Honey Beeswax soap-Can someone shed some light?

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lizflowers42

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I found a recipe for honey/beeswax soap, without tallow or lard that I'm excited to try out this evening (and I have bubble wrap to do the fun honeycomb pattern!). I am going to run this through Soap Calc to be sure everything is correct, but these are the ingredients for the recipe.

Pure Almond Oil – 16 oz.
Pure Coconut Oil – 32 oz.
Pure Canola Oil – 26 oz.
Pure Olive Oil – 28 oz.
Pure Soybean Oil – 26 oz.
Water – 48 oz.
Lye (Sodium Hydroxide) – 18 oz.
Beeswax – 4 oz. (0.5 oz per pound * 8 pounds)
Honey – 4 oz. (0.5 oz per pound * 8 pounds)

Recipe found here: http://www.soapmakingfun.com/cold-process-soap-making/beeswax-soap.shtml

Question time. Recipe says to add the beeswax with the oil and heat to 150 degrees, then to let it cool to 115-will the beeswax begin to solidify at that temp?

It also says to add the honey at trace. I know that the added sugar heats things up, but how do I ensure that the honey is completely mixed in and not gloppily blobbed through out the soap? Can I mix my honey with the lye mixture instead to ensure it's completely mixed or will that kill any of the benefits of the honey?
 
I melt my beeswax in a paper cup in the microwave and add it at trace. For my honey, I remove a little of the water before I mix up the lye water, heat that water in the microwave, then mix my honey in that. I don't use my microwave a lot in soapmaking but I do use it for those two things. The honey will disperse nicely in the warm water. I also add the honey/water mix at trace. I just made a batch of honey yogurt last night. :) I refrigerate to keep it from gelling but of course that's just personal choice. The honey yogurt soap has become a favorite of my family and friends (aka testers) - my niece said she was going to need a case. :)

Eta: I'm on my phone and its hard to go back and forth to see exactly what the previous post said so I wanted to add that by adding the melted wax at trace I don't have to worry about the temp or it hardening back up before I mix everything. And by dispersing the honey in warm water it won't form a gloppy mess when you add it.
 
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I would add that that looks like an awfully big recipe for a trial run, I would at least cut it in half (okay, I would make it 1/4) for the first try, beeswax and honey do both overheat easily and can be difficult to work with. chicklet's suggestions look like they may make life a little easier!
 
I would add that that looks like an awfully big recipe for a trial run, I would at least cut it in half (okay, I would make it 1/4) for the first try, beeswax and honey do both overheat easily and can be difficult to work with. chicklet's suggestions look like they may make life a little easier!
For sure! I was going to do a quarter batch for starters!
 
I melt my beeswax in a paper cup in the microwave and add it at trace. For my honey, I remove a little of the water before I mix up the lye water, heat that water in the microwave, then mix my honey in that. I don't use my microwave a lot in soapmaking but I do use it for those two things. The honey will disperse nicely in the warm water. I also add the honey/water mix at trace. I just made a batch of honey yogurt last night. :) I refrigerate to keep it from gelling but of course that's just personal choice. The honey yogurt soap has become a favorite of my family and friends (aka testers) - my niece said she was going to need a case. :)

Eta: I'm on my phone and its hard to go back and forth to see exactly what the previous post said so I wanted to add that by adding the melted wax at trace I don't have to worry about the temp or it hardening back up before I mix everything. And by dispersing the honey in warm water it won't form a gloppy mess when you add it.

Like in a paper dixie cup?
 
:p just my 2 cents: Ive made successful batches with beeswax & honey by using my little crock pot to melt down the bees wax first, then I added my harder oils until they are melted too. Then I added both hard oils to room temperature liquid oils. At this time I add the honey and mix it in really good with the my stick blender. I also add in my coconut oil and fragrance too at this point. Lastly after I am sure all ingresients are mixed, I add my room temp lye solution. Its no where near conventional but it works real well for me. Hope this helps. Its the easiest way Ive found. I like easy lol!
 
Well, I am sticking to the written recipe for this go around. Ran it through soap calc and there was only a difference in water-assuming this is discounted for the ounce of honey added at trace. My oils are cooling at this point, so I'm just taking a quick SMF break :)

Perhaps it will be all easy peasy and I got nervous over nothing, but it's always good to try someone's recipe the way it's written before changing too many things around :)
 
Adding the beeswax to the oil as the recipe says is probably a better way than adding it at trace as I do, but I know for sure that dispersing the honey in warm water works well to make sure the Honey doesn't glop up or sink to the bottom. But there's a lot to be said for cutting down on anxiety by following a recipe as written so I don't blame you there. :)

The paper cups referenced above - yes, 5 oz Dixie cups. I use them a lot in soaping.
 
It's in the fridge for the next 2 days! I decided that I would try this non gelling out too since its only 2 lbs. Thanks for all your help! I will post photos next weekend!
 
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