Curing HP soap

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Biglou13

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other than dehydrating
What else goes on during curing hot process soaps?
Many will say it is ready to use but will cure anyway....
My beginner understanding is that most if not all the chemical reaction are completed with hot process.
The soap i will be making is tallow, stearic acid, coconut oil based
 
Even though yes, it will be perfectly safe to use as soon as it's cooked and cooled, it will not be it's best. As soon as saponification is complete (HP that's as soon as the cook is complete, with CP can take up to 72 hours, usually done within 24-48) however, there is plenty going on during the cure that is more than dehydration... There is still a chemical reaction happening that will make the bar much milder at the full cure mark, than the day it's unmolded.
 
The initial reaction which we know as saponification makes the soap safe to use when complete, but as Jcandleattic pointed out, "safe to use" does not exactly equate to 'optimum time to use', because beyond saponification there's still lots of micro reactions going on inside as the soap is reorganizing/restructuring itself to help build a crystaline structure and maintain dynamic equilibrium, which take time. All the micro-reactions going on make the soap milder, lower it's pH some, and increase it's lathering abilities and longevity, which from the experiential vantage point of many a soaper seems to reach a good fruition anywhere between 4 to 8 weeks.

Here is a great explanation by our DeeAnna on what happens during cure, and this is true whether the soap is hot processed or cold processed: https://www.soapmakingforum.com/thr...e-cure-while-liquid-doesnt.56363/#post-546574



IrishLass :)
 
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