Favorite Soap Making Myths

[Maythorn]

Not to cover freshly poured soap and that temps don't matter, it's all chemical reaction. Temps do matter because of some scents not liking too much heat.

 

[danahuff]

These are all great ones. One of the things I am learning is that breaking the rules is fun and can result in some interesting soaps (and some flops, to be fair).

Interestingly, the rule of thumb I heard about coconut oil was not to use more than 30%.

Myth: Adding an oil to CP at trace ensures that it will remain unsaponified or mostly unsaponified. [Dr. Dunn put that one to rest through his experiments.]

Myth: One should never use more than 20% coconut oil to soap or it will be too drying. [The fact that some people find more than 20% drying does not mean that everyone will find it drying. Much depends on individual skin-type. And even if one does find it drying, there are tricks to work around that, such as increasing the superfat.]

Myth: Soaping hot always causes a quicker trace. [I've found much depends on my formula and my additives.]

And a related Myth: Temps don't matter at all. [I've found that they matter significantly when soaping my formulas that use a high % of hydrogenated PKO and butters (120F goes a lot better for me than 110F or lower.)]

Myth:Adding your FO up front to your oils will make the scent fade in your soap. [I personally have not found this to be the case at all.]


IrishLass

 

[Lindy]

 

[BubblyRose]

Another tip I just learned was that you don't have to bring the soap to trace; as in, you don't need to stickblend it until you see that it leaves a trail on the top of the soap. You can just stickblend it until the oils and lye water have fully emulsified without having it any thicker. This has helped me tremendously when working with a lot of different colors, or working with an f.o. that accelerates.

I am glad to see you post this because I recently did that with my Kentish Rain soaps. I just eyeballed the mixture to make sure that I wasn't seeing any separation and then I divided my base so I could add my color. The plain base I poured because I was going to need the blue to penetrate. I then mixed the colored portion to a light trace and then poured.

 

[Maythorn]

I had heard that too about use no more than 20% coconut oil or soap's too drying. I sometimes have dry skin but it's not from soap with higher coconut and palm kernel. It's usually cold weather. I like 25-26%. I tried 30% and found that the soap was not as smooth but then I used a lot of lard in the recipe. Probably should have added more olive.

 

[Genny]

My dry skin usually comes from a combination of the cold temps here in WI & the fact that I take very hot showers. I love a nice hot, hot shower. My skin does not.