How Much do You Discount Your Lye?

[danahuff]

I am curious to know what you prefer. SoapCalc's default is 5%. I have been playing around with different discounts.

 

[lsg]

I prefer 5% unless the soap contains a high coconut oil content and then 10%

 

[Lindy]

5% - 8% depending on my recipe. 15% for salt bars and 100% coconut oil.

 

[Ruthie]

I've recently gone from 5% to 7% in my basic recipe. However yesterday I spent the afternoon pulling out fully cured soaps and trimming them. Of course I had to try them as I did, so I probably washed my hands 15 times. They all felt so good, that now I am wondering if maybe 5% is plenty.

 

[Genny]

I like 7 or 8% for regular soaps, 30% for coconut salt bars.

 

[houseofwool]

I usually do 8%, but my skin is superduper dry, particularly this year with The Winter That Will Not End(tm).



Maybe I should not have read the Game of Thrones books quite so avidly...

 

[AlchemyandAshes]

Usually 8%...but for my "guy" soaps, I use 5% and for salt bars I use 20%. I find that guys want a more "cleansing" soap (they associate that squeaky feeling with clean) and women prefer a less "cleansing" soap that feels more moisturizing by default. I can use the same recipe (with the exception of the differing superfat %) and please both by tweaking the superfat

 

[jcandleattic]

I use between 6% and 8% depending on recipe.

 

[Badger]

I have been doing my soaps at 7% as I have been doing small batches (1 lb) and want a slightly higher margin of error after my first lye heavy batch.

 

[Gryfonmoon]

20% SF for 100% coconut oil bars.

7% for something like a pure castile.

 

[danahuff]

It's interesting to see everyone's responses. I have only got DOS once, and that was on my first batch. I think the superfat was 8%. It was a recipe from a book. Of course, it also had canola and safflower in it, which I learned later on are not the best oils to use. I guess it has made me skittish about going too high with superfat.

 

[Lindy]

The only times I have gotten DOS was when my soaps had gotten overheated on the way to a show (think 115* F), lesson learned and then one time when I made a batch using only certified organic oils.... Personally I think it was the certified organic EVOO.... nasty stuff.

 

[danahuff]

Huh. That is interesting, Lindy. I keep mine stored in a cool place in my house, but we don't have air conditioning, so this summer might be interesting if it gets too hot. I actually used EVOO in that first batch, too.

 

[Seifenblasen]

That's interesting. I have used EVOO in a batch of year-old castile (superfat at 5%) and no DOS. However, I live in a very dry climate.

For castile and milk soap I prefer a 5% superfat as OO is mild enough and the milk fat inadvertently adds about 1% fat or so. For other with 4 to 7 kinds of oils, about 7%, and salt bars, 15%.

 

[christinak]

I've been using 5% but am thinking about bumping some up to 7%. I normally have pretty oily skin but noticed that since I've been using my soap exclusively that it's dried out quite alot. The change between soaps is interesting. Maybe Im nerdy like that. I'm like one big science experiment!

How long before you noticed DOS?

 

[Badger]

Huh. That is interesting, Lindy. I keep mine stored in a cool place in my house, but we don't have air conditioning, so this summer might be interesting if it gets too hot. I actually used EVOO in that first batch, too.

I am worried about how my soaps are going to make it through the summer and how I am going to be able to soap through the summer myself. We do have AC here, but the tiny AC unit is not nearly large enough for the apartment. Also, with the way our apartment is set up there is no way to get circulation so the place is sweltering in the summer. I have friends without AC who have cooler houses then our apartment is.

 

[Seifenblasen]

Badger, could you trade "real estate" space (AKA, curing area) with friends/family and allow them a percentage of your soap?

 

[Badger]

I might see about doing that, I don't have many local friends though. Most of my friends are in NH (I moved to Mass less then a year ago). I might see if some of my local friends would have space. The one friend that I am thinking about that is close is pretty tight on space also. I will have to see what I can come up with and check with other friends.

 

[Lindy]

The EVOO in the batch that went to the devil in red stilettos was organic and I think that was the problem because I used to use only EVOO when I first started soaping without any problems at all.

 

[danahuff]

Oh my gosh, "went to the devil in red stilettos" cracks me up. I have a friend whose grandmother always used to tell her she was "going to hell wearing gasoline underdrawers." Organic. :think: That is something to think about.

Christina, I am not sure when the DOS happened. It took a little while, but not a terribly long time. It's a shame because the recipe made really nice creamy colored bars, which is something I am always trying to do. And to be fair, it's just a few spots here and there.