Disappearing soap

[ornitte]

Hi,

Although my soap recipes create hard enough soap, when I use the soap, they seem to "disappear", or get used up very quickly, especially when compared to commercial soap.

Is this just a property of natural soap, or is there some way to make the soaps last longer?
Would adding stearic acid help, and if so, how do you calculate the lye amount (the lye calculators on-line don't include stearic acid options).

Thanks!
Ornitte

 

[Soapmaker Man]

Hi,

Although my soap recipes create hard enough soap, when I use the soap, they seem to "disappear", or get used up very quickly, especially when compared to commercial soap.

Is this just a property of natural soap, or is there some way to make the soaps last longer?
Would adding stearic acid help, and if so, how do you calculate the lye amount (the lye calculators on-line don't include stearic acid options).

Thanks!
Ornitte

Hi and welcome to The SMF Ornitte! Stearic Acid adds hardness to a recipe that does not include any butters that have natural high stearic acid content. This online calculator DOES include Stearic Acid, and needs to be included to any calculation of a recipe. Here is the link;

http://www.soapcalc.com/calc/soapcalcWP.asp

I love this site, as it teaches you how the blending of oils creates a "synergy" to create a great bar of soap! 8)

Paul.... :wink:

 

[ornitte]

Thanks!

How much stearic acid would you recommend per pound of soap?

Ornitte

 

[Soapmaker Man]

I'd start out by adding 1 to 1.5% of the total oils in the recipe. Test that out, and figure on soapcalc.com. Put in 1 to 1.5% in the "Stearic Acid area of the total weight.

Paul.... :wink:

 

[CPSoaper]

You can also add BW or sodium lactate to a bar to create a harder bar. Your selection of oils and butters will also determine how hard a bar you get. Letting your soap get a good cure in can help it to further harden thereby lasting longer.

 

[Soapmaker Man]

I'll let you all in on my secret; :wink:

I mix up a slurry of salt and sugar, add just enough aloe vera juice to moisten well, or water, then a splash more, then nuke it until boiling hot then SB the solution very well. I add about 1/2 ounce of this PPO in my GM soap, and it hardens it up and increases lather, a lot, in my opinion. 8) I figure it as the liquids portion of my total. No need to put into an online calculator. Another positive, it's cheap, ingredients are in everyone kitchen, and it really works!
Sodium Lactate is a salt like substance by itself. Goat Milk naturally contains SL, and my slurry increases the action, I feel, of the natural SL in the GM.

Paul.... :wink: