just a couple of questions

[justme]

I have been making soap for about 6 months, Recently I have been changing when I add my butters to the oils, and have noticed a difference and am hoping someone can tell me why?

I added shea butter just after trace and the bar seems to be more moisturizing. Then I added shea and kokum with all the other oils and then added the lye and the bar feels different. I thought it would me more moisturizing than the first but its not.

 

[CiCi]

I'm only guessing at this because I'm new at making soap, too. I would think that if you added the shea, after trace, then it didn't get saponified and thus would actually be superfat on top of your calculated superfat percentage.

 

[cdwinsby]

CiCi is right. When you superfat your soap just after trace some of that oil doesn't saponify. This leaves "free" oil to absorb into your skin. Just beware how much oil you superfat with. Too much and your soap could go rancid too soon.

Cathy

 

[Guest]

Hi!

Did you calculate your Shea and Kokum into your recipe when you created it? If not - it's more moisturizing because you now have a high superfat amount.

Saponification takes place in the mold and the lye could care less when you add the oils. If you have calculated X amount of lye to react with X amount of oils - it will do so.