Why is my CP soap loaf sticky?

[soapybubbles]

I am still a beginner to making CP soap ( my third batch now) and I normally cut my soap with the metal scraper provided in those Amazon soap making kits. I have found that when I cut the soap after 2 days of curing in the mould, the soap sticks to the blade and also creates a dragging effect. Could it be my recipe? Or should I switch to using a wire cutter?

Here's my oil blend:
Almond oil 30%
Castor oil 15%
Cocoa butter 35%
Coconut oil 20%

 

[Mobjack Bay]

The stickiness could be due to the high percentage of castor oil in your recipe. Most soap makers keep castor at 10% or less and many stick to 5%. It's also possible that you are using more water than necessary. Do you know the lye concentration for your recipe? If not, what are your total weights for fats, water and lye?

 

[soapybubbles]

The stickiness could be due to the high percentage of castor oil in your recipe. Most soap makers keep castor at 10% or less and many stick to 5%. It's also possible that you are using more water than necessary. Do you know the lye concentration for your recipe? If not, what are your total weights for fats, water and lye?

Oh I see... If I reduce castor oil by 10% do you recommend I add it onto the cocoa butter or almond oil? Or coconut?

I use water:Lye ratio which is 2:1.
My total weight is 1128.79g

 

[The_Phoenix]

I recommend lowering castor to 10% and using a 1.7:1 or 1.8:1 lye:water ratio. As for where to pass the 5% on to, gosh, that’s a tough call. With such a high percentage of cocoa butter, my preference would be to add it to the coconut oil. High cocoa butter may make your soap require a lot of work to lather up so more coconut oil would help make the soap more water soluble to counter that.

While some people tend to be averse to coconut oil at 25%, it really depends on the rest of your recipe. I do not soap with sweet almond oil and am hesitant to recommend adding the 5% to that. Do you have any other data sources you could add? Maybe olive oil?

All that to say if you lower your water:lye ratio, you’ll likely have a more firm batch of soap and may not need to fuss with your recipe. Especially if you like your recipe as-is.

 

[dmcgee5034]

Hi @soapybubbles and welcome. You might want to check this out for some easy oil info and usage guidance. It’s a nice starting place on your journey. It says Sweet Almond up to 20%.

https://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-...s-guide-to-soapmaking-common-soapmaking-oils/

 

[soapybubbles]

The stickiness could be due to the high percentage of castor oil in your recipe. Most soap makers keep castor at 10% or less and many stick to 5%. It's also possible that you are using more water than necessary. Do you know the lye concentration for your recipe? If not, what are your total weights for fats, water and lye?

Oh I see... If I reduce castor oil by 10% do you recommend I add it onto the cocoa butter or almond oil? Or coconut?

I use water:Lye ratio which is 2:1.
My total weight is 1128.79

I recommend lowering castor to 10% and using a 1.7:1 or 1.8:1 lye:water ratio. As for where to pass the 5% on to, gosh, that’s a tough call. With such a high percentage of cocoa butter, my preference would be to add it to the coconut oil. High cocoa butter may make your soap require a lot of work to lather up so more coconut oil would help make the soap more water soluble to counter that.

While some people tend to be averse to coconut oil at 25%, it really depends on the rest of your recipe. I do not soap with sweet almond oil and am hesitant to recommend adding the 5% to that. Do you have any other data sources you could add? Maybe olive oil?

All that to say if you lower your water:lye ratio, you’ll likely have a more firm batch of soap and may not need to fuss with your recipe. Especially if you like your recipe as-is.

Very helpful stuff. I don't have olive oil right now but do you think it would improve the recipe? I've read that it's a staple but is it really worth it?

I will definitely change my water:Lye ratio. Thank you!

Hi @soapybubbles and welcome. You might want to check this out for some easy oil info and usage guidance. It’s a nice starting place on your journey. It says Sweet Almond up to 20%.

https://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-...s-guide-to-soapmaking-common-soapmaking-oils/

Hmm I've had a read. Why can't I use it over 20%? Also... Why is olive oil a staple?

 

[Tarberry]

My thinking is the cost associated with sweet almond oil VS olive or such(even canola or soybean oil) But I guess that depends on your unique situation. If you wanna use it knock yourself out! No harm.. it's your soap! As for stickiness. I feel like they all stick a bit. I slide mine off the cutter, as is common in a lot of yt videos. And it's fine. So unless it's very sticky maybe leave it in mold another day and try it. Drag marks you might have to buff out later. I've recestarted steaming my soaps before packaging. Makes for a lovely finish. And would help with the drag lines. Definitely agree to the castor at %5 .. would be a better option. Experiment and see.

