MillyMelly
Member
Is there a difference when you add let's say clay, milk powder, fragrance oils, lavender flowers.... to the oils before the lye solution or at a light trace? If yes, please explain, I'm a beginner.
Difference between adding to the olis or to the light trace
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The only thing that makes a big difference would be the fragrance depending on how it behaves. I actually prefer to add clays, milks to my oils beforehand to make sure they are well incorporated. I wouldn't add lavender flowers before stick blending, but also, I don't really add flowers to my soaps.
Ditto what Megan said. I also prefer to add clays and milks, etc... to my oils before adding the lye. The only thing that can be tricky is the fragrance oil. I can add certain FOs up front to my oils, but others are a disaster if I do. You have to know your fragrance oil.
IrishLass
IrishLass
penelopejane
Well-Known Member
I add everything to my oils except confetti or salt for a salt soap because I prefer all my ingredients to be well mixed in.
Lavender Buds turn brown in soap and look like mouse poop. Sorry.
Lavender Buds turn brown in soap and look like mouse poop. Sorry.
MillyMelly
Member
I know they look like mouse poop, but I still love them, lol
Thx for your answer. So it doesn't really matter if I throw everything in at trace instead of in the oils?
Ok that makes sence to me.
Thank you
I only use Essential Oils, the oils are the thing I know LOTS about, but sometimes in soap they can react unexpected.Ditto what Megan said. I also prefer to add clays and milks, etc... to my oils before adding the lye. The only thing that can be tricky is the fragrance oil. I can add certain FOs up front to my oils, but others are a disaster if I do. You have to know your fragrance oil.
IrishLass
Some EO you just cannot use in soap.
Soap making itself is new to me, thank you for your answer
penelopejane
Well-Known Member
I think it is tricky to add things at trace incase they don’t incorporate properly. I don’t do it.
Same rule goes for EOs as FOs. If you think it will be a heater, a siezer, or a ricer, you still need to know before you make a choice as to when they go in. Anything that seizes, I would put in at the very end, and make sure it is a one color soap and that you have everything ready when you start. If it is just a heater, I would add it to the oils and plan on a plain soap, and again work fast. If it is a ricer, I would add at emulsification and stickblend it into submission. Some EO/FOs act fine, and you can choose what you want to do with each batch. I tend to add as much to the oils as possible because it leaves me less to worry about forgetting to put it in there.
I do as the others. Everything in the pool at once. Except salt for salt soap. I do have a couple fragrances that move a bit fast so if I want to do a swirl or something I add them just before pouring. I stir them in to the separated/colored soaps then a quick blast and pour.
Ladka
Well-Known Member
What form does the disaster take?
Ditto what DeeAnna said^^^: Acceleration or ricing. For example, one of my most notoriously naughty FO's (Mineral Water Spa from Daystar, which has sadly since been discontinued) heats things up so dramatically in my soap pot and accelerates so fast that it causes what is known as 'soap-on-a-stick', i.e., the soap instantly hardens up before you even have a second to remove your stick-blender from the pot. I learned how to tame that particular FO, though. I can actually CP it and have it behave nicely if I use only .3 oz ppo instead of the .7 oz ppo I had first used. I can get away with so little of it because it is as strong as an acre of garlic and lasts forever and a day in my soap. I bought 3 lbs of it when it was being discontinued...enough to last me forever and a day. lol 
IrishLass
IrishLass
