First bar of soap! waiting to set.recipe opinion will it work??

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Newbie89

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ok so i given it a go tonight my first bar of soap.i used soapee here is the calculations if anyone can tell me if this is ok! bit late now but still haha. -http://soapee.com/recipes/6534 (please let me know if this link works to the recipe)i also added 100ml of aloe vera juice and deducted from the water the the remaining water i mixed with coconut milk powder then added lye whilst keeping the temp cold in freezing water and mixing. i poured in my diy mould which was bait of a disaster some came out the bottom, i used an old poster holder round tub like a pringle tub!now how long will it take to set. how long before i can try the soap? also because of the lard will it smell funny? i forgot to put essential oil in but ideally i wanted to keep it natural as poss to stop any reaction. of course i will upload pics as soon as possible. my other question when i tried to upload it says enter url? is that not just for pics of the internet i want to just attach one from my camera album on my phone?
 
Congratulations!!

ok so i given it a go tonight my first bar of soap.i used soapee here is the calculations if anyone can tell me if this is ok! bit late now but still haha. -http://soapee.com/recipes/6534 (please let me know if this link works to the recipe)

I wasn't able to see the recipe using that link (not sure, maybe it requires a person to have a login to look?).

If you get to upload a picture (see below) maybe you could upload a screenshot :)

of course i will upload pics as soon as possible. my other question when i tried to upload it says enter url? is that not just for pics of the internet i want to just attach one from my camera album on my phone?

Below the area where you type your reply is "Upload a file" that you can click on ... this will enable you to browse your files and upload one (if the phone app works the same as what I see).

Another alternative is to load up a picture into the media section ... then link to that using the camera picture at the top :)
 
This is the caculations/ recipe :)

Congratulations!!



I wasn't able to see the recipe using that link (not sure, maybe it requires a person to have a login to look?).

If you get to upload a picture (see below) maybe you could upload a screenshot :)



Below the area where you type your reply is "Upload a file" that you can click on ... this will enable you to browse your files and upload one (if the phone app works the same as what I see).

Another alternative is to load up a picture into the media section ... then link to that using the camera picture at the top :)
Thank you have added recipe now

The diy soap mould lined with greeceproof paper
 

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Looks pretty creamy!

If you look at your cleansing value, you'll notice that it is outside the recommended range, on the high side. This will have come about because your coconut oil quantity is high. Most people try and keep their coconut below 15 to 20% and some people prefer even lower, however if your skin is ok with coconut (and some people aren't bothered by it at all) then this may not be an issue for you.

You say that you have used lard, but your recipe has beef tallow, so I think there's a bit of confusion there. The saponification value for beef tallow is not hugely different to lard, and it's slightly higher so you will do is add to the superfat of your soap if you've used lard in your recipe. There will be some other differences too (the hardness will be lower for example, this your recipe will tolerate).

If everything goes well you should be able to unmold in a day or so.

Generally it looks good for a first soap. :D
 
Looks pretty creamy!

If you look at your cleansing value, you'll notice that it is outside the recommended range, on the high side. This will have come about because your coconut oil quantity is high. Most people try and keep their coconut below 15 to 20% and some people prefer even lower, however if your skin is ok with coconut (and some people aren't bothered by it at all) then this may not be an issue for you.

You say that you have used lard, but your recipe has beef tallow, so I think there's a bit of confusion there. The saponification value for beef tallow is not hugely different to lard, and it's slightly higher so you will do is add to the superfat of your soap if you've used lard in your recipe. There will be some other differences too (the hardness will be lower for example, this your recipe will tolerate).

If everything goes well you should be able to unmold in a day or so.

Generally it looks good for a first soap. :D
Thank you I couldn't find the lard option lol I thought it was same thing also coxonut was what I has most of in the cupboard I did think it may be too much! I'm excited to try so ill take out the mould in a day or so but can I use it straight away or do I have to wait few weeks/months?
 
Did you use coconut oil or fractionated coconut oil? They are two different things as well.
Oh no I have no idea its from holland And barret just its just says raw organic coconut oil but the other 2 options wernt that either I didnt know which tmit was
 
That's when you learn about zap testing :)

Thank you I couldn't find the lard option lol I thought it was same thing also coxonut was what I has most of in the cupboard I did think it may be too much! I'm excited to try so ill take out the mould in a day or so but can I use it straight away or do I have to wait few weeks/months?

