Hello all--I am new to soapmaking (7 months) and I have learned a lot from lurking on the forum. I am asking for some help or feedback on what I did wrong with my CPHP batch last night. Until the other night, all my batches have turned out pretty nice, in fact, text book perfect--they smell nice, they lather up, and they harden as they should. I use soapcalc to figure out what qualities I want in my soap, and so far, things have been working out well.
Last week and last night, I tried several new techniques I have learned about here: masterbatching (ye and oils), room temperature soaping, and canola oil instead of olive oil. Also, it was my first time to try lard. The batch turned out horribly. The soap does not harden. I think the problem is I figured out the lye masterbatching wrong or maybe its the canola?
For a 45 oz batch, soapcalc said to use 6.4 oz of lye and 17.1 oz of water (I normally look at the grams, but am using oz here so it is easier for you to picture). I quadrupled the amount of lye (6.4 x 4 =25.6 oz) and added 40% of the water (17.1 x 4 x 40% = 27.8 oz of water) in a huge detergent bottle and set it aside to use the next day.
The next day, I shook the lye bottle and poured out 1 batch of discounted lye water (6.84 oz) and added it to my melted oils and lard into the crockpot. Trace took a long time, and even then it was a very thin trace, I am not sure. Then I added 10.26 oz of coconut milk to my mixture and tried some more to get the mixture to come to trace. Then I covered my crockpot and hoped for the best.
The soap is still very soft...kind of like shortening, actually. So I tried it again using my masterbatched lye water. I used exactly the same recipe with exactly the same results. What did I do wrong? Please help!
Here is my recipe:
Canola oil 30% 13.5 oz
Castor oil 5% 2.25 oz
Coconut oil 30% 13.5 oz
Lard (from walmart) 30% 13.5 oz
Shea butter 5% 2.25 oz
Canned Coconut milk 10.26 oz
Distilled water 6.84 oz
Lye 6.41 oz
I know there are too many new variables in my recipe, so it is hard to tell what went wrong, but I am hoping you all can help me....
Thank you in advance for your help!
Joy
Last week and last night, I tried several new techniques I have learned about here: masterbatching (ye and oils), room temperature soaping, and canola oil instead of olive oil. Also, it was my first time to try lard. The batch turned out horribly. The soap does not harden. I think the problem is I figured out the lye masterbatching wrong or maybe its the canola?
For a 45 oz batch, soapcalc said to use 6.4 oz of lye and 17.1 oz of water (I normally look at the grams, but am using oz here so it is easier for you to picture). I quadrupled the amount of lye (6.4 x 4 =25.6 oz) and added 40% of the water (17.1 x 4 x 40% = 27.8 oz of water) in a huge detergent bottle and set it aside to use the next day.
The next day, I shook the lye bottle and poured out 1 batch of discounted lye water (6.84 oz) and added it to my melted oils and lard into the crockpot. Trace took a long time, and even then it was a very thin trace, I am not sure. Then I added 10.26 oz of coconut milk to my mixture and tried some more to get the mixture to come to trace. Then I covered my crockpot and hoped for the best.
The soap is still very soft...kind of like shortening, actually. So I tried it again using my masterbatched lye water. I used exactly the same recipe with exactly the same results. What did I do wrong? Please help!
Here is my recipe:
Canola oil 30% 13.5 oz
Castor oil 5% 2.25 oz
Coconut oil 30% 13.5 oz
Lard (from walmart) 30% 13.5 oz
Shea butter 5% 2.25 oz
Canned Coconut milk 10.26 oz
Distilled water 6.84 oz
Lye 6.41 oz
I know there are too many new variables in my recipe, so it is hard to tell what went wrong, but I am hoping you all can help me....
Thank you in advance for your help!
Joy
