First CP batch - Texture?

[wearytraveler]

This past weekend I made my second batch and tried the CP method. Nothing fancy and very little in the way of visual excitement. Since I made my first batch ever at the start of the month and, while a bit high in the cleansing dept. (used both CO and PKF) I think it was a great learning experience and a heck of a lot of fun.
For the CP attempt I followed a fairly basic recipe and replaced all the water with coconut water and added the correct amount of sodium lactate for hardness as well as 2 tbl spoons of titanium dioxide. After the pour into the mold I popped the loaf into the freezer for about 3 hours and then let it sit on my counter till the next day when I removed and cut. I don't have much experience with home made soaps so I'm not sure if this is the way CP is supposed to feel (it does feel different than the HP I made) but the bars have a rubber-like texture that is very much like the soft rubber on the back of some mobile phones and tablets. The HP was molded in an HDPE mold where the CP was in silicone. The small left over bit that I molded in a silicone cupcake mold lathers creamy and slick. I know it's waaaay too early for a definitive test but I was just curious about the rubber-like texture.

 

[lenarenee]

I'm trying to remember the rubbery batch of soap I made once, and what I thought caused. Good news - it turned out fine. I've played with sodium lactate a couple times and didn't like what it did to the texture of high animal fat soaps, so I'm wondering if that was it. But don't take that too seriously until someone else pipes up with their experiences.

 

[The Efficacious Gentleman]

Pictures would help - gelled verses ungelled has a different feel, for example.

But as this was cp, a different recipe, and frozen, you basically have so many different variables that comparing your one batch of cp to your one batch of hp is like comparing eating an orange to seeing a film.

 

[wearytraveler]

As requested, here is a picture right after the cut.
And another one I forgot I took. With the flash.

 

[dixiedragon]

Very nice. So your soap is firm to the touch, not sticky? Gives a bit when you press it? That sounds right. I compare it to a block of cheddar. If it's firm like a block of cheddar, it's ready to cut. If it's soft like a block of cream cheese, it's not ready. (Mmm...cheese)

 

[penelopejane]

It looks great. Why did you put it in the freezer?

 

[wearytraveler]

It's solid, doesn't give much when pressed. It's not tacky or sticky at all. Honestly, the best description I can give is that of the rubbery back of mobile devices and it was definitely like cheddar (which I happen to LOVE). I popped it into the freezer to try to prevent the partial gel circle.

 

[Susie]

It should be fine. I find that all my ungelled soaps feel rubbery for about 4 weeks, where they miraculously become firm/hard like gelled.

 

[wearytraveler]

Good to know. Thanks for everyone's replies and nice words. Now... time to plan another batch! :mrgreen:

 

[penelopejane]

Good to know. Thanks for everyone's replies and nice words. Now... time to plan another batch! :mrgreen:

It looks really great.
You do have a bit of partial gel in the middle.

Next one try wrapping it and letting it gel and see which you prefer. Try turning the oven on really low 100* F so just hand warm while you are making your soap. Then wrap the soap, turn the oven off, put the soap in and leave it without peaking for 12 hours.

It makes s big difference, I think to the texture/hardness/feel.

Otherwise sometimes if you add a tiny bit too much water (I did this mixing colours with a bit of a free hand but probably only 1 tbsp or so more) a soap can be spongy for weeks.

 

[snappyllama]

I've overdone it on TD and have gotten the rubbery texture. The soap itself was fine though - just a weird texture. Sorry, I didn't keep amounts for my mishap.

I *think* I use about a teaspoon ppo now. My recipe is pretty light unscented though, and I know cures much lighter than my batter. So long as I can get it to creamy color, I'll get a decent "white" when cured.

 

[wearytraveler]

Can you let me know how to tell there's a partial gel? The light swirl in the center is a light lavender swirl that I was shooting for (could have been a bit darker).
I actually plan to do just that for my next batch to see what the difference can be. When you say wrap the soap, what exactly would I wrap it in? A towel?

Thanks!

It looks really great.
You do have a bit of partial gel in the middle.

Next one try wrapping it and letting it gel and see which you prefer. Try turning the oven on really low 100* F so just hand warm while you are making your soap. Then wrap the soap, turn the oven off, put the soap in and leave it without peaking for 12 hours.

It makes s big difference, I think to the texture/hardness/feel.

Otherwise sometimes if you add a tiny bit too much water (I did this mixing colours with a bit of a free hand but probably only 1 tbsp or so more) a soap can be spongy for weeks.

 

[penelopejane]

Can you let me know how to tell there's a partial gel? The light swirl in the center is a light lavender swirl that I was shooting for (could have been a bit darker).
I actually plan to do just that for my next batch to see what the difference can be. When you say wrap the soap, what exactly would I wrap it in? A towel?

Thanks!

Oh I thought the centre darker swirl was gel. Sorry blame my eyes!
I cover my mold with cardboard (for a lid) then wrap mine in a bit of an old woollen blanket. Some use a towel. I heat my oven really low and turn it off and peak as the heat gets released.

