aloe + sugar?

[MomInWA]

I was thinking about subbing aloe vera juice for the distilled water in my lye solution for my next batch and had a question. I like to add a little sugar to my recipes. Is it possible to make an aloe simple syrup? Or how best to add sugar to the aloe and then sub-out for the distilled water? Thanks for your help!

 

[2lilboots]

@MomInWA I make a sugar syrup solution and keep it in the fridge. I add 2 Tbsp to my 70 oz (oils only) batch of soaps. The total batch is like 101.4 oz something like that.

2 cups sugar, one cup water simmer until syrupy. Cool and put in fridge. I make sure the syrup is room temp and stick blend it in my oils before adding my lye liquid solution.

I usually use aloe juice straight for dissolving the lye.

 

[2lilboots]

Some of the sugar crystalized on the bottom and sides of the jar while in the fridge. But there is enough syrup solution on top of it and I make sure I just measure from the top liquid.

 

[MomInWA]

Some of the sugar crystalized on the bottom and sides of the jar while in the fridge. But there is enough syrup solution on top of it and I make sure I just measure from the top liquid.
View attachment 74572

@2lilboots Thank you, this helps! I think what I was trying to ask is, can I use aloe juice to make a simple syrup? I may just go for it and see what happens.

 

[2lilboots]

@MomInWA I don't see why you couldn't make an aloe syrup.

 

[MomInWA]

@MomInWA I don't see why you couldn't make an aloe syrup.

OK cool! I think I'll just go for it and report the results. Thank you @2lilboots !

 

[Georgeandstella]

@MomInWA I make a sugar syrup solution and keep it in the fridge. I add 2 Tbsp to my 70 oz (oils only) batch of soaps. The total batch is like 101.4 oz something like that.

2 cups sugar, one cup water simmer until syrupy. Cool and put in fridge. I make sure the syrup is room temp and stick blend it in my oils before adding my lye liquid solution.

I usually use aloe juice straight for dissolving the

@MomInWA I make a sugar syrup solution and keep it in the fridge. I add 2 Tbsp to my 70 oz (oils only) batch of soaps. The total batch is like 101.4 oz something like that.

2 cups sugar, one cup water simmer until syrupy. Cool and put in fridge. I make sure the syrup is room temp and stick blend it in my oils before adding my lye liquid solution.

I usually use aloe juice straight for dissolving the lye.

This is a time saver! Then do you subtract this amount from your liquid? Thank you

 

[2lilboots]

@Georgeandstella yes I do subtract the two Tbsp of liquid from my total liquid.

 

[Christa10]

I typically use aloe vera juice instead of water as the liquid portion of my soap recipes. I measure out the appropriate amount of aloe vera juice, then add .02-.05% sorbitol ppo (but it could also be sugar) to the aloe vera, then heat until the sorbitol is dissolved in, then refrigerate the mixture until I'm ready to make the soap. I have learned that I must add the lye much more slowly to the liquid, so that it doesn't volcano because of the higher levels of sugar.

 

[dmcgee5034]

I always use Aloe Vera juice for my water. I masterbatch my lye solution with it, too. I dissolve my sorbitol (versus sugar), sodium citrate and GMP in the additional liquid - AVJ, in this case - and add sodium lactate to that.
My timesaver is to have premeasured little cups (condiment cups with lids that I reuse again and again) of sorbitol and sodium citrate ready to use. I measure 10g of each for my typical 1000g of oils batches. This has been really time saving and steps-in-the-process saving, plus I don’t have to worry about anything funky growing in a jar in the fridge.

 

[BettyW]

@MomInWA I make a sugar syrup solution and keep it in the fridge. I add 2 Tbsp to my 70 oz (oils only) batch of soaps. The total batch is like 101.4 oz something like that.

2 cups sugar, one cup water simmer until syrupy. Cool and put in fridge. I make sure the syrup is room temp and stick blend it in my oils before adding my lye liquid solution.

I usually use aloe juice straight for dissolving the lye.

How much sugar solution do you use per pound of soap?
What are the benefits of using sugar solution vs just using undissolved sugar?

