Can you review my 1st CP recipe????

[apl]

Hey, I have been working with MP soap for the past 4 months and I am very interested in CP soaps. So, I purchased a bunch of books, looking at this board, plus asking question here and there online. So, I think I have made up a recipe of my own that I want to try.

Tell me what do you think???

1lb batch (6% discount):
6 oz. coconut oil
3 oz. canola oil
2 oz. soybean oil
1 oz. mango butter
4 oz. cocoa butter
2.37 oz lye (4% discount off top)
0.32 oz jojoba oil (2% superfat)
6 oz. almond milk

How does this look? I haven't tried it yet because I don't have any lye yet. I just wanted some experienced opinions first before I try. I know soap making is trial and error but, I would really appreciate it if I can get some feedback.

Thanks!
ApL

 

[Guest]

Just a tip -- starting with a simpler recipe can make it easier for you to learn firsthand the properties that each type of oil imparts to the soap. A complex recipe like yours might create a nice soap, but dilutes the learning process somewhat.

Also, what do you mean by 2% superfat with the jojoba oil? In CP, you can't choose which oils superfat your soap, the lye eats what it wants and your soap is superfatted with whatever oils didn't get eaten.

 

[apl]

Hey Danielito,

Thanks! I always try the complex ways first (I'm weird like that) because it helps me understand better. From what I read in the books I have, it said to add the superfat at trace in order to keep the properties of that oil.

So, the 2% is to make up for the whole 6% lye discount (this is what I read here's the paragraph):

"you can calculate the combined total lye discount when you create your formula. for example, if you want a total lye discount of 8%, you can take a 4% lye discount right off the top, and add enough superfatting oils at trace to create another 4% percent discount, bringing the total up to 8%."

It's from the book "the everything soap making book" so, now I'm thinking is this right or is this information wrong???? :? [/i]

 

[Guest]

That is inaccurate. Soap isn't nearly finished saponifying at trace, so adding the "superfat" oils in at that point isn't a guarantee that they won't be saponified along with the other oils.

With CP, the best way to calculate your lye is to enter all your oils and their respective weights into a lye calculater like http://www.soapcalc.com and then enter your superfat percentage. This will determine the lye discount automatically. You risk getting unexpected results if you base the discount partially from "superfat oils" that may very well end up saponifying.

 

[honor435]

Dans right try a super easy recipe first, with water, then after you get the hang of it, you can experiment! Good luck,
my first recipe was just olive, coconut, palm, adding a little castor makes more bubbles.

 

[apl]

Okay cool thanks Dan!!!!

I hope that the books I have are not all wrong...oh well good thing I came on here first!

Thanks Honor!

 

[zeoplum]

I think there is some debate over what Dan is saying vs. what you've read in the books. Personally, I think Dan is right but have no scientific proof to back it up. And until some comes along, I just melt all my oils together and let the lye decide which one gets to be the superfat.

zeo

 

[ChrissyB]

I agree, start with a simpler recipe, and maybe choose just one of your "luxury oils" to put in your soap. You really don't need that many in one batch of soap. By luxury oils I mean shea butter, cocoa butter, mango butter, jojoba oil, almond oil.
And no, adding oils at trace does not keep the properties of that oil in the soap. The only way to accurately calculate your oils that are saponified and what are not, is with a lye calculator, and even then the unsaponified oils are only a small percentage of the total oils that you started off with. The only way to ensure what oils are left is to do hot process soapmaking.

 

[apl]

I am so happy that I asked first instead of just doing as I usually do. Thank you Chrissy and Zeo I will start with a simple olive and coconut oil soap to start.

Question though: later on can I use the recipe after I put everything in the lye calculator?? Do you think it's a good idea to use all of those oils with the almond milk (I choose that because I made a lotion with almond milk and I wanted a soap to match)

 

[ChrissyB]

Okay, so you're going to start with a simple Olive/Coconut soap?
That will be perfect!
If you want to expand on that for the next batch, incorporating the almond milk, and some almond oil, I would lower the amount of olive, swap that for some almond oil, and use the almond milk in place of some of the liquid for the lye water. But definitely run it through a lye calc first so you get the right amounts.
Best of luck to you. Let us know how your first batch turns out. OO/CO soap is wonderful!