Help!Please

[Brandica2013]

Oh my I'm so embarrassed but I'm so horrible @ math and I have researched & researched but just do not get it so here it goes...

OK so I have a few questions that I'm sure you all know.....OK so I have to measure my Lye that has to be measured in weight & I do have a scale but I'm so confused. So I need 7.4 oz of Lye measured in weight. I was wonder do I convert that in grams? The reason I'm asking is I think my scale is off cause I measured just 7 oz in a measuring cup(just for a test) and re-weighed on the scale and I got like 7.35 oz when I measured in my measuring cup it said 7 oz,so either my scales wrong or a measuring cup and a scales going to weigh the Lye different cause you have to convert ? I did Tare the scale to take the weight of the cup before weighing anything. And we calibrated the scale and it weighs everything but the 1 gram it weight 0 unless you jiggled it then it would pick it up, but anywhere from 2.g - 50.g weighed right on...so i know its off a tad or just not picking up really small amounts... either way I'm still confused.....can you help? If so slowly explain lol for real it's just so important when I am making soap to get these measurement right it's my only issue. Here is my recipe I'm using.Thanks even if you don't know what the Heck I'm saying..lol
16 oz Coconut
16 oz Palm
16 oz Olive Oil
2 oz Castor Oil
13 - 19 oz Water (measured by volume)
7.4 oz Lye (measured by weight)

 

[Sammi_552]

1 ounce is 28.349 grams.

7.4 X 28.349 = your required weight in grams. Round lye down and round oils up.

Good luck!

 

[DeeAnna]

I think you might be confusing ounce VOLUME (what you measure in a measuring cup) with ounce WEIGHT (what you measure on a scale). If so, put your measuring cups back in the drawer -- do not use them to measure ingredients for soap making! Measure ALL of your ingredients with a scale ONLY, and you will be fine. You can set your scale to read either grams or tenths of an ounce (weight). I prefer grams, but whichever numbers you like best will work.

Your recipe with my comments:
16 oz Coconut (with this much CO, this may be drying to the skin -- but it will work)
16 oz Palm
16 oz Olive Oil
2 oz Castor Oil

13 - 19 oz Water (measured by volume)
KISS it please -- measure your water in ounces WEIGHT like everything else for consistency and accuracy. By the way, I think anything over about 14 ounces of water (by weight) is going to be too much water.

7.4 oz Lye (measured by weight)

My recipe: Here is the same recipe converted to grams, but do not trust my numbers. Use soapcalc.net or other soap calculator to verify this (and every other) soap recipe before you make it.

Coconut 16 ounces weight = 454 grams
Palm 16 ounces weight = 454 grams
Olive 16 ounces weight = 454 grams
Castor 2 ounces weight = 57 grams
Lye 7.4 ounces weight = 209 grams
Water 14 ounces weight = 398 grams

"... the 1 gram it weight 0 unless you jiggled it then it would pick it up, but anywhere from 2.g - 50.g weighed right on..."

You are expecting too much from your scale, is my guess. Most common digital scales that work fine for soapmaking will not read very small weights accurately. If you have a scale that will only read to whole grams (234 grams, not 234.6 grams) or tenths of an ounce (17.3 ounces, not 17.32 ounces) then it is likely you will have trouble reading very small weights (a few grams or a few tenths of an ounce). You need a "jewelers scale" to do that.

 

[Brandica2013]

1 ounce is 28.349 grams.

7.4 X 28.349 = your required weight in grams. Round lye down and round oils up.

Good luck!

Thank you so much, this really helped me so much!!!! I'm still thinking my scale is off..it's new but cheap.

 

[DeeAnna]

Brandica2013 -- please re-read my post. I made a correction to the lye numbers. --DeeAnna

 

[Brandica2013]

I think you might be confusing ounce VOLUME (what you measure in a measuring cup) with ounce WEIGHT (what you measure on a scale). If so, put your measuring cups back in the drawer -- do not use them to measure ingredients for soap making! Measure ALL of your ingredients with a scale ONLY, and you will be fine. You can set your scale to read either grams or tenths of an ounce (weight). I prefer grams, but whichever numbers you like best will work.

