Stearic Acid ?

[beachgurl]

I was playing around with SoapCalc this morning and found that stearic acid adds significant hardness and creaminess to soaps. Is this a common ingredient? What is the rate of usage .. exactly how and when do you incorporate it into your soap? :? Is it a common ingredient?

 

[donniej]

It is common. It's also a natural ingredient pressed from some plants... palm I think. I've read that you add 1% at trace.

 

[georgiastray]

Cool! I've got a bag of stearic acid left from candle making that I need to use...

 

[MikeInPdx]

I belong to another forum in addition to this one, and someone just did an experiment with 10% stearic acid.....I guess it was a nightmare to soap, but talk about a foamy explosion....WOW!

 

[georgiastray]

Maybe the explosion was due to the 10% stearic used? I just checked the website of one of the soap suppliers and they recommended between 1% and 3% stearic. I'll start small, I don't want a soap explosion in my kitchen, LOL.

 

[beachgurl]

I bet that was an interesting shower experience I'm going to try Mike's sugar as an additive first (if my mold gets here anytime soon) and see how that goes. Can you add sugar and stearic acid or is that one of the horror stories you read about on forums and in books (soap crawling out of the molds kinda deals)? Off to bed .. my twins are sick ... and I could use the sleep

 

[MikeInPdx]

I don't think sugar and stearic acid would be an issue. Just remember that sugar makes the soap gel hotter and you should be fine.

 

[brian0523]

I bet that was an interesting shower experience I'm going to try Mike's sugar as an additive first (if my mold gets here anytime soon) and see how that goes. Can you add sugar and stearic acid or is that one of the horror stories you read about on forums and in books (soap crawling out of the molds kinda deals)? Off to bed .. my twins are sick ... and I could use the sleep

What's Mikes Sugar?

 

[MikeInPdx]

What's Mikes Sugar?

I dissolve 1 teaspoon sugar ppo in some reserved water and add that to my lye solution to boost lather.

 

[brian0523]

What's Mikes Sugar?

I dissolve 1 teaspoon sugar ppo in some reserved water and add that to my lye solution to boost lather.

I measure out my water, pur into a saucepan, add in two teaspoons sugar (since I always make 2lb batches) and let the sugar dissolve over low heat...only takes a few min. After that cools (in ice bath) I proceed with adding the lye.

 

[Soapmaker Man]

As I have mentioned here before, i mix up a sugar/salt strip and use it every batch. In one of my recipes that is very conditioning, (it has a lot of linoleic acid) it is a bit soft, so I use 3% SA to make it harder.

Paul

 

[beachgurl]

I'm def. going to try it; I've read through your posts Paul, and this teamed with Mike's suggestion makes me eager to see the results!

 

[donniej]

I just ordered 6 pounds from organic creations. I should have another batch (5 or 6 gallons) of glycerin this weekend... so I should have some details on this next week.

 

[cdwinsby]

I haven't used stearic acid in awhile but I recall that it is a wax that should be melted with the fats and oils and not added at trace. Used like you would beeswax.

I also use sugar in my soaps but I more often use confectioners sugar that dissolves very easily. I just mix it in right after the lye and oils are mixed or at trace. 1 tsp ppo.