CP versus HP - Do any of you do both?

Soapmaking Forum

Help Support Soapmaking Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
Cure time:
Soap and wine are both safe to use when they are done working.
Both are better with time ( curing).
You CAN drink wine when it is done fermenting.
You CAN use soap when saponification is done.

Both get better with cure time regardless of whether or not hot processing is used (wine can be made in "hot process" too).
Just my 2 cents worth. No offense intended.
 
Not to say a crock pot isn't helpful, but I don't use one for HP soaping. I work direct on the stove burner, watched very carefully, or in a warm water bath (bain marie). But I also don't cook the soap for hours, like some do ... I'm sure a crock pot would be a big help in that case.

Ha! You can do that? Truth be told I just researched about HP at the very begining of my soap making adventure and since everyone talked about using a crockpot i just ditched the idea. Butusing bain marie I could do (right now my soaping “studio” doesnt have a stove, just a microwave!) thanks for the idea!
 
Yep, @Alfa_Lazcares, it works fine! :) It's definitely safer and more controllable than soaping over direct stovetop heat. Either a typical hot water bath or @SaltedFig's sous vide method. Since I don't do a lot of HP and my HP batches are usually on the small side, I don't care to dedicate a crock pot just for soaping. A hot water bath works plenty good enough for what I do. Some people do HP in the oven too, but I think it's more energy efficient to use a water bath.
 
Ha! You can do that? Truth be told I just researched about HP at the very begining of my soap making adventure and since everyone talked about using a crockpot i just ditched the idea. Butusing bain marie I could do (right now my soaping “studio” doesnt have a stove, just a microwave!) thanks for the idea!

The SVHP method of works however the water bath is created - it works in a Suis Vide machine, a bain marie, a tub of water with an immersion heater or a simple pot of water (as demonstrated in the challenge).

It is the combination of the temperature control of the water bath and limiting the exposure of the soap to the atmosphere that makes the process - these are two key points to my invention. In my original experiments, I also used steam (instead of a water bath) to create the SVHP.
https://www.soapmakingforum.com/thr...-experimental-thread.69718/page-2#post-696751

In recent times, I've taken to using steam when I'm in a hurry to run a test (a wooden bamboo steamer over a pot of gently boiling water works perfectly), but I still use my original immersion idea for larger batches.

@Alfa_Lazcares Try it - it is amazing!
If you already have a crockpot, you can see that NsMar42111 uses that to create the water bath instead:
https://www.soapmakingforum.com/thr...ide-hp-soap-swirling.69725/page-6#post-698740
 
Last edited:
You are probably thinking of sodium lactate. It will help with initial hardening so the soap can be unmolded sooner, but I'm not sure it makes the soap last longer. You may have read that here.

Yes, dibbles, that's where i saw it! The article said it also makes soap last longer, but since it's derived from corn and beets, I'd have to find a non-GMO source for it -- not very likely, I'm assuming?
 
Yes, dibbles, that's where i saw it! The article said it also makes soap last longer, but since it's derived from corn and beets, I'd have to find a non-GMO source for it -- not very likely, I'm assuming?
I don't know. You could try using a little salt dissolved in the water before adding the lye as an alternative.
 
I will just add to that - My soaps haven't been in existence long enough to test 'stickability' of EOs but I was the adamant when I started that I would only ever use EOs. I could tell after a few weeks of curing that they weren't going to stick, so I started using a combination of FOs AND EOs together. I feel more comfortable with that, than going wholly FO. For example - when I made my Lime and Coconut bars, I used a lime and coconut FO, but I also used bergamot (which is an EO from citrus) and a touch of lemon EO. In my somewhat loopy head that helps me feel better when trying to go for the 'no artificial additives' approach.
I think in a similar way to you. My love of citrus fragrance is starting to make me warm to FO.
If you are familiar with Lush soaps, it is very interesting to have a close look at the ingredients list in regard to the use of EO and fragrance together. They seem to reinforce the aroma of the EOs with fragrance chemicals to ensure a long lasting scent. They actually list the fragrance chemicals used which is helpful.
 
Last edited:
@DeeAnna i will do some more research in to it to try it. Thank you!

@SaltedFig i still dont have a crockpot and since my batches are also on the small side i can make do with the pots i do have. I’ll check those threads. I am jist waiting for some more supplies to arrive since I’m almost out of lye... thank you!
 
Hi. I have only been making soap for a few weeks now, but all of the practical chemistry and the learning curve has really drawn me in. I have been experimenting with all methods!
I was initially worried about loosing my fragrance (especially as I love citrus, which is fragile) to the chemical reactions in the cold process method, so I started with HP so I could add the fragrance to a gentler environment (apart from the heat).

I have discussed my initial experiences with each method below. They are all really interesting in how they work and have their pros and cons. I think that I really like CPOP at the moment because you get pretty soap quickly

The first batch I made was a HP ( in my $20 KMart crockpot). I used Olive (60%), Coconut (30%), Sunflower (5%) and Almond (5%) oils with water and lye as per the Brambleberry calculator, and addex ground oats, honey and Lavender EO at the end. It turned out beautifully, although I think a bit more EO added at a lower temperafure (if possible) could have improved things. I think need to look into the smooth hot process methods so I can let the mixture cool more prior to the addition of fragrance without it turning solid.

My second go was a CP two layered recipie including yogurt and Lemongrass in the whole batch and then adding activated charcoal to one half and turmeric to the other. I was too heavy handed with both additives, but at least the bar has a scrubby texture. I oven processed this batch, and am sure that despite mt best efforts my oven was a bit hot (the turmeric on top strarted to sizzle and crust). The lemongrass EO did mostly vapourize out (as I had feared) but still ended up with a very earthy scrubby soap.

I had much better success that other day doing a CPOP in my dehydrator which has a digital temperature control by degree between 35 and 70 degrees celcius. The recipie was 50% Olive, 25% Coconut, 10% Sunflower, 10% Shea and 5% Castor. The EOs used were an equal blend of Peppermint, Eucalyptus, Lavender and Rosemary to a moderate level according to the Brambleberry Fragrance Calculator. I poured into a capped 80mm PVC pipe and put it in my dehydrating oven at 45 degrees Celsius for an hour to force saponification. I noted that the soap got to about 65 degrees Celsius. It was gelled evenly and the fragrance is nice and strong. I think that blend of For is pretty hardy as well.

My next experiment will be with natural homemade melt and pour in both opaque and translucent forms. My logic here is that I can let the soap cool to a much lower temperature before adding my EO so the fragrance will come up better.

Does anyone have any further thoughts?
 
Not to say a crock pot isn't helpful, but I don't use one for HP soaping. I work direct on the stove burner, watched very carefully, or in a warm water bath (bain marie). But I also don't cook the soap for hours, like some do ... I'm sure a crock pot would be a big help in that case.

I do exactly the same, Yes I originally way back cooked the hell out of it, I crock potted it, I oven baked it but in the end I found gentle is best as with LS.
 
I cook mine in the oven in a covered stainless soup pot. I set my oven temp to 180F. I like using the oven because of the evenness of the heat. Works great for me.


IrishLass :)
 
I did do that way to for many years and it was good but these days I do as DeeAnna does and find I can keep and eye on it and control it more especially with fluidity in mind;)
 
Thank you all so much! I am going to start with CP but definitely try HP -- maybe after I have a few CP batches under my belt. I am learning so much from you all, and I really appreciate you!
 
Back
Top