My first recipe. Does it look right?

[Monaco]

Yesterday I couldn't resist the temptation to use my 50% off coupon for Michael's store and got myself a nice "Heavy Duty Loaf Mold" for soap by ArtMinds. It was the only soap mold they carry there. It doesn't need to be lined, and I can take it apart. It's an odd size though: 9 x 2 1/2 x 3 3/4 inches. I figured out I'd need about 33 oz. of oil to fill it comfortably almost all the way to the top.

Next, I went to the BB lye calculator and played with it. I came up with a recipe below and I would like to ask the pros to take a look at it and tell me if the oils in it sound right. I tried to go by the oil properties (hard, leathery, etc.) and these are the oils I have on hand right now.

I'll superfat 5% by a mixture of shea butter and jojoba with rose EO in it (rose EO was sold that way).

This is what I got with the lye calculator:

Almond Oil (Sweet) 1.65oz 5.00%
Apricot Kernel Oil 3.30oz 10.00%
Cocoa Butter 1.65oz 5.00%
Coconut Oil (76 Degrees) 6.60oz 20.00%
Olive Oil 16.50oz 50.00%
Sesame Seed Oil 3.30oz 10.00%
5% Lye (Sodium Hydroxide) Amount 4.485oz

Ounces of liquid recommended 10.89oz
Yields 48.37oz Current Batch (total oil weight): 33.00oz

Oh, and the almond oil I have is from the Whole Foods store (Spectrum brand), and it isn't sweet. Would that make any difference? If yes, do I add/subtract some, or can I substitute it with, say, castor oil. Or maybe palm oil? I've got that one too but would rather not use it in my first recipe, unless I really have to. I can add more cocoa butter if necessary, I really like it. If it was at all allowed, I'd add all 100% of it in the recipe :mrgreen: as this oil is so yummy! But I'm not sure what is the maximum I can use. From the chart here http://www.naturesgardencandles.com/mas_assets/pdf/soapoils.pdf I understand it shouldn't be used abundantly, so I kept it to 5% for now. This is where I'm stumbling the most. Is it possible to cut, perhaps, sesame oil and increase cocoa butter to at least 10%?

I really want to make everything right, and I'm paranoid my soap will turn out bad if I made a recipe without first talking to somebody who is more knowledgeable. I just hate wasting money and the oils were a bit pricey to just throw them out... Anyway, if anyone here could help me with this recipe, your help will be very appreciated!

 

[kazmi]

If this is the first time you are making cp soap maybe just stick with a basic recipe. It could save you some money and you can learn how the 'basic' oils work before you start experimenting with other oils. I would start with olive oil, coconut oil, castor. See how these three come to trace, what it like to soap with them and, and how they feel after curing. This will give you a good foundation for deciding what to add/reduce/delete from there.

Not sure about the difference between almond and sweet almond so can't help you there. I love cocoa butter too and love how it makes my skin feel. I keep mine at 5% but others may chime in with whether more can be considered.

 

[Jaccart789]

http://www.soapcalc.net/calc/SoapCalcWP.asp

Try this calculator. I think way better than BB. Its so informative and accurate to what to expect from your soap. Your soap looks like this when calculated:
Soap Bar Quality Your range
Hardness 29 - 54 30
Cleansing 12 - 22 13
Conditioning44 - 69 67
Bubbly 14 - 46 13
Creamy 16 - 48 16
Iodine 41 - 70 72

If you like these values then it will be good for you. I like what Kazmi says, and maybe stick to little bit more basic recipe to start, so you are not wasting oils. Soap making is so expensive!

 

[sistrum]

Everyone is different. I prefer bramble berry for an on line calc. I feel soapcalc recommends to much water, among other reasons.

Your recipe looks like a good one to try. If you had the superfat on the calc set at 5% it's already figured in so just add all your fats and oils up front. Saving them until the end doesen't make a difference. You can sub what you want as long as you rerun it through a calc again. Since you are just starting if you do switch to soapcalc please don't get into going by the "numbers" it shows. Use them only to figure out how they relate to the fatty acid profiles of the oils you are using. Good luck and be sure to report back.

 

[TVivian]

I bought that loaf mold SO excited because it didn't have to be lined (and 40% off of 30 bucks!) Then the first time I used it it warped! It's totally ruined because the side pieces no longer fit into the grooves on the bottom piece. I think those molds are meant for Melt and pour soap and they just can't take the heat brought on by a gelling CP. Soo.. If you use it for CP, I'd recommend not gelling and keeping things cool. I wish I'd known. I ended up going to Lowes, buying wood, bolts and wing nuts and making my own wood mold just the size I wanted. Good luck!


