my soap disolves in my shower!

[aussie girl]

Hello,
I made a batch of soap 7 weeks ago and the bars are only small maybe about 70 grams each. They only last about 4 days in the shower :cry:
My recipe was:
28% co, 36% oo and 36% of sunflower oil.
I love the soap except for that i dosent last.
I didnt discount the water.

According to soap calc it is not very hard only a 33 i think but I thought that olive oil makes a hard bar once it has cured making my recipe 65% hard oils and the remainder soft.

Should I let it cure for longer? Or should I cahnge my recipe?
Any advice would be appreciated.

 

[aussie girl]

Hello again,
I forgot to ask would a water dicount help make my soap harder?

 

[PrairieCraft]

Most people would probably advise not using sunflower oil at above 10 percent of your formula. Soaps made with a high percentage of OO, with no water discount, will be softer longer. I would try cutting the sunflower down (or out) and either add more hard oils to the recipe or let it cure longer.

Also, make sure your soap isn't in an area where the shower rains down on it, which will cause it to melt away and that it can dry out as much as possible between uses. Handmade soaps don't usually last as long as the store bought bars but you could get more than a few days out of a soap that size with a different formula. All coconut will make a really hard bar of soap, but may be drying to your skin and calls for a higher SF.

 

[busymakinsoap!]

I think its recommended that a recipe would have 40 percent soft and 60 percent hard oils
You can work outside this however.

I have a recipe that is 45% soft oils and has a hardness of 44 - my soap seems to last forever and doesnt go all mushy like handmade soap can.

I think as far a olive oil - I wouldnt consider this to be a hard oil. Yes it sets up hard, but that is after 6 months of cure, therefore you would have to wait that long to get the hardness benefits.

I bet if you wait for a few months your bar will be a lot harder. Otherwise you could try another batch with some added hard oils.

As for water discount, this just shortens you cure time - it doesnt make it harder, it just gets to its hardness quicker

And I have to agree with Prairiecraft - sunflower oil is not a good oil to use in high doses. Sadly, you might find your bar has gone bad before its had a chance to harden

 

[Tabitha]

Are you storing your soap in a dry spot between showers or does it stay wet?

 

[judymoody]

busymakinsoap is right: OO is not a hard oil; hard oils are hard at room temperature - so CO, PKO, Babassu, etc.

My own soaps generally don't have more than 40-50% hard oils and they last for a few weeks, maybe longer. They weigh between 120-150 grams.

I have found that adding a small amount of cocoa butter - 5-10% of recipe - makes a longer lasting, hard bar.

Sunflower/safflower at no more than 10% or you risk getting rancid soap.

Yes, keep them dry between uses.

And cure for at least 6 weeks.

 

[aussie girl]

Hi
thanlyou for all your help and advice! I have been drying my soap out between uses. I think I will adjust my recipe to increase the hardness.
Thankyou