IrishLass wrote some instructions on how to zap test your soap.

After the soap has passed the zap tested it, then it's safe, but not cured.

Try it out and keep good notes about how it feels and what you think of the soap.
You'll be surprised at how much it changes over the next few weeks.

It should be cured enough to be ready to use from about 4 to 6 weeks :)

Keep a bar or two to put it away for trying again in 6 months & 1 year and more :D
 
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That's when you learn about zap testing :)



IrishLass wrote some instructions on how to zap test your soap.

After the soap has passed the zap tested it, then it's safe, but not cured.

Try it out and keep good notes about how it feels and what you think of the soap.
You'll be surprised at how much it changes over the next few weeks.

It should be cured enough to be ready to use from about 4 to 6 weeks :)

Keep a bar or two to put it away for trying again in 6 months & 1 year and more :D
Iv really got to wait that long? That's going to kill me ill look into the zap testing
 
4-8 weeks is a fairly normal cure time for cold and hot process soaps (some types can take longer!).

ill look into the zap testing

Good stuff.

Once it's safe, you can use it, but it's just simply not as good as it will be after the cure.
(time is needed to bring out it's best, like wine and cheese - you can consume it early, but it's just not the same :))

Try it out and keep good notes about how it feels and what you think of the soap.

This still holds true. Not only CAN you try, but you SHOULD try it as it cures, otherwise how else will you know how it improves over time?

I'd suggest hand-washing to start with.
 
Iv really got to wait that long? That's going to kill me

Yes... there is the waiting part.. In the meantime I recommend making more soap :D
Your recipe looks really, really good! Congratulations :winner: And definitely try and stash a couple of bars away for way longer, to see the (very incredible IMHO) difference a really long cure does.

ETA: The waiting drove me nuts at first..! Great reason to make some more, different, playing around with the %ages of fats, different additives.. Always something new and exciting waiting to be tried out. LOVE IT!
Happy soaping :)
 
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ok so i given it a go tonight my first bar of soap.i used soapee here is the calculations if anyone can tell me if this is ok! bit late now but still haha. -http://soapee.com/recipes/6534 (please let me know if this link works to the recipe)i also added 100ml of aloe vera juice and deducted from the water the the remaining water i mixed with coconut milk powder then added lye whilst keeping the temp cold in freezing water and mixing. i poured in my diy mould which was bait of a disaster some came out the bottom, i used an old poster holder round tub like a pringle tub!now how long will it take to set. how long before i can try the soap? also because of the lard will it smell funny? i forgot to put essential oil in but ideally i wanted to keep it natural as poss to stop any reaction. of course i will upload pics as soon as possible. my other question when i tried to upload it says enter url? is that not just for pics of the internet i want to just attach one from my camera album on my phone?

If you are doing the split method you mix the lye with the aloe and wait for it to cool.
Then, separately, mix the remaining water with the coconut powder and add that to the oils and SB.
Then add the lye mixture to the oils and SB.

There is no need to keep the temp cold in freezing water.

To prevent the mixture coming out the bottom of a tube try and find a tin can that fits the bottom of the tube. If it is really tight it is great for stopping leaks.
 
4-8 weeks is a fairly normal cure time for cold and hot process soaps (some types can take longer!).

That's true so is melt and pour the same as cold pressed?

Good stuff.

Once it's safe, you can use it, but it's just simply not as good as it will be after the cure.
(time is needed to bring out it's best, like wine and cheese - you can consume it early, but it's just not the same :))



This still holds true. Not only CAN you try, but you SHOULD try it as it cures, otherwise how else will you know how it improves over time?

I'd suggest hand-washing to start with.

Yes... there is the waiting part.. In the meantime I recommend making more soap :D
Your recipe looks really, really good! Congratulations :winner: And definitely try and stash a couple of bars away for way longer, to see the (very incredible IMHO) difference a really long cure does.

