HP First HP Did Not Work... Not Sure Why

[Lanie]

Hello! I am new here! Just tried my first batch of HP soap. I tried for hours to get to trace but never came close. I poured into molds anyway and ended up with sludge that separated into something that looked like pecan pie filling on the bottom and bacon grease on the top. Pretty awful! Ha!

I followed instructions I found to be pretty standard online for HP soap. Melted hard oils then added soft oils to hard oils. In a separate container, added lye to water and stirred until ciear. Got both oils and lye solution to about the same temp (high 80's F...maybe I did not get hot enough but my lye solution was not that hot). Then combined oils and lye solution in same slow cooker I had melted the oils in. Blended with emersion blender (I may have blended too quickly without pulsing first).

Again, never got anywhere near trace. Mixture seemed very thin/watery (followed recommendation of 38% water to oil).

I wonder if my lye was bad (it is labled as 100% sodiume hydroxide, from the hardware store). As I mentioned, it did not get very hot when mixed with water. Another suspicion is that I blended too fast, without pulsing. I also wonder if I had the slightest amount of dish detergent left in my mixing containers from when I washed them before starting (I doubt this but must trying to think of all possibilities).

SoapCalc seemed to think my recipe was fine - I am trying to make something for especially sensitive skin. So lots of creamy fats and not fragrance or EO.

My formula from Soap Calc is below. Any seasoned soapmaker advice is welcomed! Thank you!

 

[Zany_in_CO]

SoapCalc seemed to think my recipe was fine

I am so sorry this batch didn't work for you. Your recipe does indeed look fine, even though the liquid oils wouldn't be my first choice for your first attempt. I would have used all olive oil plus 5% castor.

With a well-balanced formula with almost 60% hard oils like yours, I would combine lye and oils in the 120-135°F range. But that doesn't change the fact that your soap didn't come together as planned. Even soaping cool as you did, it should have come together when you hot processed it.

My best guess is the NaOH was old -- maybe sitting on the shelf at the hardware store forever? My second best guess -- go back and double check that all ingredients were weighed exactly as shown on the printout. Other than that, your guess is as good as mine.

 

[AliOop]

followed instructions I found to be pretty standard online for HP soap. Melted hard oils then added soft oils to hard oils. In a separate container, added lye to water and stirred until ciear. Got both oils and lye solution to about the same temp (high 80's F...maybe I did not get hot enough but my lye solution was not that hot). Then combined oils and lye solution in same slow cooker I had melted the oils in. Blended with emersion blender (I may have blended too quickly without pulsing first).

I'm very sorry your first batch didn't work out. However, I have to say that those are not standard instructions for HP soap; they read more like instructions for CP soap.

The purpose HP is to cook the soap. That means there is no point in letting the lye or oils cool down, nor do they need to be within a certain number of degrees of each other. You are just going to heat them up again, right?

You also don't need to pulse the stickblender; that is done for CP to prevent it from reaching trace too quickly. For HP, it's better to keep blending as long as you can without overheating your SB.

You didn't mention the heat of your crockpot, or how long you cooked the soap. For a batter that is not coming to trace, more heat for a longer period, with stick-blending every so often, should solve that issue.

Besides all that, the biggest clue is that your lye solution didn't get very hot. It should have reached 160F to 180F pretty quickly after you added the NaOH to the water. Since yours did not do that, your NaOH was likely degraded, probably from exposure to air over time. Sorry

 

[Lanie]

I am so sorry this batch didn't work for you. Your recipe does indeed look fine, even though the liquid oils wouldn't be my first choice for your first attempt. I would have used all olive oil plus 5% castor.

With a well-balanced formula with almost 60% hard oils like yours, I would combine lye and oils in the 120-135°F range. But that doesn't change the fact that your soap didn't come together as planned. Even soaping cool as you did, it should have come together when you hot processed it.

My best guess is the NaOH was old -- maybe sitting on the shelf at the hardware store forever? My second best guess -- go back and double check that all ingredients were weighed exactly as shown on the printout. Other than that, your guess is as good as mine.

Thanks so much for your response. I have a new container of lye and will give it another go! That seems to make the most sense. Thank you!

I'm very sorry your first batch didn't work out. However, I have to say that those are not standard instructions for HP soap; they read more like instructions for CP soap.

The purpose HP is to cook the soap. That means there is no point in letting the lye or oils cool down, nor do they need to be within a certain number of degrees of each other. You are just going to heat them up again, right?

You also don't need to pulse the stickblender; that is done for CP to prevent it from reaching trace too quickly. For HP, it's better to keep blending as long as you can without overheating your SB.

You didn't mention the heat of your crockpot, or how long you cooked the soap. For a batter that is not coming to trace, more heat for a longer period, with stick-blending every so often, should solve that issue.

Besides all that, the biggest clue is that your lye solution didn't get very hot. It should have reached 160F to 180F pretty quickly after you added the NaOH to the water. Since yours did not do that, your NaOH was likely degraded, probably from exposure to air over time. Sorry

Thank you for these tips and insights. I am all learning at this point! I am going to try again with new lye. Thanks!

 

[Zany_in_CO]

However, I have to say that those are not standard instructions for HP soap; they read more like instructions for CP soap.

Good point.

@Lanie It might be worthwhile for you to review the process. Here's an old thread that may help.

HOT PROCESS SOAP TUTORIAL

 

[Lanie]

Thank you for your help, AliOop and Zany. I tried again last night with new lye and a tweaked recipe — and it worked! My bars are not pretty and are still soft (hoping the cure will harden them) — but they are mine! I cut after molding for about 15 hours. Had to cut horizontally instead of vertically since I did not have enough to fill the mold. They kind of look like pieces of crumb coffee cake.

Thank you for recommending that tutorial. Very helpful (so hard knowing which videos are the best with so much out there).

 

[AliOop]

Those look at least as good as, and probably better than, my first hot process soap. Great job!

 

[Lanie]

You are very kind! Thank you! I'm now itching to try my next batch. Haha...I guess that's how it goes...

 

[AliOop]

You are very kind! Thank you! I'm now itching to try my next batch. Haha...I guess that's how it goes...

Yes, that is EXACTLY how it goes.