Hot process, using specialty oils

[BeeButter]

I need help! Hot process soaping.

I wanted some help in learning how and when to incorporate specialty oils such as Tamanu, Jojoba, also honey (we have our own hives and I plan to incorporate honey into most of my recipes) during HP? So far what I gather is you should add them after the gel phase. Okay, so say that's true. How do you determine the amount necessary for your batch of soap? Do I use the lye calculator? I am really confused. I've watched countless youtube videos and have read a bunch of articles, nothing has helped me yet. I did stumble upon someone suggesting to use 1 Tbl of honey for every pound of soap. Please help! I really want to get soaping

 

[The Efficacious Gentleman]

Have you made soap before? If not, I would reconsider worrying about selectively superfatting for now.

If you are comfortable with soaping in general, this is how I do it, but it is just one way -

Put everything in to soap calc, including the superfat oil and set the superfat % to your chosen amount. Then, set the oil calculation method to %, remove the superfat oil and set the superfat % to 0. You now have the amount of oils and lye needed to make the soap for cooking, to which you add the amount of the superfat oil that you removed. Then let them cure for a while and go at them!

But if you haven't soaped before, I would just do some basic recipes in cold process just to get a feel for it all.

 

[TeresaT]

To answer about the honey, yes, 1 tbs ppo is what I've read, too. You want to add it to your soap after the cook is finished, and starting to cool down, along with any other additives such as FO, colors, exfoliants. Warm the honey a little to get it a bit loose, for lack of a better term. If your soap is too hot when you add the honey, it will burn and stink (ask me how I know:smile. Also, your fragrance may flash off.

 

[BeeButter]

I have made a couple batches of easy cold process recipes with success and feel confident in moving forward and trying something new. One because I'm running out of soap and need some asap and two because I learn best by just doing it. Hot process was the next best thing to try. Thank you for both of your advice! So happy I have a place to go to get the answers I need. I just finished my own recipe and I believe it was successful If I can figure out how to post pictures I will show you guys and see what you think.

 

[BeeButter]

Here it is just starting to gel.

 

[BeeButter]

I didn't get the picture of it fully in gel form on my phone but here it is in its mold.

 

[TeresaT]

Don't forget, just because HP is SAFE to use after it's fully cooked, doesn't mean it's READY to use. When I first started making soap (only in April, mind you) I did the HPCP method because I wanted to use the soap immediately. It was OK, but not "all that." I almost gave up soaping because of it. It doesn't matter if you use HP or CP, ALL soap needs to cure at least 4-6 weeks. After trying my ho-hum soap after a good 6 week cure, it IS "all that" and more! Thanks to all of the wonderful advice I've received on this forum, I am now a firm believer in a 6 week cure. My motto is "I will use no soap before it's time." Corny, huh?

 

[BeeButter]

Thank you Teresa!