Does this recipe look like it makes sense?

[TheGreenProductJunkie]

Hi. First-timer here and I'm going to make my first batch tomorrow after putting it off for about 10 months (sooo intimidated by anything with numbers). So, today I've put my ingredients into the soap calculator and wondering if it makes sense for a 42oz. batch (I'm starting small to make sure I nail it). I've attached what came out and just want to know if it looks okay. The Total Batch Yield confused me since I put in 42oz. Again, math is NOT my strength and it's what has intimidated me, thus far.

Thanks for all of your help in advance! Katie

 

[AliensrReal]

What are you looking for in a soap? Very cleansing? Conditioning? Creamy or bubbly lather? I ask because that is going to be a very drying bar of soap.

 

[TheGreenProductJunkie]

What are you looking for in a soap? Very cleansing? Conditioning? Creamy or bubbly lather? I ask because that is going to be a very drying bar of soap.

Hi and thank you. NO! Not trying to make a drying bar of soap...I was using the Brambleberry Old Faithful with Babassu instead of palm...guess I'll add some more fats! Wonder why that was recommended! Thank you, I appreciate you saving me the hassle of trying this recipe!

 

[AliensrReal]

A good replacement for palm is lard or beef tallow. Coconut oil and babassu are both very drying when used in high amounts. Since you have those ingredients you could use like 70-75% olive oil, 5% canola oil and split the rest between coconut oil and babassu oil. That will make a much less drying soap. Although the bar may not last as long and may take longer to unmold due to the high olive oil. It would be a great bar of soap in my opinion and you would have time to do fun swirls and designs.

 

[cmzaha]

Remember the owner of Bramble Berry is a supplier not necessarily a soapmaker, she wants to sell products. Babassu although it comes from a type of Palm is similar to Palm Kernel Oil and becomes very similar in profile to Coconut oil in soap and is very cleansing. Palm Kernel, Babassu, and Coconut oil are all your cleansing oils rich in Myristic and Lauric Acids which lend to cleansing and lather. Ann Marie always had a premade soap mix that was very cleansing, but I do not remember which mix it was.

I personally would replace the Babassu or CO with lard if you are not opposed to animal fats, soy wax, palm oil, shea butter, etc. I love Palm oil and use or used it a lot, which no guilt feeling about using it.

 

[dibbles]

I would just like to add that is not what I would consider a small batch, especially for a first batch. That is going to make about 4 pounds of soap. How big is the mold you are planning to use?

Since you have babassu and coconut, use one or the other - or a combination of the two - as 20-25% of your oils. I use castor at 5%. Besides olive oil, what do you have that you would like to include? I am also a big fan of lard soaps.

 

[KiwiMoose]

I'd go CO (cheaper) at 25%, OO at 40%, Castor at 5%, then add one or two of shea butter, cocoa butter, soy wax or animal fat to make up the difference. I second @dibbles when she says to make a smaller batch - 2 pounds maximum.

 

[dmcgee5034]

I’ll chime in, @TheGreenProductJunkie and just say - don’t get discouraged and I hope you make your first soap. Lots of good feedback to consider - especially about scaling back the size of your batch. Keep us posted, excited to see what you make!

 

[Ford]

You can also shorten an existing mold. With a diy partition of some type. When down sizing. If it's a silicone mold. Just line with freezer paper. After you shorten it. A super fat of 3% is a good starting point also. Was not mentioned in original post. Hth. May the soap be with you. Good luck.

 

[TheGreenProductJunkie]

I'd go CO (cheaper) at 25%, OO at 40%, Castor at 5%, then add one or two of shea butter, cocoa butter, soy wax or animal fat to make up the difference. I second @dibbles when she says to make a smaller batch - 2 pounds maximum.

Thanks so much. I think I'll just order some Shea...does that make sense? Oof...until you get the hang of it...oy! Thanks for this.

 

[TheGreenProductJunkie]

I would just like to add that is not what I would consider a small batch, especially for a first batch. That is going to make about 4 pounds of soap. How big is the mold you are planning to use?

Since you have babassu and coconut, use one or the other - or a combination of the two - as 20-25% of your oils. I use castor at 5%. Besides olive oil, what do you have that you would like to include? I am also a big fan of lard soaps.

I have a 42 oz mold...is that too big?

 

[TheGreenProductJunkie]

I’ll chime in, @TheGreenProductJunkie and just say - don’t get discouraged and I hope you make your first soap. Lots of good feedback to consider - especially about scaling back the size of your batch. Keep us posted, excited to see what you make!

Oh, thanks so much for this. You read my mind. Sometimes when you see all of these responses it can be daunting. There's soooo much info out there and it can be very confusing.

