Syndet % and Process

[Savonette]

I’d like to ask about the basics of non-pressed syndet bar percentages and process. I’m seeing ingredients sold in solid and/or liquid form so I want to solve the mystery.

Percentages: Is there a good rule for solids/liquids that hold a non-pressed shampoo bar together?

Process: I see melt/cool phase everywhere. Is the purpose to melt ingredients at their lowest possible point and then combine? Is citric acid the go-to pH balancer? Can pH be tested before molding?

I bought SCM’s e-book but it’s not the easiest read. I wish my parents would have told me I WOULD use chemistry later.

 

[KiwiMoose]

Hi Savonette,

I use about 20% liquids in my syndet bars - these are made up of liquid surfactants (about 15%) and other liquid additives - oils, preservatives, etc. From what i can judge from seeing others recipes I think that's a fairly high amount of liquid.

The solids are made up of both powdered surfactants and emulsifying waxes and alcohols, but also a touch of shea butter in my case ( different people use different things).

The heating phase is used to melt the alcohols/waxes mostly - cetyl or cetearyl alcohol, BTMS conditioning agent and emulsifier, varisoft or other quats - which are VERY hard and take high heat to melt. Some people add the powdered surfactants to that before starting cool down, or they might add the powders and continue to heat and allow them to melt into the other ingredients (this can take about half an hour).

Other ingredients do not cope with high heat, so once the mixture starts to cool down it is time to add those - preservatives usually fall into this category, as do essential oils.

I use lactic acid as my pH balancer. I guess technically you could test for pH before molding - but as i make pourable bars and time is of the essence before it sets up I don't want to interrupt my process to do so. If you are making pressed bars you could i guess take a smidge out of the mixture, mix with the required percentage of water and do your pH reading with that.

Hope that helps