Newbie needs help with rebatch!

[kittywings]

Forgive my newbie-ness:

So... I followed this recipe for Castile Soap using only Olive Oil, Water and Lye. It gave everything based on using a 12 oz. container of lye so you didn't have to measure. The problem was I could only find a 16 oz. container of lye so I multiplied the recipe by 1/3 (1/4?... I'm pretty tired as I write this). Basically I used 64 oz. Olive Oil, 42.5 oz. water and the whole 16 oz. of lye. I didn't have a stick blender and it was taking FOREVER to trace so I put it in the oven overnight with the light on to try and keep it warmer... long story short, it finally thickened up and I put it in the mold. I did the zap test and it zapped! I want to rebatch it, but I don't know how much oil/water to add, what temp to cook at, etc. ALSO, I originally used fluid oz. not weight (the recipe didn't specify). Did I completely screw up? Is it salvageable? HELP!!!

 

[Deda]

I ran your recipe through a couple calcs and it looks like you over shot your lye. A lot.

For 64 oz of Olive Oil with a 5% Superfat:

Soapcalc - 8.24 oz

Soapmaker - 8.15 oz

Summer Bee - 8.29 oz.

Perhaps you made a typo when you gave us the recipe in your post?

 

[digit]

Sorry, can't help with the rebatch.......but I have to say "Thank You" for the morning laugh. I absolutely love your avatar!!!!!!!

Digit

 

[kittywings]

That's what I thought.... can I add a lot more oil and re-cook it?

 

[Lindy]

Okay - you're giong to need to do this in the oven because you need to add another 64 oz of Olive Oil for the amount of lye you used. Even at that you're going to be a little water heavy but it can be done.

So, put your gloves back on - chop that baby up into little pieces or grate it (grating is better). Once you have that back in your pot, add 64 oz of Olive Oil and stir. Put your oven at 200 F and you are going to want to stir it occassionally. In the beginning you don't really need to stir it a bunch until it starts to melt and then only now and then. Once your soap starts to incorporate the additional oil, cook it until everything is really well mixed and it's going to be really thick. Once it looks like thick vaseline you can put it back into your molds. This is not going to be as pretty as CP, but it will look okay and will be usable....

Please let us know how you make out.

Cheers
Lindy

PS You really do want a stick blender - especially fo Castille. It will make your soapmaking experience so much better....

 

[Deda]

That's what I thought.... can I add a lot more oil and re-cook it?

I hate to say this, but I wouldn't. Are you absolutely certain of the EXACT amounts you used?

If it were me I would get a digi scale, Target sells them, Wal-Mart probably does, too.

I used to by my lye in ROTO bottles, I think they were all labeled 1 lb. When I started premixing my lye I started weighing the entire bottle, not just the amount for the recipe. There was sometimes an entire ounce more or less than the label stated.

Seeing as 64 more ounces of Olive oil, if you are buying from a grocer, is almost as much as a scale you will use again and again, I would just waste the bad batch and start fresh with the right equipment.

 

[kittywings]

Thanks for all the tips! I just bought a stick blender at Goodwill for $8 and a fancy digital scale on clearance at Target for $34 (normally about $50). I started breaking up the soap to rebatch and added more water, but seeing as though you think I'm pretty water heavy... I think I'm gonna toss it all nd start over. I'll let you guys know how batch 2 turns out!

 

[Deda]

Fingers crossed for you!
Don't forget the pics!

 

[kittywings]

So far so good... I used 3 lbs. of olive oil, just over 6 oz lye, and 1.14 lbs. water (I think)... I traced within 10 minutes (using my handy "new" stick blender)... it's snuggled up right now in my mold which is wrapped in 2 towels and in my inside storage area (to keep the petting zoo away from it). It's looking good thus far! I will definitely post pics when the process is further along! Thanks for all the tips and well-wishes!

 

[SoapMom]

Let us know how it turns out! BTW, I love your fat kittie!! Too cute!!!

 

[kittywings]

So I have tried 2 bars in my first successful batch (even though it didn't go through the whole cure time) and I love them! I've been using it to wash my face and all my makeup comes off and my skin feels good. My husband loves it too, he said his skin doesn't feel itchy after a shower like it usually does (because he won't listen to me and use lotion). YAY!!

I made another batch the other day, this time it was 70% olive oil, 15% coconut oil and 15% almond oil... I added honey almond fragrance oil at trace. I just cut it into bars yesterday and it smells SOOO good! I can't wait to use it! I took pictures too!!

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[surf girl]

Those soaps look great - I bet they smell heavenly.

 

[Lindy]

Yay you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Those soaps look absolutely wonderful!

Are you using a lye calculator now so you can be sure of your lye & water amounts?

 

[kittywings]

Yeah, I've been using soapcalc.com... I think I'm hooked! I also made my own recipe for lotion that I've been using for my whole face & body and it rocks! I got a lot of stuff from lotioncrafter and got ideas from looking at other lotion labels. I gave some to my mom and she really likes it too! I was at the mall today and went into Bath & Body works and it seemed like such a racket because I knew how to make so much of the stuff now for so cheap! YAY!

 

[MikeInPdx]

Thanks for all the tips! I just bought a stick blender at Goodwill for $8 and a fancy digital scale on clearance at Target for $34 (normally about $50). I started breaking up the soap to rebatch and added more water, but seeing as though you think I'm pretty water heavy... I think I'm gonna toss it all nd start over. I'll let you guys know how batch 2 turns out!

I'm glad you decided to toss it. Batch 2 should be LOTS better!

 

[Sonam]

I love the kitty! YAY! for your soap! and lotion, its so funny to go into the store and not want any of the junk in there because you know what you make at home is much better. Before soap I started with stuff for my hair, now I barely use much store bought stuff in the shower.

 

[booboo]

Hi,
I am so new to all this, Your recipe sound great, just what I'm looking for. I soooo want to make olive oil soap yet what I have read people seen to say it can be on the slimely side. Also had one bought for me and it was very slimely
I have four questions,

What type of olive oil did you use?

Is it slimely at all?

How long did you leave it to cure for?

Can you use real honey for aroma?

The reason I ask about the honey is we have loads of chestnut honey and it has a very stronge aroma

 

[kittywings]

My husband was impatient to try the olive oil soap, so it only had cured about a week (or less?) before it was used. At first he thought it was slimy, but now he gets really excited to use it. I'd say the supposed sliminess is just a difference between olive oil soap and commercial soaps. It's not actual gross SLIME. I've given bars to my mom, grandmother, sister, friends and everyone loves it. I've been using it both in the shower and to wash my face at night. It takes off all my makeup and my skin feels clean but it's not nearly as dry before I put on lotion as it used to be.

I used honey almond fragrance oil for my 2nd batch of soap.... I'm sure you can use real honey... I'm pretty sure I've seen recipes with it as an ingredient. I'm trying to let the honey almond soaps fully cure before I use them but I am REALLY tempted to bust one out in my next shower!