Newbie Question - Shaving Soap HP or CP

[spicyjem]

Hi everyone. Total newbie here, but I've been lurking for a little and reading lots of books.

I'm a 35 year old guy, and I've decided that I want to take a stab at making shaving soap. After much research, I have concocted on paper a recipe that I want to try for my first batch.

Up until now, I figured I would do CP, mainly because 1) I am not in a hurry to have it cure, and 2) I hear that CP bars come out smoother. Not sure if that's true.

Since I planned to have it mold in a PVC pipe, my question is this:

Is there any harm or disadvantage to use a HP rather than a CP aside from drastically cutting the wait time for the final product? Is HP harder because you're accelerating the saponification process and therefore, is there more room for error?

It just seems like CP is easier and if you can be patient, the better way to go. Just looking for your thoughts and opinions!

 

[kelleyaynn]

Welcome!

HP isn't difficult, but for someone who has never made soap before, it is a longer and more involved process. If you have no problem with waiting for the cure, I'd go with CP for your first venture into making soap, then try HP to compare. I tend to use CP for my soaps that use fragrance oils because it is faster to make (not counting the cure time), and the bars tend to come out smoother. I use HP when I use essential oils, since you can use less - saves money. I make a kitchen soap HP, and I actually like the look of the soap for the kitchen.

Now to address a question you did not ask, did you run your recipe through a lye calculator like soapcalc? That is a MUST when you make your own recipes. Also, is your shaving soap the kind you use with a brush? I've never made that kind of soap, but those recipes are rather complicated, and not exactly for the first-timer. I'm sure others will chime in, but perhaps you should consider making a regular old shower type soap first, just to get experience.

 

[spicyjem]

Hi Kelly Ann - Thanks for the reply!

Yes, this is shaving soap to use with a badger brush, since I shave with a straight razor.

And I do have a recipe I concocted using SoapCalc. I won't dive into the specifics, but it seems to have the characteristics I would want in a soap (not horribly cleansing, but good lather and a little conditioning:

Hardness: 46
Cleansing: 9
Conditioning: 51
Bubbly: 23
Creamy: 51
Iodine: 53

I think I will do a CP batch, and then mold it into some PVC pipe so that it comes out as circular in shape (for shaving mugs).

Now I have to find the best place to get all my ingredients, since there are so many places out there! I hope I can get a lot of the basic oils from a grocery store like Safeway (castor, palm, coconut, etc) but I haven't checked yet. If you have any good resources for getting all your soap making ingredients, please share them (or PM them to me if it's not allowed on the forum).

Keep smiling!
- Jeff

 

[Midnight Rowan]

I've never done the shaving soap, but I've seen Irish Lass talking about her own shaving soaps in several posts, and they sound divine. I'd do a search for her, and see what she's got to say, as she seems very experienced with them. HTH

 

[ToniD]

Hi,

I get lots of my oils from soapers choice, or Oils by nature. You can compare prices and shipping.

 

[spicyjem]

@ToniD - Thanks for posting those resources. I will check them out and add them to my list!

@Midnight Rowan - Yes, IrishLass is my new unofficial mentor when it comes to soap making! Love that girl!