How much ice to use while keeping the soap hot?

[Ephemerella]

I probably should scale down in terms of complexity, I’m doing teeny tiny batches in order to just get a hold of the hobby and work my way into doing more complicated stuff like Royalty Soap and so forth; the idea of making soap has stuck with me for so long since my mom was so good with it and I remember making big batches of unusable soap because I just thought I knew a lot more than I actually did; I think I’m kinda repeating the same type of mistakes, but in a different way.
The fancy swirls and layers and colorants are so appealing, I’ll just stick to less ingredients over all, especially when it comes to oils.
And tbh, I bought a bunch of stuff about a year ago, some of which expire in about 4 months, most of which are already part of the Holy Trinity anyway.

I totally understand! I came here in the same boat as you, seeing all of these amazing swirly soaps and being unable to achieve them right out of the box. It doesn't look that hard on youtube! It comes with time and making mistakes and asking questions, and learning. It's a good thing you're making small batches.

The one thing I did early on that helped me when I started out was using BrambleBerry's premade quick mixes. They're easy and very economical. Using a proven, premade oil mix took one variable out of the equation for me so I could self-diagnose the problems with my technique (the many, many, many problems ).

I was able to put my focus on technique and hone in on trace, learn about factors that cause acceleration, additives, when to unmold, etc., and also observe the things that are ultimately out of my control and I'd need to learn workarounds for, like color shifting and fragrance oil changing, etc. I made batch after batch testing temperatures, oven processing, and pretty much every aspect I had control over. Then I started building my own recipes so I could create a soap that had the qualities I wanted. I made a LOT of soap and a LOT of boo-boos. It's a good thing I have plenty of friends to give it to.

You mention you have inventory to use up, which is wise to do before its too old. I would suggest picking one recipe and sticking with it, making it a few times until you feel totally confident and in control. Then, start upping the complexity, but do it one variable at a time. It feels like moving in slow motion at first, but you will get to the point where you are making decisions like whether to use ice, what temperature works for you, and whether you want to gel or not. There is no one best way to make soap or one best recipe. The beauty — and frustration in the beginning — is that all of these techniques and tricks are decisions you control to make the soap YOU want in the climate and soaping environment YOU have. It's all highly subjective, and it takes time to work out what is ideal for YOU.

I personally use refrigerator water, make my lye solution first, and while it's cooling, I prep all the other ingredients. When my lye solution reaches a certain temperature, then I start melting my oils. I know my recipe and soaping conditions so well that by the time my oil is melted, its usually within 5° of my lye. I place them strategically in my soaping area, so they cool at roughly the same pace. Then I get a 15-minute wine break waiting for the perfect temp, and I'm ready to soap.

Keep at it. Keep good notes. Keep asking questions. You'll get there!

 

[Zany_in_CO]

I probably should scale down in terms of complexity,

Do that.

You mention you have inventory to use up, which is wise to do before its too old. I would suggest picking one recipe and sticking with it, making it a few times until you feel totally confident and in control.

Good advice!

I know my recipe and soaping conditions so well that by the time my oil is melted, its usually within 5° of my lye.

Bravo!

Then I get a 15-minute wine break waiting for the perfect temp, and I'm ready to soap.

 

[Savage Daughter]

(kept it in the fridge the whole time to prevent gel phase) and when I cut into it, it immediately started to crumble pretty hardcore.

I have a question. Why were you wanting to prevent gel phase? I didn't see you mention why this was.

 

[Georgeandstella]

Basic Trinity of Oils printout:

View attachment 71292

Hi, the water/lye is 2.6 : 1, I commonly see 2:1, is there a reason for this difference? What difference will this ratio v 2:1 do/add? Thank you

 

[Zany_in_CO]

Under #3 "Water" the water is calculated at 38% of oils. This is the "Default Setting" on SoapCalc that I recommend using when first trying a recipe. It's so-called "full water" and a good place to start, although it's not all that popular on SMF. Then tweak as you like for future batches.

What difference will this ratio v 2:1 do/add?

2:1 Water : Lye Ratio or 33% Lye Concentration work well for most bar formulas but not all, as you will learn as you get more experienced and try different things.

HAPPY SOAPING!

