First Attempt Was A Loss :(

[DeeDee]

Well I made it through my first attempt, but I failed

I followed my recipe to a tee, almost. I totally forgot to add my jojoba butter after trace. Trace was almost instant by the way, I am sure it was the Bramble Berry FO I used.

My recipe...

Olive Oil (pomace) 13.11 oz
Coconut Oil 7.29 oz
Palm Oil 8.74 oz
Castor Oil 5.83 oz
Lye 4.73 oz
Water 11.04 oz (ah just thought of something,,,I used tap water we have treated water)
1/2 oz of FO bramble berry.
Meant to add 2.9 oz of jojoba oil at trace....forgot.

Seperated a small amount to add color to swirl,,,swirl was a joke,,lol,
I stuck it in the frig so it doesn't gel.

Before I toss it, I still want to cut it up tomorrow and see what it looks like.

 

[honor435]

why do you think it failed? it looks like it got very thick, it is still soap! dont worry.

 

[DeeDee]

Really? It would still be ok to use? I thought I would have to throw it out.

Yes, it got very thick fast! When I first started to stir with a big spoon, it was fine, once I stuck the stick blender, it was almost instant thick pudding.

 

[SimplyE]

I certainly would not call that failed!!! It looks beautiful! You will be pleasantly surprised tomorrow The part of the addiction is that so many times one thinks that when they pour, it does not look like what you wanted it to. Then when you go to cut, it actually ends up really amazing!

For being your first batch, you did a lot. I can't wait to see cut pics

 

[flyingpig]

By my calculation, you should have used a little more lye, but I didn't figure your discount, I just ran it at 5%. FOs often affect trace, which is one reason I don't use 'em. If I really have to have scented soap I use EOs. Still, just because it didn't come out the way you wanted doesn't mean it's unusable. It looks to me like you can still cut it into bars. And you can always rebatch. You probably have a batch of perfectly fine soap that just doesn't look the way you'd hoped.

If this was your first attempt at making CP, I'd suggest a simpler approach. I made a few batches with Crisco when I was starting out, just to familiarize myself with the procedure. This was very helpful and it didn't cost much. And, it made fine soap which I was able to use. Later on, when you experiment with swirls and different scents, you will have a good handle on what you're doing without wondering "what went wrong?" - assuming anything does, of course.

You don't say, but did you copy the recipe from a book? If so, you don't know if the writer was accurate - and they aren't always. One of the things I always tell beginning soapers is: do your own math! Work from a good SAP chart and use your calculator. Or you can set up your own calculator in Excel. Once you're in the habit of doing this you always know your amounts are correct, and you will be able to confidently design soap formulas to suit.

Hope this helps...don't get discouraged. And don't throw this batch away! Let it cure and try it out. You'll probably like it.

 

[Deda]

DeeDee, your recipe is fine, without the jojoba. Your SF level is a perfectly acceptable 6%.

I used to try to cheat the lye and add my SF oil at trace. It doesn't work. Just add it in with the other oils from the beginning.

The soap looks great! Give a day or so to firm up then unmold and cut.

Next time you try a finicky fragrance either soap cooler temps or add the FO to the oils before the lye and stir with a whisk, skipping the SB all together.

 

[DeeDee]

Thanks everyone!

FlyingPig, I used the Summer Bee Meadow lye calc. On that sight they have a beginner 3 oil recipe, OO, Co and PO, but when I did the calc, I added the castor oil and jojoba oil and then had the calc resize the recipe for the size mold I was using.
Maybe I didn't understand the soap calc like I thought? I thought that was the easiest the calc out of the three that I looked at. I don't know enough to even try to do something in excel, lol :shock:

 

[Guest]

Your soap looks beautiful , I love the soft pink . I am glad you posted here with a pic before you pitched it .

Kitn

 

[DeeDee]

Oh, also, I don't have any EO's at the moment. Right now I only have alot of FO's that I use with my melt and pour.
I guess I'll have to start shopping for EO's. But I think I need to work on simpler recipes first to get the hang of everything first.

