Would you happen to know?

[godschild]

I received my shipment of sodium lactate, stearic acid, and benzoin powder today from Brambleberry. I am so pleased so far. It took them no time getting my order to me. I also received a complimentary sample of Lemon Cake fo. It smells divine and I'm in love! I will be ordering a huge amount of the fo asap. I do have a question though if anyone is available on here to help me. I am about to make a batch of cphp and then finish it in my oven at 200 degrees for 2 hours then turn it off for the night. May I ask which I should use, the sod lactate or the stearic acid in my recipe that is 22.5oz lard 10oz oo 10oz coconut? Or am I supposed to use both at the same time? Also how much would you use to make these bars nice and hard? How do I use the benzoin powder to fix my scents and how much would you use of it? The oils make 2.65 lbs. It has been a very long day and the info I can find at the moment is about cold process. Sorry I am bothering yall about this so late at night. It seems like I'm always having to make my soap at night when most folks are sleeping

 

[coffeetime]

I wouldn't add stearic or sodium lactate to that recipe. Those fats will already make a nice hard bar.

 

[coffeetime]

I'm a little confused by your post.... Are you making cold process, hot process or CPOP (cold process oven process)?

 

[godschild]

hi

crockpot hot process anf then it goes into the oven afterwards for 2 hours then you turn off the oven and let sit overnight in the oven. I don't see how any fragrance can survive after going into the oven but I guess I will be trying it to see what happens.

 

[coffeetime]

If it's been hot processed, why the two hours in the oven? The oven is to force gel on cold process soap, but hot process has already been through gel so no heat required after the crockpot. Unless this is some new technique you are developing to achieve something else??

 

[godschild]

I read that you put it in the oven as a "quick cure." It supposedly helps to be ready to use without having to wait 6 weeks for the lye to be done.... Still learning. I do know that when I did the process with the batch of soap that turned out well, it made a nice bar that was harder in the morning than the one I did without the extra oven step. I'm sure someone knows more about this than I, as I am a noob. I want to make a batch of soap tonight so badly, but I want to make sure I use my new ingredients properly with the proper amounts and at the proper point during the cphp oven process.

 

[coffeetime]

Well, saponification doesn't take six weeks. Curing refers to drying mostly, although most soaps become milder as they cure. An HP soap is almost completely saponified after the cook. It still needs to cure to allow the evaporation to happen so that the bar will be harder and last longer.

The reason the oven processed soap was harder is because you cooked more of the water out of it. It would be safe to use, but would still benefit from the curing time. Soap-making is very difficult for impatient people.
I would use one bar right away and put the rest aside to cure more, then compare how each soap felt. Then you'll know.

 

[FlybyStardancer]

Putting it in the oven to 'quick cure' is meant for cold process soaps--it speeds up gel, which speeds up saponification. However, if you're cooking it in a crock pot on the stove, you're already forcing it through saponification, so putting it in the oven won't do much.

 

[godschild]

All it probably really does is helps evaporate some of the H2O from the finished soap. I would love to hear from someone who knows about this and is experienced in this process. I still wish someone would tell me how to use my products I received today properly. All the info I've found was about cold process. I know the sodium lactate is supposed to make harder bars and also helps with fluidity when pouring into the mold. Stearic acid is supposed to thicken and harden but you can't use it with certain oils. Benzoin powder helps fix scents to make them last longer. I just don't know how much to use exactly and when to use it in the process. I am so flipping confused. My recipes I've made even with lard and coconut with the hp still end up soft. Really a big let down. That's why I ordered these things. :,( I've spent so much $ so far. I did get a great deal on a dehumidifier that cost a whole lot new and I only paid $30 for it in like new condition. That's my happy for the week. Doesn't seem to have helped very much so far though. Our climate is so humid that I don't think anything will help though. It's always raining or needing to run the ac so nothing can dry out around here. People have big problems with mold in their houses because of it. Nothing ever has a chance to dry out. At least I can be thankful that hasn't been a problem for me, other than being bad for soaping.

 

[FlybyStardancer]

Sodium lactate you add at about 1-2%. Stearic acid you treat as one of the oils, so you need to weigh it out and add it to the recipe you run through a lye calculator. I don't know about ideal ratios for it, though.

Do you live in the tropics?

