Soaping 101 liquid soapmaking video?

[nickbar]

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005KGKCRA/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

I know its not a professional equipment but here is the pH-meter i use for 1-14 range. I first calibrate it with a buffer solution came in the package.

I also verify my results with some solutions i have and i know 100% their pH values.

 

[Susie]

Did you use the same equipment to measure both soaps?

The purity of the lye should not affect the pH of the finished soap, as it should be balanced by the amount of oils, as determined by the superfat.

However, as long as that paste did not zap, you have safe soap.

I would, just out of curiosity, give the soap a few days, then retest.

 

[nickbar]

yes same equipment tested both.

Are there big differences on the pH after few days from production date?

 

[ngian]

The only difference I can think of is that if the paste is exposed to our slightly acidic atmosphere for a few days, it could slightly drop its pH.

The thing I don't know for sure is if the slightly change in superfat amount can change the pH readings.
I guess you are making 1% soap solution (1gr soap to 99gr distilled water), in order to get the pH readings.

 

[nickbar]

The only difference I can think of is that if the paste is exposed to our slightly acidic atmosphere for a few days, it could slightly drop its pH.

The thing I don't know for sure is if the slightly change in superfat amount can change the pH readings.
I guess you are making 1% soap solution (1gr soap to 99gr distilled water), in order to get the pH readings.

Thank you nikos for your answer!

I think that slightly changes on SF can change the pH, but maybe someone else can help on that as i am not sure....
Anyway...

I dont understand your last sentence!! I read the pH by immersing it into the solution i want to take measure ( shampoo, liquid soap, cream, whatever) and wait until the display stabilizes...

 

[Dahila]

Nick bar you weight 1 g of paste and dissolve it in 99 grams of distilled water, after dissolving check your ph. This is what he means.

 

[Susie]

Nick bar you weight 1 g of paste and dissolve it in 99 grams of distilled water, after dissolving check your ph. This is what he means.

This is the proper way to measure pH of soap. Sticking the meter down in regular soap will not give proper results.

 

[DeeAnna]

There are good reasons why sticking a pH probe into a concentrated product is not going to give accurate, repeatable results. But let's not get into the theory. Instead, prove it to yourself --

Make samples of product diluted with water. Let's say you're testing soap. One sample is the original soap paste. Soap paste has some water in it so ideally you should know the % of pure soap in the paste. The second sample is 75% pure soap and 25% distilled water (this might not apply with soap paste, because soap paste might already be at this dilution). Third is 50% pure soap and 50% distilled water. Fourth is 25% pure soap and 75% distilled water. And last is 1% pure soap and 99% distilled water. Allow the temperature of the solutions to come to room temperature if they are not. Measure the pH of all solutions.

Is it the same in all samples? If not, how does the pH change with dilution?

Industry standard tests for pH use a 1% solution or a 10% solution of soap in distilled water at 20 degrees C (68 F). It doesn't matter which dilution you use -- 1% or 10% -- as long as you're consistent.

Fats should not affect the pH since they are not water soluble and are non-polar molecules, thus should have no intrinsic effect on pH. Fatty acids can affect the pH, however, being polar molecules and able to dissociate (break apart) to some extent in water.

 

[Dahila]

DeeAnna you are a jewel, do you know that? I was wondering how to explain that fats have nothing to do with ph but lack of my language skill stopped me thanks

 

[nickbar]

I had no idea about measuring pH on a 1% soap paste solution. Of course i will try that from now on...


Really helpful your post as always DeeAnna. Thank you!!

 

[Dian]

What went wrong?

Hello. Another LS newbie here. My first time.

I tried Soaping 101 Liquid Glycerin Castile Soap recipe today. I did everything like she had in the video on YouTube. From the beginning it didn't seem like it behaved as the video showed.

Everything worked well up to mixing the lye to the oils. I heated the glycerin to 200d F as she (Catherine?) sugessted. Actually it was more like 250d F. Then I added the KOH. It sputtered and fizzed. I took it off the heat until it calmed down. And just kept mixing until everything dissolved. Took about 7-8 minutes.

