First soap recipe, what do you think?

[Meena]

I usually make an ice water 'bath' with a bigger container to sit the lye water in once it's mixed, and that cools happily away while I get the oils, fragrance, colours, etc ready on the bench on the OTHER side of the stove - so that i have no fear of bumping or spilling the lye water.

I still wear gloves, but I don't wear safety goggles anymore as I have glasses and they cover my entire eye area so any splashes would not get in.

I like your lye cooling bath idea, hmmm. But sweetie, your eyeglasses are giving you false confidence. I have reading glasses and they are open all around, yes? I read something yesterday on one of the pro-soap folks' page that said:

" If you don't want to wear goggles, please find another hobby. "

 

[shunt2011]

I don’t wear goggles either. I have large frame glasses and feel comfortable wearing them. Making soap for 8 years. Please Don ’t tell someone to find another hobby. I can’t wear goggles. It distorts my vision and makes it harder to see therefore more apt to make a mistake. I don’t always wear gloves either. Usually yes. For beginners it’s highly recommended.

 

[KiwiMoose]

Yes - mine have good coverage too. They have about 2-5mm clearance between frame and face at the bottom, and are practically touching my eyebrows at the top, so it would be highly unlikely that anything could get in there.

 

[Misschief]

I wear glasses, too (not the ones I'm wearing in my profile pic). I've yet to find safety goggles that I feel comfortable with. As shunt said, they distort my vision. You know, every time I read about the "rules" of soap making, I think about our grandmothers and great grandmothers. They didn't have all kinds of safety equipment. What it really comes down to is "respect the lye". Know what it does and work accordingly.

Right now, I don't even have gloves. If I even think I've splashed raw soap on my hands, I'll be running my hands under cold water; I mix my soap right next to my kitchen sink so water is always near at hand.

 

[shunt2011]

The only time I had an issue with raw soap I had gloves on and rubbed my nose. Ended up with a burn as I didn’t know I had soap on that finger. When it’s on my skin it starts to itch first so I was with dawn and water.

 

[Zing]

I wear glasses, too (not the ones I'm wearing in my profile pic). I've yet to find safety goggles that I feel comfortable with. As shunt said, they distort my vision. You know, every time I read about the "rules" of soap making, I think about our grandmothers and great grandmothers. They didn't have all kinds of safety equipment. What it really comes down to is "respect the lye". Know what it does and work accordingly.

Right now, I don't even have gloves. If I even think I've splashed raw soap on my hands, I'll be running my hands under cold water; I mix my soap right next to my kitchen sink so water is always near at hand.

You are a bada--, no gloves even?! My grandmas have been gone 20 years. I've only been soaping for just over a year and would love to talk to them because I know they made soap. Probably lard and tallow because they used as much of their farm animals as possible. Funny how over decades "homemade" turns into "artisan." I now make my grandma's Scandinavian flatbread for holiday "treats" and for her it was her weekly "chore."

 

[Chris_S]

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!

Just checking you do know and understand the difference now. the 76f and 92f is the melt point of the coconut oil

 

[zanzalawi]

hi @Meena

i second what @Dean and @dixiedragon suggested for recipes guidelines, it really helps to keep it as simple while you're getting the feel for it
*edit*
i'm late to this party, i didnt even see this was 3 pages lol. i apologize, i need a nap

 

[Meena]

I don’t wear goggles either. I have large frame glasses and feel comfortable wearing them. Making soap for 8 years. Please Don ’t tell someone to find another hobby. I can’t wear goggles. It distorts my vision and makes it harder to see therefore more apt to make a mistake. I don’t always wear gloves either. Usually yes. For beginners it’s highly recommended.

I was quoting something I read, and at any rate, I do stand by it. I'd never work with lye without goggles.

As for vision, the 3M Professional chemical splash goggles are made to fit over other eyeglasses. Glad i got these slightly spendy ones because they don't distort. They're beautifully clear, too.

So happy that you've been lucky. May your luck continue, and for all others saying 'i don't wear goggles either'!

Just checking you do know and understand the difference now. the 76f and 92f is the melt point of the coconut oil

Yes, thanks! The 92F is that liquid stuff you see in the health food stores.

