Botched Batch Help

[AlicesWonderhands]

Soap won't harden.. I used crisco, olive, coconut, bentonite and castor. I'm on mobile having hard time navigating site. Will be happy to load pics n recipient to willing helping soul

 

[LunaSkye]

How much of each oil did you use? The problem may be in the proportions of the oils.

 

[Susie]

And how long has it been in the mold? Is it doing anything else, like separating?

 

[AlicesWonderhands]

Castor 20%
Crisco ( my problem?) 15%
Coconut 20%
Olive 45%

Experimental bar w crisco. No seperation. Will try to up load pic from mobile.
Gorgeous in mold. Too pliable to unmold.
Baked some too. Odd turn out.

 

[lsg]

That is a lot of Castor oil. I usually only use 5% Castor. With a high percentage of olive oil and Castor oil the bar will be soft for a long time.

 

[AlicesWonderhands]

Any ideas how to get you pics? I was creating a shave bar. Subbed palm oil. Guessing lowering the castor and replacing crisco for Shea is best? Its wild lookin. The part I baked got rubbwry and whitish on top dark nearly liquid gel.

 

[AlicesWonderhands]

Pics come through?

 

[shunt2011]

I agree with too much Castor and the combination of Castor and Olive will keep your soap soft for quite awhile. I would just let it sit until you can unmold it. Then give it a good long cure and see how it is.

 

[AlicesWonderhands]

What number do you guys keep your steric ?

 

[Susie]

If you can't unmold it, stick it in the freezer for an hour or so, then try again. (If not able to unmold, repeat.) High castor soaps take a long, long time to harden up.

 

[AlicesWonderhands]

Think I might try this.
Super fat 10%
Water 12.16
Lye 4.256
Caster 8%
Coconut oil 25%
Lard 30%
Olive 27%
Shea 10%

Ins is 154
Iodineis 55

Or
Castor 10
Coconut 37
Olive 38
Shea 15

Ins 162
Iodine 53


The original was 8% super fat water was 12.16 but lye was 4.234
Will try the freezer trick! Try!

 

[seven]

a 37% coconut is a tad high me thinks. you might want to stick with 20-30 tops.

 

[AlicesWonderhands]

Wow! I love Shea butter! added in oatmilk/meal and some olive oil in bentonite clay. Wow!
Looking fwd to a recipie w a bit more Shea and less coconut.
The mystery soap is so wet and wobbly.I'm gonna just let it chill. I think two yrs from now it will be good soap if it doesn't die of DOS! Lol!
Thank you all for your input! I learned a lot with this one!

 

[AlicesWonderhands]

Soap still won't unmold. Maybe I should just put it back in the crock.

 

[Susie]

If it still does not unmold after freezing for 4 or more hours, I would make a batch of this:

Super fat 10%
Water 12.16
Lye 4.256
Caster 8%
Coconut oil 25%
Lard 30%
Olive 27%
Shea 10%

With no castor, and only 5% superfat.(re-run the recipe through soapcalc) When you get first batch melted down, get the new soap to trace, and mix the two together in the crockpot, and HP. That should get it firm enough to unmold in a reasonable time. Don't forget that even HP soap needs 4-6 weeks cure time.

 

[AlicesWonderhands]

If you can't unmold it, stick it in the freezer for an hour or so, then try again. (If not able to unmold, repeat.) High castor soaps take a long, long time to harden up.

Two freezes and I finally unmolded and cut! Thank you!
Its still really sticky, but it's cut in to small bars. So maybe it will cure out. Thanks again!

 

[AlicesWonderhands]

If it still does not unmold after freezing for 4 or more hours, I would make a batch of this:

Super fat 10%
Water 12.16
Lye 4.256
Caster 8%
Coconut oil 25%
Lard 30%
Olive 27%
Shea 10%

With no castor, and only 5% superfat.(re-run the recipe through soapcalc) When you get first batch melted down, get the new soap to trace, and mix the two together in the crockpot, and HP. That should get it firm enough to unmold in a reasonable time. Don't forget that even HP soap needs 4-6 weeks cure time.

Oooooo..... I may try this when we get landed. Time to pack up and move the bus. I.e. kitchen for now. This sounds genius! Thanks!
P.s.
Wondering what it will do to the e.o. to cook it again?

 

[Obsidian]

I recently made soap with 20% castor and it harden in just a couple day. It has a waxy feel to it but the bar is very hard now and not sticky at all. I didn't use any liquid oils in mine though.

 

[Susie]

I was wondering if that would work. Thanks! This should help my next shampoo bars. Took me weeks to get the last ones out of the molds.

 

[AlicesWonderhands]

Two freezes and I finally unmolded and cut! Thank you!
Its still really sticky, but it's cut in to small bars. So maybe it will cure out. Thanks again!

Update: the bars are curing out beautifully ! Still a little soft.. ..but drying out fast. Ty again.