Citric Acid in Zany's no slime castile?

[Sraymoure]

I am a low volume soaper, but have made regular Castile a few times for the grandkids. A few weeks ago I made Zanys Castile soap with 5% castor oil. I added citric acid at 2% following the guidance form DeeAnna at Classic Bells ( thank you DeeAnna!) : https://classicbells.com/soap/citricAcid.html
using a 2:1 water to CA and added to the oils before adding the lye. I kept total water at the 1.7:1 ratio. And did only 0.5% super fat.

Soap is lovely with no crystals or streaks. But using a small piece to test, I don’t notice any lather at all.
Did I do something wrong

 

[lsg]

I think you may see more lather as the soap ages.

 

[szaza]

You are not adding extra lye because you have to use lye to neutralise the citric acid. That means the extra lye will get eaten by the citric acid.

I add the salt then the CA then (if I was using it) I'd add the bicarb and wait until it is clear than add the lye because otherwise I get streaks in my soap.
You can dissolve CA in water then add the lye separately then add it to the other ingredients later. One problem with this method is that you have to weigh out small amounts of lye and water or masterbatch it. I just found it easier and reduced streaks in my soap to add in the order I listed above.

You have a lot of wiggle room even if you use 0% SF in a soap because your lye will not be 100% pure and the soap calcs are pretty generous. Lots of people on this forum have made -40% SF soap. Minus 40%SF soap. It was fine, honestly.

I know you normally add 'extra' lye to neutralize the citric acid and make sodium citrate. That's how I normally use CA in my soaps.. but since CA also reacts with sodium bicarbonate to make sodium citrate I assumed I could use that reaction and add the 'normal' amount of lye to the soap since there wouldn't be any citric acid left.. but maybe I'm wrong! (I started this thread to find that out)
I've read about the -40 superfat soap..that was interesting! But didn't it only work because of a lot of extra water in the soap? I think there was one member who soaped with a normal water amount and it remained lye heavy..

I am a low volume soaper, but have made regular Castile a few times for the grandkids. A few weeks ago I made Zanys Castile soap with 5% castor oil. I added citric acid at 2% following the guidance form DeeAnna at Classic Bells ( thank you DeeAnna!) : https://classicbells.com/soap/citricAcid.html
using a 2:1 water to CA and added to the oils before adding the lye. I kept total water at the 1.7:1 ratio. And did only 0.5% super fat.

Soap is lovely with no crystals or streaks. But using a small piece to test, I don’t notice any lather at all.
Did I do something wrong

Good to know that it worked for you that way! Thanks for sharing[emoji4]

 

[penelopejane]

I know you normally add 'extra' lye to neutralize the citric acid and make sodium citrate. That's how I normally use CA in my soaps.. but since CA also reacts with sodium bicarbonate to make sodium citrate I assumed I could use that reaction and add the 'normal' amount of lye to the soap since there wouldn't be any citric acid left.. but maybe I'm wrong! (I started this thread to find that out)
I've read about the -40 superfat soap..that was interesting! But didn't it only work because of a lot of extra water in the soap? I think there was one member who soaped with a normal water amount and it remained lye heavy..

1gram of citric acid (CA) is neutralized with 1.3124 grams of baking soda (BS)
So technically, to follow Zany's recipe, you need to neutralise the CA with soda bicarb then add the salt water/bicarb mix.

Try adding 1 tsp soda bicarb to 1 litre of water /salt mix then make a small batch of soap.
Then try adding 1/32 of a tsp of soda bicarb (close to sea water) to 1 litre of water/salt mix and see how that goes in a small batch of soap.

Different olive oils are going to make a difference to the reaction.
Do small batches and see.
I really don’t think it is going to reduce the cure time of a Castile. Time makes such a difference.

 

[szaza]

Thanks for the info @penelopejane ! I'll try different things (once I have time to soap again) is there any kind of olive oil you recommend?

 

[penelopejane]

Thanks for the info @penelopejane ! I'll try different things (once I have time to soap again) is there any kind of olive oil you recommend?

I use EVOO. Many don't. I wouldn't use pomace on my skin but many do.
Australia has fantastic OO and we don't have to worry about adulteration.
I am sure Belgium also has great OO.

 

[szaza]

I use EVOO. Many don't. I wouldn't use pomace on my skin but many do.
Australia has fantastic OO and we don't have to worry about adulteration.
I am sure Belgium also has great OO.

Yup, we do[emoji1]