SUPER newbie has questions...

[loveit_latherit]

Hi! I have watched a few days worth of CP soap videos, spoke to the people of BranbleBerry site, looked at some packaging and ingredients of soaps I've purchased and THINK they are CP soaps so now I want to try my hand at some. My backgound is in art and I also bake so I think this won't be too difficult as long as my measuring is accurate and I have patience and take care.

My inspiration comes from love of soap AND the fact that a person who makes the ones I love is not keeping up with his business and I can't get a hold of them SOOooooOOOO I'll make them myself! :wink:

My questions:

1. I saw someone at a craft show cutting his block of soap. Can you cure the whole block for the 4 - 6 weeks and then cut? Or did his use a method other than CP to make his soap? I assume it CP because of his ingerdients: olive oil, lye, sunflower oil, palm oil etc. In all the videos i see ppl remove from mold and cut that's why I have this question...

2. Can I use the liquid colorants and fragrances from the craft store used for melt and pour soaps? (like from Michael's or AC Moore for example).

3. What is Superfatting? I know that you add a little oil at the end when adding additives - what is the % superfat? Like the higher the number is it more 'soapy'? Do you add the extra oz you add during the additive stage into the calculation for the lye water?

4. Also Can any oils or butters be added at the end? If I want the optimal properties of a certain oil - adding at the end so it isn't 'cooked' as long - Is there a diffrence?

OK this is all I can think of for now I hopw my questions are clear and not too dumb I really appreciate any helpful hints and answers.

 

[Overthemoon]

1. More likely than not, that was hp not cp. They use the same recipes.

2. The fragrance probably won't come through but I have used Michael's colourants with success.

3. Superfatting is extra oil in the recipe, it is a safe way of avoiding a lye heavy batch and takes the edge off harsher oils.

4. You can add oils and butters at the end but it doesn't make a difference. The saponification process is still on going, the oils and butters will be eaten as if they were added at the beginning.

 

[loveit_latherit]

Thanks!!!!

 

[Overthemoon]

No problem.

 

[jennikate]

Robyn you answered so well.I can say Michaels colors work however sometimes color ends up not quite what you thought it was gonna be. I havent tried thier scents I got some on sale from online. Superfatting is programed into most online calculators. Thats why at say thesage.com it gives sliding scale for amount of lye As Robyn said adding oil at trace doesn't help save any properties lye still eats it. Good luck welcome to the club. I dream of soaps.

 

[honor435]

how exciting, newbie! I use cheap michaels color alot, it works, frag not. We can rec. some very good frag places, ok i will!
natures garden- you can buy 10-1ouncers for 20$
peakcandle.com- 10 for 20$, make sure they are body safe, they sell many candles fos that arent.
bertsheavenscent
bitter creek
elements bath and body.
wholesale supplies plus- no shipping on frag.
oils: olive- i buy from grocery
palm and butters- oils by nature or soapers choice
have fun are you going to hp or cp? i do both in the crockpot, just reserved for soap making.
I dont add any oils at the end, i dont think it does anything, although with hp a ounce of an oil makes it stir easier.
have fun.

 

[greencastlesoap]

No dumb questions Newbie...only dumb mistakes! And I've made them all.
The soap you saw being cut at a craft show is almost certain to be melt and pour. They make it opaque as well as the more common clear stuff. And the ingredient label can be deceiving. Ask ONE question: "Is this soap made with lye?" If the answer is No, just back away slowly....
Real soap would be cut and aged for weeks before a show.

 

[xyxoxy]

This has been very well answered but just for some additional perspective and clarification...

1. You CAN cure a whole log of CP but it's probably not a good idea. I know some people do it and slice it in front of customers at craft shows. This is either M&P or it is CP with probably too high of a superfat. If it is M&P they should tell you that. M&P is (usually) still good soap... but it should not be sold as CP and the seller should not pretend they made it from scratch. As soap cures it hardens and could become crumbly and hard to cut. I unmold and cut at the same time.

2. I prefer to stay away from supplies sold at craft stores. Which is not to say they WON'T work... sometimes. I just don't think they are as reliable and predictable as what you can buy from reputable online business that test their products. Ex: Brambleberry and WSP.

3 and 4. Calculate all of your oils and butters in your recipe. The recipe should include a superfat % which is most often between 5%-10% though you can go higher. The higher you superfat the greater the risk of spoilage. The lower the superfat the greater the risk of having lye heavy soap. You can add oils at the end but that is no guarantee of anything. Lye eats what lye wants and you cannot control it. I usually reserve 5-10% of one of my soft oils and add my FO to that. This gets added at trace. I don't claim that it has any effect on which oils remain unsaponified... but since I've been doing this I've never forgotten to add my FO and I've never had a batch seize because of a tricky FO.

5. The only dumb questions are the ones you don't ask.

 

[loveit_latherit]

WOW! You all sure have helped me (even after a glass of wine or two I can soooo comprehend your answers!)

Thanks so much all! Any more suggestions I welcome!

ALSO: I think I purchased a stainless pot on Amazon but one review said it may be aluminum. Can I use this pot as I saw in some youtube videos NOT to use aluminum. Any suggestions on that?
TY TY TY!!! [/u]

 

[xyxoxy]

WOW! You all sure have helped me (even after a glass of wine or two I can soooo comprehend your answers!)

Thanks so much all! Any more suggestions I welcome!

