Whoops!

[MomInWA]

So, my second batch from Saturday is super soft still. I did use Dead Sea salt in this recipe as well. But since I haven't tossed it, I think I will just let it sit for a while and see what happens. Here is the recipe I put together on Soapmaking Friend calc.

300g Almond Oil, Sweet
400g Coconut Oil
100g Soybean, fully hydrogenated
15g Dead Sea salt
244.44g Distilled Water
122.22g NaOH

I'll post pics when I can turn them out of their molds. Thanks so much to everyone for helping me learn!

 

[Shirley-D]

My first attempts at making soap were too embarrassing to think about. I learned a lot from forum members so don't give up.

 

[MomInWA]

My first attempts at making soap were too embarrassing to think about. I learned a lot from forum members so don't give up.

Thank you! The rigid perfectionist in me has a difficult time with failure!

 

[MomInWA]

My first attempts at making soap were too embarrassing to think about. I learned a lot from forum members so don't give up.

PS. I told my favorite Auntie about my mess and she reminded me how Grandma would have put the scraps in a clean nylon stocking and used it anyway! Oh, man!! Memories of Bag Balm, woolen socks around my neck when I was sick, and how much I loved her.

 

[cmzaha]

Sorry, but never use Dead Sea Salt in Soap, this is coming from a person that started making salt soaps when they were just becoming popular and were one of the first soaps I started making. I can tell you I made every mistake possible with using salt in soaps and Dead Salt is almost impossible. I did work out a way but it was so small a percentage and the mix of fatty acids did not really make it worth it other than label appeal, which is why I admit I made them. It is a recipe I do not share as it took me a couple of years to perfect and a good 1 year cure time for the bars to work themselves out.

 

[AliOop]

Oh bummer. I tossed the whole batch already.

I think that was the best choice. Waiting would not have changed anything for the better given the DSS.

 

[A-Polly]

Actually, I've used 17g of Dead Sea salt in a batch of 454g of oils, but it was dissolved in the lye water first, to make a brine bar*. It turned out to be a lovely soap. So maybe yours will be okay, too, since you used only 15g in a much larger batch. Did you dissolve it first? I think that was a key step in mine. Good luck!
*also had a high percentage of coconut oil, and high superfat

 

[Shelley D]

Thank you, I appreciate your input! I agree. I haven't unmolded the first batch as it was too soft yesterday. But I think I will just toss them both and start over.

Since one was too hard and the other too soft, I would re-melt them together to see if they balanced out each other

 

[MomInWA]

Actually, I've used 17g of Dead Sea salt in a batch of 454g of oils, but it was dissolved in the lye water first, to make a brine bar*. It turned out to be a lovely soap. So maybe yours will be okay, too, since you used only 15g in a much larger batch. Did you dissolve it first? I think that was a key step in mine. Good luck!
*also had a high percentage of coconut oil, and high superfat

Funny how we each get different results! Thanks for the tip. I probably won't use Dead Sea salt again, but whatever I use (salt or sugar), I now know to dissolve in the distilled water first; then add the lye to the water (I guess I oughter...haha).

 

[MomInWA]

Since one was too hard and the other too soft, I would re-melt them together to see if they balanced out each other

Okay, so here's my newbie question. How do I remelt batches? Just a double-boiler or a crock pot?

 

[AliOop]

Okay, so here's my newbie question. How do I remelt batches? Just a double-boiler or a crock pot?

Either of those will work, or you can do an oven rebatch, which I find the easiest. Do a search for "oven rebatch" here on SMF, and you'll get full instructions.

However, I don't think rebatching is going to fix the problem, which is the addition of Dead Sea Salts. Those are going to remain in the soap no matter what you do to it.

 

[Tammyfarms]

Wow I know so much less than I thought I did!

That’s how I feel just about every other time I start digging into a topic on here! ‍♀ There’s so much to know and when I start to feel like I might know what I’m doing I realize there’s just more to learn. That’s one thing I love about soaping. Always more to learn.

 

[MomInWA]

Second batch still soft and I made this last Saturday, June 17. I think I’ll let it sit and see what happens. Thoughts?

 

[Zing]

I love your curiosity and openness! Perfectionist here. Soaping has been a real lesson in letting go and leaving it to the soap gods.

I have zilch experience with salt but if I could add my 2 cents? I am not one to talk because my base recipe calls for 6 oils and butters, my goal of 5 didn't work out. But I'd recommend fewer oils and butters because, you know, DISHES! Also, you've got some super expensive ingredients there that are fantastic for leave-on products but change their qualities after saponifying, like jojoba, kokum, and mango. I don't know if you are thinking of selling. I do know that some sellers choose to add small amounts of expensive oils for "label appeal." I'm just a hobbyist.

 

[MomInWA]

I love your curiosity and openness! Perfectionist here. Soaping has been a real lesson in letting go and leaving it to the soap gods.

I have zilch experience with salt but if I could add my 2 cents? I am not one to talk because my base recipe calls for 6 oils and butters, my goal of 5 didn't work out. But I'd recommend fewer oils and butters because, you know, DISHES! Also, you've got some super expensive ingredients there that are fantastic for leave-on products but change their qualities after saponifying, like jojoba, kokum, and mango. I don't know if you are thinking of selling. I do know that some sellers choose to add small amounts of expensive oils for "label appeal." I'm just a hobbyist.

Hi Zing! Thank you for the helpful input. I agree - those are expensive ingredients. I like using them, but I'm starting to realize that some of those are better for my body butters. Learning about saponification is really interesting! Lots of these things just never even occurred to me. So....learning! It's all good. Although I'd rather not make expensive mistakes too often. I am a hobbyist with an eye towards a potential future business. But not until I've created something I am proud to sell, that has real purpose and value. So far, I've given away lots of body butter, scrubs, soaks, lip balm, beard oil....anything that strikes my fancy. Usually I do it alone, but sometimes my daughter comes over. I'd love to have a business with her, but she is going back to school to pursue her Masters and won't have a lot of free time for a couple years. Whatever I do in life, it is a labor of love. It feels like a lot of people on here are similar that way. Great group of folks, it's a pleasure to chat with and an honor to learn from.

 

[Zing]

Hi Zing! Thank you for the helpful input. I agree - those are expensive ingredients. I like using them, but I'm starting to realize that some of those are better for my body butters. Learning about saponification is really interesting! Lots of these things just never even occurred to me. So....learning! It's all good. Although I'd rather not make expensive mistakes too often. I am a hobbyist with an eye towards a potential future business. But not until I've created something I am proud to sell, that has real purpose and value. So far, I've given away lots of body butter, scrubs, soaks, lip balm, beard oil....anything that strikes my fancy. Usually I do it alone, but sometimes my daughter comes over. I'd love to have a business with her, but she is going back to school to pursue her Masters and won't have a lot of free time for a couple years. Whatever I do in life, it is a labor of love. It feels like a lot of people on here are similar that way. Great group of folks, it's a pleasure to chat with and an honor to learn from.

 

[MomInWA]

Still soft but seems to be sloooooowlyyy firming up. I’m going to continue to allow this to do what it’s going to do. It does lather, so that’s a plus.