Am I over complicating this? Dividing Oils

[Stephd31]

Hello,

I plan to make a scenic soap next week and have been looking up how to divide my oils, so I mix them and my lye solution in parts. Using my standard soap loaf recipe, instead of mixing all my oils and lye in one go, I plan to divide them into smaller parts in order to have more time to work with the layers. I don't know what the term is for this process, and most of my searching on the proper way to divide oils has come up empty. I think it's a terminology problem and not a lack of information on the internet problem. Anyway, I found this article helpful: How to Create a Masterbatch of Oils for Soapmaking in Soapmaker 3

My plan is to masterbatch my oils for this recipe and divide the masterbatched oils into separate parts based on what I need for each layer. The part I wonder if I'm making more complicated than necessary is, based on what my soapcalc (soapmaker) says each layer requires - I plan on making a separate lye solution for each layer. I wasn't sure if there is a different way to divide the lye solution or if this is the best practice.

Any tips would be appreciated!

 

[Peachy Clean Soap]

Sorry I haven't MB soap so Im not familiar with that process. However when I need to work w/ a design I SB way less & only mix oils tell emulsified' if I use a scent I choose one I've worked with knowing its not going to accelerate & I only add a little at a time in parts of batter right before I use it. Hope this helps.

 

[CpnDouchette]

I am very new to soap making but I have done this. Generally I plug my total oils into soap calc and make one batch of oils and one batch of lye, weighing empty containers first and making a note of them. I add sodium lactate, salt what have you to my lye once cooled and then weigh everything again when I'm ready to soap.

If I want a third for a bottom layer I then take my oil weight, subtract the weight of the empty container. Then I divide by 100 and times by 33. I do exactly the same to the lye (inclusive of SL, salt etc).

I have also done tiny batches, for piping for example, but I find its harder to make very small batches.

 

[Stephd31]

Sorry I haven't MB soap so Im not familiar with that process. However when I need to work w/ a design I SB way less & only mix oils tell emulsified' if I use a scent I choose one I've worked with knowing its not going to accelerate & I only add a little at a time in parts of batter right before I use it. Hope this helps.

Thank you for the tip! I've done the blend to emulsion only method, but not adding FO in smaller bits to the parts of the batter. I think I'll try this when my design isn't as intricate as the one I plan for next week.

 

[TheGecko]

Master Batch both your oils and your Lye Solution. Then measure out the amount of each that you will need for each layer as you need them.

As a simple example...I want to make 4 layer soap. I would mix up the total amount of oils/butters and lye solution I need...55 oz oils and 23.3 oz of solution...and then I would divide by 4 to get the amounts of each that I need. Don't forget to divide your FO. Then I would weigh out 13.75 oz of oils, 5.825 oz of solution and do my do-wah-diddy and pour. When the layer has set, I would weigh out the next layer and do-wah...rinse and repeat.

Its much easier if you make up the full amount of the oils and lye solution that you need, then combine as you need them, then it is to make up four separate batches.

 

[Stephd31]

I am very new to soap making but I have done this. Generally I plug my total oils into soap calc and make one batch of oils and one batch of lye, weighing empty containers first and making a note of them. I add sodium lactate, salt what have you to my lye once cooled and then weigh everything again when I'm ready to soap.

If I want a third for a bottom layer I then take my oil weight, subtract the weight of the empty container. Then I divide by 100 and times by 33. I do exactly the same to the lye (inclusive of SL, salt etc).

I have also done tiny batches, for piping for example, but I find its harder to make very small batches.

This is VERY helpful! Can you jog my memory? I think I'm supposed to know what the numbers 100 and 33 represent but not sure off the top of my head.

I wasn't sure if I could divide out the lye solution the same way I would the oils and was getting caught up in that detail.

Master Batch both your oils and your Lye Solution. Then measure out the amount of each that you will need for each layer as you need them.

As a simple example...I want to make 4 layer soap. I would mix up the total amount of oils/butters and lye solution I need...55 oz oils and 23.3 oz of solution...and then I would divide by 4 to get the amounts of each that I need. Don't forget to divide your FO. Then I would weigh out 13.75 oz of oils, 5.825 oz of solution and do my do-wah-diddy and pour. When the layer has set, I would weigh out the next layer and do-wah...rinse and repeat.

Its much easier if you make up the full amount of the oils and lye solution that you need, then combine as you need them, then it is to make up four separate batches.

