Still working on those photography skills! Made these yesterday. The pink one was a redo of the one I made that got discolored by the addition of honey. I added sugar to the blue one and had no discoloration so sugar it is!
Today’s Cuts
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Todd Ziegler
Circle Z soaps
Was the sugar for harding the soap in the molds or for something else? Because I am running out of sodium Lactate and I am still laid off, so I can't buy anymore. Looking for cheaper alternatives now.
Sugar is to boost lather. Salt is what you want to harden soap. Use 1 tsp ppo, dissolve it in your water before adding the lye. I like salt better then sl for hardening.
I was using the sugar to boost the lather. I use SL for hardening and unmoldimg sooner.
Todd Ziegler
Circle Z soaps
Thank you. I am going to try salt or vinegar when I run out of SL.
How much sugar are you using?
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Love the swirls!
I used 1 Tsp PPO
They are beautiful! I will have to try the sugar. Do you put that in the water prior to adding lye, similar to the salt?
Victoriaaa
Active Member
These look awesome!
Fabulous soaps. I love the distrubition of color in both batches.
When I dissolve any additives I reserve some of the liquid to dissolve the additives and dissolve nothing in my lye solution. But to answer your question yes any additives are always dissolved before adding the lye. Sugar will crystalize on the bottom of your container if you try to dissolve it in lye solution.
@Todd Ziegler I really think you will like vinegar better than salt.
I dissolved the sugar in a small amount of reserved water from the batch and then added it after the lye solution had cooled.
They are both beautiful!
Thanks everyone for the kind words and encouragement.
You really have a knack for making beautiful swirls! Have you seen the Soaping101 YouTube video that shows how the different types of sugars affect the final color of soap? Apparently, “reducing sugars,” like glucose and fructose, darken soap, while sucrose does not. It has something to do with the chemical structure of the sugar.
@Bari b Another way to add sugar is as simple syrup (50% water:50% cane sugar, heated gently until the sugar dissolves). I make about a cup at a time and store in the refrigerator. I add it to my recipe by weight (2x wt of sugar I want to add) and subtract the water in the syrup (1/2 wt of syrup I’m adding) from the liquid in recipe. I add the syrup directly to the oils rather than to the lye water.
@Bari b Another way to add sugar is as simple syrup (50% water:50% cane sugar, heated gently until the sugar dissolves). I make about a cup at a time and store in the refrigerator. I add it to my recipe by weight (2x wt of sugar I want to add) and subtract the water in the syrup (1/2 wt of syrup I’m adding) from the liquid in recipe. I add the syrup directly to the oils rather than to the lye water.
moodymama
Well-Known Member
They are so gorgeous!
What a great idea! I keep simple syrup in the fridge for adding to iced tea, margaritas, honey bee supplement, and to water down for hummingbird feed. So I now have another use.
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Thank you! I haven’t seen this video but I’ll check it out. I love the idea of using the simple syrup. Sounds so much easier!
Adobehead
Well-Known Member
Very beautiful and well photographed. A pleasure to see your work.
ravenscents
Well-Known Member
This recipe for Sodium Lactate was shared with me by a fellow soaper. I haven't tried it yet.
measure out lets say 16oz water and weigh the pot with the water in it....make note of that weight....dont tare the scale....(make sure you weight out the salt before)....the heat the water up....to boil...take off heat...reweigh..add any lost water to get back to 16oz....add the 32oz salt...stir till its dissolved...set aside covered to cool off
that gives you a 60/40 solution
then once its cooled off....add it to a clean sterile bottle....
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