I'm hoping to find the NoAH today so that I can start making soap. I have the rest of the supplies so hopefully this last and very necessary ingredient will be found in the cosmetics supply shop in town. If so, it's soap making time this afternoon! So excited about finally making soap (I having been thinking about it for several years...).
Getting ready for my first soap making attempt!
- Thread starter Tilia
- Start date
Help Support Soapmaking Forum:
If the cosmetic supply place does not have NaOH, try the hardware store or plumbing supply. It is used to clean out drains here, and as long as NaOH is the only thing in it, it is perfectly suited to making soap.
I am so excited for you!
I am so excited for you!
I found the NaOH in the cosmetics store, but it wasn't exactly cheap! I did check out the hardware store and found 3 possible options, but as there was no mention of the ingredients or the purity grade, I didn't dare to buy them.
I was unsure I would find the NaOH in the cosmetics store as it's not for sale on their webshop and I told the saleswoman that. She said it was a recent addition because people kept asking for it. Isn't it strange that they did not sell it before? That shop has been around for quite a few years and has every other ingredient for soap...
Anyway, it's soapmaking time this afternoon!
I was unsure I would find the NaOH in the cosmetics store as it's not for sale on their webshop and I told the saleswoman that. She said it was a recent addition because people kept asking for it. Isn't it strange that they did not sell it before? That shop has been around for quite a few years and has every other ingredient for soap...
Anyway, it's soapmaking time this afternoon!
:clap::clap::clap:
My first soap is in the mold. That was exciting.
Hopefully it turns out well. How long does mixing with an electrical mixer usually take? My mixer got VERY hot, I was afraid I would have to stir the whole thing by hand after the first minute. :S I switched between stirring by hand and using the mixer. I didn't time it, but I think it took about 15 minutes.
I was supposed to put the lye in with the oils at 110°F, but the lye cooled very quickly. I mixed them with the lye at 100° and the oils at 104°. Is that to big a gap in temperatures?
Also the batter turned from no trace at all to a thick trace in a few seconds. Is that what is called seizing? Was that supposed to happen so quickly?
That was exciting.Hopefully it turns out well. How long does mixing with an electrical mixer usually take? My mixer got VERY hot, I was afraid I would have to stir the whole thing by hand after the first minute. :S I switched between stirring by hand and using the mixer. I didn't time it, but I think it took about 15 minutes.
I was supposed to put the lye in with the oils at 110°F, but the lye cooled very quickly. I mixed them with the lye at 100° and the oils at 104°. Is that to big a gap in temperatures?
Also the batter turned from no trace at all to a thick trace in a few seconds. Is that what is called seizing? Was that supposed to happen so quickly?
KatieShephard
Well-Known Member
You may want to bite the bullet and make an investment in a stickblender...saves a lot of time. I ordered mine from Amazon for less than $20...works great.
I think the temps you soaped at sound fine. Ill let the more experienced soapers answer the rest for you. So exciting! Remember to take pictures and notes (in case you want to replicate it...or not ).
I think the temps you soaped at sound fine. Ill let the more experienced soapers answer the rest for you. So exciting! Remember to take pictures and notes (in case you want to replicate it...or not
).
Congrats on your first batch in the mold! Dont forget to post pics when you take it out and cut it!!
Seizing is when it turns into a wad around the blender - you just got a fast trace.
I know every soap making instruction says that the oils and lye need to be at the same temperatures - but they really don't - close enough is good enough. Some people here even add their hot lye to cold oils to melt the solid oils!!
When stick blending, don't run the blender all the time or it will burn out. Run it in bursts while doing a bit of hand stirring. Watch the Soapmaking 101 videos on youtube for a good rhythm to aim for.
Seizing is when it turns into a wad around the blender - you just got a fast trace.
I know every soap making instruction says that the oils and lye need to be at the same temperatures - but they really don't - close enough is good enough. Some people here even add their hot lye to cold oils to melt the solid oils!!
When stick blending, don't run the blender all the time or it will burn out. Run it in bursts while doing a bit of hand stirring. Watch the Soapmaking 101 videos on youtube for a good rhythm to aim for.
I'm not a native English speaker, a stick blender is what I meant by electrical mixer. And it's what got so hot. :-S It's an old blender and normally I use it for short bits like blending a soup. I got a new and better stick blender for my cooking and delegated this old one to soapmaking, but now I'm a bit worried it will break down on me if it's used for soap...
And it's what got so hot. :-S It's an old blender and normally I use it for short bits like blending a soup. I got a new and better stick blender for my cooking and delegated this old one to soapmaking, but now I'm a bit worried it will break down on me if it's used for soap...
KatieShephard
Well-Known Member
I'm not a native English speaker, a stick blender is what I meant by electrical mixer.
Lost in translation
no worries! Just take the tip Seawolf said and use it in bursts. You'll get the hang of it!
snappyllama
Supporting Member
Congratulations on making your first soap! Be sure to post pictures of it
Thanks for the info. I'll certainly do less stick blending and more hand stirring next time.
My hands are itching to check on the soap. It looks like a towel wrapped gift waiting to be unwrapped. ;-)
My first attempt at soapmaking is not a success... I unmolded it after 24 hours and only the bottom 5 mm has gotten somewhat solid. For the rest it looks 'split'. The homogeneous look from when it traced is gone. It's 'water' and 'goop' now. :s I mixed it as well as I could and have just put it in the oven on very low setting hoping to heat it up enough to set the process back in motion. I hope it won't be a complete failure. I'm wondering what I have done wrong, is it the insulating? How am I supposed to insulate it exactly? I simply wrapped 2 towels around my silicone mold as well as possible.
Unmolding is overstated, I unwrapped it. The soap is to goopy to unmold.
I'll certainly do less stick blending and more hand stirring next time. My hands are itching to check on the soap. It looks like a towel wrapped gift waiting to be unwrapped. ;-)
My first attempt at soapmaking is not a success... I unmolded it after 24 hours and only the bottom 5 mm has gotten somewhat solid. For the rest it looks 'split'. The homogeneous look from when it traced is gone. It's 'water' and 'goop' now. :s I mixed it as well as I could and have just put it in the oven on very low setting hoping to heat it up enough to set the process back in motion. I hope it won't be a complete failure. I'm wondering what I have done wrong, is it the insulating? How am I supposed to insulate it exactly? I simply wrapped 2 towels around my silicone mold as well as possible.
Unmolding is overstated, I unwrapped it. The soap is to goopy to unmold.
I would throw it into a sturdier container to re-batch. Like a stainless steel pot or a slow cooker. If you would post your recipe, we can help you troubleshoot better.
I went with a CP recipe from a soapmaking book, but translated it to grams instead of ounces. The oil percentages are exactly the same, but about 40 grams more oil in total. Then I put it into soapcalc. The fragrance oil was lavender and less than supposed because it seemed so much. The recipe was without fragrance, but I thought that with adding it in the calculations it wouldn't be a big deal.
It is normal for high % of olive oil soaps to take a long time to cure, especially with the full water amount of 38%. For your next recipe I would try to bring down the cleansing value, 22 is high and may be drying to many people. You would bring down this number by using less coconut oil and adding one more oil.
I have had some soaps take up to 4 days before I could unmold them, and I had taken them to heavy trace. Anything with a lot of soft oils will do that.
Its a great first recipe because its simple and it makes a decent soap. My first recipes were very much like that recipe, and my hubby likes them, but I find them a bit too drying. I either bump the superfat up to 8%, use less coconut oil, or find another oil to add to the mix. But its certainly not a bad recipe for a beginner - its still one of my favorites
As Susie says, using less water might help as well with it being too soft for too long.
If the soap was well traced before being put in the mold, and its still too soft to unmold after 4 days, then I would begin to suspect the purity of the lye.
Its a great first recipe because its simple and it makes a decent soap. My first recipes were very much like that recipe, and my hubby likes them, but I find them a bit too drying. I either bump the superfat up to 8%, use less coconut oil, or find another oil to add to the mix. But its certainly not a bad recipe for a beginner - its still one of my favorites
As Susie says, using less water might help as well with it being too soft for too long.
If the soap was well traced before being put in the mold, and its still too soft to unmold after 4 days, then I would begin to suspect the purity of the lye.
