Soap Lamentation

[LunaSkye]

Last week, I failed at making my first CP tea soap. What I basically did was:

1. Brew & chilled some black tea

2. Weighed the tea & lye before making the solution (I added a little more tea accidentally, but I figured that it would evaporate out).

3. I added the solution to the oils (3.46oz OO, 8.68oz grapeseed oil, & 3.18oz virgin CO) when they were around 120 degrees. I removed the bowl from slow-cooker as well.

4. I used a stick blender & a spoon to mix the solution until I reached thin trace. I added additional black tea for decoration.

Here is were it all comes down: I never saw thick trace (after over 30 of stiring) and figured that it may have cooled down a bit too much to achieve the proper consistency, so back in the heater it went. I mixed the soap on high and soap never thickened, but it sure did separate and achieve a second brewing. At this point I lost all hope and continued to mix the soap until everything came back together. I was not the least bit surprised that the soap looked like a cow pattie as I poured it into the mold or when I was able to cut it.

I now have to ask how many mistakes did I make as well as the best way to add tea to the soap?

 

[Hazel]

Without knowing the amount of lye and tea, it's difficult to say what went wrong.

I did put the oil amounts into SoapCalc and it showed 5.8 oz for tea and 2 oz for lye at a 5% lye discount. Were your amounts close to these?

 

[LunaSkye]

The amount of liquid used was 6.12oz (going off memory) and the lye used was 2.12 oz. I was aiming to use 5.7 oz of tea to make the lye solution, but I poured a bit too much into the bowl. I don't know if this helps, but I was also aiming for a 2.08 oz of lye for a 5% discount.

 

[Shalisk]

Completely unrelated, but Luna...that is the greatest icon ever.

 

[LunaSkye]

Completely unrelated, but Luna...that is the greatest icon ever.

LOL thanks, i got it off of pinterest.

 

[BabyPickles106]

I used tea instead of water in a recent batch and it did fine. I didn't do a hot process though. It was full liquid so it took longer to unmold and cut than my usual batches. It was a light sort of translucent looking brown.

 

[Susie]

"I added additional black tea for decoration."

I am assuming this was dried black tea? There was nothing acidic in it?

 

[LunaSkye]

"I added additional black tea for decoration."

I am assuming this was dried black tea? There was nothing acidic in it?

The only acids (technically) were the unsaponified oils and the brewed tea. I only added roughly a teaspoon of black tea, thinking that it would be enough for a 15.32 oz soap. I'm trying to figure out why the trace was thin and did not thicken.

 

[Susie]

I am wondering if your "extra" bit of tea added just a tad too much tannic acid to that batch.

 

[Hazel]

The extra tea shouldn't have prevented it from setting up even though it might have remained soft for awhile. I've done the same thing and added too much water (oops ). I had to leave the loaf in the mold until it firmed but it was fine later. I've also made a batch with triple strength tea and didn't have any problems with it setting up.

I'm wondering if it was the 8.68 oz of grapeseed oil. That's a large amount to use in a batch. Grapeseed didn't get a good review in Zen Soaps' single oil swap. http://www.zensoaps.com/singleoil.htm I also think it's the reason you stirred and never saw thick trace. Just a guess but I think it might be like olive and is slow to trace unless you do a water discount.

Just my opinion but I suggest rebatching it. Do you have any other oils?

 

[LunaSkye]

I actually got more oils (supermarket for more testing). The soap did set, so I may try rebatching (I failed at that too, but I'm better prepared now). I do want to try it out before anything else to see how it will affect my skin as well as whether or not I will like it.

Thank you Hazel for your thoughts on the grape seed oil, which may be reason enough to rebatch it. I have actually wondered if grape seed oil was slowing down progress.

Edit: Feels nice on my hands, did not feel as slick as the first two batches (5% SF help). I get the big bubbles and creamy lather (a little veggie glycerine helped), and a hint of the hazelnut that made the tea one of my favorites. I wrote down how it was made so I could try to remake it or recreate it.

 

[Hazel]

Whoops! I just saw this post. You're welcome and I'm glad to hear you like it. Did you lower the percentage of grapeseed in the last batch?