 

[Georgeandstella]

Under #3 "Water" the water is calculated at 38% of oils. This is the "Default Setting" on SoapCalc that I recommend using when first trying a recipe. It's so-called "full water" and a good place to start, although it's not all that popular on SMF. Then tweak as you like for future batches.

View attachment 72192


2:1 Water : Lye Ratio or 33% Lye Concentration work well for most bar formulas but not all, as you will learn as you get more experienced and try different things.

HAPPY SOAPING!

 

[Georgeandstella]

Thank you! I’m enjoying all of the nuances of this science/art of soap making!

 

[NcDon]

I recently made my first batch of soap as an adult, and… kind of a nightmare.
First part of the nightmare I literally spent almost an hour trying to mix the lye with all my distilled water frozen in cubes since I heard (can’t remember where from) that 100% frozen liquids was a good idea, and I also realized that the lye I was using was over a year old, and that’s why there were teeny little bits left that wouldn’t incorporate, this literally took so long that I had to go back inside and microwave the oils again, and I even started over with the lye water solution since it wasn’t incorporating fully.
However, when I finally put it all together, I felt a sense of joy with myself I have rarely felt! It was so satisfying to see it all blend together!

Anyway, I’m posting talking about the second part of the nightmare; when I cut it up about a day and a half later (kept it in the fridge the whole time to prevent gel phase) and when I cut into it, it immediately started to crumble pretty hardcore. I’ve been looking some stuff up, and apparently the most common things that cause this are too much lye, and the oils/lye solution being too cold. I feel very confident that the lye was right because I was soooo careful with it, turns out the lye was expired and therefore less powerful, and I did the tongue test and it seemed fine? I have no idea how accurate that is though and I’m getting some ph strips, but on either rate I know everything I was working with was only around 100 degrees Fahrenheit by the time it was incorporated, which is too cool for this sort of thing. Stuff was so cool I had to not just microwave the oils again, but I had to put my pitcher with the lye solution in a hot water bath until it went from like 70-ish to 101- ish (since I learned that was another reason why the lye wasn’t incorporating.

I was just wondering how hot you guys work with CP, and how you keep things warm and still within 10 degrees of each other? Or if there’s something I’m missing?
Also a teeny question but I found this tiny spot that looks like glycerin, but it was in the fridge and everything was super cold so I’m not even sure if it was that.

I pour NaOH into distilled water refrigerated at 4 degrees Celsius (39.2 F). This makes the reaction of the mixture smooth and elegant, without visible toxic fumes, boiling, noise and foam like champagne. I use a silicone spatula, glasses and gloves to dissolve NaOH as if I were mixing sugar or salt in water. When the composition becomes clear like a glass of ordinary water, the temperature reaches 70 degrees Celsius (158 F) and I put the bowl aside to cool to room temperature.

At the same time, the mix of saponifiable oils is heated in a bain-marie until the solid fats melt and everything homogenizes and becomes fluid. When the temperature of the homogenized mix of oils rises above 50 degrees Celsius (122 F), I put the bowl aside and measure both the oils and the previously prepared NaOH solution with a food thermometer.

When both temperatures are in the range of 50-55 degrees Celsius (122-131 F), I pour the NaOH solution into the vessel with heated oils and mix them with a stick blender used intermittently.

When the mixture thickens and looks like a thin mayonnaise, I pour in the EO blend and other additives such as citric acid, panthenol, sodium lactate, etc. and mix gently at low speed with the blender until everything is mixed and homogenized without bubbles.

In a very short time, the "mayonnaise" reaches the "trace phase" and I pour it into silicone molds placed in wooden boxes adapted to them to keep firm the filled molds. I cover them with towels and leave them aside for 36-48 hours. Now the soap is ready, easy to remove from the molds and cut with a guillotine for the final shape of the soap pieces. I put them on baking paper in perforated shoe boxes or other similar covered and breathable containers and let them cure for about 4 weeks.

The whole process is simple and clean, like a walk in the park. I may be wrong, but it works for me.

