melt & pour soap wont lather at all

[Mariam Tariq]

hi there
I am a beginner in soap making and trying to make melt and pour soap. my soap batch failed three to four times. i am trying to make melt and pour soap without alcohol. the recipe i am using is

1. stearic acid = 50 gram
2. coconut oil = 70 gram
3. glycerin = 25 gram
4. castor oil = 25 gram
5. Propolyene Glyco = 135 gram
6. Naoh = 24 gram
7. water = 47 gram
8. sorbitol = 100 gram
9. Coca betain = 25 gram
10. Tea = 15 gram
    
    

any help in this regard is great as i am trying to make crystal clear melt n pour soap. but hard in luck

 

[akseattle]

@Mariam Tariq , I have never made M&P from scratch, but I just googled. To create suds, it looks like M&P base can be made with sodium laureth sulfate or coca betaine as the lathering agent ( as well as sugar and probably some others, too.) I see that you also have sorbital. Was that as a humectant or for suds?

It looks like coca betaine is more mild than SLES and better for sensitive skin, but lathers less. Sorbital (according to the internet) is less sudsy than coca betaine. Could you increase the coca betaine you use? I don't know how much you can add before it detracts from other qualities. In terms of a more clear base, if the tea you used is dark, I suspect it adds to the darker color of your soap.

If you don't mind a harsher ingredient, if upping the coca betaine doesn't work, maybe try SLES?

Again, I've never made M&P from scratch, I've only bought it premade. So, what I said is base purely on my google search.

Good luck!