 

[melinda48]

You are a bada--, no gloves even?! My grandmas have been gone 20 years. I've only been soaping for just over a year and would love to talk to them because I know they made soap. Probably lard and tallow because they used as much of their farm animals as possible. Funny how over decades "homemade" turns into "artisan." I now make my grandma's Scandinavian flatbread for holiday "treats" and for her it was her weekly "chore."

Buy a face mask as Harbor Freight, Home Depotor other such store. It fits over your glasses easily as it is work on your head, not worn like glasses. It is critically important that you protect your eyes and skin! If you want an example of how it feels to get a lye burn, put about three gains of lye on you skin and wet it. It will hurt for days. Do not mess around with lye!

 

[Zing]

Buy a face mask as Harbor Freight, Home Depotor other such store. It fits over your glasses easily as it is work on your head, not worn like glasses. It is critically important that you protect your eyes and skin! If you want an example of how it feels to get a lye burn, put about three gains of lye on you skin and wet it. It will hurt for days. Do not mess around with lye!

@melinda48 , you are preaching to the choir. I've always used all protective gear.

 

[melinda48]

@melinda48 , you are preaching to the choir. I've always used all protective gear.

Oops. My comment was meant for Meena.

 

[TeresaGG]

Another reason to use protective gear especially protective glasses over prescription glasses is that I do not want lye messing up expensive prescription glasses

Edit lie to lye

 

[Cherrydene soapy]

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

Why do you super fat??? As a really newbie to soap making is it ok to do 0%? What advantage does superfatting give me? Sorry for all the questions x

 

[Dean]

I wear glasses, too (not the ones I'm wearing in my profile pic). I've yet to find safety goggles that I feel comfortable with. As shunt said, they distort my vision. You know, every time I read about the "rules" of soap making, I think about our grandmothers and great grandmothers. They didn't have all kinds of safety equipment. What it really comes down to is "respect the lye". Know what it does and work accordingly.

Right now, I don't even have gloves. If I even think I've splashed raw soap on my hands, I'll be running my hands under cold water; I mix my soap right next to my kitchen sink so water is always near at hand.

Two batches a ago, I ran out of gloves so I engaged in unprotected soap. Last batch, I realized too late that I forgot to buy again but found one glove so I made soap Michael Jackson style. No moonwalking, monkeys or little boys were involved. Got to remember to get more gloves!

I found the only benefit of superfat is ensuring the soap is not lye heavy. I did not find that it counteracted cleansing/stripping, even at very high amounts. At 0%, my soap looked like brie from the thick ash (lye reacting with air instead of oil). Since that debacle, I keep it at the recommended 5%.

 

[Cherrydene soapy]

I will definitely have a go at superfatting at 5%

 

[Meena]

Why do you super fat??? As a really newbie to soap making is it ok to do 0%? What advantage does superfatting give me? Sorry for all the questions x

No worries about questions, that's what you and we are here on SMF for.

To me, the primary benefit of SF is as insurance against a lye-heavy soap. To the extent of SF, there should (or will?) always be more oil than lye, so when the soap is unmolded, it should theoretically be zap-free already. Other reasons include having a bit of unsaponified oil to momentarily 'coat' the skin which is probably more of a psychological effect than a real one, but may contribute to a perception of 'mildness'.

 

[Meena]

Two batches a ago, I ran out of gloves so I engaged in unprotected soap.

 

[Cherrydene soapy]

No worries about questions, that's what you and we are here on SMF for.

To me, the primary benefit of SF is as insurance against a lye-heavy soap. To the extent of SF, there should (or will?) always be more oil than lye, so when the soap is unmolded, it should theoretically be zap-free already. Other reasons include having a bit of unsaponified oil to momentarily 'coat' the skin which is probably more of a psychological effect than a real one, but may contribute to a perception of 'mildness'.

Thank you x

 

[Clarice]

@Meena , adding castor oil to my basic recipe was life-changing and now it's a must. A little goes a long way, though. I use 4.5 to 5%. You can do 2% to 5%. More than 10% can make your soap too sticky and soft.

thanks much for this insight - i may have added far too much to my most recent soap!