I normally put 5% castor oil in all the recipes that I’ve been playing with. This time I forgot to add it what will happen to the soap without the 5% castor oil? Should I rebate it?
How big of a mistake did I make?
- Thread starter ewhitake
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akseattle
Well-Known Member
@ewhitake , I'm reasonably new to cold process soap making, so other more experienced soapmakers may have a more specific answer. But, a soap that is lye heavy will be more alkaline, and so, can be harsher on your skin. I don't know what percentage of lye concentration is too much, such that is too harsh. If soap is too harsh for your skin, you can still use it to wash clothes (is what I've read.) Soap with more lye will also trace faster.
You could do the zap test. if it zaps, then you know its too lye heavy?
Did you run your recipe through a lye calculator? like soapcalc.net ??
If you run your recipe though soapcalc.net, minus the castor oil, putting in the oils, water and lye you actually used, you will see what the lye concentration is. Someone on the forum can probably tell you if the lye concentration to oils will be too heavy or okay.
Soapcalc will also tell you what properties your soap has . For general information about specific oils and their properties, I also like to look at the chart on
https://thenerdyfarmwife.com/soapmaking-oils-chart/
I understand castor oil mainly adds to bubbles and conditioning in your soap.
So, depending on what other oils your original recipe had, I could be less bubbly and less conditioning than you were going for.
You could do the zap test. if it zaps, then you know its too lye heavy?
Did you run your recipe through a lye calculator? like soapcalc.net ??
If you run your recipe though soapcalc.net, minus the castor oil, putting in the oils, water and lye you actually used, you will see what the lye concentration is. Someone on the forum can probably tell you if the lye concentration to oils will be too heavy or okay.
Soapcalc will also tell you what properties your soap has . For general information about specific oils and their properties, I also like to look at the chart on
https://thenerdyfarmwife.com/soapmaking-oils-chart/
I understand castor oil mainly adds to bubbles and conditioning in your soap.
So, depending on what other oils your original recipe had, I could be less bubbly and less conditioning than you were going for.
Did you make the soap with 95% of the oils, or did you formulate the soap without castor?
If you formulated without castor, the soap itself will be fine, just a bit different from a similar recipe without castor.
If you left the castor out and made the soap with 95% of the oils, you need to post your entire recipe, including the planned superfat amount, oil, lye and water weights, etc. before we can give you a good answer.
If you formulated without castor, the soap itself will be fine, just a bit different from a similar recipe without castor.
If you left the castor out and made the soap with 95% of the oils, you need to post your entire recipe, including the planned superfat amount, oil, lye and water weights, etc. before we can give you a good answer.
Here's the recipe. I just left the castor oil out when adding my liquid oils :-( Did the zap test and didn't get zapped
. I forced gelled it (170 degree oven overnight. Left the light on for the first two hours) and it was a little soft so now it's just sitting out.Attachments
Given your planned SF of 6% and assuming you left the NaOH purity set at 99%, the soap should be fine, just lower superfat than planned. Sounds right based on the lack of zap.
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Thanks for your help!
