Playing with Recipe

[tjd2006]

Hi Guys,

I am new here and i've been playing with the soap calc and testing out a few recipes. Last night I decided to make a softer soap 40:60 sat:unsat with only oils that could be found locally.

Lard - 35%
Coconut Oil - 20%
Olive Oil - 25%
Avocado Oil - 10%
Sunflower Oil- 10%
38% water
26.829% lye

This is the first time i've tried to make a soap this soft, normally 10 - 12 hours later I can unmold my soap. It's been about 16 hours and this soap is still extremely soft and extremely ZAPPY (Lots of lye still in it/soapaction not done)

Is that level of softness normal for a recipe like this?

 

[maryloucb]

Did it gel? I generally give my soaps 24-48 hours before I try and unmold, and they usually gel.

 

[tjd2006]

Did it gel? I generally give my soaps 24-48 hours before I try and unmold, and they usually gel.

This one did not gel at all

 

[SoapDaddy70]

That is a lot of water so that's why it is still soft. I would increase your lye percentage to at least 33%, if not more. The 38% Water as a percentage of oil default setting in SoapCalc was a setting more used for Hot Process which loses some water due to the cook. Switch to Lye Concentration as your setting and up it to 33% to start. This will give you much less liquid in your recipe and help unmold faster.

 

[tjd2006]

That is a lot of water so that's why it is still soft. I would increase your lye percentage to at least 33%, if not more. The 38% Water as a percentage of oil default setting in SoapCalc was a setting more used for Hot Process which loses some water due to the cook. Switch to Lye Concentration as your setting and up it to 33% to start. This will give you much less liquid in your recipe and help unmold faster.

Hey Soap Daddy! tweaking the lye concentration to 33% in SoapCalc, can I do that for all my cold process soap recipes?

 

[SoapDaddy70]

Hey Soap Daddy! tweaking the lye concentration to 33% in SoapCalc, can I do that for all my cold process soap recipes?

I don't see why not. I think a lot of people will say 33% is an average lye concentration. Kind of depends on what you are looking to do design wise and what your recipe is. I think 33% is a safe place to start though. Also, mathwise its easy to figure out. 33% Lye Concentration is basically 2x the amount of lye for your water amount or 2 to 1 water to lye ratio.

 

[earlene]

Hey Soap Daddy! tweaking the lye concentration to 33% in SoapCalc, can I do that for all my cold process soap recipes?

I do for almost all my CP recipes or even higher. Often 35%, sometimes higher than that, depending on the recipe. I rarely use anything less that 33% Lye concentration.

 

[Zany_in_CO]

Is that level of softness normal for a recipe like this?

At 40/60 Sat/Unsat, Yes.

Olive Oil - 25%
Avocado Oil - 10%
Sunflower Oil- 10%

All of these oils contain "unsaponifiables", meaning, even if you soaped at 0% SF (aka "lye discount") some of the oil would remain unsaponified.

It's been about 16 hours and this soap is still extremely soft and extremely ZAPPY (Lots of lye still in it/soapaction not done)

Fresh soap tends to be ZAPPY. No worries. Patience.

Lard - 35%

In my experience, lard soaps are best processed at 120-135°F. If you soaped cool, this could be the reason for the extended period in the mold. In any case, patience. In time, this could be a lovely soap after it is fully cured.

Have a look at the BASIC TRINITY OF OILS to reformulate your recipe by upping the "Sat"s, i.e., lard & coconut, and lowering the "Unsat"s, i.e. olive, avocado & sunflower. Aim for an INS Value of 160 and a more balanced Sat/Unsat ratio.

ETA: FWIW (For What It's Worth), although 33% lye concentration is popular here on SMF, with few exceptions, I use 38% water to lye. I rarely soap cool or at room temp and I am currently using 0% SF. But that's just me -- I don't have a problem unmolding and cutting, and I have never experienced DOS or Soda Ash.

I'm not saying, do as I do. What I am advising, is to learn through experience when the formula calls for a lye discount and maybe higher temps.