Question about superfatting

[AshleyR]

I use soapcalc.com to formulate all of my recipes. I have used the superfat feature on there before (defaulted at 5%) but when I do that - I can't control WHICH oil gets superfatted.

I just got some cocoa butter and shea butter in and I want to use one or the other to superfat my next batch. How do I do it so that I know the cocoa/shea is what's superfatting the soap and not a mixture of all the oils?

Should I set the default on soapcalc to 0%, and then add my cocoa/shea at trace? How much should I add? I'll be making a 3.5 lb (oils) batch.

Thanks!

 

[carebear]

In reality (which some refuse to accept - reality that is) even if you add something at trace you aren't controlling which oil is being saponified because the vast majority of the lye is still free and will react with whatever it can... The only way to ensure that it's the cocoa/shea butters is to HP your soap and add them after the cook.

 

[squeakyclean]

OK...so now you've got me wondering..

On Ashley's 3.5 lb oil batch how much shea butter should she use?

 

[carebear]

Oh, let's see now. I guess I'd say about 5% the weight of her total oils?

See she could do her basic recipe (minus the butters) with a 0% superfat to get the lye amount. Then add the 5% of in butters.

I think that works, but brain fried so if that doesn't make sense let me know.

 

[squeakyclean]

Oh, let's see now. I guess I'd say about 5% the weight of her total oils?

See she could do her basic recipe (minus the butters) with a 0% superfat. Then add the 5% in butters.

but brain fried so if that doesn't make sense let me know.

Thanks Carebear... makes sense to me !!!

 

[AshleyR]

Thanks guys.... I was having a bit of a brain fart. It seems a little bit obvious doesn't it?

Anyway, I did it, it appears to have worked. It is setting up in the mold anyway...

 

[IrishLass]

Are y'all talking about the 5% of butters being added to HP or CP?

IrishLass

 

[carebear]

My take was that to superfat at 5% you could make your basic recipe with the calculator set at 0%, and add the 5% additional butters or whatever to that. This would achieve approximately 5% depending on exactly how you do it.

BUT that it wouldn't matter anyway if you are adding to CP at trace - only provide a benefit if you add to HP after the cook.

WHEN you add to CP doesn't mean anything. The lye doesn't care if it was there in the first place or came a bit later. So for CP I personally add ALL the oils/butters up front and do my lye calc based on the full amount, entering 5% superfat/lye discount into the calculator.