Question about 50/50 split milk method

[Sonya-m]

So after approx 12 batches under my belt I thought I would have a try with coconut milk using the 50/50 split method

My question is regarding the extra things I usually add to my water before lye. I've been adding 2% oil weight of sugar and sodium citrate and also 1tsp PPO of salt

My recipe today called for 342g liquid and 127g lye. So I weighed out my 171g each of water and coconut milk and added the coconut to my oils. I added my extras listed above into the 171g water, made sure all dissolved before adding my lye.

It seemed ok, cloudy at first then clear with no crystals remaining. But when I came to use it once cooled there were crystals in the bottom - I don't know which of the 4 substances in the water this was? Any ideas?

Is this just not possible using reduced water - is it possible there's not enough water to dissolve all of these? I know you can use as little water as the lye amount and it will still dissolve but wondering if even though this wasn't a 50% lye solution there was just too much else going on?

If so, would adding the salt, sugar & sodium citrate to the coconut milk work?

 

[Obsidian]

Its possible there is just too much going on. Do you have any honey or corn syrup you can used instead of dry sugar? You could stir it into the coconut milk or blend it into the oils.

 

[kchaystack]

You could also make a simple syrup (1 part sugar to 1 part water and heat til the sugar is gone) and mix that with your milk.

 

[not_ally]

Sonya, not relevant to this thread, but can't believe you made the soap in your "good day" post with so few batches under your belt, hadn't realized. That is awesome.

 

[Sonya-m]

Sonya, not relevant to this thread, but can't believe you made the soap in your "good day" post with so few batches under your belt, hadn't realized. That is awesome.

Aw thanks! I was really happy with that one but came back to earth with a bump today after this creation:



Soap on a stick = unexpected HP!!

 

[not_ally]

The only soap I have ever taken a picture of (don't know how to transfer it from my cell phone to here or would post) was so ugly that I felt I had to memorialize it before I threw it away. Much more hideous than yours, RIP ugly True Rose soap.

 

[Dahila]

I would cut the sugar to 1 % omit salt. I take off some water to dissolve sugar , in mean time add CA dissolve well then add sugar and when the lye cool I add 1 tsp of SL PPO. the split method should work. I believe you add salt for hardness, SL does the job.

 

[Sonya-m]

I would cut the sugar to 1 % omit salt. I take off some water to dissolve sugar , in mean time add CA dissolve well then add sugar and when the lye cool I add 1 tsp of SL PPO. the split method should work. I believe you add salt for hardness, SL does the job.

I do add salt for hardness, unfortunately I don't have any SL, would adding my salt to the cooled lye solution work?

 

[Susie]

There is no way to tell what the crystals are. I am with everyone else, though. That is a LOT going on in the lye water. If you could post the whole recipe, we can start figuring out if you really need the salt in the water. That might eliminate one factor. As for the sugar, CM has natural sugars in it, you really don't need both table sugar and CM, as both will heat, so you would have to put it in the freezer to avoid soap volcano. That takes that list down to sodium citrate and lye. Much more manageable.

 

[shunt2011]

Another suggestion is maybe all your additives were just too much for that amount of water. I generally use 2 x my lye amount then add the difference in milks to my oils. I would also make sure each additive is totally dissolved before adding the lye. Perhaps you will just need to limit the number of things added to your lye solution.

 

[Sonya-m]

Thanks everyone - I figured it was just too many additives

Here's the full recipe



So to recap:

1) no need for sugar as the CM will add bubbles?
2) add salt to water before lye?
3) add sodium citrate to cooled lye water?

 

[Obsidian]

looks good, I like high lard soaps

1) yes, it will add some.
2) yes, always before lye or it won't dissolve
3) Not sure about this, if its a liquid then I would guess yes, add to cooled lye.

 

[Sonya-m]

looks good, I like high lard soaps

1) yes, it will add some.
2) yes, always before lye or it won't dissolve
3) Not sure about this, if its a liquid then I would guess yes, add to cooled lye.

Cool, I'll omit the sugar in my next milk soap

I always fully dissolve the salt before adding the lye

It's in crystal form - might do a slightly higher water % like 60/40 and use the extra to dissolve the sodium citrate

 

[Obsidian]

I use citric acid and just take out a little water to dissolve it in then pour it back into the cooled lye water.

 

[Sonya-m]

I use citric acid and just take out a little water to dissolve it in then pour it back into the cooled lye water.

Great, will try this next time

 

[Susie]

That soap will not lack for hardness in any way. You can truthfully skip either the salt, or the SL, or both. I never use either one, and never lack for hardness.

 

[Obsidian]

Thats true. I make a 80% lard, 20% coconut and its very hard/long lasting.

 

[DeeAnna]

I'm suspicious abut the salt. It is less soluble in water than one might realize ... and even less soluble after lye is added. It can cause the lye solution to be cloudy.

And I agree with the others that the salt isn't needed. It's a big temptation to use additives but I sometimes think we might be solving problems that don't really exist.

 

[DeeAnna]

If using citric acid rather than sodium citrate, be sure to add the extra lye that the acid will consume!