Making transparent soap - won't dissolve!

[Soapsugoii]

Hi guys,

I've read through a lot of the transparent soap threads and walk throughs. I've tried a couple of batches, and can't seem to get my soap to go through the "dissolve" phase, after you add the alcohol and glycerin.

I used a crockpot last night, and it literally took 10 hours and almost twice as much alcohol as the recipe called for (about 35% of oils is what the original recipe called for).

I'm a little frustrated. Any ideas? Is my alcohol dissolving too fast? Is my heat too high (I cook it on medium when soaping, then the warm and/or medium setting in the dissolve phase)? It gets gloopy and a kind of liquid glue consistency, then doesn't really start to dissolve much.

I had a bit of success when I covered the top of the crockpot in saran wrap. Am I losing too much alcohol to evaporation maybe? Am I stirring too often (once every 5 to 10 minutes)?

My recipe is:

Avocado 45%
Coconut 20%
Palm 30%
Stearic 3.5 - 5ish%

These %'s aren't exact but they're ball parks. Any help or insight would be appreciative!

Thanks!

SS

 

[lsg]

Transparent soap does not melt well for me. I make a M&P base that works better. Edentia farms blog has a recipe.
Gosh, I had to come back and edit this post. Typing from a Kindle doesn't work well for me. LOL

 

[Lindy]

lsg do you have a link to the blog please?

 

[lsg]

I spelled it wrong in my first post, it is Edentia Farms-Good Earth Spa. Here is the link to her blog:

http://goodearthspa.wordpress.com/

 

[lsg]

Here is her YouTube tutorial making the clear M&P base and a link with her recipe.

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xHS1V8HIwoE[/ame]

http://voices.yahoo.com/how-clear-soap-base-scratch-11974752.html?cat=69