Changing the concentration of Lye

[Bobythehuman]

Hi I'm trying to make some soap for an experiment, and was wondering whats the effect of changing the concentration of lye. Does it change how long it lasts?

 

[GemstonePony]

Hello! I would recommend introducing yourself in the Introduction Forum so we have some idea of your experience level and can tailor our advice accordingly.

Hi I'm trying to make some soap for an experiment

Most of us love experimenting, what is the experiment?

whats the effect of changing the concentration of lye. Does it change how long it lasts?

Long-term longevity no, in the short term maybe. But also, what soap are you making? Bar soap? Liquid soap? In-between?
And what is your process? Cold Process? Hot Process?
Lye concentration is basically how much liquid is in your recipe, and your method of making soap and the type of soap you're making determines the impact of that amount of liquid.

 

[Bobythehuman]

Hello! I would recommend introducing yourself in the Introduction Forum so we have some idea of your experience level and can tailor our advice accordingly.

Most of us love experimenting, what is the experiment?

Long-term longevity no, in the short term maybe. But also, what soap are you making? Bar soap? Liquid soap? In-between?
And what is your process? Cold Process? Hot Process?
Lye concentration is basically how much liquid is in your recipe, and your method of making soap and the type of soap you're making determines the impact of that amount of liquid.

I'm in high school and have no experience with making soap. I'm trying to make a hard bar soap, and measuring how long it takes to completely dissolve in water

 

[GemstonePony]

Ok, HERE is Part 1 of a YouTube series on how to make cold process soap. Royalty Soaps is based in America, so you would need to find different sources for your soaping supplies.

 

[Peachy Clean Soap]

Welcome

 

[BattleGnome]

Here’s a link with some intro from our own @DeeAnna. She’s been a miracle worker in getting a lot of us to understand some of the science.

to sum up: changing the lye concentration will change the amount of water in the soap. Changing the water content can change how fast a soap dissolves at first. A properly cured soap should show almost no difference between dissolving speeds. If you are specifically looking at the variable of “water” you also need to consider the variable “time.” Time will affect water content, crystalline structure, magic...