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[Monaco]

Thanks everyone for your comments. I'm happy to find so much support here!

Kazmi, I actually want to make two different batches at the same time. One being a simple soap with the very basic ingredients (canola, coconut and olive oils, the recipe is taken from here: http://offbeatandinspired.com/2012/09/14/cold-process-soap-making-for-beginners/ ). And I'll add jasmine EO instead of orange oil + shea butter as superfat of 5% total.

And the other soap I wanted to be a bit more complicated so I could compare both when they're cured a month or so later. I think the simple recipe is so easy and I've seen many very similar ones on other websites with the results shown and discussed, so I don't have doubts with that one. It's the recipe that I made up myself that I was unsure about, that's why I needed to verify it with those who know more than I. So, yes, I will definitely try the simple recipe too! :smile:

 

[Monaco]

Thanks, sistrum. I'm glad you think my recipe is worth trying. I'm also going to try a simple one I mentioned in a post above. That way I can see the difference between a simple soap and the "loaded" one.

I'll try both calculators and see what they come up with. I like the simplicity of the BB calc, but it's also good to see those number on the other one because it's just easier to understand what my soap will end up being like (cleaning, leathery, etc.). Otherwise I'll have to spend a lot of time reading about each soap's qualities in my chart, trying to figure that out.

 

[Monaco]

TVivian, my goodness, what a pity! Thanks for pointing that out! I'm glad I didn't try that mold yet. What a disappointment. :sad: I'll keep the mold for the M&P if I ever make one, as I certainly don't want the plastic to warp. I also have a PVC tube and will use it instead.

Eventually, I'll have my husband build me a nice mold. He's busy writing a book, so I'm not bothering him right now. Maybe in a few months he'll have more time. I also have a small drawer organizer but it has to be lined. Which isn't a problem for me, I'll just use it for my simple recipe and will line it with some wax paper. The box is made of bamboo and I hope it can handle the heat!

 

[Monaco]

Jaccart, thanks for the link, I'll definitely look at it.

I think I'll make two different soaps at the same time: one will be simple, and the other one a bit more "loaded". So, when the soap is ready to use, I can compare both at the same time and see the difference. I'll start with the easy recipe just to get used to the process. Then making a second batch that is more complicated will be a bit easier, I think.

 

[judymoody]

Your recipe looks like it will be very conditioning and gently cleansing without a lot of lather. This is the kind of soap I prefer; my husband likes something that is more cleansing. If you want something that cleans more thoroughly and had more robust bubbles I would up the coconut to maybe 25% and sub 5% castor oil for one of your liquid oils.

"Sweet" almond oil is regular almond oil. It is called "sweet" to distinguish it from bitter almond oil which is a restricted substance - I believe it is high in prussic (?) acid which can be toxic unless it is treated to remove it.

As a beginner recipe, I love a basic recipe of 20% CO, 30% PO, 45% OO, and 5% castor at a 7% superfat. It is well balanced, easy to soap, and not too expensive to make. A batch size of 1-2 pounds is a perfect size - not too small so small measurement errors might cause a problem, not too big so if you mess up, you don't waste too much materials.

I highly recommend the 8 inch silicone loaf molds that you can purchase from Brambleberry or Wholesale Supplies Plus. However, starting with a pringles can or a cardboard box lined with freezer paper will work just as well. You can even use a milk container (quart size is good) and then tear it off after the soap is ready to unmold.

Good luck and enjoy!

 

[Monaco]

Thanks Judymoody for the tips and for the recipe. I have to try it too, it does sound like an easy one. Do you think argan oil would work good as superfat? Or maybe shea mixed with argan? I have a small bottle of argan oil and I always mix a few drops with hair conditioner, it makes my hair shiny and soft. But I think it can be added to the soap as well, just not sure if it works well as superfat.

Yes, the main thing I look for in a soap is conditioning. I never liked harsh soap, and I prefer to leave some natural oils on my skin. Coconut oil stripes off too much of it and makes skin dry.

Good to know that the almond oil I have can be used in the soap. It's a food grade oil and I got it at Whole Foods, so I assume it's safe to add to soap.

As for the silicone loaf - I've seen so many people using them (from the photos in their blogs), and it seems like they're very easy to use. I'll definitely look for one too.

 

[Monaco]

I finally made my first soap. I made it past weekend, and I used the recipe that I've listed on the first page of this thread. I only increased coconut oil by 5% and decreased the olive oil by 5%, and then ran the recipe through the lye calculator.

It's been a few days already and what makes me worry are these dark round spots in the middle of each piece of soap. Is this going to be permanent? Did I ruin the soap or can I still use it once it cures? Will these spots disappear?

