CP or HP...my final answer. What's yours?

[Stacyspy]

After furiously making soap to catch up from my one-handedness, I have come to the conclusion that I will be doing 95% HP.
Mostly because I can control the oil I want for SF. Also, I use much less FO. Not to mention, no ricing and/or discoloration. And finally, because I get a lot of ash. A lot. No matter what I try, by week 2, they're covered. Thickly.
I do miss the fantastic swirls I get from CP, but I'm willing to trade that off for a pretty ITP swirl.

 

[galaxyMLP]

I'm confused. You still get just as much discoloration with HP soap. At least all the batches I've done do. I second the using less FO aspect for the most part. I find some FOs are actually not good at all when it comes to heat and cannot handle HP soap.

I do like my HP soaps though.

 

[LazyUmbrella]

Haven't done HP in a while. I also notice that the colours become less vibrant, and more brownish with the cooking. Also the entire mix becomes thicker so it's harder to incorporate any additive after the cook (i.e. colours, scents, superfatting oils).

I think it's been agreed that one can't control which oils act as the SF in cold process. Can one indeed control the SF in hot process (i.e. has saponification been fully-reached after the cook)?

 

[janzo]

I have also switched to HP recently, as the fragrance oils I get from South Africa are terrible, they cause ricing, etc. have been informed recently that the some suppliers down there add DPG and other stuff to make them go further, typical!! I now do mine the same way as Ridgeway Soap Works with no lid but Glad Wrap (Saran) on top, and before total saponification you add yoghurt, coconut milk (I don't have this so just added more yoghurt), sodium lactate, put the lid on for 5 mins and it becomes more fluid and easier to work with. It seems to cook really quickly this way and makes for a lovely end product, I am very happy with it. Anyone else tried it?

 

[TwystedPryncess]

I haven't tried that. For some odd reason sodium lactate always made my HP soap on a stick, and my HP soaps got lots better after I forgot it one night. I had my fling with it, but I like colors and swirlies too much to stick with it. I definitely think every CP soaper should still have a crock pot for HP rescues. And of course, I might say one day, 'Oh HP, I miss you!' . There are just so many mistakes still to make in CP for me yet.....

 

[cmzaha]

I gotta stick to cp and hp only when fixing a batch or with a fragrance I know will not cp

 

[IrishLass]

IFor some odd reason sodium lactate always made my HP soap on a stick, and my HP soaps got lots better after I forgot it one night.

That is odd. I don't do a lot of HP if I can help it (I'm too much of a CP girl at heart), but sodium lactate is a big factor in making my occasional HP go much smoother for me. If it weren't for sodium lactate, I do believe I would dislike doing HP much more than I already do. lol

The only times I HP are when making my shave soap (my large amount of stearic acid forces me to HP it), and when dealing with very naughty FOs that I adore the smell of, but that won't take kindly to CP.


IrishLass

 

[Obsidian]

CP for me as I simply don't like the looks of HP. Even very fluid HP has a odd texture and I like smooth tops. I do HP for my shaving soap or occasionally for soaps I don't mind if they are ugly, like shampoo bars.

The one thing I do like to HP is salt bars. I like a bit more texture to them and the lumpy tops look nice, plus I can cut within a hour and be done with it.

 

[Stacyspy]

That's weird. For some reason, I have only noticed one batch that has discolored, and it was an 8% vanilla FO. I wonder if it's something I'm doing... I let my soap cool to about 110 degrees before adding FOs or other oils( which admittedly, I don't do too often).

I'm confused. You still get just as much discoloration with HP soap. At least all the batches I've done do. I second the using less FO aspect for the most part. I find some FOs are actually not good at all when it comes to heat and cannot handle HP soap.

I do like my HP soaps though.

 

[Stacyspy]

I use sodium lactate, and it seems to help. I have never tried the saran wrap, but I'll give it a shot... Also when I cook mine, I only leave the crockpot on for the first 15-20 min., then let the residual heat finish the cook. I do a lot of floral fragrances, so I feel your pain with ricing and acceleration

I have also switched to HP recently, as the fragrance oils I get from South Africa are terrible, they cause ricing, etc. have been informed recently that the some suppliers down there add DPG and other stuff to make them go further, typical!! I now do mine the same way as Ridgeway Soap Works with no lid but Glad Wrap (Saran) on top, and before total saponification you add yoghurt, coconut milk (I don't have this so just added more yoghurt), sodium lactate, put the lid on for 5 mins and it becomes more fluid and easier to work with. It seems to cook really quickly this way and makes for a lovely end product, I am very happy with it. Anyone else tried it?

