First soap recipe, what do you think?

[MGM]

Iv had that a few times and have had to break up the lye disc but i have found that a minutes or 2 of slow stirring when first mixing the lye and water was enough to keep that from happening.

Yes that's what it was, a perfect crusty disc ... BUT by the time I saw it I had dumped out all the water into the oils!! So instead of mixing my batter right away, I worried about adding more water as I had read it could throw the recipe off , added tap water, and tried to mix hard to dissolve the disc, all the while slopping lye water around AND noticing how warm it was getting now that the lye had water to react with. And doing all of this while wearing cloudy swim goggles because I couldn't find my safety glasses. This is why I was telling Meena to keep it simple the first time ...

 

[Chris_S]

Yes that's what it was, a perfect crusty disc ... BUT by the time I saw it I had dumped out all the water into the oils!! So instead of mixing my batter right away, I worried about adding more water as I had read it could throw the recipe off , added tap water, and tried to mix hard to dissolve the disc, all the while slopping lye water around AND noticing how warm it was getting now that the lye had water to react with. And doing all of this while wearing cloudy swim goggles because I couldn't find my safety glasses. This is why I was telling Meena to keep it simple the first time ...

Haha well she can learn from our mistakes cant she but you are spot on keeping it simple is definatly good advice to start off. Iv said before that i kinda jumped in at deep end but i didnt have any of the rational voices shouting no at me like i would now if id mentioned such things on here shouting in a nice way of course . Tbh i think if that had happened to me id be more bothered about having to add water to lye i keep hearing bad things can happen if its done that way round and not lye to water. Probably would of just left it to do what it does and not tried to salvage it. I know you will of learnt from that now but you do know the lye solution should be clear before mixing with oils? Every time its done the disc thing to me which it never has as long as iv stirred its been cloudy and i knew that wasnt right thats how iv noticed the lye disc and caught it before any issues occured

 

[MGM]

Tbh i think if that had happened to me id be more bothered about having to add water to lye i keep hearing bad things can happen if its done that way round and not lye to water. Probably would of just left it to do what it does and not tried to salvage it. I know you will of learnt from that now but you do know the lye solution should be clear before mixing with oils? Every time its done the disc thing to me which it never has as long as iv stirred its been cloudy and i knew that wasnt right thats how iv noticed the lye disc and caught it before any issues occured

1. Yes, now I know that the solution needs to be clear, but I don't think I had ever read that before. You're right...it was still cloudy, which would've been a clue had I known to look for it.
2. I had just read an article about how CRUCIAL it is to have the proper lye ratio....you can have more or less oils, different combinations of oils, can do a water discount, but LYE UBER ALLES! So I knew I had to get that disc out of the container and into the oils, by hook or by crook! And I have to say, on Day 1 that soap was doing better than the one I made yesterday, which is very sticky still :-(

 

[Chris_S]

1. Yes, now I know that the solution needs to be clear, but I don't think I had ever read that before. You're right...it was still cloudy, which would've been a clue had I known to look for it.
2. I had just read an article about how CRUCIAL it is to have the proper lye ratio....you can have more or less oils, different combinations of oils, can do a water discount, but LYE UBER ALLES! So I knew I had to get that disc out of the container and into the oils, by hook or by crook! And I have to say, on Day 1 that soap was doing better than the one I made yesterday, which is very sticky still :-(

Dont worry about the stickyness honestly it can happen iv had a few batches that have been sticky and have turned out fine. I had a batch about mid december that went perfect in every way until i tried to get the silicone out the wooden box tried for at least a week still refused so ended up sacrificing half the bar and cuting it any way i could to release it no idea why it did this about 3 days after i made that one i used the same recipe %s ect and that released within 24 hours of making i even traced it to roughly same amount gelled it same and even wrapped in in the same towels. So a bit sticky is nothing lol
Infact my only try at lard soap took about 3 weeks to feel more than soft.

Did you gel the soap thats sticky? Even if you did it could just be hardening.

Fair enough if you saved it you did well as i said id probably just of chucked it if it didnt work. Iv got 3 failed loaf batches in my wardrobe that iv still not decided what to do with they have white areas all over them and looked at me in a very sinister way when i look to see if they have improved i havnt even cut them into bars. Might just chuck em.

