GLS Fail

[Dean]

Hi all.

Tried to make LS for the first time last night. Do you kno y it failed? Can it be salvaged?

Recipie & Notes

Pic is of undiluted GLS.

 

[jcandleattic]

I couldn't open the link. Can you give more detail in the post as to how it failed - (because the pic of it looks fine to me, just a little thin for paste) is it lye heavy?
almost any soap can be salvaged depending on what's wrong with it.

 

[Dennis]

I couldn't open the link. Can you give more detail in the post as to how it failed - (because the pic of it looks fine to me, just a little thin for paste) is it lye heavy?
almost any soap can be salvaged depending on what's wrong with it.

I copy and pasted.

2018_08_29_glc
Oils
Oil % Ounces Grams
Almond Oil, sweet 75 3.38 95.7
Castor Oil 25 1.13 31.9
100 4.5 127.6
Total Weights
Total Water Weight 2.81 ounces 79.7 g
Total KOH Weight 0.94 ounces at 90% purity 26.6 g
Total Oil Weight 4.5 ounces 127.6 g
Fragrance Oil Weight 0.14 ounces 3.8 g
Total Batch Weight 8.38 ounces 237.7 g
Superfat 2%
Lye Concentration 25%
Water : Lye Ratio 3 : 1
Saturated : Unsaturated 5 : 95
Recipe Properties
Property % Recommended
Bubbly 23 14 - 46
Cleansing 0 12 - 22
Condition 91 44 - 69
Hardness 5 29 - 54
Longevity 5 25 - 50
Stable 28 16 - 48
Iodine 96 41 - 70
Ins 97 136 - 165
Fatty Acids %
Linoleic 15
Oleic 54
Palmitic 5
Ricinoleic 23
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Disolved KOH in aloe juice. Added glycerin as other 1/2 of liquid. Blended lye and oils for 10 min. No tiny floating bubbles. Let sit overnight. Did not form paste. Seperated in a a cloudier liquid on the bottom with a clearer liquid on top. Did not dilute or add EO.

 

[earlene]

I have no problem opening the saved soapee recipe. But with so little LS experience myself, I cannot answer your questions. Someone with more LS experience will come along soon and give you feedback. Just wanted you to know the link does work, at least for me.

 

[jcandleattic]

I have no problem opening the saved soapee recipe

I think it's the filters at my work, nothing wrong with the actual app. I should have probably clarified that - sorry. (my work blocks some things, but not others - like we can't get into Facebook, but yet twitter is fine - LOL)

To me, it sounds as if it never came to trace, and then separated out after you let it sit overnight. Can you re-stick blend it back, and try to mix it all together on low heat again? That is the only suggestion I would have.
It's honestly been years since I've made a GLS - but I have always used glycerin as 100% of my liquid and get the flying bubbles within 2 minutes or so.

 

[Dean]

I think it's the filters at my work, nothing wrong with the actual app. I should have probably clarified that - sorry. (my work blocks some things, but not others - like we can't get into Facebook, but yet twitter is fine - LOL)

To me, it sounds as if it never came to trace, and then separated out after you let it sit overnight. Can you re-stick blend it back, and try to mix it all together on low heat again? That is the only suggestion I would have.
It's honestly been years since I've made a GLS - but I have always used glycerin as 100% of my liquid and get the flying bubbles within 2 minutes or so.

Thx. Btw...I didn’t use any heat when I made it. Thought it wasn’t rqd for Irishlass’ updated GLS process.

 

[shunt2011]

Thx. Btw...I didn’t use any heat when I made it. Thought it wasn’t rqd for Irishlass’ updated GLS process.

I always apply some heat to mine following IL recipe. Doesn't take long though...not like many do LS by cooking the bejeezus out of it.

 

[DeeAnna]

"...Blended lye and oils for 10 min. No tiny floating bubbles...."

It doesn't sound like you got the mixture to a stable trace, since you say it separated out again. I've never seen any floating bubbles in my liquid soap making, BTW.

If you want to heat up the batter a bit, you can sure do that. Warmth tends to shorten the time to trace. If you don't want to heat the batter, that works too. In any case, stick blend for 10-20 seconds every 5 minutes or so until the batter starts to thicken and stays mixed.

It might take 10 minutes or it might take 30 minutes. Whatever it takes. My experience has been more like 10-20 minutes if I use half glycerin and half water or if I use all water and warm the ingredients. But it varies.

 

[jcandleattic]

Thx. Btw...I didn’t use any heat when I made it. Thought it wasn’t rqd for Irishlass’ updated GLS process.

I don't think heat is required, but as DeeAnna said, it does help speed things along to get it to a stable trace that won't separate out. I really think that's the culprit, is the mixture not coming to trace for long enough to be stable.

I think once you get everything to stay mixed, it will end up being a nice paste for you.

 

[Dean]

Thanks all for the advice.

So this morning I tried to rectify my LS shame. Gave the jar a lil shake to check consistency. The layer on the bottom was thick and the layer on top was much thinner. Warmed it up in the microwave, put it in a hot water bath on the stove, and hit with the SB. It mixed and became very thick immediately. Let it cook for 5 min in the bath. Tried to SB again. It was almost a paste. Turned the stove off and let it sit for awhile. Took it out of the water after 10 or 15 min. When I left for work it was slightly warm and was a very thick opaque liquid. When I tilted it would move slightly up the jar like honey. Hopefully its fixed.

 

[jcandleattic]

Thanks all for the advice.