I didn't do anything different, I think. What I did was mixing the lye water with the melted oils, both at 115F or so. Then with a stick blender mixing until the trace, after which just filling a wooden mold (a bamboo drawer organizer lined with parchment paper). The next day I took the entire piece out and it came out of the mold easily. I tried to cut it but it was too soft, so I only cut one piece and let the entire log sit for another day until it got harder. Then I cut it into bars. I'm trying to think what it could be because the soap looks so ugly with these spots! I never put it into the oven, nor did I cool the soap in the pot. Never covered it with anything. I used lavender EO instead of rose oil that I planned originally, but I don't think OE would cause this ugly thing. Here's a photo:

 

[eyeroll]

I think your spots could be partial gel, but I'm a novice so I'm not 100% on that. If so, it's nothing to worry about and the soap is still safe. You can prevent partial gel either by forcing gel so the whole loaf gels or cooling it so none of it gels.

Hopefully someone else with more experience will weigh in.


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[KrisAnt]

Does it feel oily? Almost looks like a little separation but that would be all over, not just the center. IMO it looks like you have a lot of soft oils in your recipe. Maybe try increasing the coconut oil or adding some palm and decreasing the other oils a bit., because they make a harder bar. Otherwise, it might just take longer to cure. In any event, not bad for a first try!







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[Saswede]

Great for your first soap!
The spots in the middle are the result of a partial gel - so while they may fade slightly, they won't go away. But the good news is that the soap is still fine to use! And it allows you to see how gel affects the appearance of your soap, so that you can decide on whether to force a full gel or avoid gel in the future.


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[Monaco]

Thanks everyone for your comments!

Eyeroll, you're right about the gelling, I think. I now remember one more thing I forget to mention yesterday. When I poured the soap into the mold, I didn't cover it with anything like towels. Just let is sit on the table as uncovered. This is probably the reason why it partially gelled. Silly me, I'll remember to do that the next time!

KrisAnt, the soap does feel slightly oily, but almost unnoticeable. I wonder how they make pure castile oil bars! I didn't want castile as my first soap, but yeah, I think I should have used even less olive oil and add more coconut. But the soap feels hard enough. I wanted a nice moisturizing soap that isn't too drying as I plan to use it in winter, when it is very dry.

Saswede, I'm glad I can still use it! I just needed a natural soap for myself, and I can live with that spot. Next time I make soap, I'll cover the mold with a couple of towels or something, so it doesn't gel. I prefer a creamy looking, light colored soap, and gelling makes it darker, I think.

 

[Saswede]

Actually if you do cover the soap with towels or blankets, you'll be keeping the heat generated by the saponification reaction in, and "encouraging" the soap to gel, Monaco. This is fine if you want to gel, and you could also consider using a heating pad to ensure that the entire loaf gels so that you can avoid partial gel.

However, if you want to avoid gel altogether, you should soap at a cool temperature (at or slightly above room temperature), and keep the mold in the fridge or freezer for the first 4 to 6 hours (at least) after pouring - like you would for a milk soap. (If you're using oils or additives that can cause heating, like some EOs or honey, or some more luxurious, expensive oils or additives, the freezer is probably a better option because you can still get partial gel in the fridge.)

If you don't gel you may find that its a little longer until the soap is ready to come out of the mold but other than that, soap that has gelled is more or less the same as soap that hasn't ........ And you'll find that there are as many soapers who prefer to gel as those who prefer not to!


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[Monaco]

Thanks Saswede! I'm still trying to figure out why some people want gelling. In my opinion, when the soap is lighter in color, it appears classier, or should I say more elegant. Darker soap looks more rustic and countrysidish, I think. Maybe it just depends on people's tastes and what they want the soap to look like.

Next time I'll try to cool the soap in the freezer. How long should I keep it there? A day, until the soap is firm, or just until the soap cools down completely (like an hour or so)? Are there any rules about the freezing time? Thanks!

 

[Saswede]

If I put the soap in the freezer, I generally leave it there for 3 to 4 hours, and then transfer to the fridge for another 3 to 4 hours so that the temperature gradually comes up to room temperature. It's unlikely to go into gel after 6 hours, so you should be safe with a total of 6 hours in the fridge/freezer. But a little longer won't hurt - so leaving the soap in the fridge overnight isn't likely to cause any problems. (I know some people leave their soap in the freezer for longer, but I don't want to stop saponification - I just want to slow it down in the first few hours ...... So I prefer not to leave it in the freezer for too long.)




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[Monaco]

Thanks again, I'll do the freezer/fridge thing next time.