I forgot to superfat

[smeetree]

I just made a really nice batch of soap using expensive oils. It's gelling in the other room right now, and I was about to hit the sack all proud of it, and then I realized I forgot to superfat it. I am so upset.

Any opinions what I should do?

 

[Derpina Bubbles]

Random stupid question from a random stupid chick - did you by any chance run your recipe through a lye calc this time, which might with any luck, have had an automatic SF allowance set for you? Soapcalc has 5% set for example. If not, zap test when set. Rebatch if unlucky. Better yet, wait for a smart person to respond. Good luck, hate to waste a batch, with expensive oils no less

 

[soap_rat]

If it's in gel stage, I'd dump it back into a pot, mayyyyybe add a little water just out of paranoia to keep the lye lubed, not any real knowledge on my part, and of course the superfatting oils. Then remold. If it's partial gel and partial solid, well, it's easier to rebatch now than later--later you will have to grate it all up.

Good luck!

 

[soap_rat]

Also, most soap literature teaches us to save the SF for after trace. However, trace is really just the reaction getting to the point of no return, not completion! It's pointless to separate out your SF unless you're doing hot process. So in future just keep all the oils together and set your measured scenting agents IN your mold so you can't forget that either! (credit goes to someone else on the forum for the scenting tip)

 

[seven]

I assume you did cp? Why did you separate your sf oils? It's not like you can pick n choose which oils ended up as your sf with cp. The lye has a mind of its own

Ditto what Derpina said..

 

[smeetree]

Random stupid question from a random stupid chick - did you by any chance run your recipe through a lye calc this time, which might with any luck, have had an automatic SF allowance set for you? Soapcalc has 5% set for example. If not, zap test when set. Rebatch if unlucky. Better yet, wait for a smart person to respond. Good luck, hate to waste a batch, with expensive oils no less

Oh, interesting point. I used the summerbee calculator, to which I put in 3% superfat. I can only hope it reduced the lye, because I didn't add the 1oz of SF oil. :/

Regarding the zap test, if I do that after 24hrs and it does zap, will letting it cure for 4 weeks help?

 

[Derpina Bubbles]

Well 3% SF doesn't leave you much room to move but gives you some hope. The 1oz left out matters more or less based on the total size of the batch you made. What was the total oil weight of the batch? If you zap test and it's no good after 24 hours it won't help to leave it I'm afraid. At least if it's lye heavy you can still rebatch so the oils won't be lost in the end. Just won't be as planned. Fingers crossed for you.

 

[smeetree]

Why did you separate your sf oils?

Just habit and what I read to do when I was learning.

This is so upsetting. I guess if the batch is ruined I will be back asking how to rebatch. I've never had to do that yet.

 

[shunt2011]

First off you would be better off as previously stated to just add all your oils at once as there is no guarantee which oils will be your superfat since the lye takes what it wants. Therefore you will never forget your superfat again. Also 3% is a bit low in my opinion. I always superfat at 8-10%. If it still zaps after 24 hours you could let it sind for another day or two but if it's still zappy I would rebatch. Especially with such a low superfat.

 

[smeetree]

Well 3% SF doesn't leave you much room to move but gives you some hope. The 1oz left out matters more or less based on the total size of the batch you made. What was the total oil weight of the batch? If you zap test and it's no good after 24 hours it won't help to leave it I'm afraid. At least if it's lye heavy you can still rebatch so the oils won't be lost in the end. Just won't be as planned. Fingers crossed for you.

It was a 36oz batch. 3% sf, which means about 1oz missing...

I can only hope the lye calculator somehow discounted the 3%. I doubt it, though.

Are there good instructions on how to rebatch in a situation like this? Is it just a matter of melting this loaf down, adding 1oz, and then remolding?

 

[dixiedragon]

I may be a little late to the party here, but if it is still gelling, I would just add the extra oil to the soap in the mold and stir it. You may have to stir it off and on for a while, but it should be okay.

 

[cmzaha]

I just have to disagree with the 3% being to low. Except for salt and coconut soap I always superfat 3%. As I am sure some of you have seen me state this before my plumbing is bad and cannot take the free oil running down the drain. I have done test batches as low as -5 and still have to zap. (not recommending this). Your soap will be just fine unless you mis-measured.

 

[juliab86]

Is it possible to do the math backwards to figure out your real SF% without the 1 oz you set aside? Calculate how much lye you would have used for 0% SF and compare that to the actual amount of lye you used. Might save yourself some worry

 

[smeetree]

I just ran the recipe through bramble berry's calculator, and it recommended 5.33oz of lye at 0% SF. When I changed it to 3% SF, it recommended 5.18 oz of lye. I'm a bit confused what the calculator is doing. Why would it need more lye without SF?

I added 5.11 oz to my recipe. Maybe there is hope.

 

[dixiedragon]

There are two different meanings to the word "superfat". The one you are using seems to be setting aside a special oil to add at the very end. It sounds like you did not include that oil in your calculations?

The second meaning (the one the lye calculator is using) is simply what percentage of oil you have that is more than the amount of lye will saponify, so there is extra fat (aka superfat) left over in the finished bar.

So for the same amount of oils, you will use less lye if you want to have some of the oils not saponified in the finished bar. So if you specify a 10% superfat, that means you will use less lye than for a 5% superfat.

 

[smeetree]

There are two different meanings to the word "superfat". The one you are using seems to be setting aside a special oil to add at the very end. It sounds like you did not include that oil in your calculations?

The second meaning (the one the lye calculator is using) is simply what percentage of oil you have that is more than the amount of lye will saponify, so there is extra fat (aka superfat) left over in the finished bar.

So for the same amount of oils, you will use less lye if you want to have some of the oils not saponified in the finished bar. So if you specify a 10% superfat, that means you will use less lye than for a 5% superfat.

Well that is great to know. It seems like my bars should be fine, then, correct? Because I went with the 2nd definition. In that case, the calculator reduced the lye 3% already.
Does that sound right?
If true that would make my day.

I guess I usually combine both definitions, because I enter 3% into my calculator, then add 1oz extra at the end. So really I am SF more like 6% usually. Not this time of course since I forgot the oil.

 

[dixiedragon]

So, just to make sure I understand, you input a recipe with a 3% superfat. Then in addition to that, you add an extra 1 ounce of oil that is not included in that calculation?

If that is the case, then you are fine. Your soap will not be lye heavy. It may be a bit drying for you if you are used to a higher super fat, but maybe not!

 

[smeetree]

So, just to make sure I understand, you input a recipe with a 3% superfat. Then in addition to that, you add an extra 1 ounce of oil that is not included in that calculation?

That's what I usually do, but this time I forgot the extra 1oz. But from what you wrote, it seems the lye calculator reduced my lye by 3% when I made the original formula. So the lye should be just right. Normally I add another 1oz on top of that because I didn't realize that's how a lye calculator worked. Since it discounts the lye I am thinking I will be fine, just less room for error than when I usually add the SF oil after trace. *fingers crossed*

 

[dixiedragon]

I think you'll be okay, then. In the future, you should include your superfatting oil - aka the special oil you add at the end - into your lye calculations. Just so you get a complete picture of what is going on. For example, you may be superfatting at 10% and loving it. If so, then it's good to know that.

 

[The Efficacious Gentleman]

I have to say, if it's CP and not HP then you can avoid the whole issue by putting it all together and not holding any back until later - in CP it does nothing apart from sometimes resulting in left over oil and a time of worry.