Soap Dough??

So one of the reasons I moved from MP to CP soap is not CP has a much wider range of options when it comes to texture. And one of the things that intrigued me the most was soap dough. So I have tried soap dough before (store bought) and it wonderful - feels slightly like polymer clay. It isn't clumpy or sticky. And once I started researching, I found that Sorcery Soap makes soap dough. So I tried making soap dough following her recipe and covering my mold in clingfilm. But when I unmolded, the soap was soft but I would have to knead for days to get larger clumps of soap and once I did it would resemble icing rather than clay. Does anyone know how to make soap dough that doesn't act like this, isn't sticky and actually works well?

I'm afraid I can't help at all with your question, as I've never made soap dough, but just yesterday I was ooohing and aaaahing over entries from the Great Cakes Soapworks Challenge Club's May 2017 challenge, which was soap dough. There are some amazing - and I mean amazing - works of art that were submitted (for both the Juried and Voted contests). Anyhoo, each entrant also posts a link to give more info about how their creation came about, and you might find some good nuggets of wisdom by following the links (I oftentimes prefer to click on the blog links, as opposed to FB/Pinterest/etc., because I find sometimes the blog posts delve into more detail). Amy Warden, the host, also offers a tutorial for purchase.

Juried contest: https://soapchallengeclub.com/history/Juried_Soap_Dough_Link_Up.html

Voted contest: https://soapchallengeclub.com/history/Voted_Soap_Dough_Link_Up.html

Just thought I'd throw that out there in case you hadn't seen it and/or were looking for a rabbit hole to go down for a few hours...

I made soap dough with my usual recipe and it worked great.

Around 50% lard, 20% CO, 25% OO, 5% Castor.

Poured into my cavity mold and covered with plastic wrap overnight then rolled into balls for storage in the morning.

Down the rabbit hole I go! Just gave me some ideas for new soaps. Off to play!

My soap dough worked out ok, took quite a bit of cornstarch to keep it from being impossibly sticky and it hasn't hardened up yet. 3 weeks later, I can still easily indent it with a finger.

I just hive off a small amount from any recipe and wrap it in plastic the next morning. I have two on my bench now - the one with a little clay isn't so good but it still works as dough.

HowieRoll said:

I'm afraid I can't help at all with your question, as I've never made soap dough, but just yesterday I was ooohing and aaaahing over entries from the Great Cakes Soapworks Challenge Club's May 2017 challenge, which was soap dough. There are some amazing - and I mean amazing - works of art that were submitted (for both the Juried and Voted contests).

Juried contest: https://soapchallengeclub.com/history/Juried_Soap_Dough_Link_Up.html

Voted contest: https://soapchallengeclub.com/history/Voted_Soap_Dough_Link_Up.html

Just thought I'd throw that out there in case you hadn't seen it and/or were looking for a rabbit hole to go down for a few hours...

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Wow some people are so talented!!!

I used to make stuff like that with polymer clay. Have not done so for a long time.

They are so beautiful! If I was to make something like that, I would get so mad at anyone using it!!!!

So how do you make the dough?

Use any recipe and put it in plastic bags?

Thanks.

SunRiseArts said:

So how do you make the dough?

Use any recipe and put it in plastic bags?
Thanks.

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Yes, I just reserve a bit from any recipe wait 12 hours or so and put it in a plastic bag. cay doesn't work so well but all my other recipes work. I don't really notice a difference. Sorcery soap says to use 29% lye concentration.

Thanks Penelope! Next time I have extra batter on my project, I will save some like that!

So after 12 hours, how soon is ok to use it?

SunRiseArts said:

Thanks Penelope! Next time I have extra batter on my project, I will save some like that!

So after 12 hours, how soon is ok to use it?

Click to expand...

If it isn't zapping you could use it right away. But the few times I've tried it, it was really sticky. It took about a week to be workable.

SunRiseArts said:

Thanks Penelope! Next time I have extra batter on my project, I will save some like that!

So after 12 hours, how soon is ok to use it?

Click to expand...

I can use mine after 12-24 hrs-it depends on the recipe. It stays fresh for weeks as long as it's in an airtight container or plastic bag.

I had made a lot of small batches of soap dough when I wrote the above posts. All worked really well regardless of the lye concentration or the recipe used. I just hived off a part of any recipe and left it in an open container and the next day I put it in a plastic bag. A few days later it was ready to use.

Now I've tried large batches and they don't work. I've changed the lye concentration and nothing works - they are all still sticky. One of the recipes is 17 days old the other is 10 days old. They are both still sticky. I've also hived off bits from other recipes and are sticky too. I've kneeded the soap and left them on the bench for hours at a time but they are still sticky. Cornflour doesn't seem to help so they are really sticky. They aren't lumpy.

For some reason I originally left the soap in the mold but exposed to the air for 12 hours before i covered it but with these larger batches I've poured the soap into the mold and covered it with plastic immediately. That is the only difference I can really see. Next time I will revert to leaving my mix uncovered for 12 hours first.

Would love any help anyone can give to make the current batches non sticky. Cornstarch doesn't work.

Pink Dahlia on YouTube says just to make a small batch of the same soap the day before you need it, cover with cling film and then store in a zip lock bag. Her videos are really worth looking at as her dough work is fantastic.