Oil-to-mold calculations for translucent soap

[DWinMadison]

I'm hoping to work on my first translucent bars tomorrow. The recipe I'm adapting calls for a 1 to 2 ratio of oils to solvents. It's a very interesting "quick" method from lovinsoap.com that the author calls "hot cold-process."

https://www.lovinsoap.com/2019/03/clear-transparent-soap-from-scratch-quick-method/

My question is: How do you size the oils for the mold. The obvious answer is to use 1/3 of the volume in 0unces x 40% method, but I'm guessing the liquids weigh less than oils at the same volume. Any of you guys have have experience with this?

Anybody want to play along and make a batch with me? The base oils are 40% coconut, 30% stearic, 20% castor and 10% grape seed (or maybe sweet almond). Solvents will be 25% glycerine, 50% Everclear 190 and 25% sugar syrup. Not sure about fragrance or colorant as of yet.

 

[atiz]

I have never done this so this is pure speculation. But I think alcohol is the only one which would weight less than the oils (glycerin and sugar syrup would weigh more -- no? I think they're both heavier than water). Based on the recipe on the website I would probably size the oils for half of the mold -- my guess is that you'll end up with some leftover batter this way, but you could just make some individual soaps as well.

I would love to try transparent soap sometime, but probably should wait some because I have at least a couple of years' supply of soap at home right now...

 

[DWinMadison]

One more question. I don’t have any liquid lab colorants. Can I use mica in translucent recipes? If so, can I just disperse it into the solvents?

 

[Marilyn Norgart]

I am following you on this one Daryl. I am waiting to see how it goes for you. anyway it sounds like I have to take a trip to another state to get everclear .

 

[Bladesmith]

This is one of those things I really like to use SoapMaker 3 for. And maybe you can do it with other calcs, I just started with soapmaker and see no reason to try anything else. But you can add all your ingredients and the specific gravity's for them. Then just tell it to resize for one of your saved mold sizes.

 

[cmzaha]

One more question. I don’t have any liquid lab colorants. Can I use mica in translucent recipes? If so, can I just disperse it into the solvents?

Yes you can use micas, by dispersing them in alcohol. If you have any diluted mica left, just let the alcohol evaporate and you will have mica powder again

 

[KiwiMoose]

I'd love to play along - may not have time this week though.
Can I use this for your 'Everclear' component?https://www.purenature.co.nz/products/ethanol-denatured

 

[Zany_in_CO]

Transparent Soap Calculator:
https://www.soapmakingforum.com/threads/transparent-soap-calulator.74958/

 

[Zany_in_CO]

Can I use this for your 'Everclear' component?https://www.purenature.co.nz/products/ethanol-denatured

There is a multitude of SDAs. The one you are looking at is SDA 3A denatured with methanol (aka wood alcohol) and not recommended for this purpose. SDA 40B is the one recommended for making transparent soap. Some suppliers used to carry it as "Perfumer's Alcohol", if I remember correctly.

ALCOHOL USED TO MAKE TRANSPARENT SOAP:

BOOZE - Ethanol, aka “Everclear”, “etoh”, “grain alcohol”, “white lightning” - pricey option ($32/liter) with excellent results. 190 Proof Everclear, 95% alcohol by volume, is available in Colorado. If you don’t find it at your local liquor store, ask the manager. 160 Proof (80% alcohol by volume) is the lowest I could go and still get clear soap. NOT vodka.

VODKA - 70-80 proof vodka found at the liquor store these days is 35% - 40% ethyl alcohol by volume. If you can find 100 proof (50% alcohol by volume), adjust the water in the recipe accordingly.

ISOPROPYL ALCOHOL - “rubbing alcohol” - not a good option because you need more to effectively produce transparency and the result is cloudy and the soap is somewhat "rubbery".

FLAVOR EXTRACTS - Pricey with okay results. Food extracts that contain 80% or more alcohol by volume (lemon, anise, almond, etc. -- NOT vanilla) work. Depending on the brand, these scents may fade over time. I was fortunate enough to find a 4 oz. bottle of lemon extract (80% alcohol + 20% lemon essential oil) on sale for $1 early in the experimental stage. Worked great and had the extra benefit of the scent locked in.

COMMERCIAL BODY MIST - “The Healing Garden” Body Mist from Walmart. Check the ingredients to be sure “alcohol” is the first thing listed. 2 oz. of this product can be substituted for 1 oz. EACH of water and alcohol in the recipe. When I last checked, there were about 12 fragrances to choose from. Great saver in terms of EO and FOs and this product seems to hold the scent very well.