Thank you! This sounds so easy. I wasn't sure if I could divide the lye solution evenly amongst the layers and felt there was something I wasn't taking into account. I've watched several videos of other soapers doing this technique, but hadn't found one who described the process.

 

[CpnDouchette]

This is VERY helpful! Can you jog my memory? I think I'm supposed to know what the numbers 100 and 33 represent but not sure off the top of my head.

I wasn't sure if I could divide out the lye solution the same way I would the oils and was getting caught up in that detail.

Its how you calculate percentages. Divide by 100 to work out what 1% is then multiply by the percentage you want. Alternatively, you could multiply the total oils/ lye by 0.33 to get one third.

 

[Stephd31]

Its how you calculate percentages. Divide by 100 to work out what 1% is then multiply by the percentage you want. Alternatively, you could multiply the total oils/ lye by 0.33 to get one third.

Ah! Thank you!

 

[Zing]

I'm not a master batcher expert by any means! I did recently made a soap with 2 layers. I made one batch of oils, and one batch of lye/liquid -- then I mixed a portion of oils with a portion of lye/liquid. I am a compulsive measurer so I got surprised when the weights of the remaining oils and the remaining lye/liquid were not what I expected! So my 2 cents is that you should mix up more than you think you need. Good luck!

 

[Stephd31]

I'm not a master batcher expert by any means! I did recently made a soap with 2 layers. I made one batch of oils, and one batch of lye/liquid -- then I mixed a portion of oils with a portion of lye/liquid. I am a compulsive measurer so I got surprised when the weights of the remaining oils and the remaining lye/liquid were not what I expected! So my 2 cents is that you should mix up more than you think you need. Good luck!

Thanks Zing, I assume you had less than you expected because it's nearly impossible to scrape all the soap and lye out of their respective containers? Approximately how much would you say you were off? Estimating how much extra I should make.

 

[Zing]

I ended up adding 200 g of oil.

 

[Mobjack Bay]

I agree with @Zing that it will be easier if you have a bit more of your mixed oils and lye than what you need so you don’t come up short. Landscape/scenic soaps are fun to make! Depending on the approach you’re planning to take, it may help to use an FO that causes a little bit of acceleration, which helps layering set up a little quicker. Or you can take the batter to a little thicker trace so you can do some sculpting.

 

[Stephd31]

I agree with @Zing that it will be easier if you have a bit more of your mixed oils and lye than what you need so you don’t come up short. Landscape/scenic soaps are fun to make! Depending on the approach you’re planning to take, it may help to use an FO that causes a little bit of acceleration, which helps layering set up a little quicker. Or you can take the batter to a little thicker trace so you can do some sculpting.

I'm excited to make it! I don't think the FO I have planned accelerates though. I will definitely keep that in mind for my next batch. I'll probably do what you recommend for the sculpting and get a heavier trace. Thank you!

 

[penelopejane]

CpnDouchette and the gecko are saying the same thing in different ways. CpnDouchette is expressing it as percentage and the gecko is dividing by 4. This is the way I do it too.

 

[TheGecko]

This sounds so easy. I wasn't sure if I could divide the lye solution evenly amongst the layers and felt there was something I wasn't taking into account. I've watched several videos of other soapers doing this technique, but hadn't found one who described the process.

A lot is going to depend on your design and whether your need your layers to set up in between if you are doing free hand or using scrapers. "From Grace to You" does amazing landscape soap on YouTube and she has a free downloadable PDF on her designs. Many times she just uses a single batch mixed to emulsion, divides it it and then uses an accelerating FO right before she pours. Holly at Missouri River Soap did a seven layer Peppermint Soap (four white, three red). She made a separate batch for each layer as she needed the previous layer to set up and the pouring layer to be very fluid for even layers. Lisa at "I Dream in Soap" and Teri at "Tree Marie Soapworks" are two that use percentages in their designs.

There are a lot soap makers who won't tell you how exactly how they do things and that is their prerogative to not do so. A lot of what I learned, I learned simply by watching hundreds and hundreds of hours of videos. Most made little to no sense to me in the beginning, but as I progressed in my understanding and from making soap, it started to. I greatly admire folks who do free form landscaping, my brain just isn't wired that way

 

[Stephd31]

I plan on doing at least three layers two need to set up and I'll be using a scraper to shape them. The third layer will need to support a column of soap I made a few days ago.

