My soap is not ready for a market. What to do?

[DelightSociety]

I have a market in 26 days and not enough CP soap. What can I do?

Can I still make more and have a 'use after this date' notice? Does this sort of thing happen often? I really don't think I'll be selling much soap anyway because my last market (m&p soaps only) was a bust but thought it'd be fun to hang with friends and try out display options.

So even though I'm not expecting to sell much I'd at least like a nice display. Just make the soap anyway? Any suggestions?

 

[smellitlikeitissoaps]

Well it depends on your ability to make DWCP. If you can your soap can be ready in days. If your not that advanced in soap making, then you should take what you have. I have heard about people with a "use after" date on it, but does all customers follow directions??? hmmmmm...

Its your judgment call at this point.

 

[DelightSociety]

Thats for the suggestion for DWCP. I found this http://www.rivercitysoaps.com/dwcp/dwcp.pdf doing a bit of research and figure I can give it a go. My soaps are not hugely elaborate.

Can you do DWCP at room temp? I like working that way, it gives a nicer bar of soap I feel.

 

[smellitlikeitissoaps]

yes you can, i do :wink: good luck

 

[ChrissyB]

Good advice Smelli!
If you do DWCP and then force gel in the oven your soaps will be ready with time to spare.

 

[Tabitha]

I think it is fine to attach a *use after* daye.

 

[SimplyE]

Thats for the suggestion for DWCP. I found this http://www.rivercitysoaps.com/dwcp/dwcp.pdf doing a bit of research and figure I can give it a go. My soaps are not hugely elaborate.

Can you do DWCP at room temp? I like working that way, it gives a nicer bar of soap I feel.

That is a GREAT piece of information that you found!!! There was a discussion on this just last week regarding terminology, and this really explains it so much better. Definitely adding this to my bunch of must-have soap information. Thanks! :wink:

 

[carebear]

CP and HP soap should be given a cure period of at least 2 weeks. During this period the soap continues to "mellow" as (I suspect) some residual free lye is finally consumed. Also during this period, and the following few weeks, water is evaporated and your soap becomes firmer and has a better lather as a result.

But while reducing the water (DWCP) does help with the latter, it doesn't address the former.

But as a soaper accomplished enough to be selling you should really have a handle on at what point YOU are happy with your soaps.

(as far as the "use after" date - soft soaps get dinged during the trip home, the packaging has to protect and and STILL provide it the chance to breathe, etc. it is not as simple as putting a date on it.)

 

[smellitlikeitissoaps]

CP and HP soap should be given a cure period of at least 2 weeks. During this period the soap continues to "mellow" as (I suspect) some residual free lye is finally consumed. Also during this period, and the following few weeks, water is evaporated and your soap becomes firmer and has a better lather as a result.

But while reducing the water (DWCP) does help with the latter, it doesn't address the former.

But as a soaper accomplished enough to be selling you should really have a handle on at what point YOU are happy with your soaps.

(as far as the "use after" date - soft soaps get dinged during the trip home, the packaging has to protect and and STILL provide it the chance to breathe, etc. it is not as simple as putting a date on it.)

I have been doing DWCP for years now, I cant remember the last time I used a thermometer. I use Ph strips and never had a problem with levels. I see less shrinkage over the weeks as well (I keep a few for myself) I find when I use more water it shrinks more.

I suggest keeping a bar after you try DWCP and test it for results.
Also know, I cut my soap within hours of making it. If I make it in the morning about 4-5hrs (that night) I am cutting it. Dont get caught with hard soap you cant cut. Ask me how I know :wink:

 

[carebear]

the pH doesn't change more than a fraction after your soap is complete no matter how much water you use. and the strips are not very accurate.

As for DWCP, I don't quite know what your discount amounts to - there are all sorts of calculations you can do but they are really unnecessary - just go by lye concentration. The "recommended" lye concentrations vary between about 25% to 27%. I never soap below 33%, typically 38-40%. And my soaps are not ready at 2 days - or at least isn't top quality by my standards.

High olive oil especially.

But to each his/her own.

 

[IrishLass]

I totally agree with Carebear about the residual saponification still going on in the few weeks after soaping. While it's true that the majority of saponification has taken place within that first 24-48 hour period after pour, I'm convinced from how my cured soap feels and behaves that there are still micro-processes going on that help to fuse it all together and to mellow things out in the weeks that follow, making the soap all that much milder, and the lather much more bubbly and creamy.

[ I use Ph strips and never had a problem with levels.

What kind of pH strips are you using? I ask because the majority of pH strips out there are not known for their reliability in testing CP soaps. LotionCrafters sells specially made pH strips that are supposed to be the best and most reliable pH strips out there that are readily available to the homecrafter to test their CP soap with, but being a soap-licking zap-tester ( :wink: ), I haven't tried them out.

You can know whether the strips you are using for your lye soaps are accurate or not if they give you a pH of anything below 9. Based on actual lab tests, when lye soaps are properly made & cured and then tested with an accurately calibrated pH meter, the pH of the lye soaps always falls within the range 9 to 11 (even when highly superfatted). If your lye soaps test lower than a 9, your pH strips are lying to you and I'd look into a meter, or maybe trying out the specially made pH strips from LotionCrafters.