 

[godschild]

No, I live on the Gulf of Mexico. It's always raining and people have severe mold issues in their homes because things never have a chance to dry out fully. It feels just like the tropics though. You go to bed in the winter with the heater on and before noon, you have to turn on your ac. It's ridiculous. One day it's hot, the next day it's freezing. It rains so much, you have to keep an umbrella in your car. I wish you could put soap in the microwave to dry it out.

 

[coffeetime]

Would liquid soap be a better option for your climate?

 

[godschild]

In my opinion, yes, but it is already going to be hard enough finding people to buy bar soap when I make a sellable product. Not many people around here are into ls. Most people in my town are poor like I am and buy their soap at the dollar tree or dollar general I will definitely end up getting an etsy account etc if I ever want to make any money soaping. I love liquid soap but I doubt I would ever be able to sell any. Thanks for the idea though.

 

[Susie]

OK, I live in Louisiana, so I know exactly what you mean. But I cure my CP(no HP) soaps for 6 weeks and they turn out fine. I have never used any stearic acid or sodium lactate. No dehumidifier in use whatsoever. I cure them on the top shelf of a closet I keep the door open on unless I have company coming over. One day I might add a fan to blow air into that closet, but that's all.

You just need to have a little patience. That soap is going to a more humid bathroom, after all.

 

[godschild]

Thanks. I just got into the wrong business because patience is one thing I lack lol.

 

[Dennis]

You go to bed in the winter with the heater on and before noon, you have to turn on your ac. It's ridiculous. One day it's hot, the next day it's freezing. It rains so much, you have to keep an umbrella in your car. .

I love liquid soap but I doubt I would ever be able to sell any. Thanks for the idea though.

Gee, I thought everyone had a umbrella and a warm jacket in their car. Just part of living down here. There are a lot of advantages to living here but I won't go over them because there are enough people moving in already. Far be it for me to invite more. Stay away! We have hurricanes!

Hang in there. There are lots of soapmakers down here in the heat and humidity. You definitely sound frustrated but don't give up because you also sound as if you love making soap. Sure there are some obstacles to overcome but you will do that. You found this goldmine of information and assistance called The Soapmaking Forum. That goes into your plus column. The internet allows you to reach out to the world and patience will come as you progress. Well, maybe. :grin: Things will get better as you learn and your successes will outnumber what looked like failures but were simply limited edition collectibles. Hang in there, summer is on the way which means the climate indoors will be more consistent with the A/C running 24/7 as the humidity rises to match the temps. Gulf Power loves me.

 

[seven]

i am impatient too!

and i live in the tropics, where the ac is always on at night (otherwise i'll be dripping in sweat), so i kinda know your condition. i put your recipe into soapcalc, and this is what i'm getting as far as soap qualities:


Hardness 45
Cleansing 16
Conditioning 49
Bubbly 16
Creamy 29
Iodine 53
INS 159

it's going to make a nice, hard, bar of soap i reckon. you can add sodium lactate 1 tsp ppo (per pound of oil) to help with unmolding. but if i were you, i'm just gonna add 1 tbsp. i think it's enough.

benzoin.. i've seen ppl use this stuff too. from what i've read, it's supposed to fixed scents to anchor better. last longer? i dunno. i've just started using it myself (i have the tincture), so my comparison hasn't begun yet.

i wouldn't bother with the stearic. you don't need it. i personally only use stearic if i really must, and if my recipe is really really soft even sodium lactate can't help. stearic can be a bit tricky. it speeds up trace, and you have to maintain your temp high enough so your stearic stay melted. your recipe is already high on palmitic, adding stearic to the mix, hmmm... i wouldn't do it if i were you. save it for other 'soft' recipes.

cphp... dunno. never done it. i either do it cp, or hp. or maybe cpop.

hth

 

[shunt2011]

Your recipe should already be good and hard. I would use SL at 1% and that will helpy your soap be more fluid for pouring. I've never used Stearic Acid in my soap except my shaving soap so can't help there. Also, as for curing, nothing beats a 4-6 week cure regardless if it's CP or HP.

 

[seven]

that is true what shunt said about curing time. see it for yourself. you can totally feel the difference b/w a soap that's been nicely cured (4-6 minimal) to a hp that's just been made. cure it for much longer (2 months plus) and the bubbles are crazier, the soap lasts longer, and is def milder.

 

[godschild]

Cool. I will just have to keep myself busy so I don't ocd about my curing soap heee heee heee. I'll save the stearic for softer batches. I guess my benzoin powder is going in the trash because I sure won't be making myself or anybody else itchy from it. Glad I didn't order a whole lot of it.