Having fun with Hot Process!

[DeeBeeSNJ]

I was so happy to get a fluid hot press but disappointed in the color. It was the vinegar I added to the lye. I added orange clove after the cook.
I did a second batch with no vinegar and used lemon fragrance after cook which smells so good. Not as fluid as the brown. Thought I would share.
*I’m a newbie and not sure how to use this forum or where I should post. Looking for soap friends. I just love making hot process soap.

 

[Misschief]

View attachment 70437
I was so happy to get a fluid hot press but disappointed in the color. It was the vinegar I added to the lye. I added orange clove after the cook.
I did a second batch with no vinegar and used lemon fragrance after cook which smells so good. Not as fluid as the brown. Thought I would share.
*I’m a newbie and not sure how to use this forum or where I should post. Looking for soap friends. I just love making hot press soap.

Welcome! Lovely soaps. Just one minor critique, if I may; it isn't hot (or cold) press soap, it's hot (or cold) process soap.

 

[DeeBeeSNJ]

Here is another

 

[AliOop]

Very nice soaps! Tan and black is a favorite color combo of mine.

I started out with only hot process soapmaking for years. I don't recall that white vinegar ever turned my soaps brown. Did you use ACV or white?

Also, when you say you added "orange clove" were you referring to essential oils? Clove EO has a really low safe usage rate - less than 1% for HP soap! You may already know that, or you may be talking about an FO and not EOs, but I don't want to assume either way.

 

[DeeBeeSNJ]

Very nice soaps! Tan and black is a favorite color combo of mine.

I started out with only hot process soapmaking for years. I don't recall that white vinegar ever turned my soaps brown. Did you use ACV or white?

Also, when you say you added "orange clove" were you referring to essential oils? Clove EO has a really low safe usage rate - less than 1% for HP soap! You may already know that, or you may be talking about an FO and not EOs, but I don't want to assume either way.

I used Trader Joe’s white wine vinegar and it made my lye blood red! I used it still because I was all in at that point.
I added Orange clove fragrance from nurture soaps. I used the amount the soap calculator gave me. I made a lemon fragrance bar the next batch with no vinegar in my lye. It smells no stronger then when I used it in my cold press. But I will keep that in mind because I had no idea about orange clove EO. Thank you for that information.
I really don’t use EOs in my soaps because they are so expensive and just wash off. Seems so wasteful to me. I do use EOs in my lip balms but a very small amount.

 

[AliOop]

Ahhh, white wine vinegar - that will have alcohol and sulfites in it, and will definitely change the color - and potentially speed up trace a LOT. Maybe try just plain white vinegar next time and see what you think. The lye solution turns a little yellowish, but there is no color change in the final soap. At least, not for me.

That's great that you make lip balms, too. What other things do you like to create?

 

[DeeBeeSNJ]

Ahhh, white wine vinegar - that will have alcohol and sulfites in it, and will definitely change the color - and potentially speed up trace a LOT. Maybe try just plain white vinegar next time and see what you think. The lye solution turns a little yellowish, but there is no color change in the final soap. At least, not for me.

That's great that you make lip balms, too. What other things do you like to create?

I enjoy candles and paint with watercolors, acrylic as well. I love being creative and creating gifts with thought and usefulness for family and friends. What else do you create?

 

[AliOop]

That all sounds wonderful! I don't consider myself a very creative person, but I do love writing (which is good since I write a LOT for work), and I do love making bath and body products of all kinds. Well, except lip balms, which make me cray-cray for a variety of reasons.

I do occasionally sell some products, but I have consciously decided not to make it a business. That way, making things remains joyful and relaxing, and an opportunity to be generous to others.

 

[Quilter99755]

That is interesting to note about white wine vinegar. I have never tried vinegar in my soaps, but I will make a note "to self" to not sub the wine vinegar for regular. I love your soaps. Personally, almost all of my favorite FO's turn my soaps dark tan to brown. I've not only embraced the brown but now think soaps look better brown.

These days I'm working on simplifying all my recipes so that when the time comes for my daughter to take over soaping, she will have a tried and true recipe AND it won't be "fussy". Fussy is her word for anything that has more than 3-4 ingredients! So embracing the brown takes care of all of her favorite scents, too.

 

[DeeBeeSNJ]

I think your daughter is on to something. Keeping it simple seems to the best for our sanity alone! Less is more sometimes.
The vinegar definitely helped with fluidity. I will buy some apple cider vinegar for next time. Thank you for your kind words.

 

[Sandiebrown65]

I've not heard of putting vinegar into soap. Sounds very intriguing!! I have a couple of questions.

• Does the acid counteract the base?
• Would you need to add extra lye to counteract the acid?
• What is the purpose of adding vinegar?

 

[CLMP]

View attachment 70437
I was so happy to get a fluid hot press but disappointed in the color. It was the vinegar I added to the lye. I added orange clove after the cook.
I did a second batch with no vinegar and used lemon fragrance after cook which smells so good. Not as fluid as the brown. Thought I would share.
*I’m a newbie and not sure how to use this forum or where I should post. Looking for soap friends. I just love making hot process soap.

Wow these are really nice soaps!

 

[DeeBeeSNJ]

I've not heard of putting vinegar into soap. Sounds very intriguing!! I have a couple of questions.

• Does the acid counteract the base?
• Would you need to add extra lye to counteract the acid?
• What is the purpose of adding vinegar?

I read vinegar helps with fluidity in HP. But I used white wine vinegar which turned my soaps brown. The soaps are performing very well. The rest are curing. I did the yellow bars without vinegar and they were not as fluid. But yes, it increases your super fat and decreases the lye strength. I am experimenting and these bars are for my family and I to use. Some add vinegar after the cook for fluidity. But not sure where I read that or did I see it on YouTube? Vinegar has antibacterial and anti fungal benifits for the skin and scalp. It must be diluted.

I've not heard of putting vinegar into soap. Sounds very intriguing!! I have a couple of questions.

• Does the acid counteract the base?
• Would you need to add extra lye to counteract the acid?
• What is the purpose of adding vinegar?

 

[AliOop]

I've not heard of putting vinegar into soap. Sounds very intriguing!! I have a couple of questions.

• Does the acid counteract the base?
• Would you need to add extra lye to counteract the acid?
• What is the purpose of adding vinegar?

Yes, if you add vinegar before the soap is fully cooked, you have to adjust (increase) the NaOH since the vinegar and NaOH will react to form sodium acetate. Thus, it will not reduce the soap’s pH as so many people think it will. If you add it post-cook, no lye adjustment is needed, and it still won’t adjust pH by much. Soap by definition is high pH.

Any vinegar containing alcohol, like wine vinegar, will cause the soap to seize if it is added before the cook has completed. Darker vinegars (balsamic, ACV) will darken your soap, and those with additives (flavored vinegars, many wine vinegars) will have other effects. White distilled vinegar is easiest to use, but some folks avoid it because it is usually corn-based, at least in the US.

That being said, I love using distilled white vinegar as a water replacer and did so regularly before I began MB’ing my lye solution. I did adjust the lye accordingly. The sodium acetate that is formed helps the soap firm up faster and unmold more cleanly. And the lather has an extra je ne sais quoi - a softness, maybe? I encourage you to give it a try!

You do have to add the NaOH very slowly to the vinegar. One time I carelessly dumped it all in, and had a crazy lye solution volcano everywhere!

 

[Zing]

Welcome. I like the colors of your soaps.

 

[Paulie]

Your soap is beautiful, both cold and hot process.