Thank you for all the reference material! I know how I'll be spending my evening, my husband will be so jealous.

Oh yes, I don't expect any soapers to give away their secrets. I just wanted to check and see if I was going about this process correctly.
My concern is ending up with a batch of soap that's heavy lye.

You all have been so helpful, I can post a picture after the cut if you'd like!

 

[penelopejane]

I plan on doing at least three layers two need to set up and I'll be using a scraper to shape them. The third layer will need to support a column of soap I made a few days ago.

Thank you for all the reference material! I know how I'll be spending my evening, my husband will be so jealous.

Oh yes, I don't expect any soapers to give away their secrets. I just wanted to check and see if I was going about this process correctly.
My concern is ending up with a batch of soap that's heavy lye.

You all have been so helpful, I can post a picture after the cut if you'd like!

Your soap will be fine as long as you stick as close you the recipe as possible.
weigh it exactly and Divide it as exactly as you can. It doesn’t have to be absolutely perfect just the best you can do and your soap won’t be lye heavy or soft.
You’ll learn a lot the first time you do A many layered soap so scribble lots of notes as you go And write them up properly as soon as you’ve put it to bed.

 

[Stephd31]

Your soap will be fine as long as you stick as close you the recipe as possible.
weigh it exactly and Divide it as exactly as you can. It doesn’t have to be absolutely perfect just the best you can do and your soap won’t be lye heavy or soft.
You’ll learn a lot the first time you do A many layered soap so scribble lots of notes as you go And write them up properly as soon as you’ve put it to bed.

Thank you penelopejane. You've put my mind at ease. I was overcomplicating this whole process, I'm glad I asked. I'm definitely taking your advice and will rewrite my notes when I'm done. I have a binder I keep my soap notes in and some make more sense than others.
I'll attach a photo when it's done!

 

[Stephd31]

As promised, I'm back with an update about my experience dividing oils and making scenery soap. Let me start by saying I'm not new to soaping. However, I am fairly new to designs and more luxurious oils, etc. So this was a fun experiment for me. I've done one other scenery soap before, blending just to an emulsion, but it didn't work out too well because I work slow and get anxious fast.

I expected to be about 200g shy of oils (thanks, @Zing), so I resized my regular recipe to account for the difference. I wanted three layers, one layer being larger than the other two. I divided my recipe by four and added two of the fourths back together. Separated oils and lye solution before starting and was surprised I was short on lye by 32g. I decided to go for it, and until just now, did not think to just short each layer by about 10g.

I opted not to use my stick blender much for the first two layers. I wanted the bottom layer to be black and used a combo of Nurture Soap's Nocturnal Mica with Activated Charcoal. No matter how much mica/charcoal I added, the batter was still gray. I stopped adding colorants, worrying that my soap would turn out gritty if I kept trying. The first layer worked out fine.

The second layer, I did the color exactly as the first and also added Purple Haze to the batter. When it was hard enough to scrape the second mountain, I ended up SCRAPING OFF SOME OF THE FIRST MOUNTAIN! I was devastated. That, combined with the lack of difference in color between the two mountains, had me wondering how many times I'd have to make this loaf before I got it right. I kept all the excess in the same bowl; there was barely any color difference.

Once the third layer was to emulsion, I separated two small bowls of batter, coloring them pink and purple. I used Dark Navy Blue to color the larger portion. Gray again. Whoa is me; this soap is going to be a big gray blob. I stick blended this layer a little more to put my column mold inside without squishing the mountains. I took my moon out of its mold, measured it for size over the loaf, and accidentally dropped the end into my soap! WHOOPS

When the moon was finally in the mold, I began adding the rest of my soap and found I didn't have enough to cover the moon! Panic began to set in. I quickly took the bowl of excess mountains, which were pretty hard since I was taking my sweet time, blended them as best as possible, and spooned them on top. All I could think about was how my soap would be gray all over, and the top will be the same shade as the bottom layer.

Any chance of my soap being pretty would really depend on if it gelled. Since my house tends to be cold this time I year, I used a heating pad on low to ensure gel.

Today I cut this soap, not expecting much, but I have to say, I LOVE IT. I am so happy with how it came out. Next time I'll resize my recipe to be larger. I'm also considering trying Mad Mica's mica to see if I have better success.

Thank you to everyone who commented on this thread to help me through dividing oils.

 

[AliOop]

What a fantastic result - great job!!