ALSO: I think I purchased a stainless pot on Amazon but one review said it may be aluminum. Can I use this pot as I saw in some youtube videos NOT to use aluminum. Any suggestions on that?
TY TY TY!!! [/u]

You cannot use it if it is aluminum so find out for sure. Better yet get your money back and go buy a cheaper one at Goodwill or Harbor freight.
If you are not sure if it is stainless steel you can try testing it with a magnet. A magnet will stick to SOME SS (but not all). A magnet will definitely not stick to aluminum. Plus SS should have at least a little weight to it compared to aluminum.

Also don't make soap while drinking :wink: The lye burns can be nasty.

 

[Overthemoon]

Also, do not soap while tired. Oh the near misses and not so near misses I have had when sleep deprived.

 

[Deda]

I find it easiest to soap in plastic buckets, the 2 gallon size is perfect for my little 1600 gram batches. I line up my buckets, measure my batched oil, measure my lye/water, add my color/fo/eo and then start. I can make 10 batches in less than an hour, including cleanup.

Have fun!

 

[loveit_latherit]

Thanks again everyone - all your tips are helping me gain confidence and I think I can do this people!!

It's almost tragic that making soap of all things can cause such anxiety... hmmm

 

[MorpheusPA]

Thanks again everyone - all your tips are helping me gain confidence and I think I can do this people!!

It's almost tragic that making soap of all things can cause such anxiety... hmmm

We all got that before my first batch, and for my first batch I looked like an odd sort of ninja. I had my hair wrapped, a particle respirator on, cloth over that to protect the rest of my face, goggles, long pants and shirt, and put on a plastic rain slicker and neoprene gloves. I could barely move.

Talk about overkill. Now I wear the particle mask, goggles, long pants and shirt and gloves. That's entirely sufficient. It's also less dangerous as there's less chance of me slipping or miscalculating when I pour things if I can move freely.

I mix the lye first to give it time to cool down under 120. I don't bother with a thermometer (90, 100, 120, 125...it's not that important and it all works fine).

I find it easier to add everything to my warmed oils. Since I almost always overheat a bit (to 125 or so), I do it while I'm waiting for the temperatures to drop into the 115 range. That gives me plenty of time. I'd soap at room temperature but the coconut and palm oils are solid there and don't mix well.

Definitely use a stainless or solid plastic mixing container and utensils. You won't like what aluminum does when exposed to lye...and the firemen you may end up calling if the hydrogen gas sparks won't like it either...

 

[loveit_latherit]

Thanks again everyone - all your tips are helping me gain confidence and I think I can do this people!!

It's almost tragic that making soap of all things can cause such anxiety... hmmm

We all got that before my first batch, and for my first batch I looked like an odd sort of ninja. I had my hair wrapped, a particle respirator on, cloth over that to protect the rest of my face, goggles, long pants and shirt, and put on a plastic rain slicker and neoprene gloves. I could barely move.

Talk about overkill. Now I wear the particle mask, goggles, long pants and shirt and gloves. That's entirely sufficient. It's also less dangerous as there's less chance of me slipping or miscalculating when I pour things if I can move freely.

I mix the lye first to give it time to cool down under 120. I don't bother with a thermometer (90, 100, 120, 125...it's not that important and it all works fine).

I find it easier to add everything to my warmed oils. Since I almost always overheat a bit (to 125 or so), I do it while I'm waiting for the temperatures to drop into the 115 range. That gives me plenty of time. I'd soap at room temperature but the coconut and palm oils are solid there and don't mix well.

Definitely use a stainless or solid plastic mixing container and utensils. You won't like what aluminum does when exposed to lye...and the firemen you may end up calling if the hydrogen gas sparks won't like it either...

Whoa - ok. I will make sure. I already am very concerned and have to ewait for my shipment to arrive. I purchased on Amazon and don't think they would sell stainless if it were aluminum HOWEVER I worked in the pet industry and know that stainless has increased in price so much they have made SS items thinner therefore they may resemble Aluminum but are indeed SS. (Cheap dog bowls etc.) When they arrive I will check. If I have the slightes doubt, I will look elsewhere for a true SS pot.

THANKS!

 

[rubyslippers]

I find it easiest to soap in plastic buckets, the 2 gallon size is perfect for my little 1600 gram batches. I line up my buckets, measure my batched oil, measure my lye/water, add my color/fo/eo and then start. I can make 10 batches in less than an hour, including cleanup.

Have fun!

Wow Deda.....I'd like to spend an hour with you on soaping day! What am I doing wrong???? It takes me 2 hours, including cleanup, to make 1 batch

 

[Deda]

I find it easiest to soap in plastic buckets, the 2 gallon size is perfect for my little 1600 gram batches. I line up my buckets, measure my batched oil, measure my lye/water, add my color/fo/eo and then start. I can make 10 batches in less than an hour, including cleanup.

Have fun!

Wow Deda.....I'd like to spend an hour with you on soaping day! What am I doing wrong???? It takes me 2 hours, including cleanup, to make 1 batch

LOL, Every day is soaping day, here. Whether I want it to be or not...

 

[loveit_latherit]

Thanks again all for your replies! If there is anyone who would like to add - call me sponge!! Thanks!

 

[honor435]

oh dont spend major money on a pot, go to the used store, you can warm your oils in crock and mix right in there. even with cp.

 

[Tabitha]

I ran an upscale boutique in dallas for a whuile. We bought cp soap & sliced it on the spot. It was always fully cured & we had no problems. That was before I began making soap. We sold the bars at $9.00 a slice. When I quite working there & no longer got my employee discount I begah making my own, They were my inspiration. Any-who, I had no problem slicing CP soap on the spot. I have no idea what the recipe was. If I can remember the soapmaker's name I will post a link.