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well i dont understand going up 5% stearic acid from 40 to 45 and suddenly everything becomes completely solid compared to before. its a BIG difference. i will try tinkering with it a bit im not sure what the issue is i will try soap a bit cooler

Appreciate the reply but it has never seized like this on me before! It's always been mixable! Any ideas on how to keep it more fluid? Maybe I need to stick blender at the start for longer?

Hi there I've been making hot process soap for a while but my last 2 batches have seized up like never before. As soon as I pour the lye in it gets stiff like playdough and unable to mix. Perhaps this is becausing I'm adding the lye when the oils are too hot? I make a high stearic shaving soap...

I will try another wheat germ oil from a different seller and this time a refined one, not a virgin one. It feels like this wheatgerm oil hasnt taken up any lye hence the burning on my face feels like excess lye, strange

Wheat germ oil is used in a lot of cosmetics for its moisturising and high vitamin E values etc. Its not used in soaps much however so I recently did some tests. It's fine in my skin and my housemates skin as an oil but once saponified it really burns and irritates the skin. My housemate and my...

Ok thanks guys! ROE it is. Problem is cmzaha that I love how certain high linoleic oils feel in my soap but I only use between 10-15% of them. Can't hurt the shelf life too much right? Also do I remember correctly that I should avoid ROE if I am using sodium citrate in my soap

If I have some grapeseed oil or any high linoleic/short shelf life oil for e.g. would adding some meadowfoam oil extend its shelf life and would this translate into a longer life soap? If not meadowfoam oil are there any other methods of preserving such oils in storage/soap apart from the...

How much yogurt do you add may I ask?

what qualities does sorbitol add?

I dont get the measure out fragrance in glass over plastic containers? I measure mine in plastic containers but they are only in there briefly before going in the soap

I have seen various answers on here ranging from 20 mins on low heat setting to 2 hours on high. I know that generally the saponification is done in the first 30 minutes, so what benefits are there to cooking it for 2 hours on high for example? I know different recipes take different times. But...

Do saponified oils lose much of their properties? I'm making hot process soap and having trouble on deciding what to use to superfat my soap. If i have a high lubricating, silky oil will it help the soap have these qualities better if it was saponifed or used as a superfat? what do people use to...

Thank you for your amazing guide Lee. I have a question about curing, my soap was soft upon placing it in tins, I then let it 'cure' for a day with the lids off. Now it has hardened considerably, at what point do you know the soap is cured? I cooked for an hour and used 80% KOH, 33% lye...

Thanks in most part to this legendary thread, I made some soap! (second attempt) I used a lot of oat milk - the lye solution got really goopy and a bit clumpy, I will make sure to use a more thinned down oat milk in future. Anyone know a scent that pairs well with oatmeal? I scented this batch...

Thank you everyone. And to Earlene, why do you use steel cut oats or groats when making oat milk? I am unsure what the best type of oat to use is when making my own oat milk/colloidal suspension.

Should I freeze my oat milk before adding the lye to prevent scorching or would it ok just using chilled oat milk. Perhaps using chilled oat milk in an ice bath and mix in the lye slowly. Making a hot process soap Thanks!

sorry to bump an older thread but when do you add the EDTA or sodium citrate when making soap? ill be making hot process soap and want to use this for the hard water where i live

Thank you very much psfred that is very helpful! Why don't you add oat flour to shaving soap out of interest? I have researched it and people say it gives good slip and moisturising properties, as long as it's dissolved and doesn't leave grainyness to dull razors it should be fine? There might...

Hi all, I am new to soap making and will be making my first test batch of shaving soap imminently. I have researched around here and you guys seem very knowledgeable there's some great stuff. In general I'd like to ask when do you add additives and how much?: Living in London I have very hard...