Playing, learning, winning and failing with HP!

[DeeBeeSNJ]

I’m not discouraged just being truthful. You can’t win them all. I could not wait to start today. I have been making HP soaps and working on fluidity but it’s getting worse. I suspect I am removing too much water to mix with mica’s from the lye water. I left more than the lyes weight in water. Do you mix mica’s with water in addition to the 38% with out deductions? Do you mix mica’s with oils? Interesting HP day.
* A bad day soaping is better than a good day at work!

 

[AliOop]

If you have selected "38% water as percent of oils" as your lye setting, I recommend that you switch to "lye concentration." Your results will be much more consistent from batch to batch. For HP, set it to something between 25% to 30%, depending on your recipe, how long you cook it, how often you stir, etc.

When I make HP, I use hot sugar water to disperse the micas, and do not subtract that from my batch water.

 

[DeeBeeSNJ]

If you have selected "38% water as percent of oils" as your lye setting, I recommend that you switch to "lye concentration." Your results will be much more consistent from batch to batch. For HP, set it to something between 25% to 30%, depending on your recipe, how long you cook it, how often you stir, etc.

When I make HP, I use hot sugar water to disperse the micas, and do not subtract that from my batch water.

I will change the concentration and not subtract from the batch water. I try not to stir it after the trace and let it volcano. Thats when I stir to calm it down. So, if you stir a lot you should go to a 30%? Thank you so much for the feedback. I sure need it there is so much to learn. Boy do I wish I paid more attention in science.

 

[dmcgee5034]

Boy do I wish I paid more attention in science.

I don’t do HP, but I feel the same about wishing I’d paid more attention in science!

 

[AliOop]

I will change the concentration and not subtract from the batch water. I try not to stir it after the trace and let it volcano. Thats when I stir to calm it down. So, if you stir a lot you should go to a 30%? Thank you so much for the feedback. I sure need it there is so much to learn. Boy do I wish I paid more attention in science.

If you stir a lot, or don't keep it covered, or cook it a long time, you will want more water, like 25% lye concentration.

If you don't stir a lot, you keep it covered most of the time, and you don't cook it a long time, then try 28-30% lye concentration (which is less water), because you won't be loosing as much to evaporation.

Also, if you are looking for fluidity, everything you add after the cook should be warmed up. Cold additives will ruin fluidity very quickly! Make sure the utensils are warm, too.

 

[Kcryss]

I only do HP, and for fluidity I finally settled on a 3:1 liquid to lye concentration. I add superfat after the cook along with milk powder mixed with just enough water to make a thin paste. I do not deduct for any oils/water used after cook. Mica's I use 2 to 1 mct oil to mica (ex: 3g mct, 1.5g mica). I don't even add sodium lactate or yogurt anymore for fluidity.

Like @AliOop recommends, all additives added after cook must be warmed to ~ same temp as your batter before adding. I also warm my utensils and cups that I use for mixing batter with micas.
@AliOop I've never tried sugar water. I might have to give that a try.

 

[contrinokathy]

I’m not discouraged just being truthful. You can’t win them all. I could not wait to start today. I have been making HP soaps and working on fluidity but it’s getting worse. I suspect I am removing too much water to mix with mica’s from the lye water. I left more than the lyes weight in water. Do you mix mica’s with water in addition to the 38% with out deductions? Do you mix mica’s with oils? Interesting HP day.
* A bad day soaping is better than a good day at work!

I mix in yogurt, extra water for clays/sometimes mica, sugar, sodium lactate, extra oil and 3% glycerine after the cook. If you have a hard bar recipe according to soapcalc 38% water plus a touch more doesn’t hurt and the loaf is hard by late afternoon when I cut it.

 

[contrinokathy]

Sometimes I get swirls. Sometimes I can barely get the soap in the mold.
Coconut oil helps keep the soap fluid enough to swirl but I don’t use it much because it is too harsh on my skin.
It takes quite a bit of practice to swirl hot process and even then it can be impossible. I shoot for great soap and hope for pretty lol

 

[DeeBeeSNJ]

I only do HP, and for fluidity I finally settled on a 3:1 liquid to lye concentration. I add superfat after the cook along with milk powder mixed with just enough water to make a thin paste. I do not deduct for any oils/water used after cook. Mica's I use 2 to 1 mct oil to mica (ex: 3g mct, 1.5g mica). I don't even add sodium lactate or yogurt anymore for fluidity.

