Hello everyone. I'm hoping someone can give me some insight as to what just happened to my fresh batch of lavender soap. I made the soap using about 47% extra virgin olive oil, 33% canola oil (for cost reasons), and 20% coconut oil. All the oils were fresh. I've done this recipe before and it's come out well. I decided to use a 3% lye discount to superfat my soap. I've never superfatted before so I wanted to give it a shot by going with a low percentage. I did NOT adjust the water amount used to make the lye solution, just the lye. I also included a few teaspoons of kaolin clay. When I added the clay, I simply sprinkled it in to the warm oils before adding the lye solution (I've read that a slurry should be made first, like when making gravy, but I did not do this). At trace, I added 5 tablespoons of lavander EO (the batch was approx. 90oz.). This morning I looked at the soap in it's tray, and there were oily spots all throughout that did not set up. What did I do wrong? Should I have adjusted the water for the lye solution? Was it the way I added the clay? Did I use too much EO? If anyone can help me I'd very much appreciate it!
Oily pockets in my soap! Help!
- Thread starter sndrcr3
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soapbuddy
Well-Known Member
3% lye discount (also called superfat) is walking a fine line between safe and lye heavy soap; especially in smaller batches. I would go with 7% instead for safety reasons. Be aware that canola is a soft oil with a short shelf life.
You always need to superfat, otherwise your soap will be lye heavy. Include all your oils and butters right up front, then calculate your recipe from that. Measuring clay with a teaspoon is ok, but you should really measure any essential oils by weight, as their molecular structure and weight are different.
At what temp did you combine the oils and lye? What did you add at trace besides the EO or clay? Did you use a stick blender and reached true trace?
You always need to superfat, otherwise your soap will be lye heavy. Include all your oils and butters right up front, then calculate your recipe from that. Measuring clay with a teaspoon is ok, but you should really measure any essential oils by weight, as their molecular structure and weight are different.
At what temp did you combine the oils and lye? What did you add at trace besides the EO or clay? Did you use a stick blender and reached true trace?
Hi Irene. I've been making soap for a few months without superfatting and so far I haven't had a problem with it being lye heavy. It's been very moisturizing and mild, actually. But I know that, for safety reasons, it's best to superfat, which is why I'm now attempting to do it. The oils were at about 110 degrees F when I blended them and the lye. According to Dr. McDaniel's book, Soap Maker's Workshop, it doesn't actually matter what temp the lye solution is when blending with the oils, so I've just been making sure the solution isn't boiling when I add it to the oils (perhaps he's wrong?) I'm aware that canola is soft and that it can go rancid quickly, which is part of the reason I incorporated coconut oil for hardness, lather, and because I've read that it helps keep the soap fresh (I've also read that it doesn't do anything for freshness...I seem to be constantly coming across conflicting information from books, scientists, and experienced soapers...quite frustrating). Thank you for replying and I hope you and others can help me to solve this issue!
soapbuddy
Well-Known Member
If you have not superfatted before, you are very lucky that your soap isn't lye heavy. You really do need some unsaponified oils or butters in your batch for safety or if you sell. The hotter your oils and lye the faster the mixture can saponify, BUT, the higher the temp, the more chance your fragrance or essential oils can flash off and fade in the soap batch. Canola will not help keep your soap fresh.sndrcr3 said:
As far as adding Vit E oil to soap, I would save it for your lotions or creams. Lye eats Vit E like it's breakfast. It doesn't survive the soapmaking process. It really isn't needed.
And if you're wondering....I've been making soap since 1969.
Thanks for that. Do you mean coconut, rather than canola, won't keep it fresh? Is there anything you recommend that could potentially keep the soap for a longer period of time if I continue to use canola, or are my soaps pretty much gauranteed to go rancid if I continue using it?
Krissy, my exact recipe was as follows:
42.3oz olive oil (47% total oils)
29.7oz canola oil (33% total oils)
18oz coconut oil (20% total oils - would've gone higher but I'm concerned about drying affects on the skin)
5 tbsp lavender EO
1/2 ground lavender flowers
5 tsp. Vit E
5 tsp. kaolin clay
12.25oz lye
29.8oz. water
42.3oz olive oil (47% total oils)
29.7oz canola oil (33% total oils)
18oz coconut oil (20% total oils - would've gone higher but I'm concerned about drying affects on the skin)
5 tbsp lavender EO
1/2 ground lavender flowers
5 tsp. Vit E
5 tsp. kaolin clay
12.25oz lye
29.8oz. water
soapbuddy
Well-Known Member
Canola at 33% is asking for trouble, since this oil goes off or rancid at a faster rate.sndrcr3 said:
busymakinsoap!
Well-Known Member
Same, or if I havent mixed th fragrance it properly
Wow soapbuddy I didn't know that!
I use Rice Bran oil to subsitute some of my Olive, it's usually cheaper. It does speed up trace though, and although dark in colour you can still achieve a white bar
sndrcr3 said:
If you up the superfat to the range that Irena recommends, you could up the coconut to about 25%, add about 5% castor for some extra creaminess and bubbles, and have a very nice and luxurious soap with a longer shelf life. Olive is so emolient that it shouldn't be drying with a decent lye discount/superfat.
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