Questions about soy wax

[Obsidian]

I have to give up my beloved lard, for the past few years I've been consistently getting DOS so I'm going to try switching to soy.

There are so many different kinds of soy flakes, does that make any difference with soap? Does it all have the same or close sap?

I've made a few batches with soy and I like working with it so far. Need to experiment more

 

[Jersey Girl]

I have to give up my beloved lard, for the past few years I've been consistently getting DOS so I'm going to try switching to soy.

There are so many different kinds of soy flakes, does that make any difference with soap? Does it all have the same or close sap?

I've made a few batches with soy and I like working with it so far. Need to experiment more

Oh noooo…what brand are you using?

 

[KiwiMoose]

I think the sap is about the same for all, but watch out for additives. Many of them have other things that are suitable for candle making. I’ve tried about four different waxes, but my favourite performer is GW415. It has a lower melting point which is better for us soap makers. The company once inadvertently sent me GW464 and I didn’t even realise until I got to the bottom of my 5 kilo box! So that’s maybe a suitable back-up.
During the great Covid-related product shortage on 2020/2021 I was forced to try two other brands (alas I don’t know their American equivalents) but I didn’t like them as much as the GW415.
I use it at 20% of my recipe.
Good luck

 

[Zany_in_CO]

I sometimes use soy wax at 10% in soap to help retain scent & color. Nice. As a sub for lard, personally I would use palm, shea butter, or tallow to achieve similar results to lard.

SOY WAX IN SOAP

I also use soy wax (125°F Melt Point) to make lip balms and my Achy Breaky Balm for pain because it applies easily without melting during hot weather and has a smooth soothing texture good for lips.

I buy Midwest Container Soy Wax Beads from American Soy Organics. Originally, they offered 3 lb sample bags which is ideal for use in soap and balms. Now, the smallest size is 5 lbs, although you may be able to find it on sale on Amazon.

 

[Carly B]

Epic failure. Recipe below. I used Nurture's Island Oasis, which doesn't accelerate, theoretically. Tried soy wax at 20% because KiwiMoose is the soy wax queen, and that's what she uses....

But I stick blended to emulsion, which is what I usually do, and it started hardening before I even had all the colors mixed separated out. Lye water at 2:1, 5% SF. Lye was masterbatched so it was room temp, oils were about 100 because I was afraid of the soy wax (GW415) would solidify or get cloudy.

If the issue was the oils being too hot, how low can I let the temp go? (I wonder the same thing when I use lard and tallow?) If it wasn't too hot, what happened? Any ideas?

 

[KiwiMoose]

@Carly B - that's got me stumped. I go as low as 35 celsius with no problems ( that's under 100 of your weird measurements ).
Maybe the room temp lye solution? Mine is usually the same temp as the oils or a bit more.

 

[Carly B]

@Carly B - that's got me stumped. I go as low as 35 celsius with no problems ( that's under 100 of your weird measurements ).
Maybe the room temp lye solution? Mine is usually the same temp as the oils or a bit more.

I almost always use the lye at room temp without an issue (room temp right now here is about 26C. Would that cause the soy to harden quicker?

 

[Obsidian]

Oh noooo…what brand are you using?

I used armour for years with no problem until the local stores stopped carrying it. I then switched to snow cap and thats when all the problems started.
I was able to get armour again at walmart but its still giving me issues. 2 or 3 months and I get DOS

 

[Obsidian]

I think the sap is about the same for all, but watch out for additives. Many of them have other things that are suitable for candle making. I’ve tried about four different waxes, but my favourite performer is GW415. It has a lower melting point which is better for us soap makers. The company once inadvertently sent me GW464 and I didn’t even realise until I got to the bottom of my 5 kilo box! So that’s maybe a suitable back-up.
During the great Covid-related product shortage on 2020/2021 I was forced to try two other brands (alas I don’t know their American equivalents) but I didn’t like them as much as the GW415.
I use it at 20% of my recipe.

Thank, thats the info I needed. Have you ever used it at a higher amount?

