Recipe feedback please ...

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tklechak

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O.K., I've been trying to stay with a basic recipe until I get everything under control. I've just made 2 batches (12 bars each), and they seem to be what I am looking for. They came out pretty good, but plain. I would like to know what everyone thinks of this recipe, ESPECIALLY the water/lye ratio ... I used:

20 oz lard
12oz Olive oil (pomace)
8 oz. Coconut oil
2.25:1 water:lye ratio

Thanks for any/all input .... P.S., I did do the zap test, and get no zap .... How does a stronger lye mixture affect quality, hardening (after pour), etc.???

ETA: This was a cold process soap ............
 
Last edited:
It all looks perfectly fine to me. :)

The water to lye ratio comes to rest somewhere between a 30% to 31% lye concentration, which is considered to be a mild water discount as discounts go. I like to use a 33% lye concentration myself (2:1 water to lye). I call it my 'Goldilocks' concentration. With some formulas, such as a Castile, I like to go even steeper- 40% to 45% lye concentration.

All other things in a formula being equal, a stronger lye concentration won't affect the quality of the finished soap, but it will allow you to be able to unmold and cut your soap sooner (especially if it gels), and it will also cut down on the amount of time it spends on your cure racks compared to a soap made with the same formula but with more water (i.e., 4 weeks instead of 5 or 6 weeks).


IrishLass :)
 
It all looks perfectly fine to me. :)

The water to lye ratio comes to rest somewhere between a 30% to 31% lye concentration, which is considered to be a mild water discount as discounts go. I like to use a 33% lye concentration myself (2:1 water to lye). I call it my 'Goldilocks' concentration. With some formulas, such as a Castile, I like to go even steeper- 40% to 45% lye concentration.

All other things in a formula being equal, a stronger lye concentration won't affect the quality of the finished soap, but it will allow you to be able to unmold and cut your soap sooner (especially if it gels), and it will also cut down on the amount of time it spends on your cure racks compared to a soap made with the same formula but with more water (i.e., 4 weeks instead of 5 or 6 weeks).


IrishLass :)

Thank you Irish Lass !! That's what I was hoping to hear !! Timm .....
 

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