 

[KiwiMoose]

Dont worry about the stickyness honestly it can happen iv had a few batches that have been sticky and have turned out fine. I had a batch about mid december that went perfect in every way until i tried to get the silicone out the wooden box tried for at least a week still refused so ended up sacrificing half the bar and cuting it any way i could to release it no idea why it did this about 3 days after i made that one i used the same recipe %s ect and that released within 24 hours of making i even traced it to roughly same amount gelled it same and even wrapped in in the same towels. So a bit sticky is nothing lol
Infact my only try at lard soap took about 3 weeks to feel more than soft.

Did you gel the soap thats sticky? Even if you did it could just be hardening.

Fair enough if you saved it you did well as i said id probably just of chucked it if it didnt work. Iv got 3 failed loaf batches in my wardrobe that iv still not decided what to do with they have white areas all over them and looked at me in a very sinister way when i look to see if they have improved i havnt even cut them into bars. Might just chuck em.

I can see some confetti soap on the agenda ;-)

 

[Chris_S]

I can see some confetti soap on the agenda ;-)

Mmmmmmmm iv got some white curls from a beeswax and goats milk soap obtained after bevelling the soap before packaging. That sounds like it would be worth a punt to see how they would look. Iv got lots of scraps honstley like 4 sandwich bags of them but they are very scruffy ill see if i can make any use for them too.

 

[TeresaGG]

(including someone who mixed the lye and went out running)

I feel the dump stir and run mentality is where you see problems like lye volcano, undissolved lye crystals in your soap, discs of undissolved lye or others.
Which is why I like the recommendations that I've gotten. Slowly add lye to your liquid while sitring in a well ventilated area until clear. Know what could go wrong and what to do when it does. Have first aid and cleaning supplies on hand. Try to be calm and collected.

I just feel like there is a lot of people out there that makes you feel like this is radioactive and you will instantly drop dead if you inhale even just a bit of fumes and a hole will form in your arm in seconds if you get a splsh (by the way, just rinse the splash with water!). And it was soooo underwealming when i finally mixed my lye...

I have done alot of research in the hope to not panic if I ever have a spill, splash, volcano, etc.
EDIT
Added until clear. I forgot that part.

I know you will of learnt from that now but you do know the lye solution should be clear before mixing with oils? Every time its done the disc thing to me which it never has as long as iv stirred its been cloudy and i knew that wasnt right thats how iv noticed the lye disc and caught it before any issues occured

 

[MGM]

I read someone comparing lye to bleach....you splash a litre of bleach all over your face, you're going to have problems. However, most of us use bleach all the time, a bit cautiously, and we're fine. Even if you get a dribble of lye somewhere, it's not a big deal....if you spill the jug onto the cat in a panic while trying to clean up that dribble, well that's when you have troubles. Calm and collected, and of course, mix it *right* the first time, so you don't have to improvise like I did....

 

[Meena]

Welcome to the forum! Is there a reason you chose 92 degree coconut oil? I ask because that's not commonly available. The stuff you find in stores is the 76 degree, which is regular coconut oil. You may see the liquid variety but I don't recommend that for soaping.

Here's a recipe I suggest:

40-50% lard, palm or tallow
5% castor
10-20% coconut (of you
Remainder in olive, or divide between olive and some other liquid (safflower, sunflower and rice bran are good choices)
5% superfat

Yes, sort of a reason: I didn't know what the heck they were talking about! hahahaha
My reasoning was: coconut oil at 76 is still solid but at 98 it's liquid, so maybe they mean "am i gonna melt the oil"

I have a concussion.... lol!!!

I'm loving this because it's showing how precious LITTLE i know at this point!

 

[shunt2011]

I mix my lye in the kitchen sink. Just don't keep your head close to the mixing container. I generally add my lye then stir at an arms length gently with my head turned. No fumes to inhale and no risk of tripping an falling by mixing it in another room/outside. I leave it in the sink until it's room temperature (if not using masterbatched lye).

I use nitrile gloves, inexpensive and not too bulky.

 

[Meena]

Mind you, if the lye had been in the room with me the first time, I might have noticed that *it hadn't all dissolved* (I discovered a layer of undissolved lye on the bottom of my container as I poured it into the oils....)

What did you do when that happened (undisolved lye discovered)? And what are people using to stir up the lye solution, that part is never shown in the videos i've watched so far -- a steel rod, a silicone spatula, something else?