 

[Dorymae]

Normal soaps I CP, because I can't make a decent looking HP to save my life. However HP is the only way to go to make cream soap, shaving soap, transparent soap, and rebatches so I can not totally rule out HP. Only one soap I've ever HP'd came out decent, and that because it was meant to look rustic.

 

[shunt2011]

I only CP with the exception of my shave soap and rebatch. I like the artistic license it gives me to swirl, layer etc over HP.

 

[dixiedragon]

If I HAD to choose, I'd have to pick CP. It's my first love. But in some situations I prefer HP. I especially like it with discolor FOs - you still get discoloration, but instead of poop or mud colored soap, you get this variegated look that is like marble which is quite lovely.

 

[galaxyMLP]

I've had discolored HP soap that came out completely smooth (1 color) before. I'm not sure now if I'M the one doing something wrong... I do tent to HP hotter since in order to keep my soap fluid, I need to keep it quite hot. I ususally add fragrance at ~140-150 F and mold at ~130. If I let it get to 110, I would have soap on a stick...

Btw, I really do love HP soap. Something about the ~finished saponifiying~ ~once its cool I can cut it~ thing that I like. I tend to cut my CP soap too early... After reading this last night, I made a batch of my HP Castile stress releif soap. I really enjoyed it and it was relaxing.

 

[kumudini]

I like both but I love the smooth and sharp look of CP, colored or not. HP is quick, gives more suds early on, you can 'try' to benefit from selective SF or botanicals added after the cook, use finicky FOs and less of them. Also, if you want a smooth look to your HP, use full water, sodium lactate, peek less ( minimize evaporation). You can also put your color in the base oils (if you are going for single color only), and get a very uniform color.
What I don't like is re-batching, hand milling or triple milling whatever. Hope I don't have to do too much of that.

 

[TwystedPryncess]

If it weren't for sodium lactate, I do believe I would dislike doing HP much more than I already do. lol


IrishLass

I don't understand it, either. I tried adding it in again after the time I forgot it, and again, it cooked up much quicker/gloppier than the previous batch. I left it out in the next one, and my cook time was longer, it was easier to get in the mold, I had time to add my color and not panic. No one else that soaps HP seems to have this issue but me.

Maybe it's my crock pot? It's an oval shaped one, but again, I am sure other people have oval shaped ones and I haven't heard of them having any issues. I don't have any issues with it in CP.

I very rarely HP myself, but when I do, I leave the SL out, because I'm cursed that way. It really would be nice to know *why* I'm the oddball, though!

 

[IrishLass]

I don't understand it, either. I tried adding it in again after the time I forgot it, and again, it cooked up much quicker/gloppier than the previous batch. I left it out in the next one, and my cook time was longer, it was easier to get in the mold, I had time to add my color and not panic. No one else that soaps HP seems to have this issue but me.

Maybe it's my crock pot? It's an oval shaped one, but again, I am sure other people have oval shaped ones and I haven't heard of them having any issues. I don't have any issues with it in CP.

I very rarely HP myself, but when I do, I leave the SL out, because I'm cursed that way. It really would be nice to know *why* I'm the oddball, though!

TwystedPryncess- When/how do you add the SL? How you answer that may help to get to the bottom of things. For what it's worth, I use a 60% solution of SL, and I mix it directly into my lye solution before adding the solution to my oils.

IrishLass

 

[TwystedPryncess]

I read to use .2 oz per pound and add it to the lye water, so that is how I have always done it. So for example, for a 3 lb batch of soap. I would add .6 oz SL to my lye water.

 

[IrishLass]

In what form is your SL- is it powdered or in 60% solution?


IrishLass

 

[Stacyspy]

This might be completely irrelevant to the process, but when I use SL in the summer, or if I'm using the cookstove, I have much better luck than when it's cool. I use both a round and an oval crockpot, and the only difference I notice is I have to work a bit more to get all the batter moving.

I don't understand it, either. I tried adding it in again after the time I forgot it, and again, it cooked up much quicker/gloppier than the previous batch. I left it out in the next one, and my cook time was longer, it was easier to get in the mold, I had time to add my color and not panic. No one else that soaps HP seems to have this issue but me.

Maybe it's my crock pot? It's an oval shaped one, but again, I am sure other people have oval shaped ones and I haven't heard of them having any issues. I don't have any issues with it in CP.

I very rarely HP myself, but when I do, I leave the SL out, because I'm cursed that way. It really would be nice to know *why* I'm the oddball, though!