CP vs HP

[Sholdy]

I've made both CP and HP, and really haven't noticed much difference in the final product.

However, I've only made a few batches - I'm still a beginner. :?

What do you feel are the differences between a CP bar of soap and a HP bar of soap? Is the CP usually smoother?

How about when you put CP in the oven at 180'ish for a couple hours to promote full jell - isn't that kinda like HP? lol I haven't tried this method yet, but I'm going to be doing it as soon as my order of lye gets here (going through withdrawals...argh!!! so addictive!!)
:shock:

 

[PhillipJ]

One thing that when I do HP, I tend to mix it a lot when I add my fragrance. It whips a little air into it so it floats and isn't quite as dense as CP.

 

[Missjulesdid]

I'm still learning too...to me I think it depends on what kind of soap you want.... if you want a clear soap then you HAVE to use hp...., or if you are using certain colorants, HP will give a much more reliable color.

As for the quality of the soap. Some people like the clear HP soap because it has no superfat...

 

[soapgardener]

oops- Missjulesdid, HP soaps definitely can have superfat- I know because I make all of my soaps HP and mine have plenty of unsaponified fat

You may be thinking of liquid soap, which is made in the same manner as HP, just with KOH instead of NaOH. These soaps have very little superfat, if any, so they remain clear.

The difference between HP and CP in the end product has to do with the crystaline structure of soap. When soap is heated to 195 deg F or so, it goes through a "glass transition phase", or gel. After this, as the soap cools, the soap molecules will rearrange themselves into a stucture which is slightly different from a soap which has never reached this temperature. HP soaps may be more translucent. CP soaps which go through full gel will have this same stucture.

And yes, CP soap which has been put in the overn to achieve full gel will have this same translucent quality.

An advantage to HP soap is that it is ready to use as soon as the cook is finished (about an hour after gel at low heat).

 

[Missjulesdid]

You can definitely superfat regular HP soaps, I was refering to the clear soaps, Wouldn't superfatting make them cloudy???

 

[Sholdy]

One batch where I put in way too much colour I rebatched with some other, HP soaps I had in approx 1:3 ratio.

So the final product is a paler blue, cp/hp rebatch, and the soap is OMG amazing!

So I guess I'd really like to know (since it's the only batch of my soaps I've used yet), what process, and using the same recipe for each, in your opinions, make the best bar of soap?

CP
HP
or
rebatch?

From what I've read here, I'm leaning towards CP.

Heck, I don't even know if rebatch is a process... :?

 

[Barb]

hp soaps: have a more rustic look to the finished product. you can use it as soon as it's unmolded, as the sapronfication process is complete at the end of the cook. it is better if let set for 2 weeks or so. this method works better for some of those finicky fragrances that seize because you add it at the end of the cook and it isn't affected by the lye. also because you can add your superfatting oils at the end of the cook you know exactly which oils are superfatting your soaps, where in cp it is just a combo of extra oils. also any other additives you add to it after the cook are not effected by the lye. you use less fragrance oil to scent. milk soaps will be lighter because again you add it after the cook.


cp soaps do have a smoother appearance because you can actually pour the soap and not glop and smoosh like with hp. cp can be opaque or slightly translucent depending on if you gel or not. the lye may affect the colorants you use and make them morph, sometimes not in a good way.
the soaps should set for 4-8 weeks and in same cases like castille soaps even longer for them to finish curing. then if you do gel sometimes you run the risk of partial gel, and while there is nothing wrong with the soap it is just an appearance issue.

whether method you choose is just a personnel choice. they both have pros and cons.

 

[soapgardener]

Hi Missjulesdid,

Sorry I misunderstood your post....

HP itself does not make a clear bar of soap (I wish it were that easy...). I'm not entirely familiar with the process of making clear soap, but you could search around for it - I think it's quite involved. The use of KOH instead of the typical NaOH will make a clear soap, though not a hard soap. KOH is used to make liquid soap.

There really is no clear "better" or "worse" soapmaking method - it's personal preference.

 

[Soapmaker Man]

I made my first batch of DHHP today, and loved doing it this way after almost 3 years of only CP soap making. I took a 5% lye discount in the recipe. Here is a picture of how the Pink Sugar DHHP soap today turned out;

Paul :wink: