CP soap Forgot to add one ingredient. Is there any solution ?

[Satyam_Portugal]

Hi. I just made a batch of soap (cold process) that got into trace quite quickly and hardened very fast as I was mixing (in about 15 min it was hard enough to not be able to be poured like liquid).

I then found out the mistake: I forgot to add one of the oils from my formula... Which at the end of the story turned out that by doing so, it would be equivalent as if I had used -1% of superfat in the formula. The actual value in the formula was 5% but by not adding one of the ingredients, the formula turned out to be as same as 0 or -1% of superfat.

The actual formula was:

Castor oil 127g (the oil I forgot to add)
Coconut oil 370g
Extra Virgin Olive oil 1050g
Beeswax 60g
Shea Butter 200g
60g of lavender essential oil

498g water
245g sodium hydroxide

I appreciate any tips and advices. I could stuff them in my moulds but they certainly will have messed up shapes because they aren't poured perfectly...other than that is it recommended to just use them as very drying soap, or rebatch them ? I dont have a slow cooker like every video of rebatching suggests...is it doable with some makeshift trick, like using a pot heated in water inside another pot.

Thanks very much

 

[AliOop]

No need for a crockpot! You can certainly rebatch these in a double-boiler on the stove, or in a pan in the oven. Type "oven rebatch" in the search box at the top of the page to find some threads that will tell you how.

But before you do that, remember that our lye is not 100% pure. Thus, -1% SF on paper probably won't actually be negative SF in your soap. You can zap-test it in a few days to see.

Even if it does zap for now, a small negative SF tends to cure out over time. Just let it sit for a month before zap-testing it again, and I bet it will be fine.

 

[Satyam_Portugal]

Thanks for the reply. I freaked out when I found out about my mistake but it was good because made me learn a lot already. I wanted to avoid rebatching unless someone said I am losing my batch. I dont know if it differs from country to country. I am in Portugal and the NaOH I have says in the box that it's 99%.

 

[AliOop]

Yes, 96-99% pure NaOH is generally what we have in the US, as well. There is also a margin of error built in to the SAP values for each oil, which are just averages.

Since you aren't keen to try rebatching, I'd let the soap cure out until it is zap-free - so much less work and fuss.

 

[ResolvableOwl]

-1% superfat is nothing dramatic. You're rightfully annoyed by yourself for forgetting it, but the soap won't kill you. Like @AliOop said, even if there is really a small NaOH excess (and 1% is a small one), it'll pull CO₂ from the air and won't be harsh (just to be sure, do a zap test a few weeks into cure). It'll become a lovely bar of soap as is. Although the castor would have boosted the bubbles a bit more, yes.
You might see a positive aspect in this. Even in case you should opt for a rebatch, I'd recommend to slice off a bar or two and keep them separately, to judge lather with/without castor, with/without superfat, and the texture and longevity of CP vs. rebatched soap.

 

[KiwiMoose]

And if you really, really don't like it once it has cured - you could still use it to make confetti soap!

 

[Satyam_Portugal]

Thanks for the caring and thorough responses I am new to the forum and I am very grateful for the help. I feel more comfortable now hehe. I think then the only "issue" is that because they werent poured in liquid form, and just pushed into the mould, they are not gonna have a good shape, or may end up crumbly or something. Technically is it a issue when soap doesnt sit evenly and just sit lumpy in the mould (from being put in them in a consistency that is too hard to pour ?) .

 

[AliOop]

Oh my, what you are describing is often called "plop, glop, and smash" because that's what one must do to force the batter into the mold. Whether it is from forgetting an ingredient, or using a naughty fragrance oil, we all have our share of lumpy bumpy soap. In almost every case, it is merely a cosmetic issue. You may even be able to plane the tops to make them smooth.

 

[Zing]

Welome @Satyam_Portugal! When I started, it took me probably more than a dozen batches before I really understood stirring, emulsion, and trace -- and I continue to learn. You'll get there. I usually make a 2-3 pound batches and I hardly stick blend anymore and mostly use the stick blender as a spoon. Castor oil was a game changer for me and now is required -- because its effect on lather.
Just so you know, I never forget an ingredient

And if you really, really don't like it once it has cured - you could still use it to make confetti soap!
View attachment 57685

Always with the confetti soap, that one!

 

[ResolvableOwl]

I think then the only "issue" is that because they werent poured in liquid form, and just pushed into the mould, they are not gonna have a good shape, or may end up crumbly or something. Technically is it a issue when soap doesnt sit evenly and just sit lumpy in the mould (from being put in them in a consistency that is too hard to pour ?) .

The daily bread of hot-process soapers. Though, with HP it is part of the programme, since most of the saponification process has already happened once one puts the batter into the mould. Rebatching is similar: a struggle with sturdiness, and gravity doesn't help you much with a slick pour.

Regarding your initial process: I guess you worked at elevated temperatures to keep the beeswax from solidifying too early? That means that the reaction will be faster than the average cold-process saponification, where such a recipe (with or without castor) might stay fluid for an hour or longer. Once you have reached stable emulsion (might be already after a few seconds of stick-blending!), there is no need to put any further work into the batter, your soap will properly saponify. You should have been finished well before 15 minutes elapsed.

But if temperatures dropped, you might have witnessed false trace (beeswax and/or shea solidify to thicken up the batter give a wrong impression of saponification progress that actually is crystallising fats/waxes). Then re-heating the batter would make it thinner again.

Without criticizing your recipe – it's not an accident that beeswax isn't overly popular with soapmaking for such reasons. It's an advanced ingredient that doesn't have to blend well with popular soapmaking folklore.

 

[Satyam_Portugal]

Regarding your initial process: I guess you worked at elevated temperatures to keep the beeswax from solidifying too early? That means that the reaction will be faster than the average cold-process saponification, where such a recipe (with or without castor) might stay fluid for an hour or longer. Once you have reached stable emulsion (might be already after a few seconds of stick-blending!), there is no need to put any further work into the batter, your soap will properly saponify. You should have been finished well before 15 minutes elapsed.

But if temperatures dropped, you might have witnessed false trace (beeswax and/or shea solidify to thicken up the batter give a wrong impression of saponification progress that actually is crystallising fats/waxes). Then re-heating the batter would make it thinner again.

I believe it was the combination of some factors: The use of shea butter and beeswax, the over-use of the stick blender (for too long), the temperature of the oils was hotter than what I usually do, and the 7% of oils (castor) that I forgot... Around the mark of 10 or 15 mins (I dont remember) It was already hard. I guess from the descriptions I read about false trace, it wasn't the case. But anyway, I am happy to know that from the information shared here, it's not a big problem (although I'll only find out after some time).

By the way, I've been wanting to stick to one or two recipes and practicing them and not be trying things out all the time and with too many ingredients.

I've done this year a 100% olive oil soap (with some essential oils and nothing more) and got impressed about the results. Everything went smooth (at least in my beginner view). I plan like I said to stick to one or two recipes, that will certainly use big percentages of olive oil because the value for the price of olive oil in Portugal is quite unbeatable. Maybe coconut + olive oil would be enough from now on.

 

[cmzaha]

Just a little note, Castor oil will accelerate trace so leaving it out was not the reason your batter accelerated. The superfat or rather tiny minus superfat will cure out just fine. I superfat anywhere from 1-2% in most soap and have used -1 to zero superfat at times. I personally prefer soap that is not superfatted highly. I will also note my plumbing likes it better too.

 

[ResolvableOwl]

Maybe coconut + olive oil would be enough from now on.

Don't again forget castor! Seriously, these 5% castor really kick great bubbles off a soap with otherwies hesitant lather. Castor can really make the difference between a decent and a gorgeous bar of soap.

 

[linne1gi]

Hi. I just made a batch of soap (cold process) that got into trace quite quickly and hardened very fast as I was mixing (in about 15 min it was hard enough to not be able to be poured like liquid).

I then found out the mistake: I forgot to add one of the oils from my formula... Which at the end of the story turned out that by doing so, it would be equivalent as if I had used -1% of superfat in the formula. The actual value in the formula was 5% but by not adding one of the ingredients, the formula turned out to be as same as 0 or -1% of superfat.

The actual formula was:

Castor oil 127g (the oil I forgot to add)
Coconut oil 370g
Extra Virgin Olive oil 1050g
Beeswax 60g
Shea Butter 200g
60g of lavender essential oil

498g water
245g sodium hydroxide

I appreciate any tips and advices. I could stuff them in my moulds but they certainly will have messed up shapes because they aren't poured perfectly...other than that is it recommended to just use them as very drying soap, or rebatch them ? I dont have a slow cooker like every video of rebatching suggests...is it doable with some makeshift trick, like using a pot heated in water inside another pot.

Thanks very much

I rebatch in a pot on my stovetop. I don’t have a crockpot, so that’s how I learned to do it. The big difference is, you can’t walk away. It tends to be faster with direct heat. I forgot 8 ounces of Olive Oil, that is why I rebatched the first time, 9 or so years ago. There weren’t any videos of this process at that time, I just tried it on my own. Fortunately for me, it worked. And turned out to be really nice soap. Although rebatch never looks really pretty.