Factors that change your soap!

[Wandering Woman]

I make liquid soap fairly regularly and I follow the same recipe, the same additives in the same location with the same slowcooker! HOWEVER... soaps often come out differently which is annoying.

Some are pretty clear (I use a tiny amount of Jojoba so I know it will never be crystal clear), some are cloudy, some are almost milky and some form a gel on top!

I always do a zap test and they are all safe and feel nice to use...

My question is: What factors will affect your soap outcome?

I am thinking maybe cook temperature and length, environmental temp, Potassium Hydroxide age, erm anything else???

 

[Susie]

Your KOH age (assuming it has absorbed moisture, but there are ways to avoid that)
Which additives you use.
Cooking temperature and length (why, oh why are you still cooking soap?).
Environmental temperature-if the room is below 66 degrees, it will be cloudy.
Amount of superfat.
Choice of EO or FO.
Choice of oils.

 

[Wandering Woman]

Pretty much what I thought, although my KOH is sealed up pretty tight. I know you can liquid soap 'cold' - just never done it and don't want to waste batches trying it out lol - Maybe one day I will!!!

Essential Oils definitely have a big effect and give me a headache

 

[Arimara]

What kind of water do you use?

 

[Wandering Woman]

deionised water

 

[IrishLass]

Another possibility are the oils/fats in your formula. They can sometimes differ from lot to lot depending on the environmental conditions of the region were grown/extracted.


IrishLass

 

[iLoveHandmadeSoap15]

Good to know... when I dilute my Liquid soap, they are cloudy. I do my zap test on the LQ paste and ph level after diluting them. I am happy with the result even if it's cloudy. I would like to know if it can be transparent after diluting the LQ paste but I don't want to use Borax, any idea what to use?

Thanks for responding!

 

[Susie]

Good to know... when I dilute my Liquid soap, they are cloudy. I do my zap test on the LQ paste and ph level after diluting them. I am happy with the result even if it's cloudy. I would like to know if it can be transparent after diluting the LQ paste but I don't want to use Borax, any idea what to use?

Thanks for responding!

If you will post your entire recipe in weights (including any additives), it will help us troubleshoot for you.

 

[iLoveHandmadeSoap15]

for Liquid Soap ingredients, I used:
10oz Olive oil
6 oz Coconut oil
3 oz Shea butter
1 oz Castor oil

13.20 oz Distilled water
4.16 oz Potassium Hydroxide

5% SF

I had it cooking in my slow cooker with Heat temperature HIGH for almost 5 hours. Zap test it and no zap so I know it's ready.

 

[Susie]

Liquid soap can tolerate no more than 3% superfat without using an emulsifier such as polysorbate 80. Eventually the excess fats are going to float to the top. I think shea butter is also going to give you a cloudy soap due to having unsaponifiables in it, but it is the middle of the night, and I might not be thinking my clearest. Others will chime in later in the day.

There is no need to cook soap. Once you get it to emulsion, you can cover it and walk away. Just let it do the rest by itself. I can normally have zapless soap and dilute within the hour.