ETA: The waiting drove me nuts at first..! Great reason to make some more, different, playing around with the %ages of fats, different additives.. Always something new and exciting waiting to be tried out. LOVE IT!
Happy soaping :)
Haha thank you Iv already looking at my next one today I think Iv already given most of this lot away at to family they all keep asking for it! Rought what size on average do people cut there bars? Wondeting how many I should get out of this batch :)

If you are doing the split method you mix the lye with the aloe and wait for it to cool.
Then, separately, mix the remaining water with the coconut powder and add that to the oils and SB.
Then add the lye mixture to the oils and SB.

There is no need to keep the temp cold in freezing water.

To prevent the mixture coming out the bottom of a tube try and find a tin can that fits the bottom of the tube. If it is really tight it is great for stopping leaks.
Ah ok so I can add just plain water to the oil thats ok? I was thinking it had to be mixed with the lye first? I sdded the aloe to the oils before trace! But mixed the coconut powder with the lye which my first attempt looked like mince meet thats the only reason I tried to keep it colder the second time
 
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Melt and Pour soap is pre-made, so the soap is already cured and ready to use.

That's true so is melt and pour the same as cold pressed?

A couple of definitions to help you:
Cold process is used for soaps that are made using a process doesn't (usually) include the addition of heat.
Cold pressed is used to refer to oils that are extracted without heat (traditionally with a press).

CP (cold process) and MP (melt and pour) are both soaps. CP, MP and HP (hot process soap) are all soaps with different characteristics. CP and HP are most similar.
 
Ah ok so I can add just plain water to the oil thats ok? I was thinking it had to be mixed with the lye first? I sdded the aloe to the oils before trace! But mixed the coconut powder with the lye which my first attempt looked like mince meet thats the only reason I tried to keep it colder the second time

You can add plain water to the oils or plain aloe juice. For milks it is easier to mix powder with water reserved from the recipe than add that mix to the oils. The lye would be mixed with the aloe which, when cooled a bit is mixed with the milk mix.
 
Omg its smells abit like white chocolate I don't know how thats happened! Thinking about that can we add white chocolate powder? Would it smell the same? I could deco wash in that everyday! So its gone abut funny coloured u derneath the pic was the non stick sheet I used I'm not sure if that has stained it? It shudnt melt of anything as it is designed for the oven! Its feels firm but not as hard as I expected! I really want to try it
 

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They are looking creamy! Congratulations on your first soaps! :winner:

Omg its smells abit like white chocolate I don't know how thats happened! Thinking about that can we add white chocolate powder? Would it smell the same? I could deco wash in that everyday! So its gone abut funny coloured u derneath the pic was the non stick sheet I used I'm not sure if that has stained it? It shudnt melt of anything as it is designed for the oven! Its feels firm but not as hard as I expected! I really want to try it

I would agree that they have picked up some color from something in the sheet you used to line the pringles can. Depending on what it was, it may or may not cause a problem with your soap. If you can, when the soap is slightly firmer, I would shave the colour edging off (a flat bladed peeler can do this), just in case it causes a reaction with your soap over time (although it does look nice, maybe keep one as it is to see how it goes). Hint: If you keep all the peelings from this in a sealed bag, you will be able to mash them together later for practice soap dough work.

The chocolate smell comes from the cocoa butter. Most of that delicious smell will fade, but you might still smell it on your first wash :)

So now it's testing time. Pick a bar and peel the discolored outside off. Do your zap test and if it passes ...

It's time for the first hand-wash (the very important bubble test! ;))
 
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They are looking creamy! Congratulations on your first soaps! :winner:



I would agree that they have picked up some color from something in the sheet you used to line the pringles can. Depending on what it was, it may or may not cause a problem with your soap. If you can, when the soap is slightly firmer, I would shave the colour edging off (a flat bladed peeler can do this), just in case it causes a reaction with your soap over time. Hint: If you keep all the peelings from this in a sealed bag, you will be able to mash them together later for practice soap dough work.

The chocolate smell comes from the cocoa butter. Most of that delicious smell will fade, but you might still smell it on your first wash :)

So now it's testing time. Pick a bar and peel the discolored outside off. Do your zap test and if it passes ...

It's time for the first hand-wash (the very important bubble test! ;))
Yaay I will try forst thing in the morning! I deco need to invest in a proper mold! So strange how it came off! Although it actually matches my bathroom tiles how it is awww I hope all the smell doesn't go its so nice! Can you get cocoa essential oil or fragrence oil I dont know the diffrnece!
 
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