My Creamy Cocoa/Shea GLS Tutorial

[robzank]

This is what my mixture looked like after adding the superfat (2.052% + 3% PS80) and EOs of Tea Tree and Lemongrass (at a final concentration of 1% with equal amount PS80). I used apricot kernel oil as my superfat.

And for the final test, very nice. I just hope my mixture doesn't separate in 24hrs (I've had bad experiences in the past with EOs in the absence of PS80, so I'm hoping the PS80 does its job).

 

[IrishLass]

Looks great!

IrishLass

 

[robzank]

The idea of an additional superfat post dilution really works well for this GLS recipe. I just tried jojoba oil as the SF and liked it better than apricot kernel oil.

I'm wondering whether the SF post dilution idea can be applied to the 65 Olive, 25 Coconut, 10 Castor GLS recipe? Or is it a waste because that recipe is already quite high in olive oil?

 

[IrishLass]

I tried superfatting after-the-fact once with the 65% OO recipe and I just didn't like it as well (I used meadowfoam seed oil). It cut down on the lather too much for my liking. However, I have it on my list to try making it with an up-front 4% or 5% superfat to see what happens.


IrishLass

 

[sephera]

Hi

I finally did it. I feel like I got some fumes onto my bare upper chest will that be okay. I put some balm on.

Also I used my normal wisk, If I neutralise it with vinegar can I use it normally again?

Melted my special plastic stick blender. Argh.

Thanks Irish Lass for the recipe.

I also accidentally added a couple extra grams like 2-3 of lye. But I continued on as I did want to pour out again so I added a bit more glycerine. Hope it turns out OK.

If I don't have all those extra ingredients for dulition yet can I just use distilled water, jojoba oil, and the soap paste.

 

[BattleGnome]

You can just use the distilled water for dilution. The jojoba oil will probably float on top of your soap if you don’t have an emulsifier to mix it in

 

[Soapprentice]

I tried this recipe today and the batter went from liquid to transparent in 10 min I stopped stick blending andit went to opaque in like 1... no flying bubble stage at all... I dissolved the lye in equal amount of water and added glycerine and added them to the oils...
I don’t know what I am feeling.. is it right?

It is solid... can’t stir with the spatula.. I’m very worried.

 

[Saffron]

Could it be that you used NaOH instead of KOH?

 

[Susie]

I tried this recipe today and the batter went from liquid to transparent in 10 min I stopped stick blending andit went to opaque in like 1... no flying bubble stage at all... I dissolved the lye in equal amount of water and added glycerine and added them to the oils...
I don’t know what I am feeling.. is it right?

It is solid... can’t stir with the spatula.. I’m very worried.

It looks fine to me. I hardly ever get flying bubble stage. But if you followed the recipe, this is paste stage. Wait for gel, zap test, and dilute if zapless. Congratulations!

 

[Soapprentice]

Could it be that you used NaOH instead of KOH?

No.. pretty sure it’s KOH

 

[Soapprentice]

It looks fine to me. I hardly ever get flying bubble stage. But if you followed the recipe, this is paste stage. Wait for gel, zap test, and dilute if zapless. Congratulations!

Thank goodness... I followed the recipe to the T and I didn’t see anywhere online the batter looking to opaque, so you know.. got lil worried

 

[DeeAnna]

Looks fine to me too. Sometimes the paste is translucent, sometimes it's opaque. Sometimes it's fairly hard and sometimes it's more paste like. Sometimes there are flying bubbles, but I've never seen them.

IMO, making LS paste is less about seeing the soap going through certain types of stages and more about the paste reaching a stable trace so I can stop mixing and then becoming zap free.

 

[Soapprentice]

Looks fine to me too. Sometimes the paste is translucent, sometimes it's opaque. Sometimes it's fairly hard and sometimes it's more paste like. Sometimes there are flying bubbles, but I've never seen them.

IMO, making LS paste is less about seeing the soap going through certain types of stages and more about the paste reaching a stable trace so I can stop mixing and then becoming zap free.

I just checked it... it is zapless and is very very hard.... almost like cutting cocoa butter at room temperature... for a minute I thought it might be NaOH and then again if it was NaOH,the soap should zap as I would have added almost 25g more than req.

 

[Soapprentice]

I cut the yesterday’s soap and it does zap inside... I made the soap again with for sure KOH and the entire process is different.. guess what, I experienced flying bubbles stage....so it is indeed NaOH that I used yesterday, will be rebatching it soon.

 

[IrishLass]

I'm very glad to hear you got it figured out, or else things sure would have become even more interesting at diluting time! lol


IrishLass

 

[Soapprentice]

I'm very glad to hear you got it figured out, or else things sure would have become even more interesting at diluting time! lol


IrishLass

I know.... m very curious to see how this soap with so much glycerine will turn out to be..

 

[Soapprentice]

Does anyone use anything other than canning jars for dilution? I do not have any with a metal cap... Is there any reusable option? And no crockpot either.

 

[DeeAnna]

I don't heat my paste to dilute, so any container that's handy and clean works fine for me. I often dilute in a kitchen bowl covered with a dinner plate. When diluted, the soap goes into any suitable plastic container with a secure closure.

 

[bathgeek]

Does anyone use anything other than canning jars for dilution? I do not have any with a metal cap... Is there any reusable option? And no crockpot either.

I use five gallon buckets.

 

[Soapprentice]

How long does it take for the soap to dilute without heating generally? Do we need stick blend it in between?