Soap too hard!

[EmBlakey]

I've just made my second batch of CP soap. Last time it was 50/50 coconut oil/olive oil, this time 100% coconut oil. Both times I reached trace within a few minutes and both times it went hard very quickly. I added the colour then wasn't even able to mix it in as it was so hard. I melted a little extra coconut oil and mixed that in just so I could work the powder through it:/ I don't even know where to begin with troubleshooting as I followed all instructions and used soapcalc...
Someone please help:cry: Thanks

 

[The Efficacious Gentleman]

What instructions? What was the superfat, temperatures and so on? How thick did you mix before you started to look at putting the colour in?

To start off with, I would say just make uncoloured batches until you are more comfortable with soaping in general, especially if you want to use recipes that are quick to trace.

 

[Susie]

I would guess you are stick blending too long or soaping too warm. But, Craig is correct. We need a few more details.

Soap with a high percentage of coconut oil will trace fast, but either plan to make it a single color that you add the color to the oils before the lye water or soap cooler and mix less.

 

[shunt2011]

I'm with Susie and Craig. There are many things that can cause soap to trace quickly. Share your procedure and we can help.

 

[Lion Of Judah]

it is also important to interject here that these are the reason why taking notes is very imperative to pin-pointing exactly where the trouble showed up . what temp you soap at , what were the order in which you added your ingredients , what type of fragrance did you use , how long did you stir your batch , there is a lot of factors that can contribute to a batch acting up and in some cases you can mix through a seize [ if it was a seize / or soap on a stick type problem ] and get it in the mold and have it still come out ok. but everything starts and finish at your notes . if you decide to sell in the future or make larger batches then you have your notes to make a consistent product trouble free.

 

[navigator9]

I'm with Craig on this one. When you're starting out, you're not doing yourself any favors by complicating things. Making "plain" soap is tricky enough when you're a beginner. If you make uncolored, unscented soap at first, it allows you to really concentrate on everything else, like accurate measurements, trace, and not worrying about swirling, or if your FO is going to accelerate trace. Try stick blending alternating with stirring with the stick blender. Soaping at room temp is also good for slowing things down. Take a deep breath and start over. But don't make things more complicated than they need to be at first, until you get your feet under you. You'll thank yourself later. :-D

 

[Seawolfe]

Coconut can move pretty fast too. I made laundry bars last night, the lye was still pretty hot (but hey, big bucket and laundry soap) got the soap batter to very light trace, poured them in the molds, and they were hard enough to unmold less than 4 hours later! So yeah with coconut you really don't want more than a light trace unless you're making salt bars (so the salt doesn't sink all to the bottom).

 

[EmBlakey]

Thanks all, the fragrance and colour made no difference whatsoever as the soap was already hard by the time i tried to get them in.

Heres the recipe I used:
453.5g oil
172.3g water
78g lye

I used the stick blender on and off, did it til light trace (literally took 3-4 minutes) in a small crock pot. I measured everything very accurately (I'm a chemist - I know the importance of accuracy )
How much superfatting is best? Does it make a difference according to oil? I have just done 5% both times...

 

[jade-15]

100% coconut is very drying (extremely cleansing) and (usually) only used with a 20% superfat.
Most other soaps are done with 5-10%, depending on personal preference.
I would suggest something like 50% olive, 30% lard and 20% coconut for a recipe that will be slower to trace and nice to use.

 

[Luckyone80]

I've made 100% coconut oil soap with 20% SF twice now and each time I had plenty of time to work in scents and colorants after trace was reached. BUT I also soap at around 85 degrees.
Do you have any idea how warm your lye water and your oils were before you combined them?

 

[shunt2011]

Are you making CP or HP? Just wondering as you said you were mixing it in a crockpot. Also, with 100% CO you will want at least 15% and I prefer 20% superfat. CO is extremely drying by itself with out a good superfat.

 

[jade-15]

I've made 100% coconut oil soap with 20% SF twice now and each time I had plenty of time to work in scents and colorants after trace was reached. BUT I also soap at around 85 degrees.
Do you have any idea how warm your lye water and your oils were before you combined them?

Do you avoid the stick blender for this soap?
When I did 100% coconut it traced with about one second of stick blending (and mine is cheap, not high powered!)
I was expecting it but I'm just curious in case I do it again and want to play more

 

[Obsidian]

I've made two 100% coconut soaps in the last 24 hours. I soaped cool and it took forever to trace, much longer then I wanted or needed.

 

[EmBlakey]

Wow!! I had no idea superfatting made THAT much difference! Sheesh! ok, I'm going to hurriedly make some more at 20% thanks so much! I'm using cheapy coconut oil, $6/litre so thankfully haven't lost too much. I'll post a pic of how it turned out. It's quite hilarious:crazy:

 

[The Efficacious Gentleman]

You're making something that can be great for the skin or can really do some serious damage. Many factors in making soap DO make that much difference. If you make a soap that causes someone injury, aggravates a condition or simply makes them think that ALL hand made soap is terrible, that would not be hilarious in the slightest.

 

[Luckyone80]

Do you avoid the stick blender for this soap?
When I did 100% coconut it traced with about one second of stick blending (and mine is cheap, not high powered!)
I was expecting it but I'm just curious in case I do it again and want to play more

Yes I stickblended like normal and like Obsidian mine took quite a while to trace. What temp did you soap at?

 

[jade-15]

Yes I stickblended like normal and like Obsidian mine took quite a while to trace. What temp did you soap at?

Room temp... But it was warm enough the coconut oil was liquid! I had masterbatched my lye.
Maybe in my memory it has sped up? I know I got it to trace and then split into two. Adding the colourants and blending well brought it to a thick pudding but my colours were mixed properly. So it certainly didn't become an instant rock, but I don't think I would be planning anything beyond layers with that recipe (I can't remember if the fragrance blend I mixed could also be responsible? I guess I could pull out my notes... )
Sorry for getting the thread off topic!