My first soap recipe (actually 2 ;)

[JoostD]

The recipe I made now is

Wich is high in stearic but low in conditioning.

 

[KiwiMoose]

Mine has 11 ricinoleic and 17 oleic

 

[JoostD]

Mine has 11 ricinoleic and 17 oleic

And what was you're palmetic/stearic profile?

EDIT sorry just read you're post before this one.... There you mention you're ratio palmetic and stearic

 

[user 49910]

The recipe I made now is
View attachment 60055
Wich is high in stearic but low in conditioning.

So... how did this batch turn out?

Shaving soap needs to have lots of fats in for the "glide" factor. Your recipe is similar to mine but I add 10% Palm Oil to help speed up the lathering process when loading the brush in the soap holder, then to the granite bowl to whip 'er up and get that thick, rich, creamy lather for a uber comfortable shaving experience. Also if you add vegetable glycerin to the recipe it will improve the skin conditioning. I use 10% of the total oil weight for the amount of glycerin to use and then add it after the mixture has traced and I'm adding the fragrance oil and sodium lactate to it.
DO NOT factor in the glycerin as part of the liquid amount in the calculator, it is on top of the liquid used in the recipe. This also makes it easier to handle and pour into molds. I use a 3" x 24" PVC Sch40 pipe lined with clear acetate sheet. Works like a charm... although a little silicone spray lube ( food grade) helps the whole thing slide out of the cylinder.

 

[JoostD]

So... how did this batch turn out?

Shaving soap needs to have lots of fats in for the "glide" factor. Your recipe is similar to mine but I add 10% Palm Oil to help speed up the lathering process when loading the brush in the soap holder, then to the granite bowl to whip 'er up and get that thick, rich, creamy lather for a uber comfortable shaving experience. Also if you add vegetable glycerin to the recipe it will improve the skin conditioning. I use 10% of the total oil weight for the amount of glycerin to use and then add it after the mixture has traced and I'm adding the fragrance oil and sodium lactate to it.

The soap was very good and I liked the density. But I found it a bit drying. I have dry skin, so it's not really surprising. But it's more drying then some other soaps I've used.
I added 10% glycerin in this recipe. I could bump it to 15% and maybe add lanolin as a super fat.
May I ask what recipe you use? Or a suggestion where to subtract 10% to add it to palm.

 

[user 49910]

Your recipe is nearly identical to mine. Really... even the Iodine factor is just a point or two off. How long are leaving this stuff on because the cleansing factor is so low it shouldn't be pulling the natural skin oils off of your face. As a matter of fact it leaves my skin softer and nourished.

Here's a photo of my current recipe:

 

[user 49910]

You might want to consider using a pre-shave oil prior to lathering up. Many men with dry skin do this, plus it really helps with getting a closer smoother shave.
A combination of avocado oil, sweet almond oil and Vitamin E oil would be quite helpful. Maybe a touch of fragrance tossed in to liven things up.
Probably a 60%, 30%, 10% blend would work out well in the order of the oils listed. Avocado oil has a great affinity for helping dry skin issues, the same for the sweet almond oil too.

 

[JoostD]

You might want to consider using a pre-shave oil prior to lathering up. Many men with dry skin do this, plus it really helps with getting a closer smoother shave.
A combination of avocado oil, sweet almond oil and Vitamin E oil would be quite helpful. Maybe a touch of fragrance tossed in to liven things up.
Probably a 60%, 30%, 10% blend would work out well in the order of the oils listed. Avocado oil has a great affinity for helping dry skin issues, the same for the sweet almond oil too.

How did you know this was my next soapee thing to try out
Thanks for the oil recipe, and you're soap recipe!

My shave takes about 5-10 minutes.

 

[user 49910]

How did you know this was my next soapee thing to try out

Because GREAT MINDS do think alike! LOL!
The video you had posted earlier in the thread is the one that inspired me to start making my own shave soaps. After doing a test batch of half the size of normal... I have graduated to where I make 20 - 21 4oz.+ pucks per batch and now selling them.

 

[JoostD]

Sorry one more question....
I want to make another test batch. But making approx 400-500 grams each time is a bit much... It give me years of shaving pucks
Is there an "easy" way of making like 100grams?

 

[Johnez]

Sorry one more question....
I want to make another test batch. But making approx 400-500 grams each time is a bit much... It give me years of shaving pucks
Is there an "easy" way of making like 100grams?

Hey there, a late reply but I tool around in all these shave threads.

I feel you on the years worth of pucks, a good puck will last quite a while too so it's hard to use up, especially when the results aren't up to your liking.

I make 150 gram batches using a "Lil Dipper" crock pot. You need a gram scale that goes to .01, and some patience. Some say .1g is fine, but I prefer the extra decimal to make sure the .1 is closer to accurate. It's not exceedingly difficult but the measurements can go over very easily so go slow.

