Maybe the 7th batch I've made. newbie

[Joy Wolff]

I make hot process soap. i follow the recipes here and online. I made this dry skin soap with lots of exotic oils in it. I went to unmold it 12 hours after molding it. And the top part came off, leaving the bottom 2/3 the gooey mess. What did I do wrong? I've not had this happen before. I'll include the recipe next.

cocoa butter 2oz
coconut oil 2 oz
olive oil 6 oz
rice bran oil 6 oz
shea fruit butter 2 oz
argan oil 1 ounce
avocado oil 3 oz
castor oil 4 oz
palm oil 12 oz
lye: 4.65 oz
water at 30% of oil weight: 11.40 oz
fragrance 1 oz
aloe vera gel 1 oz.
the last two added after cooking in crock pot up to 160 degrees.
superfat 10%

 

[KiwiMoose]

cocoa butter 2oz
coconut oil 2 oz
olive oil 6 oz
rice bran oil 6 oz
shea fruit butter 2 oz
argan oil 1 ounce
avocado oil 3 oz
castor oil 4 oz
palm oil 12 oz
lye: 4.65 oz
water at 30% of oil weight: 11.40 oz
fragrance 1 oz
aloe vera gel 1 oz.
the last two added after cooking in crock pot up to 160 degrees.
superfat 10%

Are you able to show percentages of those rather than ounces? It makes it easier to diagnose. I suspect the aloe vera gel might have been the culprit though. Also a very high superfat.

 

[Joy Wolff]

All percents below:
cocoa butter: 5.25
coconut oil: 5.25
olive oil: 15.79
rice bran oil: 15.79
shea butter: 5.26
argan oil: 2.63
Avocado oil: 7.89
Castor oil: 10.53
palm oil: 31.58
lye: 8.61
water: 21.09
stirred until trace.
lid on in crock on low heat.
heated until around 160 degrees.
Fragrance 1 oz added
aloe vera gel 1 oz added. Stirred. let sit for 5 minutes.
Molded

 

[AliOop]

It looks to me like you unmolded too early. Each recipe, and in fact, different batches of the same recipe, take different amounts of time to firm up. You used a lot of water in that batch, especially if you simply heated it to 160F and didn't actually cook it to the vaseline stage so that some of that water would have evaporated. All that water makes the soap take longer to firm up.

Next time, don't unmold until the entire loaf is firm like a block of cold cheddar cheese - dentable if you push on it, but not squishy.

 

[Joy Wolff]

AliOop: you are right. I put the soap back into the freezer for 3-4 more hours. Then it sliced, just fine. Lesson learned. I usually make the individual bars of soap. Not so experienced with the loaf soap...Than you!

 

[AliOop]

Glad it worked out for you. Any particular reason for using the freezer? It actually slows saponification so the process takes longer.

 

[lsg]

In my experience, exotic and expensive oils/butters are wasted in soap as it is a rinse off product. Why not use those exotic oils to make lotion, instead?

 

[Joy Wolff]

Glad it worked out for you. Any particular reason for using the freezer? It actually slows saponification so the process takes longer.

It’s hot process. So it’s my understanding g the salonification is finished. I do it because I read to do it with hot process.

 

[AliOop]

Interesting; do you recall why it was recommended? So HP soap doesn't automatically need to go into the freezer. That's usually done to prevent gelling or overheating. HP has already gelled in the pot, and isn't at risk for overheating, either.

I did only HP for the first 6 or 7 years that I soaped. I never put the soap molds into the freezer, unless the soap was sticking to a cylinder mold, and I needed the post-freeze condensation to help them slide out.

So, I'd recommend trying it without the freezer, and see what you think.

 

[cmzaha]

HP still goes through saponification. Save your exotic oils for lotion or lotion bars. Preferably lotion bars unless you want to put in the time learning to make lotion which does have a learning curve.

 

[Zing]

Ooh! Did someone say lotion bars? Joy, they are so easy to make and no cure time! I use 1/3 each of soft oil(s), butter(s), and beeswax. If they are too oily or too hard, just melt and tweak!

I get the allure of exotic or specialty oils. Sometimes sellers put in a little for label appeal. I often splurge on ingredients for my lotion bars.

Good luck to you. I went thru a long learning curve for cold process soap.

 

[Joy Wolff]

I made the soap with the exotic oils, because I wanted to. I have dry skin, and I love the left over oils that stay on my skin when I wash my face. In my bath: they are pure luxury! I am worth it!