Adding water after cook for fluid HP

[SoapieMcSoapface]

Hi everyone,

I'm a big fan of the hot process method and really like the quality of the soap it produces. However, I'm looking for a way to make the soap more fluid after the cook in order to have more range on decorative techniques, swirls etc. I don't want to add yoghurt as I want the soaps to be vegan. I've also heard a lot of people say that sodium lactate doesn't really make much of a difference and I don't want to have to order more additives if I can avoid it.

I have seen a couple of tutorials on Youtube where someone reserves a certain % of the water in the recipe (so using a more concentrated lye solution in the beginning) and adds it warmed to the cooked soap at the end along with other additives. Has anyone tried this / can testify to the effectiveness of using only water as the loosening agent? How much water do you reserve and what lye:water ratio do you use?

Many thanks,

 

[lsg]

You might try stirring in "Instant" dry milk after the cook. It will smooth out the soap; but make sure you use instant milk or dissolve in a little water before adding. Sodium lactate is also supposed to make a smoother HP soap.

 

[AliOop]

Sodium lactate really does make HP soap more fluid. You can also reserve some of your water, as well as your super-fat and and scent, to add post-cook. Coconut milk or coconut cream is another vegan post-cook additive you can try for loosening the batter.

But the most important technique for me was to use the high-temperature process. Because the soap is cooked quickly, it doesn’t lose as much moisture as it does during slow-cooking.

Check YouTube for videos on fluid hot process and high-temp hot process. My favorites for that technique are Tina Moenck (Suds and More) and Ashlee Greene (Ultimate Soap). You don’t have to use all the additives they recommend, but you do need to have your oils and lye water pretty hot to start off, like 200 degrees.

Here is a link to one of Ashlee’s videos so you can get an idea: Honeysuckle Jasmine 10-Minute Fluid Hot Process Soap.

 

[Jersey Girl]

Sodium lactate really does make HP soap more fluid. You can also reserve some of your water, as well as your super-fat and and scent, to add post-cook. Coconut milk or coconut cream is another vegan post-cook additive you can try for loosening the batter.

But the most important technique for me was to use the high-temperature process. Because the soap is cooked quickly, it doesn’t lose as much moisture as it does during slow-cooking.

Check YouTube for videos on fluid hot process and high-temp hot process. My favorites for that technique are Tina Moenck (Suds and More) and Ashlee Greene (Ultimate Soap). You don’t have to use all the additives they recommend, but you do need to have your oils and lye water pretty hot to start off, like 200 degrees.

Here is a link to one of Ashlee’s videos so you can get an idea: Honeysuckle Jasmine 10-Minute Fluid Hot Process Soap.

Just watched this. Very interesting. I expected to see some “cooking”. Is the high temperature of the oils during mixing what cooks it? I was also surprised that the batter took so long to thicken. I need to watch some more videos now. Lol. I will say I wanted to reach in and clean up that mold as she was pouring and swirling. I was like...”wipe that down girl!” Lol

 

[AliOop]

I know, right?! I also have a hard time with those messy molds!

Yes, did you notice that she poured in the hot lye solution as soon as it was clear? Combined with the high temp of the oils, continuous mechanical mixing, and some trace accelerants, and some pauses where the batter is covered, this cooks the soap. She didn’t have any volcanoes that time, but those are common. Nothing to be afraid of - just stop blending and whisk them down.

I actually bought her e-book and found it very worthwhile. I think it is normally $39 but you can probably get a holiday coupon right now through her FB group - Ultimate HP Soap. I’m not doing FB right now but if you don’t see one there, you might also check her website.

I honestly don’t follow all the things she recommends, but the great part about her book is that she teaches you the science behind the method, so you can decide what to do or not do, and know what is likely to happen. And she definitely taught some things that were not available elsewhere just from Google searching.

Her CP and LS books contain a lot of the same info about oils, fatty acids, etc., and I didn’t find anything revolutionary in the CP book. But her LS book is great bc she teaches a no-paste 30-minute LS method - sooooo much easier than the long drawn-out processes you read elsewhere. But this thread is about HP, so I’ll stop there.

 

[AliOop]

PS - yes, the batter did take a long time to thicken in that one. It is usually faster than that for me.

 

[Jersey Girl]

I know, right?! I also have a hard time with those messy molds!

Yes, did you notice that she poured in the hot lye solution as soon as it was clear? Combined with the high temp of the oils, continuous mechanical mixing, and some trace accelerants, and some pauses where the batter is covered, this cooks the soap. She didn’t have any volcanoes that time, but those are common. Nothing to be afraid of - just stop blending and whisk them down.

I actually bought her e-book and found it very worthwhile. I think it is normally $39 but you can probably get a holiday coupon right now through her FB group - Ultimate HP Soap. I’m not doing FB right now but if you don’t see one there, you might also check her website.

I honestly don’t follow all the things she recommends, but the great part about her book is that she teaches you the science behind the method, so you can decide what to do or not do, and know what is likely to happen. And she definitely taught some things that were not available elsewhere just from Google searching.

Her CP and LS books contain a lot of the same info about oils, fatty acids, etc., and I didn’t find anything revolutionary in the CP book. But her LS book is great bc she teaches a no-paste 30-minute LS method - sooooo much easier than the long drawn-out processes you read elsewhere. But this thread is about HP, so I’ll stop there.

Thank you for sharing this. I’m definitely going to look into it. I’m especially interested in the 30 min LS method. I’ve been wanting to try some but it just seemed kind of complicated to me so I’ve been putting it off. Then again that’s how I felt before I made my first batch of CP....5 months and 85 batches later...

 

[gloopygloop]

Absolutely definitely SL will make your HP batter more fluid, not just a tiny bit but a worthwhile amount, I think the addition of sugar also helps a little as well. holding back water can indeed also help but if you can get your technique right so that you dont evaporate a lot of water overcooking which just is not necessary. Once you use SL I doubt that you will want to make a batch of HP without it.

 

[lsg]

Here is some info on making a more fluid HP soap. Fluid Hot Process Soap Tutorial and Recipe (Fluid HP)

 

[Rsapienza]

Someone on this forum does a HP in the oven using only SL for fluidity. I made it one day and it was extremely fluid. I was able to do swirls. It was so easy too. Put everything in a stock pot, brought to trace, covered, and put in oven for 30 or 40 minutes. It may have been IrishLass that posted this. I'm sure you can find it in a search.