Hot Process Hero Question

[soapface]

I've been gifted a whole bunch of 10ml fragrance oils that I'm determined to get through, despite the fact that most of them seem to cause my soap batches to seize quite badly. To fix these, I've been using this Hot Process Hero method that I'm sure a lot of people on here have heard of: https://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body-tutorials/tips-and-tricks/hot-process-hero-2/

The thing is, the soap never 'liquifies' as described in that tutorial. I can get it soft enough that I can just dump it into the mould, but that's it. Am I not cooking it long enough? Turning up the temperature just makes it burn, and turning it down it starts to harden.

Not super urgent as like I said I can make it work, just not in the way described there.

 

[lsg]

Are you using the same ingredients as SoapQueen? When are you adding the fragrance oil? You might want to use a little more water in the recipe to make it more fluid.

 

[DeeAnna]

"Hot process hero" is basically a rebatch method based on using freshly made soap.

The few rebatches I've done have been with older soap scraps. The rebatched soap is very thick and has to be glopped into the mold. It isn't nearly fluid enough to pour. So pretty much like what you're doing.

You could add enough extra liquid to a "normal" rebatch to thin the hot soap to a pourable consistency, but understand there's a downside -- the finished soap will shrink quite a bit as that liquid evaporates.

 

[soapface]

Are you using the same ingredients as SoapQueen? When are you adding the fragrance oil? You might want to use a little more water in the recipe to make it more fluid.

No I just decided to try that method because it mentions you can use it to 'fix' seized batches. I add the FO to the oil and blend it before I add the lye solution, but it pretty much seizes instantly after adding the lye. These FOs were floral ones as well, which I've heard can cause seizure. I'm at the point where I'm expecting it, and it doesn't bother me. I just wanted to make sure I was doing the rebatch correctly.

It comes out OK actually - just a bit 'rustic' looking as expected.

 

[soapface]

You could add enough extra liquid to a "normal" rebatch to thin the hot soap to a pourable consistency, but understand there's a downside -- the finished soap will shrink quite a bit as that liquid evaporates.

Actually that's what I did the first time this happened, but I added a LOT of liquid because it just would not thin out. Eventually I added enough water that I could blend it and I ended up with a super-watery batch that I moulded anyways. To my surprise, it dried out nicely but like you said it shrank quite a bit. It was a good learning experience actually

 

[lsg]

No I just decided to try that method because it mentions you can use it to 'fix' seized batches. I add the FO to the oil and blend it before I add the lye solution, but it pretty much seizes instantly after adding the lye. These FOs were floral ones as well, which I've heard can cause seizure. I'm at the point where I'm expecting it, and it doesn't bother me. I just wanted to make sure I was doing the rebatch correctly.

It comes out OK actually - just a bit 'rustic' looking as expected.

If you are making HP soap, add the fragrance oil at the end of the cook.