Can you check my recipe for workability?

[darelias]

Can I get your feedback? I think I am dialing in on my chosen recipe. This will be my 4th batch, the last one I made was similar, very similar to this. It did thicken up on me faster than expected, but I think that was because I had my doors and windows open and it cooled too fast. I was soaping around the 80-90 degree mark and I think my room temp may have even dipped toward the mid 60's without my knowing. Do you see anything in this recipe that would make you think it would thicken super fast? I'm not looking to do any elaborate design. I'd like to do a light nag champa (NG) scent and maybe an activated charcoal line. Other than that I'm not planning on using a colorant. I may just fragrance half or 2/3 of the batch. I'd like to be able to pour the batter in this time and not shovel, pack and pray like last batch. My goal for my soap is mild, moisturizing, with decent bubbles. I don't need it to be a bubble explosion, but I don't want them to be super low either. Most of my recipe changes have been to try to increase the bubbles, while not making it too harsh and losing moisture.
I also have been using 2tsp of sodium lactate in all my batches...not sure if I need to, but it is what I have been doing.
Am I on the right track? I'm curious if I need the sodium lactate with so many hard oils, or would that effect trace at all?

 

[AliOop]

If you liked how the similar recipe felt, this one should be fine for you in that regard. A few observations:

1. I would not use "Water as percent of oil weight" for determining the amount of lye. Instead, choose "Lye Concentration" or "Water:Lye Ratio." Those are two different ways of saying basically the same thing, so pick either one and stick with that choice for all your future batches. That will give you much more consistent results as you scale your batches up and down. The amount of water really has nothing to do with the amount of oils; it is water to lye, and lye to oils, that are essential measurements; those will be much more accurate using either Lye Concentration or Water:Lye Ratio.

2. Consider making smaller batches. 3lbs is a lot of soap while you are still determining your preferred recipe. You can use cardboard and packing tape to make a dam of sorts in your mold to make it smaller. Of course, if you like having tons of soap to give out to family, friends, and testers, or to donate to shelters, then keep making larger batches.

3. Your superfat at 9% is pretty high. I started out high like that, and have gradually cut down to 3-5% for everything except 100% CO and salt bars. This cuts down greatly on soap scum. Also, unsaponified oils can make your soap go rancid more quickly, and can clog your plumbing. No matter how much SF or how many butters you use, your soap will not be moisturizing, period. "Soaps" that claim to be moisturizing are usually syndets, not true soap. But your soap can be less drying. Just know that a lot of people find CO, babassu, and OO to be drying to their skin. Your combined percentage of those three things would be too trying for me, but everyone has different skin needs.

4. Your castor at 10% is probably too high. Your bar may be sticky or rubbery when you go above 5-7%, although some folks like a bit higher. Castor doesn't increase lather; it just stabilizes the lather that is created by other oils. To increase bubbles without upping the castor or the CO, try adding some form of sugar, whether that is table sugar, sorbitol, powdered sugar, aloe vera juice, or some form of milk as water replacement. I'd hold off on honey or molasses till you have more experience, because they can heat up your batter pretty fast. Sugars and starches are great lather boosters, but this number will not show up in the soap calc so you have to tinker to find the amount that works well for you. Lots of good threads on this forum about how to use those ingredients.

5. Batter usually thickens fast based on either the oils used, or because of stick-blending past a light emulsion and getting to trace. A stable emulsion is all you need. Some great threads here can give you more pointers about how to spot that. Also, your combination of coconut, castor, babassu, and mango would move pretty fast for me. Just dropping the castor down to 5% might make a big difference for you.

Sorry, that's a long post, but hopefully it will be helpful as you zero in on your target recipe. Have fun, and show us some pics when you make the next batch!

 

[darelias]

Thank you for the detailed feedback. I will research the water to lye ratios so I better understand how to use them safely. I have a smaller mold coming, the one I have was part of the kit I got for christmas and it makes ALOT of soap. Luckily I have some very supportive friends and coworkers who have been taking my extras and giving me feedback. The super fat was me mostly likely over reacting to the feedback that my soap felt a little drying. I know I have alot of drying oil culprits, I added the Babassu so I could cut down on CO, but i've been really afraid of having super soft bars that take forever to cure. The first batch I made was the Brambleberry swirling kit and the soap it made was so soft, it took forever to unmold and had a ton of glycerin rivers, I made it December 26th and it is still fairly soft, compared to bars i've made since then. The swirling mix has sweet almond oil which my son cant use so all my experimenting has been based around making it safe for my son, bars not so soft, faster to cure (i'm horribly impatient) and not overly drying. I think I misunderstood exactly what the castor oil did with regard to bubbles. I just saw when I raised it, my bubbly rating went up in soap calc so I nudged it. I will do research on sugars, this may be the answer to my dilema. I'd like to make this a more simple recipe eventually. I know there are tried and true recipes out there, but i'll admit I have some vanity involved in making one that is unique for me, but clearly I need to understand more of what all these oils and butters do.

 

[AliOop]

How do you feel about using animal fats?

 

[darelias]

I do not want to use animal fats, so that is a factor in this as well.

 

[AliOop]

Gotcha. Maybe tinker with this mix, remembering that you can add good bubbles with sugar:

35% Palm
30% RBO/AO combo
20% CO
6% Shea or Mango
6% Cocoa butter
3% Castor

It's still not going to be a really slow-moving recipe, but if you soap cool, and barely use the SB, you should have enough time for a few swirls. If you drop the CO to 15% and put the additional amount into the soft oils, you will get a little more play time.

ETA: one thing to keep in mind is that "cleansing" really refers to how well the soap strips the oils off your skin. Many soapers keep the cleansing number below the recommended low of 12, because any soap will still clean your body even if the cleansing number is 0 (like 100% OO soap). So don't feel like you need to stay above 12 - that's one area where the soap calculator is very misleading for new folks.

 

[darelias]

That you for the recipe suggestion, I am playing around with it in soap calc and with the sugar i have a great feeling. I had already started my batch with the recipe I gave when you posted. Unmolded softer than I hoped but it did make a pretty bar. but I know I can do better. The siwrled part has nag champa fragrance so will go more tan. More or less turned out how I hoped.

 

[Mobjack Bay]

That’s a very pretty bar of soap!

 

[AliOop]

I agree, that is so pretty - well done!

 

[darelias]

Final update...for now. I wanted to show you my most recent batch! I changed the recipe jumping off at your suggestion and I was very happy! Very workable, I know I over blended it so I could have had pretty good time for swirls had I not blended too far. This was made with my 4inch Brambleberry mold which felt so nice, using 1/3 the batter was such a gift. I also gelled my soap for the first time and I really love how it looks. This is made with just purple brazilian clay up top and natural on the bottom. Used Tobacco and Bayleaf from Brambleberry so the bottom I think will go a little tan. Here is the recipe I used. Cant wait to see how it cures.

 

[AliOop]

Very pretty soap! Glad you had a good soaping adventure. Now it is time to hurry up and wait to try it out!

 

[darelias]

I know I am very excited to try it, especially to see how the sugar worked out. It unmolded so nicely too. I gave it an extra 15 hours or so based on some recommendations I read on the mold. Thanks again for your help!