IrishLass

 

[smellitlikeitissoaps]

I totally agree with Carebear about the residual saponification still going on in the few weeks after soaping. While it's true that the majority of saponification has taken place within that first 24-48 hour period after pour, I'm convinced from how my cured soap feels and behaves that there are still micro-processes going on that help to fuse it all together and to mellow things out in the weeks that follow, making the soap all that much milder, and the lather much more bubbly and creamy.

[ I use Ph strips and never had a problem with levels.

What kind of pH strips are you using? I ask because the majority of pH strips out there are not known for their reliability in testing CP soaps. LotionCrafters sells specially made pH strips that are supposed to be the best and most reliable pH strips out there that are readily available to the homecrafter to test their CP soap with, but being a soap-licking zap-tester ( :wink: ), I haven't tried them out.

You can know whether the strips you are using for your lye soaps are accurate or not if they give you a pH of anything below 9. Based on actual lab tests, when lye soaps are properly made & cured and then tested with an accurately calibrated pH meter, the pH of the lye soaps always falls within the range 9 to 11 (even when highly superfatted). If your lye soaps test lower than a 9, your pH strips are lying to you and I'd look into a meter, or maybe trying out the specially made pH strips from LotionCrafters.


IrishLass

Correct, they are not that reliable, but I dont like sticking my tongue to a soap, and I also like to keep records of each bar of soap that I do, to see if any differences in each batch that I make. And no I have never had a strip test lover that an 8.

But this arguement has gone on for years, and will continue to go on for years. So, to each his own. I use my bars on the second week.

 

[DelightSociety]

Great advice, thanks everyone.

I am wondering if DWCP is for me now because I was intending on presenting the soap as a whole log and cutting on demand (just love that look of the soaps all in a row) and don't know if that is possible with DWCP. I don't want any logs I can't cut How embarrassing would that be!

At the moment I'm making soaps at about 25% lye concentrate and thought I'd try one at 35% and see how it goes. My soaps also have a high olive oil percentage (around 40%) and I was worried the olive oil would eventually harden too much to cut if I DWCP. I suppose the best option is to try one out!

So new question: is DWCP a bad idea if you are planning on cutting on demand? Would I end up with 5 logs I can't cut? Should I try a new recipe and cut down on the olive oil?

 

[carebear]

But this arguement has gone on for years, and will continue to go on for years. So, to each his own. I use my bars on the second week.

which to me sounds different from "ready to go in days" unless by days you mean more than a week - even close to 2 weeks.

I LOVE my soaps at 4 weeks, like them very much at 2, and wouldn't let them be used at day 3 for anything.

 

[smellitlikeitissoaps]

But this arguement has gone on for years, and will continue to go on for years. So, to each his own. I use my bars on the second week.

which to me sounds different from "ready to go in days" unless by days you mean more than a week - even close to 2 weeks.

I LOVE my soaps at 4 weeks, like them very much at 2, and wouldn't let them be used at day 3 for anything.

No its ready to go "in days" I meant exactly what I said. I know many soapers who come home from an on going fair and soap that same weekend and a few days go back to their market with their new soap in tow. SO yes, days.. I myself.. use mine in 2 weeks.
Your 4 weeks, is your choice, everyone soaps differently

 

[DelightSociety]

No its ready to go "in days" I meant exactly what I said. I know many soapers who come home from an on going fair and soap that same weekend and a few days go back to their market with their new soap in tow. SO yes, days..

Really? See I always wondered about that. How do soapers know how much soap they need if they sell on a weekly basis? Did they guess, make what they feel like? Even at a week old a handmade DWCP soap is better for you than a shop bought one right?

I'm nowhere near enough experienced to do anything like that but it's an interesting fact.

(It's so weird being a newbie. I'm on another forum and am one of the oldie experienced ones.)

 

[smellitlikeitissoaps]

No its ready to go "in days" I meant exactly what I said. I know many soapers who come home from an on going fair and soap that same weekend and a few days go back to their market with their new soap in tow. SO yes, days..

Really? See I always wondered about that. How do soapers know how much soap they need if they sell on a weekly basis? Did they guess, make what they feel like? Even at a week old a handmade DWCP soap is better for you than a shop bought one right?

I'm nowhere near enough experienced to do anything like that but it's an interesting fact.

(It's so weird being a newbie. I'm on another forum and am one of the oldie experienced ones.)

Well you can always estimate by the the estimated amount of people who are to be at the show and go from there. But if its a weekly market, calculate your traffic and go from there.

 

[mamaT]

DelightSociety
I would too like to cut soap as needed, but there are several problems with the concept.
In order for you to cut it has to be soft enough to cut.
If it is soft enough to cut it is not cured therefore not ready to use.
If you don't cut it soon enough then it will be too hard.

I really like the soaps that are made to look like a cake but they would have to be cut and cured and then arranged to look like the cake is still whole.

 

[CiCi]

I don't sell, yet, but I have actually used my soap after just days and it was fine. I did find, however, that the longer it cured, the more lather I got. I tried some soap from a year ago and it is just heaven.

 

[ChrissyB]

Or you could HP, get stuck into it now, and then you've still got the two weeks to let your soap cure.
There is a big difference between two day old soap and two week old soap IME.