Your recipe with my comments:
16 oz Coconut (with this much CO, this may be drying to the skin -- but it will work)
16 oz Palm
16 oz Olive Oil
2 oz Castor Oil

13 - 19 oz Water (measured by volume)
KISS it please -- measure your water in ounces WEIGHT like everything else for consistency and accuracy. By the way, I think anything over about 14 ounces of water (by weight) is going to be too much water.

7.4 oz Lye (measured by weight)
WARNING -- This is way too much lye. Please do NOT use this recipe before double checking this number!!! A gentle comment -- I hope you didn't get this recipe from SMF. :eh:

My recipe: Here is the same recipe converted to grams, but do not trust my numbers. Use soapcalc.net or other soap calculator to verify this (and every other) soap recipe before you make it.

Coconut 16 ounces weight = 454 grams
Palm 16 ounces weight = 454 grams
Olive 16 ounces weight = 454 grams
Castor 2 ounces weight = 57 grams
Lye 5.4 ounces weight = 155 grams
Water 14 ounces weight = 398 grams

"... the 1 gram it weight 0 unless you jiggled it then it would pick it up, but anywhere from 2.g - 50.g weighed right on..."

You are expecting too much from your scale, is my guess. Most common digital scales that work fine for soapmaking will not read very small weights accurately. If you have a scale that will only read to whole grams (234 grams, not 234.6 grams) or tenths of an ounce (17.3 ounces, not 17.32 ounces) then it is likely you will have trouble reading very small weights (a few grams or a few tenths of an ounce). You need a "jewelers scale" to do that.

****DeeAnna;328981/Oh my gosh I love you & thanks for your honest straight forward comment,I needed it as far as that recipe, I got that from the famous AnneMarie @Brambleberry.com. I bought it as an e-book with my first soap kit(by the way was off the scale for high ph over 10 so had to trash it) this is her "go to" tried & true recipe mind you,that she always comes back to after 17 yrs of soaping..oh my I'm SMH. I do however know that you always use a soap calc but we was so,so new I mean 1st batch new that we trusted her...anyhow thanks again you really helped me & made my husband and I laugh when I read out loud..

 

[lsg]

I use 30% coconut oil in most of my recipes and they are not drying at all. 30% coconut oil will give you a harder bar with lots of bubbles.

 

[Brandica2013]

Brandica2013 -- please re-read my post. I made a correction to the lye numbers. --DeeAnna

~I have and wrote you back..thanks again DeeAnna.Very helpful & I'm pretty sure I'm looking for a new recipe and putting it in the soapcalc 1st. You say CO is drying & I have read that also in my research and on here. I read that when checking out a hair shampoo on here...and I do not want drying on my body or hair so looking to find a new recipe.Ty.

 

[Brandica2013]

I use 30% coconut oil in most of my recipes and they are not drying at all. 30% coconut oil will give you a harder bar with lots of bubbles.

Thanks for the info,I herd on here if you use to much in a shampoo bar that it can be drying to the hair. Is that true? Whats ur thoughts on that? My family has dry skin( eczema) already so i wonder if CO would be better @ a lower % for them?
Thanks

 

[Marilyna]

Sounds to me like your scale is fine and the recipe from Anne-Marie is fine, too. Lots and lots of people use that recipe successfully. I like the simplicity of it. It's good for a beginner. Don't care what the numbers show. I don't use them, personally.

 

[lsg]

Thanks for the info,I herd on here if you use to much in a shampoo bar that it can be drying to the hair. Is that true? Whats ur thoughts on that? My family has dry skin( eczema) already so i wonder if CO would be better @ a lower % for them?
Thanks

I don't make cp shampoo bars, because our water is very hard. I do make my own shampoo using gentle surfactants. Of course, you would want to avoid dry skin. There a lot of good oils to use for eczema. I have read that adding virgin coconut oil to your diet helps.