So this morning I tried to rectify my LS shame. Gave the jar a lil shake to check consistency. The layer on the bottom was thick and the layer on top was much thinner. Warmed it up in the microwave, put in a hot water bath on the stove, and hit with the SB. It mixed and became very thick immediately. Let it cook for 5 min in the bath. Tried to SB again. It was almost a paste. Turned the stove off and let it sit for awhile. Took it out of the water after 10 or 15 min. When I left for work it was slightly warm and was a very thick opaque liquid. When I tilted it would move slightly up the jar like honey. Hopefully its fixed.

Sounds like it's fixed. It may get thicker as it cools and become a nice paste ready for dilution.

 

[Dean]

Back for an update and more advice...

I came home to jelly thick paste tonight...not pourable. I think the heat did the trick. Diluted it and tested it. ZERO lather. Ive made bar soap w/o lauric/myristic and about the same percent of almond oil. It produced some lather. This is the first time my soap has produced NO lather. What do you think happened? Did the castor kill the lather?

 

[msunnerstood]

Liquid soap doesnt make as much lather. I usually throw mine in a foamer bottle and test it that way. I dont think its the castor. Sweet almond oil produces a mild lather but not a big producer. Castor will support lather. Maybe try a little coconut oil in the next batch?

 

[DeeAnna]

You made a soap that at best has a low lather. If you want the most lather possible from this particular soap, it probably needs to be diluted more than you've diluted it.

Soap has to be sufficiently diluted and aerated to foam well. Bar soap controls the soap dose so the concentration of soap is low enough on your hands to create a decent foam without a lot of work, assuming you have a recipe that lathers reasonably well.

Liquid soap in the bottle is usually far more concentrated than you would want for the best foam production -- it needs to be diluted further with water to foam well. People use more coconut oil in their LS recipes to compensate for this, but more dilution would be helpful too.

You want to put a small dab of LS on your hands and add plenty of water and aeration to get it to foam. Or use a foamer bottle. Or use a washcloth or wash pouf.

 

[Dean]

You made a soap that at best has a low lather. If you want the most lather possible from this particular soap, it probably needs to be diluted more than you've diluted it.

Soap has to be sufficiently diluted and aerated to foam well. Bar soap controls the soap dose so the concentration of soap is low enough on your hands to create a decent foam without a lot of work, assuming you have a recipe that lathers reasonably well.

Liquid soap in the bottle is usually far more concentrated than you would want for the best foam production -- it needs to be diluted further with water to foam well. People use more coconut oil in their LS recipes to compensate for this, but more dilution would be helpful too.

You want to put a small dab of LS on your hands and add plenty of water and aeration to get it to foam. Or use a foamer bottle. Or use a washcloth or wash pouf.

You’re right!!! I just scooped some foam off the top and tested. and It produced the same lather as my CO-free bars.

Few more questions please. How do I remove the top foam created by blending at dilution? Where can I find a foamer...craft store?

Its diluted at 1:1 and is not thick. What ratio should the paste be diluted at for the foamer or to put on a wash cloth?

Are foamers used in the shower too?

Sorry for all the questions. LS is a whole new ball game. I feel like I’m learning soaping from the beginning again.

 

[msunnerstood]

You’re right!!! I just scooped some foam off the top and tested. and It produced the same lather as my CO-free bars.

Few more questions please. How do I remove the top foam created by blending at dilution? Where can I find a foamer...craft store?

Its diluted at 1:1 and is not thick. What ratio should the paste be diluted at for the foamer or to put on a wash cloth?

Are foamers used in the shower too?

Sorry for all the questions. LS is a whole new ball game. I feel like I’m learning soaping from the beginning again.

If the foam on the top is solid it typically means you need more water. I wouldnt stick blend at this point. t may cloud up your soap and cause other issues.
Dilution is a question I think ive seen a million answers to. Liquid soap is a thin soap and to work in a foamer it likely needs to be thinner. 2:1 is what I have used but there is a lot of opinions out there.

Foamer bottles: you can get them on amazon. They can run pretty high price wise at soap supply companies.

 

[DeeAnna]

...How do I remove the top foam created by blending at dilution?

Skim it off with a spoon if you need a fix right away. The foam will probably dissipate on its own if you give it time.

Where can I find a foamer...craft store?

Sounds like a good bet. Or your local "dollar" type store. Or Walmart.

Its diluted at 1:1 and is not thick. What ratio should the paste be diluted at for the foamer or to put on a wash cloth?

Some recipes won't be thick at any dilution. Yours needs less water than 1:1 if you want it thicker.

For a foamer, however, you want it a lot thinner. Susie and others use foamers -- they're the ones to ask for tips.

Are foamers used in the shower too?

I would if I used 'em.

 

[earlene]

I have actually re-used foamer bottles and decided that when I can find a packaged product in a foamer bottle I like, I will buy it if the price is right. Sometimes I have found a bottle I like with a product already in it, that is cheaper than a brand new empty bottle, so buy the package and toss the contents that I don't really want. It works best with easy-to-remove product labels (some are very easy to remove).

But I have also purchased new from Amazon as well.

 

[Dean]

Was at my brother's house this weekend. Noticed a nearly empty foamer bottle in the bathroom and asked if I could have it. Diluted my LS some more and tested it in the bottle. It made lather that quickly dissipated. Not as much lather as the store bought soap that was in the bottle. If I make it LS again, I'll probably add CO.

Does superfatting with glycerin really counteract the lauric/myristic drying effect?

 

[DeeAnna]

No, it won't. Also, glycerin is not superfat because it's not a saponifiable fat. Calling it a superfat is confusing and inaccurate. It's a humectant.