 

[dibbles]

I have a 42 oz mold...is that too big?

If that is the mold you have, use it. When you say 42 ounces, though, is that oil weight or batch weight. You can figure the approximate volume for your mold by multiplying LxWxH, then multiply that number by .4. This is for measurements in inches and ounces. It’s a little different for centimeters and grams.

I would think about getting a smaller mold to use while you are learning. Many vendors carry something similar to this one, Amazon has them as well. 4 inch Silicone Loaf Mold | BrambleBerry

This size makes about 4 bars, and when you are ready to make bigger batches, it is still nice to have for testing new recipes, fragrances and colorants. I don’t sell, and my most used molds are between 9 and 11 inches in length. I’ve also started using a mold that is 6 inches in length more often. Soap piles up quickly if you enjoy making it and want to do it often.

 

[AliOop]

I used inexpensive food storage containers for my first soap small soap molds, and also for my students when I taught soap-making classes. As long as you line them with freezer paper (a simple sling of paper is fine), they work wonderfully. Also, any small cardboard box, food carton, etc., will also work if you line it.

 

[artemis]

When making soap with my non soaping friends, we use empty margarine tubs. Filled half way up, they each make a nice shape for a single bar. If you have some saved, a 16 oz recipe will make 4 or 5 bars, depending on how deeply you fill each tub.

 

[Shelley D]

I have a 42 oz mold...is that too big?

Not really, you will get about 8 bars (+/-) depending on how thick or thin you cut your bars. But cavity molds are ideal for smaller batches so you can mix up enough for a couple bars to test a recipe. If your 42 oz mold looks like the attached photo then you can shorten by laying a jar in one end, then create a false end with a piece of cardboard cut to fit your mold and placed against the top of the jar, then line your mold with parchment paper and pour in your soap. Or, you can make a half batch and pour it in your mold, it will only fill it halfway so you just cut it differently when you unmold to get 4 bars.

*I would like to add that this will NOT hold your whole recipe, as you started with 42 oz of oils then your recipe calculated how much lye & water would need to make it soap so your total batch weight is way more than this mold. When calculating a recipe, you need your "total batch weight" to be 42 oz, not your oil weight. I prefer soapcalc because the very first thing you fill in is what you want your total batch to be, and then I fill in my oils as percents and then it calculates everything to fit my mold. I do keep a cavity mold on the side just in case I get overflow of a bar or 2 because you shouldn't fill all the way to the top in case it expands due to heat from the lye (I stop about half an inch from the top when filling this mold).

 

[Obsidian]

Not really, you will get about 8 bars (+/-) depending on how thick or thin you cut your bars.

How do you get 8 bars out of 42 oz? My 16oz mold gives me 7 bars.

@TheGreenProductJunkie I would also recommend a much smaller mold to start. I use 1 pound molds most of the time.
This is the one I have
https://www.etsy.com/listing/688264769/

 

[artemis]

How do you get 8 bars out of 42 oz? My 16oz mold gives me 7 bars.

@TheGreenProductJunkie I would also recommend a much smaller mold to start. I use 1 pound molds most of the time.
This is the one I have
https://www.etsy.com/listing/688264769/

I think you must be cutting them thinner. I only get 5 or 6 out of my 16oz.

Also, regarding making more soap batter than there is room in the mold:
I make sure to have a cavity mold/margarine tub/something nearby in case there is any extra batter.

 

[KiwiMoose]

The one that @Shelley D has shown above is my standard '1kg' (approx 2 pounds) mold. I get 11 bars from it (and I don't waste the ends by cutting them off - they become a legitimate bar of soap just like one would eat the crust end of the bread).

 

[Shelley D]

How do you get 8 bars out of 42 oz? My 16oz mold gives me 7 bars.

@TheGreenProductJunkie I would also recommend a much smaller mold to start. I use 1 pound molds most of the time.
This is the one I have
https://www.etsy.com/listing/688264769/

I pulled mine out to double check and I wrote 47.34 oz on the side so let me check my math . . . I'll brb

I have returned convinced I will forever hate math!
So I re-measured my mold (3" x 2.5" x 10") = 75 and multiplied by .4 (as recommended above in this thread) and got 30
So I don't remember how I got the 47.34 oz unless I got totally frustrated and just filled it with water I may test that theory later. However, I do know that being 10 inches long and I like chunky bars of soap and I don't measure when I cut, my bars are slightly larger than an inch when I cut them so I usually get 8 or 9 out of my loaf.
The funny thing is ~ I know exactly what to type into soapcalc to make it work!