Are ungelled soaps more drying?

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Hamia

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Hi,
I have experimented with gelled and ungelled soaps using the same formula. I noticed when I washed with samples from the gelled batch, they didn't give my skin the dried out feeling at all while the ungelled soaps were still drying a week later. Is this just due to gelled soaps getting higher temp and reacting more of the lye?
Thanks
 
I always gel my soaps as I use plant / clay-based colorants only, which intensifies their saturation, so have not noticed this. I may have to test this theory out some time.

I have noticed that even though I gel all of my soaps, my newer bars always tend to be just slightly skin-tightening, while once fully cured, they are super moisturizing. Once they've sat for a couple of weeks, they're pretty much usable, although I still cure them several additional weeks to increase water evaporation.

I am interested to hear more about the science on this. There's a guy 😂 who has apparently written an entire book on the chemistry-side of things related to spa making, but can't remember his name off-hand. Another chemist-soap maker I follow has mentioned him a couple of times. His book might be a good resource to look into, which I have on my 'list' as well. If anyone can chime in with his name, that would be super helpful. Kevin something-or-other?
 
Hi,
I have experimented with gelled and ungelled soaps using the same formula. I noticed when I washed with samples from the gelled batch, they didn't give my skin the dried out feeling at all while the ungelled soaps were still drying a week later. Is this just due to gelled soaps getting higher temp and reacting more of the lye?
Thanks
"A week later" than what? How long are you curing before trying?
 
Hi,
I have experimented with gelled and ungelled soaps using the same formula. I noticed when I washed with samples from the gelled batch, they didn't give my skin the dried out feeling at all while the ungelled soaps were still drying a week later. Is this just due to gelled soaps getting higher temp and reacting more of the lye?
Thanks
There is no difference between a properly cured bar of soap that had been gelled or one that hasn't in terms of quality...there is just a different physical appearance. A gelled soap is more translucent, while an ungelled soap is more matte.

WARNING: Minor science lesson.

The first part is that you have to understand the part that heat plays in the saponification process and you don't have to look any further than Hot Process vs Cold Process soap making. In HP soap, the saponification process is done in a few hours due to the direct application of heat...in CP the process takes 24 to 48 hours because there is no heat other than ambient temperature. When you "gel" your soap, you are applying indirect heat...this can be done via CPOPing, a heating pad/electric blanket, covering and wrapping in towels/blankets, putting in an insulted cooler. Again, heat will speed up the saponification process, but has NO bearing on the quality of your soap...that is your recipe and the second part below.

The second part of soap making is the curing process which is two parts in itself: water evaporation and crystalline structure formation. The first leads to a longer lasting bar of soap, the later leads to a gentler bar of soap. Heat and air circulation can speed up the process of water evaporation...this is based on my unscientific observation of my soap. I cure in my garage and my cure times can very during the seasons...during the Summer when it is dry and in the 80s/90s, my soap is ready in approximately four weeks; during the Spring and Fall, it takes a good six weeks; during the Winter when the temps drop down to the low 40s, I'm looking at a good 10 weeks...12 if we get a lot of rain. I also think that heat plays a small part in the crystalline structure formation and again, unscientific observation of the differences in making Regular Soap vs Goat Milk during the Summer...which requires me to refrigerate my GMS so it doesn't overheat. So while my Regular Soap was ready to go in four weeks, my GMS needed six.
 
"A week later" than what? How long are you curing before trying?
A week after the bars being solidified and cut.
There is no difference between a properly cured bar of soap that had been gelled or one that hasn't in terms of quality...there is just a different physical appearance. A gelled soap is more translucent, while an ungelled soap is more matte.

WARNING: Minor science lesson.

The first part is that you have to understand the part that heat plays in the saponification process and you don't have to look any further than Hot Process vs Cold Process soap making. In HP soap, the saponification process is done in a few hours due to the direct application of heat...in CP the process takes 24 to 48 hours because there is no heat other than ambient temperature. When you "gel" your soap, you are applying indirect heat...this can be done via CPOPing, a heating pad/electric blanket, covering and wrapping in towels/blankets, putting in an insulted cooler. Again, heat will speed up the saponification process, but has NO bearing on the quality of your soap...that is your recipe and the second part below.

The second part of soap making is the curing process which is two parts in itself: water evaporation and crystalline structure formation. The first leads to a longer lasting bar of soap, the later leads to a gentler bar of soap. Heat and air circulation can speed up the process of water evaporation...this is based on my unscientific observation of my soap. I cure in my garage and my cure times can very during the seasons...during the Summer when it is dry and in the 80s/90s, my soap is ready in approximately four weeks; during the Spring and Fall, it takes a good six weeks; during the Winter when the temps drop down to the low 40s, I'm looking at a good 10 weeks...12 if we get a lot of rain. I also think that heat plays a small part in the crystalline structure formation and again, unscientific observation of the differences in making Regular Soap vs Goat Milk during the Summer...which requires me to refrigerate my GMS so it doesn't overheat. So while my Regular Soap was ready to go in four weeks, my GMS needed six.
I understand the basic science behind this, which is why it stumps me. I can wash with an ungelled bar and it feels noticeably different than a gelled one of the same formula
 
A week after the bars being solidified and cut.

I understand the basic science behind this, which is why it stumps me. I can wash with an ungelled bar and it feels noticeably different than a gelled one of the same formula
Heat speeds up saponification. Thus, this early in the cure period, it would make sense that a gelled bar would feel more "cured" than an ungelled one. I would venture to guess that if you wait another four weeks, there will be little difference. But if there is, then perhaps something in your recipe benefits from the heat generated by the gelling process.
 
Heat speeds up saponification. Thus, this early in the cure period, it would make sense that a gelled bar would feel more "cured" than an ungelled one. I would venture to guess that if you wait another four weeks, there will be little difference. But if there is, then perhaps something in your recipe benefits from the heat generated by the gelling process.
I would totally concur with Ali on this. First off an ungelled soap can take up to 72 hrs to even become zap free whereas a gelled soap will almost always be zap free within a few hours. Once fully cured they are no difference. For a few years, I was on a kick of not gelling then I changed to gelling all my soaps.
 
I understand the basic science behind this, which is why it stumps me. I can wash with an ungelled bar and it feels noticeably different than a gelled one of the same formula
As noted by @AliOop and @cmzaha and myself in my Minor Science Less, you're missing how heat and time play an important role in the saponification and curing process. Again, heat speeds up saponification process. It you were to do the same thing with a bar of HP soap and a bar of 'gelled' soap, you would find that your 'gelled' soap is more drying. And if you made all your soap the same way...you would find that a soap that is a week old is more drying than a soap that is two weeks old and if you were to compare a bar that is fully cured against a bar that is only a week old, it would almost feel like the one week old bar burns.

Wait until those two soaps are fully cured...about six weeks. Making sure they are the same size and shape, close your eyes and have someone hand you one of the bars without telling you which bar it is and wash with it. Then an hour later, with your eyes closed again, wash your hands with it. I'm will to bet an 8oz bottle of your favorite reasonably priced fragrance oil that you won't be able to tell the difference.
 
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