Need eyes on this recipe please

[AAShillito]

I've cobbled this together from you tube- please critique- I thought Aloe Vera increased bubbles? This soap is a request from family. Thanks

 

[KiwiMoose]

Aloe will increase bubbles - as will honey. But neither will show on the calculator as such - that just measures the qualities of the oils you are using, not your additives.
So it looks like you are making a Bastille soap? Is there a reason you are not using any coconut oil? You don't have to include it of course - a true castile doesn't. Be prepared to wait for a long cure - it will be best after 6 months at least. Olive oil does tend to be a bit slimy when in use so i recommend redoing your superfat to 0 or 1 % to combat this.

 

[AAShillito]

Aloe will increase bubbles - as will honey. But neither will show on the calculator as such - that just measures the qualities of the oils you are using, not your additives.
So it looks like you are making a Bastille soap? Is there a reason you are not using any coconut oil? You don't have to include it of course - a true castile doesn't. Be prepared to wait for a long cure - it will be best after 6 months at least. Olive oil does tend to be a bit slimy when in use so i recommend redoing your superfat to 0 or 1 % to combat this.

Thank you!

 

[Megan]

Any reason you're making so much? That's a huge batch of something you don't know how it's going to turn out till 6+ months...

 

[AliOop]

Agreed with both of the above. I’d also use at least 10% CO and 5% castor if you can, with or without the shea. I’d vote for no shea.

Have you checked out @Zany_in_CO's no-slime Castile, aka ZNSC? I am not a Castile fan so I was surprised at how much I liked this soap.

My variations are to add the 10-15% CO, 5% castor, and GMP or coconut cream. I bet it would be lovely with AVJ, too! Also, I don’t like making separate batches of the faux sea water, so I posted in another thread about how to make it percentage-based for your specific batch water. I believe it is sea salt at 1.9% and bicarb at 1.7% of your total batch liquid, but double check me on that. Using a high lye concentration also helps it trace faster, too.

Good luck, and let us know how it turns out!

 

[Zany_in_CO]

I agree with all of the above. My advice is to make a 500 gram batch just as you have formulated it to experience a castile type soap that remains in the mold for several days before it's firm enough to unmold. Once unmolded, wait another few days, maybe as much as a week before it's firm enough to cut. Once cut, allow 3 months or longer to cure before it's ready to use. The longer the cure, the milder the soap. At 5% SF and lye to water ratio of 1:2 you can expect a fair amount of "slime". Some people love it; some not so much!

There. I've just described my 12-year experience of making castile soap before I came up with Zany's No Slime Castile -- as well as the reasons why I was motivated to do so.

Next step: Make a 500 gram batch of ZNSC to compare with your formula. As others suggested, add 10% coconut & 5% castor for more bubbles. 5% shea butter is a good choice and will be noticeable even at that low of a rate. Mix your honey with equal parts water, nuke it a few seconds to warm it in the microwave before adding it to your warmed oils and mix for 1 full minute before adding the lye solution.

Making Zany's No Slime Castile - Andrea's You Tube Video



Be sure to follow the directions in a hard copy of the recipe as written. The reason Andrea's batch is slow to trace is because she neglects to use the recommended temps. ZNSC is ready to ship in 2 weeks and that's when I start using a test bar. As always, the longer the cure the better the bar.

HAPPY SOAPING!

 

[AAShillito]

Thank you all! I'm still developing and tweaking this recipe alot as its a gift for my brother in law who specifically requested creosote infused soap. I'm going to take the advice here and redo it