Sanity Check on Translucent Soap

[LBussy]

Referencing the following:

Video:
[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FrCGSU3XHhA[/ame]
Recipe:
http://www.soaping101.com/soap-recipes.html

I came up with this as a "rule" for translucent "cook and pour" soap:

Alcohol (at least 151 Proof:
35% of oil weight in ETOH

Sugar Addition:
12% of oil weight of water
20% of oil weight in sugar
20% of oil weight in glycerin

Add ETOH and cook for 2 hours.
Add sugar water and glycerin. Allow to sit and cool for 15 mins before adding color and fragrance.
Mold, spray with rubbing alcohol to remove bubbles.
Let sit overnight.

Does that seem right?

 

[new12soap]

That is not a recipe I have ever used, and it is very different from my method. I don't know why she waits until the end to add sugar and glycerin, and I would never cook it anywhere near that long. I can't imagine that there is very much alcohol left after adding it slowly to hot soap while stirring and then cooking for 2 hours, most of it would have evaporated.

For some good tips about how to calculate ETOH, check out here http://www.millersoap.com/glycerinsoap.html

eta: huh, that's how the directions say to do it there, too... guess I am the oddball! But I do like that recipe better.

 

[IrishLass]

Here's a few more tutes on how to make clear or transparent soap (from Bonnie of Good Earth Spa). Looks like she might do it differently from Soaping 101. I've actually my eye on these 2 awhile now, but just haven't gotten around to trying them out yet:

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2nw4CBN_RC0&list=PLEFFE8098AE44D82A&index=21[/ame]

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xHS1V8HIwoE[/ame]


IrishLass

 

[godschild]

Can these be remelted and poured later? As in make it beforehand and then use it later just like melt and pour or is it just a make when needed deal? I sure wish I could find a recipe or how to make low sweat melt and pour. If yall know of one, please let me know.

 

[new12soap]

Transparent soap is made with glycerin, sugar, and/or ethyl alcohol and is not very remeltable (is that a word?). You can melt it again but it starts to cloud up and doesn't stay clear.

MP soap is usually made with propylene glycol.

 

[CanaDawn]

Transparent soap is made with glycerin, sugar, and/or ethyl alcohol and is not very remeltable (is that a word?). You can melt it again but it starts to cloud up and doesn't stay clear.

MP soap is usually made with propylene glycol.

Curiously the last video speaks specifically about melting the translucent bar and says it works just fine.

 

[LBussy]

I think if there's one thing that's consistent about those vids and the different letters on that page is that they are not consistent.

GUess a person just needs to go try it for themselves.

 

[lsg]

Transparent soap made with alcohol can be a bear to remelt. If you are looking for a recipe to remelt, I suggest using one that contains propylene glycol.

 

[LazyUmbrella]

Recently bought Catherine Failor's book on making transparent soap. It's a great read!
The proportions of solvents she specifies are similar to the ones provided above. Her methods are a little different:
- Mix oils and lye at a higher temperature
- Let saponify for a few hours
- Add EtOH, glycerin and heat in a water bath for about 30 minutes or until the soap dissolves - keep the pot tightly sealed to prevent any EtOH from escaping
- Create and add a 1:1 sugar solution to finish clarifying

She also has a 2-hour cook method, but I haven't tried that yet.

Ms. Failor mentions that while the EtOH is the primary solvent for soap, glycerin also helps, but adding too much of the latter can cause soap to sweat!

Finally, if you are using denatured alcohol instead of pure EtOH, be sure that you are using one whose denaturing agent is approved for use in cosmetic applications. Here's a reference that i found: http://www.grainprocessing.com/alcohol/personal-care.html