Like @AliOop recommends, all additives added after cook must be warmed to ~ same temp as your batter before adding. I also warm my utensils and cups that I use for mixing batter with micas.
@AliOop I've never tried sugar water. I might have to give that a try.

I do everything warm as well. But I obviously was deducting way too much. Thank you for sharing what works for you. I love the pointers and advice.

Sometimes I get swirls. Sometimes I can barely get the soap in the mold.
Coconut oil helps keep the soap fluid enough to swirl but I don’t use it much because it is too harsh on my skin.
It takes quite a bit of practice to swirl hot process and even then it can be impossible. I shoot for great soap and hope for pretty lol

Beautiful soaps! I love them.

If you stir a lot, or don't keep it covered, or cook it a long time, you will want more water, like 25% lye concentration.

If you don't stir a lot, you keep it covered most of the time, and you don't cook it a long time, then try 28-30% lye concentration (which is less water), because you won't be loosing as much to evaporation.

Also, if you are looking for fluidity, everything you add after the cook should be warmed up. Cold additives will ruin fluidity very quickly! Make sure the utensils are warm, too.

I am a bit confused about percentages water to lye but not the oils. I always keep the top part the same and I don’t change it other than the loaf size in ounces.

 

[contrinokathy]

Beautiful soaps! I love them.

I am a bit confused about percentages water to lye but not the oils. I always keep the top part the same and I don’t change it other than the loaf size in ounces.

Yes. I rarely change that as well. There are many Soapers that fiddle with those numbers but I tend not to so not the best person to clear that up.
Thank you. It has been. Wonderful journey making hot process. I won’t go back to cold process even if my soaps look more rustic.

 

[DeeBeeSNJ]

Yes. I rarely change that as well. There are many Soapers that fiddle with those numbers but I tend not to so not the best person to clear that up.
Thank you. It has been. Wonderful journey making hot process. I won’t go back to cold process even if my soaps look more rustic.

I just love HP myself. I love the rustic look as well.

 

[AliOop]

I am a bit confused about percentages water to lye but not the oils. I always keep the top part the same and I don’t change it other than the loaf size in ounces.

Ahhh there is your issue. When using water as percent of oils, your fluidity wont be the same if your batch size changes, or if you use a different recipe.

Like @Kcryss, 25% lye concentration is my sweet spot for fluid HP (or 3:1 water:lye ratio; you can say it either way and it means the same thing). But I mention the lesser water (higher lye concentration) for those who cook it less or want it to firm up faster.

Everyone finds what works for them, and I know you will, too!

 

[Kcryss]

Not the best pics, but these are all HP swirls.

 

[DeeBeeSNJ]

Not the best pics, but these are all HP swirls.


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Really Beautiful!

 

[linne1gi]

If you have selected "38% water as percent of oils" as your lye setting, I recommend that you switch to "lye concentration." Your results will be much more consistent from batch to batch. For HP, set it to something between 25% to 30%, depending on your recipe, how long you cook it, how often you stir, etc.

When I make HP, I use hot sugar water to disperse the micas, and do not subtract that from my batch water.

Slightly off topic, but I tell everyone to change from “water as a percentage of oils”, to either lye concentration or water/lye ratio simply for more consistent results, whether hot processed or cold processed. I wish that wasn’t the default choice in SoapCalc, it messes so many people up.

 

[DeeBeeSNJ]

Slightly off topic, but I tell everyone to change from “water as a percentage of oils”, to either lye concentration or water/lye ratio simply for more consistent results, whether hot processed or cold processed. I wish that wasn’t the default choice in SoapCalc, it messes so many people up.

Thank you, I will do this next time. Should I keep it at 38% or do you suggest 25% concentration too? Wouldn’t that lower water? I have been reading and trying to understand and I know eventually it will all click. So, I just keep asking questions till it does.

 

[linne1gi]

Thank you, I will do this next time. Should I keep it at 38% or do you suggest 25% concentration too? Wouldn’t that lower water? I have been reading and trying to understand and I know eventually it will all click. So, I just keep asking questions till it does.

Read this article. It’s helpful.
Water in soap | Soapy Stuff

 

[DeeBeeSNJ]

Read this article. It’s helpful.
Water in soap | Soapy Stuff

This is a very good article. I also played with the recipes to see the different water amounts when changing to concentration. I am understanding better.

 

[Gaisy59]

Not the best pics, but these are all HP swirls.


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Wow! No way can i do that with HP…beautiful!