My first recipe, any thoughts?

[FrayGrants]

Hello all this is my first post and my first recipe that I created and I am seeking feedback and suggestions. It uses fairly cheap ingredients and seems to have qualities that I am looking for including moderate hardness, good conditioning, decent lather, and mild cleansing. Give it a quick look and let me know any observations, inclusions, or possible problems. Also feel free to throw in your favorite recipe as well. Thanks in advance for any and all advice!!!

https://www.soapmakingfriend.com/recipes/edit/60671

 

[AliOop]

Sorry, that link gives a 404 error on this end. Can you post a screenshot? Thanks!

 

[FrayGrants]

 

[KiwiMoose]

That looks pretty good. It should make a nice soap. If you want better longevity I would consider increasing the shea butter to 10% or 15% and reducing the castor/olive to compensate.
But for now - just make it! it will be nice soap and it will still last fairly well. Then when you do make future changes you will have something to compare it to.

 

[FrayGrants]

Yeah I really want to just go ahead and try it. I did a lot of research on the qualities and usage rates as well as shopping around for reasonable prices and volumes of these oils. I also spent hours playing with the recipe calculator and this one seems to hit a lot of great marks. I couldn't get some of the numbers any higher without sacrificing on others and still be able to keep the sat : unsat ratio right and the price down.

 

[KiwiMoose]

What is the right ratio? I don't ever look at that when I formulate a recipe, I just use the fatty acid profile to ascertain how much I will like the recipe.

 

[artemis]

1. I like your batch size. Perfect for a test batch! Too many beginners make a huge batch right out of the gate.

2. I would increase the Shea to 10% and take the other 4 out of the olive oil. Under 10 isn't really noticable. If you're concerned about the cleansing number dropping, don't be-- the cleansing number is more about how much the soap can strip oils from your skin. It will still clean you if it drops below the line.

 

[FrayGrants]

What is the right ratio? I don't ever look at that when I formulate a recipe, I just use the fatty acid profile to ascertain how much I will like the recipe.

It's supposed to be as close to 40:60 as you can get it. I wish I understood how to check the fatty acid profile. More learning for me to do I guess. Anyway, I will try playing with it a bit more and thanks to everyone for the advice so far, it all seems good and is very helpful.

 

[AliOop]

What is the right ratio? I don't ever look at that when I formulate a recipe, I just use the fatty acid profile to ascertain how much I will like the recipe.

Same here. My high-lard soaps and my ZNSC soaps don't come close to 40:60, and I love them both.

 

[KiwiMoose]

It's supposed to be as close to 40:60 as you can get it. I wish I understood how to check the fatty acid profile. More learning for me to do I guess. Anyway, I will try playing with it a bit more and thanks to everyone for the advice so far, it all seems good and is very helpful.

My sat:unsat is 50:50 in my standard recipe.
You might find this helpful - I did when starting out: https://www.modernsoapmaking.com/blog/the-most-popular-fatty-acid-profiles-in-soapmaking/

 

[Zing]

Welcome! Your recipe is very similar to mine which has done wonders for my skin. And I get tons of positive feedback from other users. Just do it! All the cool kids are!

When I began, I did like the total opposite of you. I used others' recipes with no research (and was completely unaware of this vast sub-culture of soapers). I was really intimidated by the Calculator on here and soapcalc. I liked the simplicity of Lye Calculator and Fragrance Calculator . About a year in, though, I got more curious about fatty acid profiles and adjusting percentages. Now I go back and forth between calculators.

My ratio in general is 60:40. Don't quote me on this -- and I don't want to get jumped on -- but I think olive oil is a liquid but acts more like a solid?
And ditto on @KiwiMoose 's link -- I still refer to it often.

 

[LynetteO]

My high-lard soaps and my ZNSC soaps don't come close to 40:60, and I love them both.

SAME!

 

[KiwiMoose]

Can I just clarify - is that 40(sat) and 60(unsat)

 

[FrayGrants]

Can I just clarify - is that 40(sat) and 60(unsat)

Yes it is indeed. BTW thanks for your advice on adjustments KiwiMoose, with your suggestions I have created several recipes that seem better than my original, at least on paper anyway!

I do have a few more questions if anyone is still following this thread or if someone new cares to comment. So I have four recipes total that I wish to test and I am wondering what is the smallest amount of soap one can make and it still be successful; is a recipe okay as long as I can submerge the stick blender, or do really small batches not turn out very well?

For example if I was testing a cookie recipe I can't make one cookie and have it turn out well, I have to make a whole trays worth of dough. Do larger soap batches yield more consistent results?

What plastics are safe to use as a test mold, could I use solo cups or does it have to be pp5 or something similar?

Finally if anyone wants to share some of their favorite recipes I would love to check them out, but I have heard soapers covet them for several reasons. My mother always says, secret recipes are for cooks who lack confidence in their abilities, but I understand not wanting to share. Thanks!!!

 

[KiwiMoose]

Cookies is one thing - you must have a whole tray ( preferably two) for testing
But soap - I've never done smaller than about 400g. That's under a pound in your weird measurements. You don't have to use a stick blender, so in theory you can go as small as you like ( or just use a smaller (but taller) container so your stick blender is submerged). I think if you go too small any slight over or under measures of anything make a bigger difference - so keep that in mind.
But Fray ( and I just clicked as to the pun in your name) stop procrastinating and start making. Make a small batch today and see how it goes! Then you will have something to compare all your other recipes to.

 

[cmzaha]

I would drop the Castor to 5% and up the Shea to 10%. You would be surprised the difference in trace and/ or acceleration just 3% in castor will cause. I tested it when I was working on coming up will a very slow tracing recipe and found even a 2% change in castor oil made a difference in the tracing of the batter. Castor oil on its own does not create lather, it supports lather.

 

[LynetteO]

Finally if anyone wants to share some of their favorite recipes I would love to check them out, but I have heard soapers covet them for several reasons. My mother always says, secret recipes are for cooks who lack confidence in their abilities, but I understand not wanting to share. Thanks!!!

Zany’s no slime Castile recipe was shared here & I love it, as do my friends & family that have been gifted some. A few begging for more. It’s not your typical Castile/Bastille due to the faux sea water. See link below.

 

[LynetteO]

https://www.soapmakingforum.com/threads/zanys-no-slime-castile.72620/

 

[earlene]

What plastics are safe to use as a test mold, could I use solo cups or does it have to be pp5 or something similar?

I have used re-purposed yogurt containers, but also the clear throw-away plastic cups. I don't like the latter because they are often quite flimsy, and some are made of PET, so not heat stable. I have never had a problem with yogurt cups. But if you don't eat yogurt, any small food container like that works pretty well, as long as it is heat stable. Not the real thin PET plastic that pastries and fruits are packaged in, but sour cream or cottage cheese or cream cheese containers are useful for a mini-soap mold as a tester.

Another option is to go the second hand store or thrift store near you and look for mini molds. I have often found usable mini-molds made of silicone in Goodwill & other thrift shops.

 

[Ladka]

I would drop the Castor to 5% and up the Shea to 10%. You would be surprised the difference in trace and/ or acceleration just 3% in castor will cause. I tested it when I was working on coming up will a very slow tracing recipe and found even a 2% change in castor oil made a difference in the tracing of the batter...

What difference: what accelerates tracing - more castor or less castor? I use lard quite a lot and would love to find a way to accelerate trace.