2nd Recipe

[ejb222]

Can I run this recipe by y'all before I start it to know if this is ok? I'm really wet behind the ears and am still learing about what oils are used for what, and what percentages are ideal to accomplish what I want.

So here is a thought for my second recipe

Castor - 1oz - 6.25%
Pure Olive oil - 6oz - 37.5%
Coconut Oil - 4oz - 25%
Cocoa Butter - 5oz - 31.25%
lye - 2.37oz
water - 5.28oz

I was also contemplating replacing Harpoon IPA for the water...but Maybe I should wait for my 3rd batch for that.

Thoughts? Too much of any oil? Soap Calc gives me the following...

Soap Bar Quality Range Your Recipe
​

Hardness 29 - 54 45
Cleansing 12 - 22 17
Conditioning 44 - 69 51​

Bubbly 14 - 46 22
Creamy 16 - 48 34
Iodine 41 - 70 51
INS 136 - 165 159

Lauric 12​

Myristic 5
Palmitic 16
Stearic 12
Ricinoleic 6
Oleic 39
Linoleic 6
Linolenic 0

 

[shunt2011]

If you are just beginning, I would up your Olive Oil and drop your Cocoa Butter. Try 25% CO but I generally stay between 15-22%. What superfat are you usinging? I would just stick to making it with water as adding other water replacements can certainly be a challenge, If you want a challenge go for it. Make sure your beer is flat and either frozen or cold and add the lye slowly.

 

[seven]

ditto what shunt said. up the olive and lower the cocoa butter. for me, 25% coconut is pretty okay and is not drying. a 5% SF is enough. if it's too drying for you, perhaps up the SF a bit to 7-8%.

something like this:

castor 6%
coconut 25%
olive 54%
cocoa butter 15%


Hardness 38
Cleansing 17
Conditioning 58
Bubbly 22
Creamy 27
Iodine 59
INS 150

i would leave the beer for a later date, when you have more batches under your belt.

 

[AnnaMarie]

I would concur with the previous posters and drop the cocoa butter. It does make a really hard bar of soap, but a little goes a long way.
Cheers!
Anna Marie

 

[ejb222]

totally revised

I refined myself some tallow and have decided to try it out.
I think the recipe I'm going to try out tomorrow will be:
9.5oz Tallow
4oz castor
2.5oz coconut
2.21oz lye
5.44oz water

Should be a hard bar of soap with 5% superfat
According to the SoapCalc my numbers are

Hardness - 47
Cleansing - 15
Conditioning - 50
Bubbly - 38
Creamy - 54
Idodine - 50
INS - 151

I know the Castor is high, but because I'm using mostly Tallow, I think that it will stay hard and not get sticky.

Thoughts?

oh yeah...my home rendered tallow:

 

[eyeroll]

I know the Castor is high, but because I'm using mostly Tallow, I think that it will stay hard and not get sticky.

This has been my experience, but I've not gone quite as high as 25% castor. If you do this, please let us know how it works out!

 

[ejb222]

So I cut the recipe down a bit for the sample run.
4.50z Tallow
2oz Castor
1.5oz coconut oil
1.06oz lye
2.7oz water

First thing I noticed is that Tallow is very hard at room temp. Heated all the oils up to about 120F. The lye was around the same temp.
Wisked for maybe 30min and trace began. As the mix cooled a bit, globs were starting to build on the wisk...I didn't like that. So I switched to a spatula. Poured thick mixture into a small Tupperware container...I'll check on it in about 8-9hours. I have a feeling it will harden quickly particularly in such a small amount.
No scents, etc. I have a feeling I'm going to like this bar. If successful, I may try with beer and orange EO next.

 

[new12soap]

I have said this before and I will say it again; for beginners I STRONGLY suggest that you not make a batch of soap smaller than 2lb of oils. The reasons for this are that SAP values are averages only, in such small amounts you do not have enough margin to cover the variation in sap of any agricultural product, and home scales are simply never completely entirely accurate enough, no matter how careful you are. A 2lb batch is plenty big enough to cover all your bases and small enough that you don't waste a ton of ingredients if things go wrong. JM2C.

I love love love tallow soaps and I am fairly sure that with a good cure on it you will love yours!

 

[ejb222]

I have said this before and I will say it again; for beginners I STRONGLY suggest that you not make a batch of soap smaller than 2lb of oils. The reasons for this are that SAP values are averages only, in such small amounts you do not have enough margin to cover the variation in sap of any agricultural product, and home scales are simply never completely entirely accurate enough, no matter how careful you are. A 2lb batch is plenty big enough to cover all your bases and small enough that you don't waste a ton of ingredients if things go wrong. JM2C.

I love love love tallow soaps and I am fairly sure that with a good cure on it you will love yours!

Thanks for the tip. I dont think I will try another batch this small as my scale really isn't accurate enough.

This soap has hardened pretty fast. I removed from the mold and cut maybe 8hours after poured. Here it is on the rack. I have a feeling this will be a good soap. I didn't scent it.

 

[ejb222]

Ok...used for the first time this AM in the shower. I know its only been just over 2 weeks, but the soap was nice and hard and seemed gentle enough to use after a hand wash test. I'm not too thrilled with the fact that it is hard to lather up. It takes a good effort and something other than your hands to get a thick lather. Normal use returns small bubbles and a thin lather, if that explains it well. In hair...probably a better lathering agent...the lather can get nice and thick with a range of bubble sizes. I bet if I had a shaving brush, i could get it thicker.
The cleansing itself is fine. I will need to use on a regular basis to determine the conditioning of the bar. I will alter the recipe going forward to help produce more suds quicker. The next revision will also be a larger batch as to make sure consistancy in measurements etc as suggested by other members.

 

[Seawolfe]

So early in the cure, that soap is only going to improve from here

 

[ejb222]

Will the sudding characteristics change that much?

 

[Jeanea]

Will the sudding characteristics change that much?

Yes it can, depending on the recipe, but suds dont clean the soap does whether it lathers or not.

 

[ejb222]

Yes it can, depending on the recipe, but suds dont clean the soap does whether it lathers or not.

Thanks...will see what happens over the next couple weeks