M n P seating and softening

[Sunibee]

The rose base that u have this time has b come very soft (like over ripe pear). I am afraid that if I use it to make soap even soap will b come soft. Last time also base became soft but it took few months so I thought may be it's life is less but this time it's not even weeks and it's soft already. Any suggestions?

Msg from my client. I only added rose pink colour and FO and used Aloe juice from my soap instead of distilled water.. I also did not have time to let it breathe.. wrapped it in 18 hours after it set . Help. Please

 

[ResolvableOwl]

Aloe juice from my soap instead of distilled water..

Have you added extra (watery) liquid to the molten M&P base? Does your M&P base supplier give maximum values for addition of water/liquid?

 

[Sunibee]

Have you added extra (watery) liquid to the molten M&P base? Does your M&P base supplier give maximum values for addition of water/liquid?

R
Hello ResolvableOwl, I make my own MNP base . Nothing extra added ata ll. Just substituted Aloe for water .

 

[ResolvableOwl]

Ahh ok, that's something completely different then. What is your ratio of saturated to unsaturated fatty acids in your recipe? I've found that anything above 40% unsaturated FAs can lead to a very soft base (similar to the one you're showing in the video), or you have to cut down water content and rise/alter polyol blend.

 

[Sunibee]

@Sunibee if you start your own thread, you may get more answers. Unfortunately I am not mp soapmaker, so I can't offer advice.

Thank you

Ahh ok, that's something completely different then. What is your ratio of saturated to unsaturated fatty acids in your recipe? I've found that anything above 40% unsaturated FAs can lead to a very soft base (similar to the one you're showing in the video), or you have to cut down water content and rise/alter polyol blend.

My recipe is attached below

 

[ResolvableOwl]

Hrm. You're essentially using pure saturated FAs, so the unsaturated FA thingie doesn't apply to you. I'm not sure I understand every detail of your recipe notation, but it appears to me that it should work well. Swapping water for aloe vera juice can't ruin it IMHO.
That also means that I am at a loss figuring out why your M&P is so soft. I guess you have already waited a few days and it still hasn't hardened? Put in the fridge?

Does it pass the clarity test? (Dissolve a small piece in distilled water and see if the solution is clear or turbid) Is it zappy or not?

Formerly I have successfully made sodium stearate (stearic acid + NaOH + water, dried and ground into powder). Adding this to M&P base (needs high temperatures to dissolve, ethanol might boil off) makes it harder. But of course messing around with the recipe on an ad-hoc basis isn't a satisfactory solution.

 

[Sunibee]

Hrm. You're essentially using pure saturated FAs, so the unsaturated FA thingie doesn't apply to you. I'm not sure I understand every detail of your recipe notation, but it appears to me that it should work well. Swapping water for aloe vera juice can't ruin it IMHO.
That also means that I am at a loss figuring out why your M&P is so soft. I guess you have already waited a few days and it still hasn't hardened? Put in the fridge?

Does it pass the clarity test? (Dissolve a small piece in distilled water and see if the solution is clear or turbid) Is it zappy or not?

Formerly I have successfully made sodium stearate (stearic acid + NaOH + water, dried and ground into powder). Adding this to M&P base (needs high temperatures to dissolve, ethanol might boil off) makes it harder. But of course messing around with the recipe on an ad-hoc basis isn't a satisfactory solution.

What is dried and ground into powder the sodium stearate ? . What is the % plz .. I do want to try .. when it was not rainy season it was fine but now there is no sun just wetness n humidity for sometime .. while I realised it's soft ..I left it open n the bar started sweating .

 

[ResolvableOwl]

Open a soap calculator, enter a simple recipe that consists only of stearic acid. It gives you numbers for grams of NaOH, and water. Make lye solution and boil it up (hot process), sprinkle in the stearic acid and stir constantly. Put a bowl/thermos of hot water in reach, to add more if the solution becomes too thick. No need to let it cook for some time. Scoop the soap out, spread it on a baking pan or similar, so that it can easily dry within a few days. Then grate it up finely (might be messy if it got very hard). Add to your molten M&P base, let it sit until the flakes have fully dissolved.
I hope that in your situation not too much of the ethanol evaporates (replacing by an eyeballed amount can end in a soap that is worse than before). Have you already added fragrance?

And yes, the sweating is a terrible habit of M&P soap. I've found no good way to come by. It is not very comforting that commercial products are affected too. ☹

 

[Sunibee]

Tha

Open a soap calculator, enter a simple recipe that consists only of stearic acid. It gives you numbers for grams of NaOH, and water. Make lye solution and boil it up (hot process), sprinkle in the stearic acid and stir constantly. Put a bowl/thermos of hot water in reach, to add more if the solution becomes too thick. No need to let it cook for some time. Scoop the soap out, spread it on a baking pan or similar, so that it can easily dry within a few days. Then grate it up finely (might be messy if it got very hard). Add to your molten M&P base, let it sit until the flakes have fully dissolved.
I hope that in your situation not too much of the ethanol evaporates (replacing by an eyeballed amount can end in a soap that is worse than before). Have you already added fragrance?

And yes, the sweating is a terrible habit of M&P soap. I've found no good way to come by. It is not very comforting that commercial products are affected too. ☹

Thank you.. will tru this out. Unfortunately added the fragrance .

 

[ResolvableOwl]

You don't have to dissolve the sodium stearate in the whole batch. Use a fifth or so, and after the flakes are dissolved, add the rest to merely melt up. That saves most of the FO and alcohol.

On the other hand, you already have quite a lot of sodium stearate in your soap anyway, and it didn't become hard – so it might not be worth the hassle to add just a few % more of it.

I'm really at a loss how to help you out of this weird softness, sorry.

 

[Sunibee]

You don't have to dissolve the sodium stearate in the whole batch. Use a fifth or so, and after the flakes are dissolved, add the rest to merely melt up. That saves most of the FO and alcohol.

On the other hand, you already have quite a lot of sodium stearate in your soap anyway, and it didn't become hard – so it might not be worth the hassle to add just a few % more of it.

I'm really at a loss how to help you out of this weird softness, sorry.

Thank you for trying