Greetings!

[BarefootJudi]

Hi Everyone,
I'm Judi and I've only been making CP soap for about a year and a half. I've had pretty good luck so far, but the last couple of experiments have given me problems, so I turn to the experts for help. I made a batch of beeswax and honey soap today, I've used the recipe once before with no problem. This batch however, went to trace almost immediately. My best guesses are with the addition of beeswax and honey (maybe I used more this time, I didn't think so, but...) I should have upped the water, and maybe my temps were too cool or warm(120 degrees for both lye and oils). What do you think? BTW, I've just found this forum, so if this has been discussed in past, I hope you'll bear with me.:-?

 

[lizflowers42]

Welcome! What recipe did you use? I am awaiting the results of my first honey beeswax soap...it is still a little soft though!

 

[danahuff]

Hi Judi! I haven't used beeswax, but honey does tend to increase temps. Maybe try soaping around 100 degrees? Might slow things down. I find even when I soap at 110, I get to trace almost immediately. Using full water helps, too. Did you do a water discount?

 

[BarefootJudi]

Hi Liz and Dana, thanks for the quick reply and welcome Dana, I did not do a water discount (at least not on purpose), and Liz, my recipe is one that I created on SoapCalc. I think the lye concentration defaults to 33% so that's what I used, it's a 2:1 ratio.
This is the recipe I used:
13.5 oz Olive Oil
13.5 oz Coconut Oil
13.5 oz Palm Oil
2.4 oz Castor Oil
4.4 oz Sunflower Oil
1 oz beeswax
I added 3 TBSP Honey and 6 oz Ginger extract
oh, the lye/water was 6.8/13.6
As I said, I made the same recipe before and was very happy with the results, but obviously did not take good notes. I did not note my temps and I really think this was the problem. Is there a standard rule for what temps to begin soaping? Also, this time and last time I used a lemon/ginger buckweat mead in place of the water.

 

[lizflowers42]

Well the heat from the sugar in the mead could have triggered it?

Sorry I now see that you did that last time...is the ginger extract a baking ingredient? That also has alcohol in it...

 

[BarefootJudi]

Oops, I misspoke-the ginger was not extract, it was EO from Sweetcakes. I really think it was the soaping temp-to high (considering the honey) and next time I think I'll add a few ounces of water in addition to the mead. I had 12 oz of mead and a little over 1 oz of water this time. I have a beekeeper/mead making friend who really wants to add soap to her line of goodies, so I'll keep working on the recipe, I just thought I'd get some input on what would trigger such an accelerated trace. I'm thinking in this case it could have been 3 things-the honey, the soaping temp and water discount (unintentional though).