The problem started when I added the lye mix to the oils. It got very cloudy and never cleared up. Even after 10 minutes of SB (my SB got so hot I finally had to stop. I couldn't hold it anymore) I never reached the translucent stage. It puffed up and got taffy like, but not the translucence.

Then I let it cook for 1.5 hours. Still very runny and taffy like. Not translucent, it was milky colored. And not a paste. So I covered and tried another 30 minutes. Still milky colored and like hot loose taffy/caramel.

When I tried to dissolve the "paste" to see if it at least was done with the cook, I couldn't get the soap to dissolve all the way. I eventually ended up using 5g soap & 10g water. The water was cloudy at first but when I left it to sit for a few minutes, it cleared up. It had a slight brown tint to the water but it was clear.

So, even if this isn't paste, should I consider this done? I'm still cooking it. I think I will for at least another hour to see if it starts to thicken up.

My recipe:
Olive Oil = 13 oz (81.25%)
Coconut = 1.5 oz (9.35%)
Castor = 1.5 oz (9.35%)
KOH = 3.35 oz (3%)
Glycerin = 10.05 oz (25% Lye Solution Strength)

Thank you. I appreciate any hints or help on this.

 

[Susie]

My hint/tip is to look at post 8 of this thread and follow IrishLass' recipe. I would also read the remainder of the thread if you have not thus far. It will make you feel lots better when you realize that most of us had problems with that recipe on YouTube.

If your soap has not thickened up by now, it is not going to. Or maybe it will once you allow it to cool.

 

[Zany_in_CO]

hello! I have a bunch of people asking me to make liquid soap, so i'd like to give it a try. I was watching soaping 101's youtube video and noticed that she used glycerin instead of water to make it. I understand that it speeds up the process considerably, but does it also contribute to the thickness? Any other online resources or video's you recommend? I just got catherine failor's book, so i'll be giving that a read as well. Thanks!

bump

 

[simhale]

Hi,
I was wondering if glycerin is considered a natural product?
could glycerin liquid soap sell as natural liquid soap or would that be misleading?
Thanks!

 

[IrishLass]

Welcome simhale! :wave:

Glycerin/glycerol is actually a natural by-product of saponification. In other words, when a strong lye solution is mixed with oils/fats, aka triglycerides/esters of fatty acids (notice from the word triglyceride that glycerin is already present in the fats), a chemical reaction occurs (saponification) which splits the bonds of the esters into a salt (from the lye) and glycerol (from the fats)- what we know as soap.

Glycerin/glycerol can be extracted from soap by grating up the soap and mixing it with a concentrated salt water solution and applying heat. Eventually, the soap will separate into curds of pure soap, which float to the surface and can be scooped off, while the glycerin and salt remain behind.


HTH!
IrishLass

 

[smengot0]

Hello everyone. Last week I made IL's creamy Shea/cocoa butter GLS. I do believe it came out well. But when I gave it for testing by family and friends they all complained it was not bubbly enough. I did use IL same exact recipe ditto dilution rates. I was 100% copy-cat[emoji4]

 

[smengot0]

Hello everyone. Last week I made IL's creamy Shea/cocoa butter GLS. I do believe it came out well. But when I gave it for testing by family and friends they all complained it was not bubbly enough. I did use IL same exact recipe ditto dilution rates. I was 100% copy-cat[emoji4]

Pix

 

[smengot0]

Can I use Lathanol (LAL) to increase bubbles?

 

[cmzaha]

The glycerin will hinder lather some, but I do like her recipe. Make a LS without using the glycerin method it will tend to lather more. Are they using a bath pouf? IL's recipe with bubble up great on a bath pouf, the same as any handmade soap

 

[smengot0]

Thanks cmzaha. I don't think she used a bath pouf. It was bubbly for me. But since I plan to sell later, I must try to get positive feedback.