 

[melinda48]

I recently made my first batch of soap as an adult, and… kind of a nightmare.
First part of the nightmare I literally spent almost an hour trying to mix the lye with all my distilled water frozen in cubes since I heard (can’t remember where from) that 100% frozen liquids was a good idea, and I also realized that the lye I was using was over a year old, and that’s why there were teeny little bits left that wouldn’t incorporate, this literally took so long that I had to go back inside and microwave the oils again, and I even started over with the lye water solution since it wasn’t incorporating fully.
However, when I finally put it all together, I felt a sense of joy with myself I have rarely felt! It was so satisfying to see it all blend together!

Anyway, I’m posting talking about the second part of the nightmare; when I cut it up about a day and a half later (kept it in the fridge the whole time to prevent gel phase) and when I cut into it, it immediately started to crumble pretty hardcore. I’ve been looking some stuff up, and apparently the most common things that cause this are too much lye, and the oils/lye solution being too cold. I feel very confident that the lye was right because I was soooo careful with it, turns out the lye was expired and therefore less powerful, and I did the tongue test and it seemed fine? I have no idea how accurate that is though and I’m getting some ph strips, but on either rate I know everything I was working with was only around 100 degrees Fahrenheit by the time it was incorporated, which is too cool for this sort of thing. Stuff was so cool I had to not just microwave the oils again, but I had to put my pitcher with the lye solution in a hot water bath until it went from like 70-ish to 101- ish (since I learned that was another reason why the lye wasn’t incorporating.

I was just wondering how hot you guys work with CP, and how you keep things warm and still within 10 degrees of each other? Or if there’s something I’m missing?
Also a teeny question but I found this tiny spot that looks like glycerin, but it was in the fridge and everything was super cold so I’m not even sure if it was that.

I use the heat transfer method 90% of the time. I measure out my oils and place them in my bowl. I mix my lye water and stir until clear. I pour my lye water into my oils and mix to melt the oils and then mix to emulsion (or whatever level I trace I am working toward). Then I proceed with colorants/fragrance/etc. Works wonderfully well for me.

 

[melinda48]

I recently made my first batch of soap as an adult, and… kind of a nightmare.
First part of the nightmare I literally spent almost an hour trying to mix the lye with all my distilled water frozen in cubes since I heard (can’t remember where from) that 100% frozen liquids was a good idea, and I also realized that the lye I was using was over a year old, and that’s why there were teeny little bits left that wouldn’t incorporate, this literally took so long that I had to go back inside and microwave the oils again, and I even started over with the lye water solution since it wasn’t incorporating fully.
However, when I finally put it all together, I felt a sense of joy with myself I have rarely felt! It was so satisfying to see it all blend together!

Anyway, I’m posting talking about the second part of the nightmare; when I cut it up about a day and a half later (kept it in the fridge the whole time to prevent gel phase) and when I cut into it, it immediately started to crumble pretty hardcore. I’ve been looking some stuff up, and apparently the most common things that cause this are too much lye, and the oils/lye solution being too cold. I feel very confident that the lye was right because I was soooo careful with it, turns out the lye was expired and therefore less powerful, and I did the tongue test and it seemed fine? I have no idea how accurate that is though and I’m getting some ph strips, but on either rate I know everything I was working with was only around 100 degrees Fahrenheit by the time it was incorporated, which is too cool for this sort of thing. Stuff was so cool I had to not just microwave the oils again, but I had to put my pitcher with the lye solution in a hot water bath until it went from like 70-ish to 101- ish (since I learned that was another reason why the lye wasn’t incorporating.

I was just wondering how hot you guys work with CP, and how you keep things warm and still within 10 degrees of each other? Or if there’s something I’m missing?
Also a teeny question but I found this tiny spot that looks like glycerin, but it was in the fridge and everything was super cold so I’m not even sure if it was that.

I use the heat transfer method. I melt my cocoa butter (if using) and them simply measure out the rest of my oils. I then mix my lye water and stir until lye is fully dissolved. I add my lye water to the oils and mix until the oils are all fully melted. I then proceed as usual. I have never kept my soap in the fridge for more than a few hours (when using recipes/ingredients that might overheat). I would suggest watching some uTube videos (Lisa has “I Dream in Soap” covers all aspects of soaping very well). “Soap and Clay” is another excellent uTube option. Stay with this group-there are so very many experienced soap makers who will steer you in the right direction. Read and learn - I learn every single day even though I have been making soap for some time!