 

[LynetteO]

@Obsidian I’ve used GW415 soy wax @ 25%. The one thing I’ve noticed when using soy wax is I barely need to stick blend. 2-3 one second bursts is all it really takes for me to reach light trace.

 

[KiwiMoose]

Thank, thats the info I needed. Have you ever used it at a higher amount?

Yes I think so but it would have been a while ago so I can't recall. I think Dean used it at 40% with no problems, but he's not on here anymore. I use it at 45% in my shave soap but with dual lye so the batter is 'softer' anyway.

 

[earlene]

I also use GW415, sometimes at 30%, sometimes less. I may have tried higher than 30%, but don't really recall offhand. I am in Washington DC right now & do not have my notebooks with me to check, nor my computer either.

Agree, that it thickens batter quickly once past emulsion, so I only make simple designs with soap made with soy wax. But I can still do simple two-color swirls.

 

[KiwiMoose]

I guess I've been using SW for so long that I really have nothing to compare it with in terms of fast moving or slow moving soap batter. But if you do a search in the photo gallery you will find many of my soaps that have several colours and some with more intricate swirls, so it can be done.

 

[earlene]

Perhaps I should have said, when using a higher percentage of soy wax is when I find it more difficult to do more intricate swirls. But some of us are just more challenged when it come to intricate swirls. And as you say, @KiwiMoose, when you work with the same ingredients consistently, you can really learn how to get the most out of them, as you do with your intricate swirls and soy wax.

 

[SoapM0m]

I have been using soy wax 415 for over a year now, instead of palm oil, thanks to KiwiMoose. I buy mine from either Nature's Garden or from Amazon. https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B001OXOZDA?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details
I have never tried a different number, so I wouldn't know about that, but I do know that since I've started doing the heat transfer method, the only disadvantage is that I have to melt the soy wax separately since mixing with the lye water doesn't get it quite melted enough. Other than that little pain, it's great! Unless using a challenging FO or EO, I have been able to do all sorts of designs with it. I LOVE it!

 

[cmzaha]

I have to give up my beloved lard, for the past few years I've been consistently getting DOS so I'm going to try switching to soy.

There are so many different kinds of soy flakes, does that make any difference with soap? Does it all have the same or close sap?

I've made a few batches with soy and I like working with it so far. Need to experiment more

As you know that is why I changed to the 40/20% tallow/lard recipe I use several yrs ago. It makes a lovely soap with no propensity to DOS, because I had so much trouble with dos and lard but love the feel of it and how it slows trace.

 

[Obsidian]

As you know that is why I changed to the 40/20% tallow/lard recipe I use several yrs ago. It makes a lovely soap with no propensity to DOS, because I had so much trouble with dos and lard but love the feel of it and how it slows trace.

I thought about tallow but it seems expensive and I hate rendering it myself.
I was using great value shortening for awhile but our local walmart stopped carring the tallow.
I should just order a few tubs online

 

[GGMA0317]

I have to give up my beloved lard, for the past few years I've been consistently getting DOS so I'm going to try switching to soy.

There are so many different kinds of soy flakes, does that make any difference with soap? Does it all have the same or close sap?

I've made a few batches with soy and I like working with it so far. Need to experiment more

I use floral waxes. Mostly in castile or high OO soap. It's also nice in creams & lotions. I've never had issues with lard. I've used Shea butter in place of lard & vice versa.

 

[Zany_in_CO]

I've used Shea butter in place of lard & vice versa.

Me too.

 

[Carly B]

I thought about tallow but it seems expensive and I hate rendering it myself.
I was using great value shortening for awhile but our local walmart stopped carring the tallow.
I should just order a few tubs online

I got a 7 lb tub of tallow from Essential Depot, and it's gorgeous. Bright white, no odor. AND
it was under $27. I posted a note about it a while ago in the Shopping Recs section. I just looked, and it's still available for that price.

https://www.essentialdepot.com/product/TALLOW-7LB-GLCBOX.html