 

[JoostD]

Hey there, a late reply but I tool around in all these shave threads.

I feel you on the years worth of pucks, a good puck will last quite a while too so it's hard to use up, especially when the results aren't up to your liking.

I make 150 gram batches using a "Lil Dipper" crock pot. You need a gram scale that goes to .01, and some patience. Some say .1g is fine, but I prefer the extra decimal to make sure the .1 is closer to accurate. It's not exceedingly difficult but the measurements can go over very easily so go slow.

Thanks for the tip. I don’t have a crockpot at the moment. I was thinking on using the modified quick hot process in a glass jar with lid. When everything is in it close the lid and shake until trace…. Does that make any sense?
Or maybe au bain Marie with a stainless steel bowl that I do have and never use

 

[Bubble Agent]

Thanks for the tip. I don’t have a crockpot at the moment. I was thinking on using the modified quick hot process in a glass jar with lid. When everything is in it close the lid and shake until trace…. Does that make any sense?
Or maybe au bain Marie with a stainless steel bowl that I do have and never use

I think I would skip the glass jar idea to be honest, if anything go wrong, or things get too hot or anything doesn`t go as planned, you will have a hot mess on your hands, and glass shards...

I don`t have a crockpot, but I have a 25 year old stainless steel pot that I use to make shaving soap directly on the stove, I have never used the bain marie method but is can be a good thing if you are not sure.

My pot is a high quality one that is with thick bottom, it keeps a steady temperature (flimsy bottoms in pots makes the temps fluctuate quickly, not good) it is a heavy duty quality and I cook my shaving soap in it without issues. 10 minutes and I am done. But I keep a close eye on the the temps, do NOT crank up the heat. Low to medium, no more.
Here is link to my post so you can see the batter.
( What soapy thing have you done today? )

 

[JoostD]

I think I would skip the glass jar idea to be honest, if anything go wrong, or things get too hot or anything doesn`t go as planned, you will have a hot mess on your hands, and glass shards...

I don`t have a crockpot, but I have a 25 year old stainless steel pot that I use to make shaving soap directly on the stove, I have never used the bain marie method but is can be a good thing if you are not sure.

My pot is a high quality one that is with thick bottom, it keeps a steady temperature (flimsy bottoms in pots makes the temps fluctuate quickly, not good) it is a heavy duty quality and I cook my shaving soap in it without issues. 10 minutes and I am done. But I keep a close eye on the the temps, do NOT crank up the heat. Low to medium, no more.
Here is link to my post so you can see the batter.
( What soapy thing have you done today? )

Thanks!
Ideally I want to make like 100grams of soap or less. Can that be done with a pan? Or is that to little?

 

[Bubble Agent]

Thanks!
Ideally I want to make like 100grams of soap or less. Can that be done with a pan? Or is that to little?

Well, just remember that the smaller the batches the more of a reliable weight you need, one that measure down to (at least) 1 gram, preferably 0.01. Because 1 gram error on the lye or other ingredients in a 100 gram batch will make a bigger difference than if you had 1 gram error in a bigger batch. Less wiggleroom.

(I apologize if this has already been mentioned and I overlooked it, then please ignore this superfluous advice)

Anyway. Although it is not impossible to use a pan, I wouldn`t. Simply because the wider the pot, the more of the moisture will evaporate. So a pan (depending on the size of course) will have a greater surface in which the water will be able to evaporate from. In a 100 gram batch that will happen FAST! Then it would actually be better to have a small itty bitty pot.

Or if you don`t have a pot that is usable, melt and mix everything up really well so it is incorporated - including the lyewater - (I can`t even imagine being able to stickblend this ammount, but you may have a technique or small enough stickblender?)

Then put it in a type of baggie that can take both heat and caustic batter (most zip baggies should be sturdy enough for this. I don`t know if you have them there, but the ones we have here can be used in water or freezer and can take soapbatter).

Seal bag, add in another bag, and cook it in warm - not boiling, but barely gently simmering water - untill it starts to get that gel like consistency and you can see it starts to gently move towards opaque again. Wear oven mitts, gently rub and get it mixed well, watch how it looks like. If it separates or looks to uncooked put it back in the water and give it a tiny bit more time. Then check again.

Remove outer bag, clip a hole in the inner bag before it gets to firm (timing, timing, timing.) Better to take it a bit too soon than too late, it will still saponify and become soap even if it is a bit undone as long as you don`t have lye excess.

Mush and mix it before you snip the corner, and then squirt out in a ready container, use a spoon to level the batter, let set and rest.

Zap test after a while to check for zap ( you know about the zap test?)

 

[Johnez]

Thanks!
Ideally I want to make like 100grams of soap or less. Can that be done with a pan? Or is that to little?

