Castille Soap

[adoptapitbull]

I love the look of castille, and also the ease of making it. It's also great for sensitive skin so long as you don't add any FO or color.

I'm not a fan of the way it feels on my skin, though. I find that it is really slimy and hard to wash off. Then again, I have well water that's mineral heavy so that may have something to do with it.

 

[saltydog]

simplyangelic & adoptapitbull- thanks for your input.
I also love how creamy and white it looks, maybe I will give it a try and see how I like it.

 

[Dragonkaz]

I made my first batch of castille ... and I'm not real sure about what happened.

I warmed the oil to about 42 C and used the lye when it was about 40 C. I superfatted at 7% and used a lye ratio of 1.5:1 (40%).

I started using the stick blender ... then stirred, stick blender, stirred, stick blender etc. Then did hand mixing ... and more and more and more. About an hour after I started mixing, the batter was feeling a little thick, but there was no obvious trace. The colour of the batter had lightened a little. Another 30 minutes of hand beating and I poured the batter into the mould.

My soap is now wrapped, so that it can gel ... I'm hoping it will set, but I have no idea if it will.

Please comment on this process, as I'm keen to make castille, but surely there must be an easier way ...?

 

[Dragonkaz]

24 hours later -

The soap is still not fully set! Is this usual? Do you think it will set?

 

[carebear]

did it gel?

do you see liquid floating on top? or is it just soft - like cream cheese?

castiles can take a lot longer than most soaps, tho with less water and warm temps I wouldn't think it'd be terribly long.

 

[agriffin]

I wonder if your olive oil was adulterated? It should be set using a 40% solution. Or at least as firm as cold cream cheese.

 

[Bubbles Galore]

You could stick it in a warm oven (70 to 80C) for an hour or so and it will gel. Is it unscented?

 

[Simplyangelic]

24 hours later -

The soap is still not fully set! Is this usual? Do you think it will set?

Sorry if you've already mentioned, but which grade of olive oil did you use?
Castille can take an awful long time to set up.......the longest I've had mine in the mould has been approx 48 hrs.

 

[Dragonkaz]

48 hours later … and it’s still not set!

I’m not confident it gelled, but I put it in the oven on 50 C for two hours, turned the oven off and left it there … which is what I do for my other soaps during winter, when I want gel.

There is no liquid floating on top.

It does look like cream cheese … it’s a lovely colour!

I used EVOO, the same brand as the OO I use. Bought the EVOO due to it being on special.

It’s unscented.

Bubbles Galore – do you think I should heat it up again and force a (or another) gel?

Any further advice, or recommendations re things I should do differently next time ... please?

 

[Dragonkaz]

72 hours later ... and it was about patience ... oh well at least next time I'll be prepared. Might discount the water further next time and make a lye concentration of 1:1.

I'm thrilled with the result ... but not sure how I'm going to cope with the longer wait for a good cure ... patience ... more patience!

 

[krissy]

i am thinking of doing another castile but adding egg yolks. i loved my last egg yolk soap. you have made we want to make some more castile.

 

[carebear]

I'm thrilled with the result ... but not sure how I'm going to cope with the longer wait for a good cure ... patience ... more patience!

You will cope fine because you will try one every now and then and be disappointed... but eventually you will like it.

 

[saltydog]

You will cope fine because you will try one every now and then and be disappointed... but eventually you will like it.

Dragonkaz, they look great, so creamy-and that's a lot of soap!

carebear, this is what I'm hoping for too, to eventually like it, I mean.

 

[carebear]

TBH, I don't love it. But sometimes I like it. It's like salt bars to me - I get a yen, then it fades. LOL. But it is very mild, and people don't tend to be allergic to olive oil, so I absolutely recommend it for troubled skin.

 

[soapbuddy]

Looks good!

 

[Hazel]

I think it looks great.

 

[Dragonkaz]

Thanks for the advice!

I was talking about my soap ... to anyone at work who'd listen ... and my boss who has sensitive skin has asked to trial my castile ... but I'll be waiting at least four months before I'd let another person trial it.

I'm hoping that after four months I'll like it! Hopefully I'll remember to post a comment in four months!

 

[saltydog]

i am thinking of doing another castile but adding egg yolks. i loved my last egg yolk soap. you have made we want to make some more castile.

Intriguing, krissy..just what is egg yolk soap and what does it add?