Curing and Drying Effect

[cmzaha]

I will go out on a limb here and mention that maybe you cannot use handmade lye soap. There are some people that cannot use handmade soap no matter how it is made. PM me if you would like me to send you a 100% Avocado soap to try

 

[Sandra@SS]

I had a fair cure in 8 weeks over summer (hot and dry) and went to 12 weeks before sales, but am expecting to double that over winter (cold and wet). I use anti-humidity containers on my drying rack.
4 week cure was not even close for my summer made soaps, 6 weeks started to look like 'soap', 8 weeks showed some potential, 12 weeks gave a lovely result.

It does sound like your long/full cure of 4-6 weeks is more like a short cure for others. It is in my case anyhow.

 

[cmzaha]

I prefer to cure 8 weeks but I will say my 4 week old soaps are still very nice. Salt bars I cure for 6 months before taking to market but my regular stock soaps go out at a min of 4 weeks. If I am out of stock on some I just cannot wait 8 weeks and at twelve weeks or more some fragrances can start fading.

 

[soapmaker]

Why not try a soap with no CO?

Agreed.

 

[shunt2011]

I too do as cmzaha. Generally at least 8 weeks usually longer. Will go 4 if needed in a hurry, but never less. Salt bars 6-12 months. In a pinch for me 3 months. I suggest trying something without CO and giving your soaps more time. Others have asked for your recipes to help troubleshoot but haven't seen one yet.

 

[dixiedragon]

I noticed that you said you were palm and animal free. I suggest trying this:

50% shea butter
20% coconut
5% castor
25% other (I like a mix of sunflower, olive and rice bran)
2% superfat

IMO this needs an 8 week cure but is very nice. Shea has a lot of unsaponifiables, so to combat that you drop the superfat to 2% so it will lather.

 

[cmzaha]

The only Palm and animal free soaps I will consider selling is 100% Canola HO. This came about by testing for a new single oil soaps. It lathers well after a 3-4month cure. Other than that I do not make Palm free or Animal free soaps. Just do not like they feel of most Palm free veggie soaps.

 

[Dean]

The only Palm and animal free soaps I will consider selling is 100% Canola HO. This came about by testing for a new single oil soaps. It lathers well after a 3-4month cure.

Interesting!

 

[mulline]

When i first started making soap, i was expecting that the soap would leave the same feling on the skin as comercial soap .......... boy that was my biggest mistake

Detergent and soap is two different thing, and can not be compared

I stopped using detergent, and only used my own soap, and it has been a learning process, my skin has learned how different oils felt , and my hair to

Soap does not fell stripping to my skin and hair anymore, but some oils are better then others

It takes time to make the perfect soap for your skin, but it´s a fun process

 

[cmzaha]

Interesting!

If you would like a bar to try pm your address. It is a 100% Canola HO with a grapefruit fragrance

 

[Meena]

I've considered doing a soy wax, almond, and castor soap. I don't like OO slime and am palm and animal free if you don't count the rabbit in my living room. I bathed him yesterday. He was pretty scrawny when wet so I don't think I could get much fat out of him. Anyways, I don't have a bunny press.

"... a bunny press" (I'm not being mean and actually am Avoiding all visuals, just sounds funny! I think that's called 'compartmentalizing' or something having to do with mental illness.)

So, @Dean -- how did this work out, now that 5 months have passed? Have you found your Holy Grail? Did any of your batches yield the perfect soap after a longer cure?

 

[Dean]

"... a bunny press" (I'm not being mean and actually am Avoiding all visuals, just sounds funny! I think that's called 'compartmentalizing' or something having to do with mental illness.)

So, @Dean -- how did this work out, now that 5 months have passed? Have you found your Holy Grail? Did any of your batches yield the perfect soap after a longer cure?

I forgot bout that post. It was a while ago. My bunny is gone now.

I made the recipie above. If I recall it didn’t lather well w/o the CO and was still too cleansing for my face.

I did not find the Holy Grail but I settled on a very nice recipe. Even though its very low on cleansing, my skin is dry in the winter. Im hoping my version of Zany zoap will be a good winter bar. Unfortunately winter will be over here when its cured.