Lye causes etching in pyrex, I'd imagine regular glass is even more prone. That's in addition to the heat issue. When I came across this challenge I was given many ideas including using a coffee cup (ceramic, not plastic!), which is genius really but I went with the crock pot. I also have a small coffee container that's a bit tall made of ceramic as well for experimenting with that might be at risk for volcano-ing. You seem to be on the same journey I was on earlier this year....don't tell me you are also trying to avoid both animal fat AND palm, LOL. Ok ok, one challenge at a time. Here's some links:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00CITCEJG/ref=ppx_yo_mob_b_track_package_o0_img?ie=UTF8&psc=1
This is my scale. I researched heavily for this scale, my goal was to to have 5 kg or so in capacity, I found out that accuracy of almost every scale with that capacity is not that great. This specific scale is battery operated (a con), however it is VERY accurate and reads fast. This is one of two scales highly recommended in the vape community (not a vaper, but their DIY spirit is amazing), this one being faster to read-which is useful for measuring. Capacity is 500 g, which is pretty decent for it's accuracy, has bright display, and does have a AC charge port (no charger tho lol).

https://www.soapmakingforum.com/threads/micro-batches.83745/
A thread on microbatching with other interesting discussions going on. I did end up getting a "Lil Dipper" crock eventually. $4 at the thrift shop-highly recommend it. I swear I see 2-3 every time I go in now that I have mine lol.

 

[ResolvableOwl]

Seal bag, add in another bag, and cook it in warm - not boiling, but barely gently simmering water - untill it starts to get that gel like consistency and you can see it starts to gently move towards opaque again.

Thanks for the pointer to bring together Sous-vide soap cooking and micro-batching! It is in fact ideal for tiny research batches (for new recipes, colourants, or other unconventional stuff), and easy to scale out. Game changer? We'll see…

 

[Bubble Agent]

Thanks for the pointer to bring together Sous-vide soap cooking and micro-batching! It is in fact ideal for tiny research batches (for new recipes, colourants, or other unconventional stuff), and easy to scale out. Game changer? We'll see…

Hey, I hadn`t seen that thread before, cool, thanks for linking!
I knew I didn`t exactly invent the weel here, so it was fun to see it implemented in a artistic way also! And looots of pictures too

 

[Johnez]

Well, just remember that the smaller the batches the more of a reliable weight you need, one that measure down to (at least) 1 gram, preferably 0.01. Because 1 gram error on the lye or other ingredients in a 100 gram batch will make a bigger difference than if you had 1 gram error in a bigger batch. Less wiggleroom.

(I apologize if this has already been mentioned and I overlooked it, then please ignore this superfluous advice)

Anyway. Although it is not impossible to use a pan, I wouldn`t. Simply because the wider the pot, the more of the moisture will evaporate. So a pan (depending on the size of course) will have a greater surface in which the water will be able to evaporate from. In a 100 gram batch that will happen FAST! Then it would actually be better to have a small itty bitty pot.

Or if you don`t have a pot that is usable, melt and mix everything up really well so it is incorporated - including the lyewater - (I can`t even imagine being able to stickblend this ammount, but you may have a technique or small enough stickblender?)

Then put it in a type of baggie that can take both heat and caustic batter (most zip baggies should be sturdy enough for this. I don`t know if you have them there, but the ones we have here can be used in water or freezer and can take soapbatter).

Seal bag, add in another bag, and cook it in warm - not boiling, but barely gently simmering water - untill it starts to get that gel like consistency and you can see it starts to gently move towards opaque again. Wear oven mitts, gently rub and get it mixed well, watch how it looks like. If it separates or looks to uncooked put it back in the water and give it a tiny bit more time. Then check again.

Remove outer bag, clip a hole in the inner bag before it gets to firm (timing, timing, timing.) Better to take it a bit too soon than too late, it will still saponify and become soap even if it is a bit undone as long as you don`t have lye excess.

Mush and mix it before you snip the corner, and then squirt out in a ready container, use a spoon to level the batter, let set and rest.

Zap test after a while to check for zap ( you know about the zap test?)

This opens up so many possibilities.

Thanks for the pointer to bring together Sous-vide soap cooking and micro-batching! It is in fact ideal for tiny research batches (for new recipes, colourants, or other unconventional stuff), and easy to scale out. Game changer? We'll see…

Yes, big time game changer. This.....is exactly what I've been looking for! Holy moly! It fixes so many of my issues. Can measure directly into bag (inside lightweight plastic container), so no more multiple containers causing inaccuracies and multiple dishes to clean. Solves the mixing problem-you just squish it. And I can make the batches even smaller. I'm down to 150g oil now, if I could get to 100....or even 80 that'd be amazing. A single puck per experiment.

 

[Bubble Agent]

This opens up so many possibilities.

Happy to help! I have had good luck with it, hopefully you will too. Just don`t forget to double-bag. If anything happens to the inner bag, you have a safety net, so to speak. I have had new unused bags just rip without excessive force, so it can happen.