 

[soapybubbles]

My thinking is the cost associated with sweet almond oil VS olive or such(even canola or soybean oil) But I guess that depends on your unique situation. If you wanna use it knock yourself out! No harm.. it's your soap! As for stickiness. I feel like they all stick a bit. I slide mine off the cutter, as is common in a lot of yt videos. And it's fine. So unless it's very sticky maybe leave it in mold another day and try it. Drag marks you might have to buff out later. I've recestarted steaming my soaps before packaging. Makes for a lovely finish. And would help with the drag lines. Definitely agree to the castor at %5 .. would be a better option. Experiment and see.

Yes, it is a cost thing but if reducing castor oil still doesn't make much of a difference then I will purchase olive oil.

How do you steam soap??

 

[Tarberry]

Yes, it is a cost thing but if reducing castor oil still doesn't make much of a difference then I will purchase olive oil.

How do you steam soap??

With a steamer for wrinkles in your clothes.
mine is Conaire brand. Tried to give a link but it's a mile long..
Dont forget, there are cheaper oil options. Doesn't have to be olive. Many cooking oils have great skin benefits..

 

[KiwiMoose]

Yes - I think a reformulation might be a good idea. The soap recipe is fine, but your costs will be quite high? Cocoa butter is hellishly expensive here.

How about:
OO 20% https://www.tesco.com/groceries/en-GB/products/259045325
Almond 20%
CO 20%
Cocoa Butter 15%
Shea butter/palm/lard/tallow/soy wax 20%
Castor Oil 5%

Or something along those lines?

At present the cocoa butter is the only ingredient providing longevity and hardness to your soap (stearic acid) but it would be more cost effective to consider a different ingredient for this.

https://www.modernsoapmaking.com/bl...saturated fatty,a boatload of palmitic acid).

 

[Mobjack Bay]

Yourlye concentration should not be the problem but lowering the water a little, as suggested by @The_Phoenix will make it easier to unmold the soap sooner. Or you can just leave it in the mold longer. There’s no downside to that option as long as you don’t leave it so long that you can’t cut it when you take it out. To the other good suggestions above, I”ll add the idea of using rice bran oil if it’s an inexpensive option for you (try the Asian grocery store). It will help with the longevity without having to change your recipe much. If you use it to replace 5% of the castor oil, the longevity (= palmitic + stearic) goes from 26 to 27, and if you replace 10% of the castor with rice bran oil, the longevity will be 28. As @KiwiMoose mentioned, other hard fats such as palm, tallow, lard, or shea may give you a bit more longevity at a lower cost.

 

[soapybubbles]

Yourlye concentration should not be the problem but lowering the water a little, as suggested by @The_Phoenix will make it easier to unmold the soap sooner. Or you can just leave it in the mold longer. There’s no downside to that option as long as you don’t leave it so long that you can’t cut it when you take it out. To the other good suggestions above, I”ll add the idea of using rice bran oil if it’s an inexpensive option for you (try the Asian grocery store). It will help with the longevity without having to change your recipe much. If you use it to replace 5% of the castor oil, the longevity (= palmitic + stearic) goes from 26 to 27, and if you replace 10% of the castor with rice bran oil, the longevity will be 28. As @KiwiMoose mentioned, other hard fats such as palm, tallow, lard, or shea may give you a bit more longevity at a lower cost.

What's in rice bran oil that increases the soap's longevity?

Amazing advice thank you.

 

[Mobjack Bay]

For a liquid oil, rice bran oil contains a fair amount of palmitic fatty acid. Along with stearic, palmitic fatty acid increases the longevity of the soap and contributes to creamy lather. For an interesting exercise, compare the fatty acid profiles and palmitic and stearic percentages for cocoa butter, rice bran oil, olive oil and sweet almond oil, below. This article on the soapy stuff website Is super helpful for understanding how the various fatty acids contribute to soap qualities. Everyone is a different when it comes to soap preferences, but for my “balanced” standard recipes I adjust the fat percentages in the calculator until I have a profile close to this: 13-14% lauric + myristic, 40% or more oleic, 28-30% palmitic + stearic, 5% ricinoleic and the rest as linoleic + linolenic (+ unaccounted for… this is because the calculators don’t necessarily show us all of the fatty acids that are in a particular fat).

 

[soapybubbles]

For a liquid oil, rice bran oil contains a fair amount of palmitic fatty acid. Along with stearic, palmitic fatty acid increases the longevity of the soap and contributes to creamy lather. For an interesting exercise, compare the fatty acid profiles and palmitic and stearic percentages for cocoa butter, rice bran oil, olive oil and sweet almond oil, below. This article on the soapy stuff website Is super helpful for understanding how the various fatty acids contribute to soap qualities. Everyone is a different when it comes to soap preferences, but for my “balanced” standard recipes I adjust the fat percentages in the calculator until I have a profile close to this: 13-14% lauric + myristic, 40% or more oleic, 28-30% palmitic + stearic, 5% ricinoleic and the rest as linoleic + linolenic (+ unaccounted for… this is because the calculators don’t necessarily show us all of the fatty acids that are in a particular fat).

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Extremely helpful stuff. Many thanks