 

[reallyrita]

First attempt was a loss

Not! Your soap looks mighty fine to me. If it seems too soft too umold and cut, just leave it be for a few days and then pop it out. If it is still squisy or sticky...let the log sit out on your cure rack for another day or two. I think you are going to be surprised by this batch....it is going to be very ok.

 

[DeeDee]

aww, thank you! Now, I can't wait for it to set up so I can cut it!
Slight bummer though,, it cracked in the middle. The mold is just a cardboard box (a mailer) the sides bowed a little, but no biggie. I just braced it some so it don't get worse.

 

[flyingpig]

FlyingPig, I used the Summer Bee Meadow lye calc. On that sight they have a beginner 3 oil recipe, OO, Co and PO, but when I did the calc, I added the castor oil and jojoba oil and then had the calc resize the recipe for the size mold I was using.
Maybe I didn't understand the soap calc like I thought? I thought that was the easiest the calc out of the three that I looked at. I don't know enough to even try to do something in excel, lol :shock:

Hope I didn't come across real critical...I agree with everyone else, you did just fine. I'm not familiar with the SBM lye calc, but it's probably fine too. Most of them are. It's just that there's a real advantage in learning to do it yourself.

As for Excel, it's the one program I was never able to teach myself just by sitting down and playing with it. After driving myself nearly to tears trying, I signed up for a class at the local adult ed center. It was worth it. It's one of the most versatile and useful programs in existence.

 

[wonderland]

my first attempt was a loss...this isn't!

 

[honor435]

you can still use fos, eos are more expensive, just know that they may cause you mixture to thicken fast, still makes nice soap, i love fo's there are so many to chose from!!!

 

[DeeDee]

FlyingPig,,not at all did I take your response as being critical.
You were very helpful, as were all of you! Thank you!

I completely understand what you were saying. I need to really sit down and play with the soap calcs and taking a class by the way, sounds like a good idea!
I would prefer to soap with EO's really, I just don't have any at the moment. I've been making melt and pour and only have FO's to work with. I didn't think I would be attempting CP so soon, so never really looked at EO's.
Honestly, any and all advice it welcome, even if you might think its critical, its just one more way for us newbies to learn. After all you guys are the pros, and if you could teach a better and most importanly a safer way to do something, then by all means, we need to hear it :wink:
Thank you!

 

[artisan soaps]

..

 

[Gramma Judy]

I am also fairly new to soapmaking. I have only 10 batches under my belt. My 2nd batch was also with good % olive pomace and also traced fast. In another forum I posted recipe and several seasoned members suggested the fast trace could have been because of the olive pomace in combination with the FO. I have since lowered the % of pomace and not had any more seizing problems. Not that I won't in the future. HTH

 

[DeeDee]

Thanks! I can't tell you how happy I am that you all are finding my failer, NOT a failer! I will have to post pics of the soap when its ready to be cut!

artisan soaps, I could be way wrong here, but the way I am understanding it, if you don't gel, the color stays better? Meanng... I guess what I was trying to achieve was a whiter opaque color with pink swirls (didn't happen).

Do I have that wrong?

 

[IrishLass]

DeeDee- your soap looks great from what I can see and also from what I can understand from your recipe calculations. Not a failure at all!

As for FOs- that's all I use and I only have a small handful that actually ever cause me any problems. All of the rest behave perfectly for me, and that's saying a lot because I have a ton of FOs! :shock: Before I buy any FOs I always check them out first on the Scent Review Board site.

Also- like others have said, it's better to add all your oils together up front. There is really no benefit to adding certain ones at trace in spite of what many soaping books might claim. It's one of those long-held soaping myths that have been proven wrong my modern-day lab tests.

IrishLass

 

[SimplyE]

Thanks! I can't tell you how happy I am that you all are finding my failer, NOT a failer! I will have to post pics of the soap when its ready to be cut!

artisan soaps, I could be way wrong here, but the way I am understanding it, if you don't gel, the color stays better? Meanng... I guess what I was trying to achieve was a whiter opaque color with pink swirls (didn't happen).

Do I have that wrong?

I like the look of ungelled soaps much better, in most cases, than gelled soap. What I would suggest you do is try both, with the same batch even and see what the difference is. It is always good to know both. There are reasons, however, that I will gel a soap. Best to try both so you know what you like, as well as good experience!