How to fix batch? (with too much lye)

[mazsola]

Hi,
I am a beginner CP soap maker
My second batch of CP soap has more lye in it than it suppose to have.
How do I know it?
I experience it in the hard way: :cry:
i used it in the shower and I got bad allergic reaction on my skin.
My question is am i able to save this batch some how (like rebatch it)
or shall i just through it out.
So if i can save it what are the steps that I need to do?
Thanks for the help…..

 

[judymoody]

Start by posting your recipe, all ingredients and amounts, including oils, water, lye, additives and fragrance, if any. Your soap might not be lye-heavy - you might be allergic to one of the ingredients you used.

How long did it cure?

If it is lye heavy, you can rebatch, but one step at a time. Let's try to identify the problem first.

 

[mazsola]

Thank you for answering.
This is what I used: Canola oil 10.8 oz., Coconut oil 7.2 oz., Olive oil 7.2 oz, Lye 3.50, Water 7oz.,
Sweet orange EO 1 oz.
Unfortunately the reaction on my skin is very much like the same when i used to get allergic reaction from a stronger lye based cleaning solution. I also feel itchy all over. This orange scented soap 2 weeks old today.
How can i rebatch it? how can I save it?

 

[Chookie2]

Sweet orange eo is notorious for allergic reaction to susceptible skin.

Your lye amount looks fine, i would let the soap sit for a few more months before using it. 2 weeks is too soon.

 

[Hazel]

I agree the lye amount is correct for 5% lye discount so this shouldn't be the problem as long as your scales are accurate. It's possible the EO is to blame but you could also be allergic to one of the oils. Some people are allergic to coconut oil. Have you ever had a problem with CO? The CO makes up almost 29% of your recipe. Disclaimer here! This is just based on my skin type. I find a recipe with 29% CO and 5% superfat too drying for my skin. If you have dry, sensitive skin, you might also have a problem with it.

 

[mazsola]

Hi Hazel,
Yes it could be the orange EO. But i was also doing a little demo for two of my friends,
and possible that I was not totally correct when i was measuring.
Well any way i like to rebatch it, how do I do it?
What does super fat means, which oil or fat?

 

[mazsola]

Hazel can you send me a simple CP soap recipe that good for dry skin?
And which EO can I use for dry skin?
Thank you.

 

[Hazel]

I’m not very knowledgeable about essential oils. I have used lavender, clary sage, geranium and sweet patchouli in a blend for a facial soap. I was quite happy with it but what works for one person doesn’t necessarily work for someone else. Also, I didn’t choose all of these just for dryness. I was also interested in toning, etc. Of course, now I mainly use essential oils in leave-on products since I think they’re a little expensive to add to something which is only going to be on my skin for a few minutes. JMO

If you really want to use an EO, then I’d recommend lavender because it’s kind of an all purpose oil and is one of the safest to use.

Here are a few sites which you might find helpful for more info on essential oils.

http://www.aromaweb.com/default.asp
http://www.essentialoils.co.za/index.htm
http://www.naturesgift.com/essentialoil-skincare.htm

A simple recipe you could try

75% olive oil
25% coconut oil

I’d leave out the canola since many people have mentioned it has a short shelf life and can go rancid in soap. You also want to use a water discount with high percentage olive oil soap so it won’t take as long to set up. I don’t know how experienced you are so I’d suggest using 33% lye concentration. This will give you a little more time until trace but not so long that you’ll get frustrated.

As for rebatching your recipe, I’m not sure what to recommend since you really don’t know how much lye you used. You could chop your soap up (I’d recommend shredding it for easier incorporation of oil), heat in a double boiler and add another 2 oz – 3 oz of olive oil. That might be enough if you didn’t add more than 3.8 or 3.9 oz of lye. But I don’t know for sure.

Superfat/lye discount just means using more oil or less lye that what is needed for 100% saponification. I tend to use the terms interchangeably but really what I use is a lye discount since I calculate my recipes with less lye. Superfat is adding extra oil which is what you’ll be doing when you rebatch.

 

[savonierre]

If your skin is dry I would leave the soap scent free. I have dry skin and eczema, scent free works best for me.

 

[mazsola]

Thank you for all for the advice.
I just did the ZIP test and the soap did not zip.
so it is the orange EO
I think this is what i will do in the future:
I wait two more weeks two dry,
then try this soap out as a hand soap,
if its still extremely drying; shred it up as Hazel said.
In the mean time make a small batch of simple moisturizing soap with no scent, and i will shred up that too
and mix both soap shred together, a pour it in the mold.
This way the EO percentage will be much less in the soap.
So i can give it to friends like a stocking stuffer.
Thanks again I learned a lot....

 

[mazsola]

This is the soap

 

[Hazel]

That looks great!