Almost Had It

DunbarDesigned · Sep 26, 2017

Hello yall! I come seeking advice. So I tried my soap for the first time and I believe its been curing for about 3 weeks now. Did I try it too soon? It was creamy and lathered amazingly but it felt like it cleansed a little too well because after my hands felt a bit stripped. Any suggestions on how to add moisture without having to shift my recipe too much. I really think it worked exactly as I wanted minus the moisture aspect. Thanks in advance!

Kizzy · Sep 26, 2017

What was the recipe, we may be able to trouble shoot for you

BrewerGeorge · Sep 26, 2017

Yeah, it's probably a little young still. Easier to tell specifics with the recipe posted.

toxikon · Sep 26, 2017

3 weeks is still pretty early. A 4 week cure is considered the minimum, but most around here would recommend 6 weeks or longer.

Also, soap will never feel moisturizing. It's always going to be cleansing - but shouldn't feel like it's totally stripping the oils from your skin and leaving your skin parched and dry.

The most likely cause of a stripping recipe would be high coconut oil with a low-ish superfat.

lenarenee · Sep 26, 2017

I would stick it back on the curing rack and wait another couple weeks to try. Even if after repeated waiting and testing you decide this recipe is too drying; some of that will be alleviated with a long cure time.

SoapAddict415 · Sep 26, 2017

Without knowing what your recipe is, I would suggest dropping the percentage of your coconut oil and maybe increasing your superfat by 1%-2%.

SoapTrey · Sep 26, 2017

DunbarDesigned said:
Hello yall! I come seeking advice. So I tried my soap for the first time and I believe its been curing for about 3 weeks now. Did I try it too soon?

You should give it another 2 to 30 weeks or so.... and then take it for a spin

Steve85569 · Sep 26, 2017

I like the "cleansing value" in a given recipe to be BELOW the recommendations.
Otherwise I find most soaps too stripping.

You may want to try a small batch using the oils you have on hand that does that when you run the recipe through your favorite lye calculator.

Cindy2428 · Sep 26, 2017

If you would care to share the recipe you used, maybe we can help tweak it if it is on the higher cleansing side.

jcandleattic · Sep 27, 2017

As others have said, a recipe would help diagnose the stripping aspect. Could be it's not cured long enough, could be that and a combination of the oils used in your recipe. Could be too low of a superfat %. Could be a lot of things - however, without a recipe, it is almost impossible to tell.

As others have said, coconut oil can be stripping, however, I find that it's not as stripping when by itself with a higher %, as when it is combined with a high % of Olive Oil.

DunbarDesigned · Oct 8, 2017

I think it was the cinnamon! My other bars are perfect! They lather REALLY well, they have a nice slip and they’re not drying. The others had a line of cinnamon on them because well I’m just trying stuff and learning.

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