 

[MGM]

What did you do when that happened (undisolved lye discovered)? And what are people using to stir up the lye solution, that part is never shown in the videos i've watched so far -- a steel rod, a silicone spatula, something else?

Well, first I panicked and took off my swim goggles to get a better look. Then I remembered about how lye ratios must be maintained ABSOLUTELY. And water ought to be, but really LYE MUST BE. So I added some tap water, but not too much, and poked at the crust until it dissolved. Problems were: instead of carefully prepping lye outside, I was frantically trying to dissolve lots of lye in little water while the rest of my lye water had already gone into my oils. And of course lots of lye plus little water generates plenty of heat, so I was thinking about that. And wondering what else might go wrong.

So yeah, don't be me: dissolve!

 

[Chris_S]

What did you do when that happened (undisolved lye discovered)? And what are people using to stir up the lye solution, that part is never shown in the videos i've watched so far -- a steel rod, a silicone spatula, something else?

i use a silicone spoon to stir it apparently wood will get eaten away by the lye so not good. Just make sure the lye solution is clear before you pour if its cloudy then it needs more time.

 

[Misschief]

My mother used to use a wooden spoon when she made soap... a dedicated wooden spoon. I use a silicone spoon/spatula.

 

[melinda48]

Greetings all you tremendously wonderful new soaper friends!!!
(Is it still called "buttering-up" if every word is true???)

I just created a soap recipe for tomorrow and wonder what experienced soapers would think of it?

If you have time and the inclination, any feedback would be greatly appreciated.
I just realized i didn't put any number in for colorant -- is that required in the calc if it's 'just' a half tsp of powder?

I would recommend taking your recipe to Soapcalc.net to check your oils,lye, water. I do this even with trusted recipes just so I will get myself in the habit of doing so. I don’t think I will ever make a recipe without double-checking on SoapCalc. I know there are other calculation tools out there and I am sure they are fine as well. I like the idea of “trust but verify.” Lye is not a “big deal” until you get one little bit on your skin and it gets wet-wow! You will not believe how much it hurts! I use nitrile gloves and a face shield from Harbor Freight. Works great!

 

[melinda48]

My mother used to use a wooden spoon when she made soap... a dedicated wooden spoon. I use a silicone spoon/spatula.

For sure! Lye dirstmtirned my wooden spoon yellow-it was down hill from there. . I, too, use plastic except for with my hard oils. I use a wooden spoon to break up palm and coconut oils!

 

[Alfa_Lazcares]

What did you do when that happened (undisolved lye discovered)? And what are people using to stir up the lye solution, that part is never shown in the videos i've watched so far -- a steel rod, a silicone spatula, something else?

I got a big stainless steel spoon to stirr my lye.

 

[Marilyn Norgart]

There are several topics about lye concentrations here because i think that is something confuses us a lot of people at the begining, i was one of them.

I read that you plan to mix your lye outside, while that is fine and a bunch of people do it, my preference is to just mix it on the sink, since, if there are spills or whatever you only need to run water and thats it, while if you mix it somewhere else you are gonna need to take a few more steps. Also you dont need to wear a biohazard suit to work with lye haha, just be careful but a splash wont be too too bad, and the fumes wont make you drop dead. I feel that i read too many alarmist post about the lye (including someone who mixed the lye and went out running), that i really felt it was super dangerous when it really is not that bad.

I also made the mistake of putting too much castor on my first recipe, but i asked for feedback like you and people told me it was too much. Thats what prompted me to search for “apropiate” amounts of different oils. Same for the lye %

Finally i would also leave the colorants for a future batch, you dont need to make things harder on yourself.

I mix mine in the sink also and found if its mixed in a deeper dish (I am using a container that 5#s of yogurt came in) the fumes arent as bad. I also bought one of those dust masks that is designed for chemicals--it wasn't too spendy. it makes clean up very easy and I am not walking around with a container of lye in my hands.

 

[Marilyn Norgart]

am curious if you made some yet and how it turned out!!!

 

[Meena]

am curious if you made some yet and how it turned out!!!

I did!! It's over in What Soapy Thing Did You Do Today, page 470-471 https://www.soapmakingforum.com/threads/what-soapy-thing-have-you-done-today.42556/page-470