 

[Genny]

Does your family have dry skin? Or do they have eczema? They're different things & are usually treated differently.

If it's just dry skin, then coconut oil used in small amounts in a soap should be fine, just up the superfat of your recipe. Using a lotion or body butter after washing will help as well.
Eczema on the other hand can be signs of allergies or other problems & should be seen by a doctor before trying to use anything to fix it.

 

[squigglz]

This may be a stupid question, but when you changed containers to remeasure, did you tare the scale (with the empty container on it) before putting the lye in? If the second container was heavier, that would be why.

 

[Genny]

This may be a stupid question, but when you changed containers to remeasure, did you tare the scale (with the empty container on it) before putting the lye in? If the second container was heavier, that would be why.

I've done that before when weighing

 

[mel z]

I don't make cp shampoo bars, because our water is very hard. I do make my own shampoo using gentle surfactants. Of course, you would want to avoid dry skin. There a lot of good oils to use for eczema. I have read that adding virgin coconut oil to your diet helps.

Don't mean to hijack the thread, but can you share how to make the shampoo. I have no problems with using surfcactants or anything else. Just allergic to all scented things, and guess what, can't buy unscented fragrance free shampoo in the store. TIA.

 

[lsg]

I will give you the link to my go-to spot for information. I think you will find that Susan is fantastic. I think you need to read up on what each ingredient contriubtes to the recipe. Also study the different surfactants, what type they are and what they can be used with.

http://swiftcraftymonkey.blogspot.com/2010/05/shampoo-instructions-for-making-shampoo.html

The Herbarie also has some great shampoo recipes. You need to choose one that will fit your hair type.

 

[Brandica2013]

Does your family have dry skin? Or do they have eczema? They're different things & are usually treated differently.

If it's just dry skin, then coconut oil used in small amounts in a soap should be fine, just up the superfat of your recipe. Using a lotion or body butter after washing will help as well.
Eczema on the other hand can be signs of allergies or other problems & should be seen by a doctor before trying to use anything to fix it.

Thanks for the info & it's both.2 have eczema & 3 have sensitive dry itchy skin.Plus our water here in the city is horrible so It dry's the skin. They do see the doctor & they just give an Rx cream. I was just seeing that many have said that coconut oil can be drying to the skin & did not want to add nothing that would make it worse you know? I want to maybe make something that won't dry skin any more then it all ready is,but moisturizer the skin.I would think that CP soap would be way better then any store bought soap my family has been using up till now...before I stated making soap my DH could only use Irish Spring Soap for some reason but loved my M&P Glycerin Oatmeal & Honey soap with no dye added with BB Oatmeal Milk & Honey FO and he will never look back now plus loves my whipped body butter I make. But just in case I can have a chat with the doctor about this...thanks

 

[Brandica2013]

This may be a stupid question, but when you changed containers to remeasure, did you tare the scale (with the empty container on it) before putting the lye in? If the second container was heavier, that would be why.

Yes I Tare my scale 1st after putting a cup on the scale before I add my Lye,I always make sure it goes back to 0 1st before I start to measure...no questions are stupid questions,I appreciate all the help I can get..I felt stupid not knowing in the 1st place but If I did not ask I would have never known. I'M so happy I asked & I think I got it now,I just needed someone to explain it to me....thank goodness for this forum And Thank you!!

 

[Brandica2013]

I will give you the link to my go-to spot for information. I think you will find that Susan is fantastic. I think you need to read up on what each ingredient contriubtes to the recipe. Also study the different surfactants, what type they are and what they can be used with.

http://swiftcraftymonkey.blogspot.com/2010/05/shampoo-instructions-for-making-shampoo.html

The Herbarie also has some great shampoo recipes. You need to choose one that will fit your hair type.

Susan is great,in the 2 years Iv been researching iv came across her blog alot and she is really helpful