 

[Zany_in_CO]

Can I use mica in translucent recipes?

I used Crayola crayons to get bright red, green, neon pink, black and navy blue. NOTE: Not all colors work in soap.
Add 1" piece PPO to melted oils/fats

ETA: https://www.soapmakingforum.com/threads/crayolas-to-color-cp-hp-soap.74017/#post-753183

 

[KiwiMoose]

There is a multitude of SDAs. The one you are looking at is SDA 3A denatured with methanol (aka wood alcohol) and not recommended for this purpose. SDA 40B is the one recommended for making transparent soap. Some suppliers used to carry it as "Perfumer's Alcohol", if I remember correctly.

ALCOHOL USED TO MAKE TRANSPARENT SOAP:

BOOZE - Ethanol, aka “Everclear”, “etoh”, “grain alcohol”, “white lightning” - pricey option ($32/liter) with excellent results. 190 Proof Everclear, 95% alcohol by volume, is available in Colorado. If you don’t find it at your local liquor store, ask the manager. 160 Proof (80% alcohol by volume) is the lowest I could go and still get clear soap. NOT vodka.

VODKA - 70-80 proof vodka found at the liquor store these days is 35% - 40% ethyl alcohol by volume. If you can find 100 proof (50% alcohol by volume), adjust the water in the recipe accordingly.

ISOPROPYL ALCOHOL - “rubbing alcohol” - not a good option because you need more to effectively produce transparency and the result is cloudy and the soap is somewhat "rubbery".

FLAVOR EXTRACTS - Pricey with okay results. Food extracts that contain 80% or more alcohol by volume (lemon, anise, almond, etc. -- NOT vanilla) work. Depending on the brand, these scents may fade over time. I was fortunate enough to find a 4 oz. bottle of lemon extract (80% alcohol + 20% lemon essential oil) on sale for $1 early in the experimental stage. Worked great and had the extra benefit of the scent locked in.

COMMERCIAL BODY MIST - “The Healing Garden” Body Mist from Walmart. Check the ingredients to be sure “alcohol” is the first thing listed. 2 oz. of this product can be substituted for 1 oz. EACH of water and alcohol in the recipe. When I last checked, there were about 12 fragrances to choose from. Great saver in terms of EO and FOs and this product seems to hold the scent very well.

Right - that's me out of the market then. I can only get the ethanol with methanol in it, or 98% isopropyl. I can get some other 'pure' spirit but it costs NZ$25 for 200ml so I'm not paying that.

 

[Zany_in_CO]

Right - that's me out of the market then. I can only get the ethanol with methanol in it,

Okay. Time for "True Confessions"... when I first started making transparent soap I found the least expensive SDA at Home Depot and Lowe's. It was "Denatured Alcohol" -- denatured with methanol -- used to refinish fine furniture. It worked great! I didn't know any better. Only later did I learn that SDA 40B is approved by the FDA for use in making transparent soap.

Then, when I researched your SDA there was some indication that the "jury is out" on whether or not it is skin safe, especially since it contains only 2% methanol (SDAs typically contain 5% of the denaturing ingredient). It would be a cheap work around because the Denatured Alcohol at the home improvement stores won't have the high alcohol (aka booze) excise tax (not sure).

 

[KiwiMoose]

Okay. Time for "True Confessions"... when I first started making transparent soap I found the least expensive SDA at Home Depot and Lowe's. It was "Denatured Alcohol" -- denatured with methanol -- used to refinish fine furniture. It worked great! I didn't know any better. Only later did I learn that SDA 40B is approved by the FDA for use in making transparent soap.

Then, when I researched your SDA there was some indication that the "jury is out" on whether or not it is skin safe, especially since it contains only 2% methanol (SDAs typically contain 5% of the denaturing ingredient). It would be a cheap work around because the Denatured Alcohol at the home improvement stores won't have the high alcohol (aka booze) excise tax (not sure).

That sounds about right - all the actual 'booze' ones cost around $100 per litre or more, so I'm not willing to spend that. I can get that one mentioned for $15 for 1 litre.

 

[Zany_in_CO]

You might do a quick search for "Perfumer's Alcohol" in your neck of the woods, as we say. Just did a quick search and found 200 proof on line -- 32 oz (almost a liter) @ $18. Has the correct SDA 40B nomenclature.

 

[KiwiMoose]

Lookie here: https://spirits.net.nz/news/perfumers-alcohol-ethanol-essential-basic-facts/

 

[Zany_in_CO]

Great article! However, it sure is pricey!!!