 

[2lilboots]

@BettyW I used to add 1 Tbsp of sugar to my distilled water or aloe juice before adding the lye. I would try to make sure it dissolved before adding the lye.. Sometimes the sugar crystalized in my lye solution and I would have to strain it out. I find it easier to add the syrup to my oils and stick blend it in before adding the lye solution. I now do this with sodium lactate, sodium gluconate, goats milk, coconut milk, any purees, honey, and clay slurries. As per how much syrup to ppo, I make a 4.37 lb batch(not including liquids or lye). I like the results that I get with adding two Tbsp of sugar syrup. The syrup is a 2:1 ratio (sugar: distilled water). Everyone has their own personal preference for how much sugar they add ppo. I have read that ppl add anywhere from one tsp to two Tbsp ppo. I just do what works for me.

 

[MomInWA]

@2lilboots Thank you so much! You are so helpful! I haven't used sodium lactate or sodium gluconate yet. I did just get a couple clays I'd like to use. White Kaolin clay and Bentonite clay, both from Crafter's Choice. I'd like to make a really white soap to use in the Christmas bars I want to make. I think I will do something with the aloe first. One thing at a time, so I can see what happens to the batch each time.

Also thanks @Christa10 and @dmcgee5034 ! I really appreciate the helpful suggestions.

I will have time either today or tomorrow to make a small test batch. What size test batches are best for a beginner like me? 500g oils?

 

[MomInWA]

Follow-up question. On my fave soap calc site, where do I add "aloe juice"? I see aloe butter and aloe powder. Thanks again!

 

[AliOop]

Follow-up question. On my fave soap calc site, where do I add "aloe juice"? I see aloe butter and aloe powder. Thanks again!

If you are using soapmaking friend, you can add it under Custom Liquids. It’s not in their existing list so you have to add it. It doesn’t let me add a new liquid to the list on the mobile app version, only on the web version. Once added, you should see it as an option in the app, too. After you select it for your recipe, then check the box below it to offset the total liquid.

 

[Georgeandstella]

@Georgeandstella yes I do subtract the two Tbsp of liquid from my total liquid.

Hi, not to be (or actually being) persnickety, I’m curious about the 1 to 1 reduction of liquid, as the sugar syrup is part sugar. Is this just too small a difference to worry about? Thank you I’m learning

 

[MomInWA]

If you are using soapmaking friend, you can add it under Custom Liquids. It’s not in their existing list so you have to add it. It doesn’t let me add a new liquid to the list on the mobile app version, only on the web version. Once added, you should see it as an option in the app, too. After you select it for your recipe, then check the box below it to offset the total liquid.

@AliOop Thank you, that makes sense.

Hi, not to be (or actually being) persnickety, I’m curious about the 1 to 1 reduction of liquid, as the sugar syrup is part sugar. Is this just too small a difference to worry about? Thank you I’m learning

@Georgeandstella Soapmaking itself is persnickety! This is something I'd like to ask as well. I think what I'm going to do is use straight aloe vera juice and dissolve 1 tsp into it. If it doesn't dissolve, I will try heating it. If that doesn't work, I'll stick blend it. If THAT still doesn't work, I'll use a sieve to strain the sugars.

My daughter is coming today, but we have other plans. I'm hoping to see if she's in a soap-making mood and maybe we can cut out a little early from our other plans. If she's not in the mood today, it's fine; I can do it tomorrow.

 

[2lilboots]

@Georgeandstella that would depend on whether you are using full liquid or a discount. I do not worry about the liquid as it is an amount that will evaporate

 

[AliOop]

Since there is no uniform definition of "full liquid" or "water discount," I believe it helps to refer to lye concentration instead.

Remember that NaOH only needs an equal amount of water (by weight) to dissolve; this would be a 50% lye concentration. Unless you are using a very high lye concentration (close to 50%), or a very concentrated sugar solution as your entire water amount (or both), you should have more than enough water left in the recipe to dissolve the NaOH in your sugar solution.

But if not, you will see undissolved particles in your mixed NaOH-sugar solution. In that case, add small amounts of water until everything dissolves. The additional water will cause the solution to heat up, which helps dissolve everything, too.

 

[Christa10]

Follow-up question. On my fave soap calc site, where do I add "aloe juice"? I see aloe butter and aloe powder. Thanks again!

I use aloe juice in place of the water, so it's not an added ingredient, it's used instead of water.