavers can help after you provide more info.

 

[Obsidian]

I don't know what the lumps are but I would start adding the glycerin to the oil, problem solved

 

[Peter]

thanks for the replies, i will try and add the glycerin to the oils and see what happens.

Recipe includes stearic acid, coconut oil, castor oil, potassium and sodium hydroxide, glycerin.

my process is to melt all the fats, prepare lye solution just prior to all fats being melted, add the lye solutions, mix with stick blender, then add the glycerin, then cook for 2-3 hours.

 

[lenarenee]

Stearic acid can be stubborn to melt thoroughly. Was it hydrogenated? Was it completely melted before adding the lye solutions? Any idea how warm or cool the lye solutions were? I'm wondering if it cooled the stearic enough to make little chunks. There's a large variation in crock pots and your may not have cooked hot enough to remelt any solidified stearic acid.

 

[Seawolfe]

Is this hot process? You aren't talking about the sticky dry bits are you? I get those with regular HP, I just leave them behind and use them to make soap tester balls.

 

[The Efficacious Gentleman]

To help you, we need you to help us - full recipe with amounts, including water and any additives.

 

[Peter]

All the stearic was completely melted before adding the lye. The lye was still warm-hot (maybe 65-70 degrees celsius).

I am using the hot process method. They were sticky but not dry, i could squash them between my fingers.

 

[The Efficacious Gentleman]

All the stearic was completely melted before adding the lye. The lye was still warm-hot (maybe 65-70 degrees celsius).



I am using the hot process method. They were sticky but not dry, i could squash them between my fingers.

As I said before, without all of the details, help will be harder to give. As you are selling, you might well be loathe to state your actual recipe with amounts (including lye and water amounts, any additives and water replacements) but you are here asking for and needing out help.

Many of our members run businesses, but then they don't need help on their recipes that they sell so they don't have to share them. Many do, because this is a community for sharing.

 

[Peter]

Really appreciate your prompt reply. I am planning on selling the soap, and do have my reservations about sharing the recipe (sorry).

I dont think its so much about the recipe, more about the technique/method.

There are no additional additives apart from what i have mentioned earlier.

Im going to try a new batch soon, and will add the glycerin while im melting the oils. Ill share the result and let you know how it turns out.

 

[pickled78]

Hi peter,
Maybe its because you are adding the glycerine to the fats?
I make olive oil and coconut oil liquid soap, same way you make yours but iv always used the glycerine to replace the water when making the lye solution (traces alot quicker than water & lye).
isnt glycerine water based? could it be the water reacting with the hot fats that create the hard bits? im only guessing and have no idea if this is the answer.
Also i only add more glycerine when diluting the paste by replacing some of the water with the glycerine.
hope u find any of that useful
good luck

 

[Seawolfe]

Im sorry but I really dont think you are ready to sell, for a whole lot of reasons, some of them here:
http://www.soapmakingforum.com/showthread.php?t=16002
http://www.soapmakingforum.com/showthread.php?t=56833

Asking for help without a proper recipe and technique check makes no sense at all.

Dry spots in HP soap are incredibly common, if you've never seen them them before you just haven't made HP soap enough. It may not be so much the glycerin as the lack of water, but without a recipe I really cant help.

 

[mzimm]

Im sorry but I really dont think you are ready to sell, for a whole lot of reasons, some of them here:
http://www.soapmakingforum.com/showthread.php?t=16002
http://www.soapmakingforum.com/showthread.php?t=56833

Asking for help without a proper recipe and technique check makes no sense at all.

Thanks, Seawolfe, for these thread links. They are very much an eye-opener.
I've been "inflicting" my soaps on family and friends for awhile now, and most of the feedback I get is very positive and encouraging. So much so that they - more often than not - say something like, "Wow, you know, you should think about SELLING your soap!"
I usually laugh them off, because, I need to start a business like I need a (another) hole in my head! But let's face it, the compliment feels good, and I can't help but let the suggestion knock around in the back of my mind. So, again, thanks for posting those threads. I've bookmarked them for future reference, not so much as a cautionary tale about going into business selling soap, which they certainly are, but because even as a giver of soap, I want my soaps to measure up to the caliber exemplified in those threads.

 

[IrishLass]

Very good reminders, Seawolfe.

I always add my glycerin up front with my oils when making my shave croap/soap. Although I can understand the rationale for adding certain super-fatting butters or oils after the cook, I've just never understood the rationale for adding the glycerin so late in the game.


IrishLass