Tweaking a recipe

[Zing]

I've been CP soaping over a year now and have a favorite recipe -- by far my favorite. I love the scent and especially the lather, large, long-lasting bubbles. My quibble is that it is soft, even after 6 months of cure. Let me know if you have suggestions on increasing the hardness without changing the recipe too much. I've experimented with adding shea butter but just really don't care for it -- there's no bubbles and it feels like lotion (my wife loves it though). I know on this forum that it's controversial whether or not shea butter kills lather -- but I'm hesitant based on my experience. Here's my recipe:
4.71 oz lye
10 oz water
1.5 oz castor oil (4.5%)
9 oz coconut oil (27.3%)
4 oz grapeseed oil (12.1%)
9.5 oz olive oil (28.8%)
9 oz palm oil (27.3%)
superfat 4%
0.2 oz cedarwood EO
0.8 oz lemongrass EO
0.8 oz rosemary EO
2 tsp sodium lactate
2 tsp titanium dioxide
I'd appreciate any tips! Thanks,

 

[dixiedragon]

Try the recipe without the grapeseed oil. It's a soft oil that is prone to rancidity. Maybe replace it with palm, olive, or avocado.

 

[amd]

Add 1% stearic acid. (If I were doing it, I would adjust the 1% in the liquid oils.)

 

[Zing]

Add 1% stearic acid. (If I were doing it, I would adjust the 1% in the liquid oils.)

Thanks, I'll try that. Can I get it locally in a grocery/drug/hardware store or do I have to get it through an online soapers company?

Try the recipe without the grapeseed oil. It's a soft oil that is prone to rancidity. Maybe replace it with palm, olive, or avocado.

I'll try it replace the grapeseed. I keep grapeseed oil in the fridge. When you say it's prone to rancidity, do you mean when it's an oil oil or when it's in the soap and it's saponified? Thanks,

 

[dixiedragon]

My understanding is that oils that are prone to rancidity stay prone to rancidity in soap. But I'm not a scientist.

 

[cmzaha]

I love Grapeseed oil and apparently so do my customers since they keep coming back for the soap bar I make for acne skin problems. No I do not advertise or tell anyone it is an acne bar. It is a bit astringent, and using it in the 15-20% range has never caused me a problem. Lard causes me problems...

 

[amd]

I have used grapeseed oil at 10% with no problems. I wouldn't use it at high percentages, as dixie said it is an oil with a short shelf life.

You won't be able to find stearic acid in a grocery. You could also try beeswax - I've not tried it, but it is a bit more readily available if you're in the US. (I can get mine at a tractor supply store or local health food store).

 

[IrishLass]

Thanks, I'll try that. Can I get it locally in a grocery/drug/hardware store or do I have to get it through an online soapers company?

If you're in the USA, Hobby Lobby sells stearic acid down their soap and candle-making aisle.


IrishLass