Preservative question

[Jen74]

I was wondering what preservatives do you all add to your soaps to prevent rancidity? I know that ROE is One of them. Also, how do you measure out the ROE and other preservatives since they are such a small amount? My scale only goes down to one gram. Do you guys use a special scale?

 

[Zany_in_CO]

You can answer most of your questions by taking some time to read @DeeAnna 's SOAPY STUFF. Take a cuppa along to absorb as much as you can at your leisure.

As far as weighing is concerned, if I'm doing small amounts I use volume measures (3 ml pipette, teaspoons) instead of weight measures. For example, I know that 1 ml = weighs approx. 1 gram. I draw up 2 mls or so of the product, set the batch on the scale, hit the TARE button, and dispense 1 gram of whatever from the pipette while reading the weight on my scale.

Over time, you will get a sense of how much by volume you need to add to get the correct weight of whatever you're adding.

I hope that makes sense.

 

[AliOop]

FYI, preservatives are not used to prevent rancidity, but rather, microbial growth in water-based products. Antioxidants prevent rancidity in oil-based products.

I've personally made soap for almost a decade without ever using an antioxidant, and I have very rarely experienced any rancidity. And when I did, one time was the result of using supposedly stainless steel baking racks as curing racks. Another time was very early in my soaping adventures; I used oils that I knew were rancid, thinking that saponification would take care of the rancidity.

Now that I'm buying oils in larger quantities and masterbatching them, I've started adding ROE to each masterbatch as an extra precaution.

Edit: I use a jeweler's scale like this to measure very small quantities.

 

[lsg]

For oils that do not have a long shelf life, I usually add ROE to the oils when I open them. I also refrigerate oils such as Hemp oil as I buy them in smaller sizers.

 

[Jen74]

For oils that do not have a long shelf life, I usually add ROE to the oils when I open them. I also refrigerate oils such as Hemp oil as I buy them in smaller sizers.

I use mainly Palm oil and palm kernel oil. I did add some ROE to my last batch of soap( I like to add it to the soap as I am making it). I just added like three drops. I just ordered a jewelers scale to see if I could measure it out better. Not sure how much to add to my 2 lbs of soap...

 

[Zany_in_CO]

Not sure how much to add to my 2 lbs of soap...

Not all ROE is the same. The "Use Rate" is available from the supplier. Read the details provided in the write up of the ROE.

 

[Cat&Oak]

I may be the minority but I don't add anything to prevent rancidity.

 

[Zany_in_CO]

I may be the minority but I don't add anything to prevent rancidity.

Correct.
ROE is an antioxidant used to extend the shelf life of oils. ROSEMARY OLEORESIN EXTRACT

 

[Jen74]

I may be the minority but I don't add anything to prevent rancidity.

How do you prevent your soap from going bad? What calculations do you use? My soaps keep going bad. I tried using a dehumidifier thinking it was humidity causing them to go bad, but nope, still had 2 batches go south. I did make one batch using a bit more lye and water and added ROE. That batch didn't go bad. Not sure what helped, was it the ROE or changing the calculations adding more lye which I guess makes it less super fat? I use only palm oils and palm kernel oil( I have sensitive skin and this is all I can tolerate). What do you use in making your soaps?

 

[Cat&Oak]

How do you prevent your soap from going bad? What calculations do you use? My soaps keep going bad. I tried using a dehumidifier thinking it was humidity causing them to go bad, but nope, still had 2 batches go south. I did make one batch using a bit more lye and water and added ROE. That batch didn't go bad. Not sure what helped, was it the ROE or changing the calculations adding more lye which I guess makes it less super fat? I use only palm oils and palm kernel oil( I have sensitive skin and this is all I can tolerate). What do you use in making your soaps?

I live in the desert so I don't have to deal with humidity. I use a recipe of olive, palm, coconut, mango butter, sweet almond and castor. 33% lye concentration and 6% sf
Do you store your soaps on metal racks? I wish I could help more!

 

[KudzuGoddess]

I don't use preservatives in my cold process soap, always in lotion or other water based ingredients. Keep in mind though lots of things may look wrong but might not be that bad. When I first started out I thought lots of things that were perfectly fine had gone bad. The volatility of the curing process was a huge surprise. Scents would disappear and reappear, I thought partial gelling was rancidity for a while, also soda ash is a dead ringer for mold. What saved me is that I just didn't have the heart to throw them out so they just kept curing on the shelf and I learned a ton of info in the meantime. Keep using good ingredients and handle them with care, you should be fine, no preservatives needed for soap.

 

[Mobjack Bay]

I use mainly Palm oil and palm kernel oil. I did add some ROE to my last batch of soap( I like to add it to the soap as I am making it). I just added like three drops. I just ordered a jewelers scale to see if I could measure it out better. Not sure how much to add to my 2 lbs of soap...

Lenaree walked you through how to use ROE in your other thread. As was noted above, too much ROE will promote oxidation and increase the chances of rancidity in soap. To determine the correct amount to add to your freshly opened oils or to the oils as you make soap, determine the concentration of carnosic acid in the ROE you have and then follow the calculations as advised. For more information, read about antioxidants and ROE at the Soapy Stuff website. If you need help with the calculation, research to find the concentration of carnosic acid in the ROE you have and then post your recipe, with weights.

 

[Susie]

I don't use anything to preserve either oils or soaps. No need. I don't use short shelf life oils. and I make sure my oils are not close to their use by date.

 

[Highfive]

I agree with Susie, we don't use anything to preserve soaps. We learned early in our journey purchase small amounts of oil and increase with time. Olive Oil, Coconut Oil, Beef Tallow.

 

[Íbera]

I don't use any antioxidant neither in my soaps nor in my oils, and I have never had any problem with them getting rancid. Well... just in two occasions: one batch of soaps made with avocado oil that was smelling kind of funky. Inevitably it became rancid along the very first week while curing.
The other was when using a FO in two different batches and both of them got rancid, so when I stopped using it my problem disappeared.
I have tones of soaps in boxes and I have kept a soap of every batch I have made from the beginning when I started making soap 9 years now, I am very surprised that none of them are rancid. Maybe it's because I buy oils very often and I finish them quickly.