coffee soap

[happyshopper]

I am keen to make some coffee soap as I have some used coffee grounds to use up. I want to do 3/4 coffee base with a 1/4 topping of plain white.

If I use brewed coffee instead of water with the lye, do I have to freeze the coffee as you would milk?

If yes is there any other way of getting the coffee colour and scent? (I am not confident yet on mixing lye with frozen liquids). Could I add the coffee to the heated oils?

Once I have made and poured the coffee layer, approx how long do I have to make the top white layer before it is too late and the layers won't stick together? Should I make both the lye mixtures and heat both the oils at the same time so the next one is ready to go. Bit scared of doing this in case the second lot loses too much heat whilst I am making the first one, as a beginner I am not the quickest.

Thanks

 

[cmzaha]

When I make coffee I mix my lye 50:50 water to lye or you can use a little more water, then add in the balance of required water as liquid coffee. Mixing coffee directly in lye smells really really bad. As for coffee smell it will not survive the soap process no matter what you do. Also when I make it I add instant espresso to my leftover coffee to make stronger coffee, regular instant works too.

As for the white top, if you do not need pure white, I prefer cream color which remind me coffee and cream, you can separate out some batter for the top when you get to a very light trace and add in some TD if you want it lighter. Then go back add your fo, if using some your ground coffee to the main batch bring to a medium-med thick trace and pour the bottom. Go back to the separated out batter add in get it to the trace you want and pour on top of the coffee layer. By the time you get the white or cream colored layer ready your bottom layer should be thick enough to hold the light layer. You and either spoon the top layer carefully or pour over a spatula until you get a thin layer of white/cream, once you get the thin layer you can usually finish pouring the remainder of the top. Even if some of the white does sink it will still look nice.

 

[happyshopper]

When I make coffee I mix my lye 50:50 water to lye or you can use a little more water, then add in the balance of required water as liquid coffee. Mixing coffee directly in lye smells really really bad. As for coffee smell it will not survive the soap process no matter what you do.

At what stage do you add the coffee water? is this when you mix the lye and oils?

Thanks for the tip about the smell, I will order a coffee FO to add.

As for the white top, if you do not need pure white, I prefer cream color which remind me coffee and cream, you can separate out some batter for the top when you get to a very light trace and add in some TD if you want it lighter. Then go back add your fo, if using some your ground coffee to the main batch bring to a medium-med thick trace and pour the bottom. Go back to the separated out batter add in get it to the trace you want and pour on top of the coffee layer. By the time you get the white or cream colored layer ready your bottom layer should be thick enough to hold the light layer. You and either spoon the top layer carefully or pour over a spatula until you get a thin layer of white/cream, once you get the thin layer you can usually finish pouring the remainder of the top. Even if some of the white does sink it will still look nice.

My high lard content base is normally off white so this should be fine for the colour. I want to make it as simple as possible.

Newbie question: If I am adding higher lye concentrate to the mix to allow for the rest of the water added as coffee. If I take out some mix before adding the balance of water (coffee). Will that make the plain mix too strong in lye or will it just mean that in this portion more of the oils will saponify?

My plain was to take the top layer to thick trace just spoon it on and leave it I am not too worried about how it looks, I tend to go more for function than style. This will be my first attempt at a decorative soap as one day I would like to be able to give my soaps away and not be laughed at how they look lol

Newbie question: If I am adding higher lye concentrate to the mix to allow for the rest of the water added as coffee. If I take out some mix before adding the balance of water (coffee). Will that make the plain mix too strong in lye or will it just mean that in this portion more of the oils will saponify?

EDIT: found my own answer to this question, I found it very interesting

link for other newbies interested https://www.modernsoapmaking.com/lye-solution-in-soapmaking/

I don't think I am brave enough to do 50% discount of water in case I get the measurements wrong, not sure how accurate my sales are but will certainly be discounting some of the water to enable me to add the coffee.

Thanks for your help.

 

[DawninWA]

Another option. I use instant coffee, added after the cook (hot process, but for cold, you'd add it at trace). I mix a tablespoon or 2 with just enough water to dissolve it. Then mix it in however I want to. First time, I made a swirl in the pot, second time I added it to half and did 2 layers. I also used a mocha fragrance oil with vanilla that darkened a lot. So when I made that batch, it looked like half dark brown, half cream colored, very pretty. Now it looks like half dark brown, half slightly lighter dark brown .

 

[cmzaha]

EDIT: found my own answer to this question, I found it very interesting

link for other newbies interested https://www.modernsoapmaking.com/lye-solution-in-soapmaking/

I don't think I am brave enough to do 50% discount of water in case I get the measurements wrong, not sure how accurate my sales are but will certainly be discounting some of the water to enable me to add the coffee.

Thanks for your help.

You are not doing a 50% water discount. You are only making your lye solution 50% lye to 50-60% distilled water. You then use the coffee for the remainder of required liquid. I add the extra liquid into my oils before adding the lye solution. Many coffee FO's discolor so I would pour off the batter for the top before adding the fragrance to your main batter.

 

[lsg]

When I make coffee soap, I just use cold, strong coffee to dissolve the lye. You can set the container with the coffee in an ice water bath if you are worried about it scorching when you add the lye. I use coffee fragrance oil from Wholesale Supplies Plus to scent my coffee soap. I use very finely ground coffee for exfoliation.

 

[sarahferguson]

does the instant coffee add color to your soap

 

[Lin19687]

yes

 

[sarahferguson]

can l add it to my lye or when l combine my oils

 

[Lin19687]

I had added it to my oils.
back when I was HP soaping.
I don't like to add anything anymore as it makes it scrubby and harsh for some, fine for others. Other then my Salt bars, no additives