 

[dixiedragon]

You could wrap it in a towel, or place a box upside down over it. Depending on the mold, you also need to place something underneath it. Wooden mold - you don't need to. Plastic or silicone mold - yes, you need to insulate underneath.

 

[wearytraveler]

So... and excuse the ignorance... does all this wrapping happen while the mold is IN the oven or once it comes out?

Thanks for all the input.

 

[dixiedragon]

So... and excuse the ignorance... does all this wrapping happen while the mold is IN the oven or once it comes out?

Thanks for all the input.

No problem!

You can either wrap OR put in the oven, not both. If your house isn't chilly and your soap batter is about 100 (or higher), wrapping is probably sufficient to force gel. The soap batter makes it's own heat as it goes through the process of turning into soap.

I like to use the oven b/c I like to SEE gel. Unwrapping the soap every 10 minutes defeats the purpose of wrapping it in the first place.

But you may be using your oven for food - crazy as that sounds. Some people do that, I hear. ;p

When I make confetti soap (soap that has new batter mixed with a lot of old soap shreds), I put the soap into the oven at about 100-150 degrees and turn the oven off and on keep it at that temperature. I do this because I want the old soap shreds to get nice and melty so they blend with the new soap.

If I am making honey soap, I wrap it and when gel is corner to corner, I remove the wrapping.

Most soap I put in a gently-warmed oven.

 

[wearytraveler]

Ahh. Now it makes sense. I was wracking my brain trying to think if I had an old towel that I could stick in the oven.
I might give this a try this weekend.

Thanks again!

No problem!

You can either wrap OR put in the oven, not both. If your house isn't chilly and your soap batter is about 100 (or higher), wrapping is probably sufficient to force gel. The soap batter makes it's own heat as it goes through the process of turning into soap.

I like to use the oven b/c I like to SEE gel. Unwrapping the soap every 10 minutes defeats the purpose of wrapping it in the first place.

But you may be using your oven for food - crazy as that sounds. Some people do that, I hear. ;p

When I make confetti soap (soap that has new batter mixed with a lot of old soap shreds), I put the soap into the oven at about 100-150 degrees and turn the oven off and on keep it at that temperature. I do this because I want the old soap shreds to get nice and melty so they blend with the new soap.

If I am making honey soap, I wrap it and when gel is corner to corner, I remove the wrapping.

Most soap I put in a gently-warmed oven.

 

[penelopejane]

Ahh. Now it makes sense. I was wracking my brain trying to think if I had an old towel that I could stick in the oven.

I might give this a try this weekend.



Thanks again!

Everyone has their own method and once I found what worked for me ( thanks to the gurus on here [emoji2]) I stick to it.

I wrap my soap in a blanket AND put it in the oven. My CPOP temp is 100*F that is low. I want it to remain that temp for a long time so I wrap it in a blanket and don't touch it. I do this for every mix: for Goats milk mixes, honey mixes etcc etc (I do not use tallow or lard).

For me it means it cures evenly, it cures to a nice finish to cut, it goes hard faster after it is cut, it doesn't crumble, it's not mushy and it is consistent.

Just give each method a couple of tries and see what works for you.
I wanted to know exactly how to make soap when I found this forum but I've found that it's as individual as we are. It's either our method or our ingredients or the environment of our house but some of the methods people swear by just don't work for other people. You really have to try one, test it a couple of times with different recipes and when you hit on something that works - go with it.

There are lots of posts here where people CPOP at 175*F and it's volcanoes or its overheated or they've not turned the oven off or the silicone mold now blisters forever more. Try low temps first and see how it goes. Let us know the results, please!

 

[IrishLass]

I'm like Penelope, I actually use both (cloth and oven). Much can depend on one's formula, soaping temps and lye concentration, I've found.

When I make confetti soap (soap that has new batter mixed with a lot of old soap shreds), I put the soap into the oven at about 100-150 degrees and turn the oven off and on keep it at that temperature. I do this because I want the old soap shreds to get nice and melty so they blend with the new soap.

Alternatively (if you don't want to go through the hassle of fiddling with the oven temp to maintain a certain temp), you can gently heat your soap scraps until softened before adding to your soap batter, and just gel your soap as you normally would (without scraps). That's what I've taken to doing lately, and it works great! Basically, I spray my scraps with a spritz or 2 of water from a spray bottle, gently heat them in my oven until softened, toss them into my batter while still warm, and gel as normal (preheat to 110F, turn off and walk away).


IrishLass

 

[penelopejane]

I'm like Penelope, I actually use both (cloth and oven). Much can depend on one's formula, soaping temps and lye concentration, I've found.



Alternatively (if you don't want to go through the hassle of fiddling with the oven temp to maintain a certain temp), you can gently heat your soap scraps until softened before adding to your soap batter, and just gel your soap as you normally would (without scraps). That's what I've taken to doing lately, and it works great! Basically, I spray my scraps with a spritz or 2 of water from a spray bottle, gently heat them in my oven until softened, toss them into my batter while still warm, and gel as normal (preheat to 110F, turn off and walk away).


IrishLass

Can you please post a picture of a soap with melted confetti in it? I have heaps of confetti to get through... [emoji2]