Sugar for bubbles

[kumudini]

B, you always try to help. Your answers are so well thought out that I always gain something from them whether you are answering my questions or others. I really appreciate that about you.

I used to bake cakes for my friend's kids and then frost them too, that's how I immedietly thought of the w/v difference. I'm making chocolate cakes with choc frosting now for which most recipes can be easily made vegan. Win-win for me and my nieces and nephews ( they all call me and treat me like their paternal aunt).

 

[DeeAnna]

I'd go by weight, Vkumudini...

 

[kumudini]

Thanks DeeAnna!

 

[SunWolf]

There are different kinds of sugars. Sucrose is a non-reducing sugar. That means it doesn't react with lye and is less likely to discolor your soap. Sweeteners that are mostly sucrose are table sugar and maple syrup. Glucose and fructose are reducing sugars that do react with lye and, FWIW, release small amounts of carbon monoxide (CO). Reducing sugars are more likely to discolor your soap. Additives that contain reducing sugars include honey, beer, and fruit.

I use raw goat milk as my only liquid, and my soaps have a wonderful bubbly component. I have always attributed that sensuous bubbly silkiness to the sugars in the goats milk. Or could I get even more bubbles with some sugar?

That is where your excellent note taking comes into play. I write down what I am testing for on each recipe. That way, I don't forget in the 6 weeks of waiting.(I have a memory like a steel sieve.)

This is a hard part for me...I start out just fine, but soon get distracted by other things and it all falls apart...:sad:

 

[dibbles]

Thank you, thank you, thank you to everyone who has added info here. I just picked up some aloe juice the other day. Can't wait to try that too!

 

[not_ally]

Dibbles, do you belong to Dish Forum? They did a lather lovers swap - I referred to it earlier - it was pretty interesting reading. I re-read it fairly recently, and I think the take-away was sort of that although there were certain things that *did* increase lather, in some ways the oils/formula was more determinative. It is a very long thread, but the last few pages really contain the results, if I am remembering correctly.

Let me know if you want to check it out and I will try to search for the thread if you already belong at DISH and are having difficulty finding it, I may even have it bookmarked already. You do have to sign up there, I think, only registered members can see all the posts - but it is pretty easy to do so. I think they probably require registration to prevent spam, not to be exclusive Also, don't be horrified by the rough and tumble over there, they are a rowdy bunch, but a lot of good info (and they have actually been very kind to me.)

 

[dibbles]

Thanks NA. I am not a member at the Dish, but will register and check it out.

Just tried to register - got a message that the administrator is not accepting any new registrations at this time. ?? I'll try again later.

 

[not_ally]

That is weird. I kind of remember something like that happening when I first tried but it was a while ago, I don't remember the details now. If it does that again, PM me and I will PM the mod/owner there and ask her about it.

 

[dibbles]

That is weird. I kind of remember something like that happening when I first tried but it was a while ago, I don't remember the details now. If it does that again, PM me and I will PM the mod/owner there and ask her about it.

I tried again and it worked! Thanks!

 

[dillsandwitch]

I use raw goat milk as my only liquid, and my soaps have a wonderful bubbly component. I have always attributed that sensuous bubbly silkiness to the sugars in the goats milk. Or could I get even more bubbles with some sugar?


This is a hard part for me...I start out just fine, but soon get distracted by other things and it all falls apart...:sad:

What I do and I find it helpful is I print off each batch recipe from soap calc and I have it in a folder that I have on the bench when im soaping. I can right any notes right then and there. Like if the FO accelerated or whatnot or if I did something other than I had planned to do. That way everything is recorded and I can refer back to it at a later date if needed. I also add a photo of the cut soap so I can easily identify which soap goes to with set of notes

 

[PinkCupcake]

I use sugar in every batch, even in my milk soaps. I make a simple syrup (sugar & water, equal parts by weight, boiled together) and add 10-15 grams per pound of soap, not ppo. Using syrup means I don't have to worry about getting the sugar to dissolve in the lye solution. I keep a jar of syrup in the fridge, and I sometimes use the same syrup in iced tea.

 

[aprice522]

Thank you pink cupcake! I might have to try that!

 

[jenneelk]

I use sugar, 1 TBS ppo in every batch but there is a def. difference when I use honey instead. The lather is just fab and my husband will now only use my honey soaps cause he says why use others when they are the best. lol

I tried to read back about the powdered sugar but couldn't see why people were wanting to use that? I make my own in my vitamix with regular sugar so wouldn't it just be the same? I have no issue melting regular in water before the lye and if using master batch I just put in with the extra water.

 

[cmzaha]

I use 4 tbs powder sugar in a my 63 oz oil batches. I dissolve in whatever extra liquid I am using after my 50/50 lye solution. Powder sugar dissolves easier than sugar but is cornstarch and sugar

 

[not_ally]

Jen, not sure why powdered sugar would make a diff per se, but in the big lather lovers swap on Dish it seemed to. I am going to try it b/c of that ...

 

[cmzaha]

I have not really found that powdered sugar works any different than sugar. It is just easier to dissolve and easier to use more. Powdered sugar contains approx 3% cornstarch so it is not a lot

 

[not_ally]

This does not have anything to do w/sugar, but I used silk in about 50 batches, then stopped for the next 50 or so, then recently tested one of the bars w/silk. For some reason, it seems to improve the lather. Am I imagining this? I have never read that silk improves lather, just bar feel, maybe I am just taking longer lathering the soap ...