making harder soap methods; adjusting water to oil ratio?

[leahjo534]

a few months ago, I was once again doing research on ways I could make a harder, longer-lasting bar of soap. I had tried water reduction without a significant difference in the end product. in my depths of research, I found that someone had advised a method I hadn't heard of before. the end product was my best recipe yet. a bar from the recipe has lasted me at least 3 months and still has a ways to go. however, I lost the recipe and now I haven't been able to remember exactly how to remake it. it seems to me that it had something to do with adjusting the water to oil ratio but I'm not sure. and even if that's what it was, I can't remember what the ratio is that I did. would anyone be able to help me out?

 

[Mobjack Bay]

Soaps that are high in hard fats such as palm, lard, tallow and butters (shea, cocoa and mango), last longer than soaps made with predominantly liquid oils or with a lot of coconut oil because they do not dissolve as quickly. If you’re looking to increase the longevity of your soap, I recommend that you read this article which explains how the fats used to make soap affect soap qualities, including longevity.

 

[leahjo534]

Soaps that are high in hard fats such as palm, lard, tallow and butters (shea, cocoa and mango), last longer than soaps made with predominantly liquid oils or with a lot of coconut oil because they do not dissolve as quickly. If you’re looking to increase the longevity of your soap, I recommend that you read this article which explains how the fats used to make soap affect soap qualities, including longevity.

thank you! I'll look into that article.

my recipe was
olive oil 50%
coconut oil 25%
shea butter 18.8%
castor oil 6.3%

 

[Savage Daughter]

Salt added to lye water also helps, I have found. I now prefer this to sodium lactate after someone else mentioned it. I now have an unopened gallon jug of sodium lactate sitting here

 

[HandmadeSoapByRachel]

what type of salt do you use?

 

[Ekuzo]

Some people also use vinegar as part of or all of the liquid to help with hardness. Also waxes.

what type of salt do you use?

Any type should do. Table salt, kosher salt, sea salt, Himalayan salt. As long as you are adding a little and dissolving it completely in the liquid for the lye solution (I'm not talking about salt bars here, they are a different story).

 

[AliOop]

what type of salt do you use?

Not Dead Sea Salt or Epsom Salt, because of their high mineral content that will cause the soap to sweat severely. Other forms of salt are fine.

Just remember that salt will dampen lather.

 

[Frijoles]

Some people also use vinegar as part of or all of the liquid to help with hardness.

Vinegar helps with hardness?

 

[AliOop]

Vinegar helps with hardness?

Absolutely yes, if you are referring to the soap hardening up more quickly in the mold, and cleaner unmolding. I also think it contributes something nice to the lather, although I've never been able to articulate just what it is.

I don't believe vinegar contributes to hardness in the sense that many people think of, which is actually longevity. That is going to come more from your palmitic + stearic FA profile, or from beeswax if you add that.

 

[Frijoles]

I don't believe vinegar contributes to hardness in the sense that many people think of, which is actually longevity. That is going to come more from your palmitic + stearic FA profile, or from beeswax if you add that.

Thanks. I've heard the same about sodium lactate (or the use of salt instead of it).

 

[Ekuzo]

Vinegar helps with hardness?

https://www.soapmakingforum.com/threads/oil-vinegar-sodium-acetate-in-soap-experiment.57991/

https://www.soapmakingforum.com/threads/testing-vinegar-sodium-acetate-in-soap-phase-ii.59148/

Here are descriptions of several experiments, according to which sodium acetate made from vinegar acts similarly to SL and adds hardness to the bar. I'll be honest, I haven't used vinegar in soap so I can't speak from personal experience - but those are some pretty good reads for those who are interested and have the time