Melt and pour from scratch

[Tara08]

Hi!
Does anyone make their own melt and pour soap from scratch? I have made a couple batches now and am tring to troubleshoot a couple issues. Thanks!!

 

[artemis]

This comes up periodically. Are you having trouble finding information when you search the forum? If so, try searching "transparent soap" as well.

Here is a thread I found. You'll be able to find more if this one doesn't help.

Thread 'Transparent Soap Adventures' https://www.soapmakingforum.com/threads/transparent-soap-adventures.71136/

 

[lsg]

Here is a link to the recipe I use:

 

[Tara08]

Thanks so much for the responses. I will definitely take a good long look at the i sent to me. I am making a triple butter (mango, kokum, shea) to be specific. Starting there and then may move on to making transparent. The issues I'm having right now are:

1. My soap is a little soft on the inside, even after a few days. Does m&p from scratch have any cure time? I saw one video where the maker let's it sit for a week.

2. Soap getting really hot really fast in the microwave and rising/bubbling up before soap is fully melted. I tried smaller chunks and shorter bursts but then it set up really quickly and it was still 195, way too hot. Maybe too much stearic acid?

3. Soap getting thick and frothy after melting. A spritz of alcohol takes care of it, but not sure why it's happening in the first place.

Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated. I can also post my recipe if needed. Thanks to everyone!!

 

[lsg]

Are you using 30 second bursts to melt the M&P in the microwave?

 

[Tara08]

Are you using 30 second bursts to melt the M&P in the microwave?

Yep. I tried shorter bursts and cutting the pieces smaller too. I had read that if the soap seems soft then you can add some stearic acid. But, my recipe also has soy wax which I forgot is already high in stearic. So maybe it's that as far as it thickening up fast, I am planning on omitting the stearic in my next test.

 

[lsg]

Yep. I tried shorter bursts and cutting the pieces smaller too. I had read that if the soap seems soft then you can add some stearic acid. But, my recipe also has soy wax which I forgot is already high in stearic. So maybe it's that as far as it thickening up fast, I am planning on omitting the stearic in my next test.

Adding stearic acid might have made the soap harder to melt.

 

[Tara08]

Adding stearic acid might have made the soap harder to melt.

That's my first thought. Do you think adding 5% soy wax and no stearic will be ok? I tried 3% soy/no stearic before and that's when it didn't firm up like it should have.

 

[lsg]

Perhaps you should try a new recipe. Here is a link to a couple of recipes that I like.

 

[AliOop]

Yep. I tried shorter bursts and cutting the pieces smaller too. I had read that if the soap seems soft then you can add some stearic acid. But, my recipe also has soy wax which I forgot is already high in stearic. So maybe it's that as far as it thickening up fast, I am planning on omitting the stearic in my next test.

I'd definitely give it another try using the original recipe with no changes. FWIW, Stearic acid is one of those naughty ingredients for me, a bit of a trouble-maker. In any recipe, adding it can create some pretty dramatic changes.