ShariLynn
Active Member
- Joined
- Aug 23, 2011
- Messages
- 44
- Reaction score
- 25
Hi! I'm new to this forum, but not a newbie soaper. I've soaped off and on for the last 10 years, and compulsively for the last year. 
Recently I've been experimenting with RTCP, no-gel, and sculpted tops (successfully) and have just gotten into making milk soaps (goat and coconut, also successfully).
A few days ago I decided to make a test batch of goats milk and 100% olive oil using the RTCP and no-gel methods. I use canned goats milk, which I mix with an equal part of distilled water (since the milk is double strength) and then freeze in ice cube trays. I also keep a supply of distilled water ice cubes on hand for milk soaps, because I want all my liquid frozen. Here's the recipe I used from SoapCalc (in oz, even though I weigh in grams):
12 oz olive oil ("A" grade from Soapers Choice)
1.5 oz lye
4 oz liquid
This is a 5% superfat recipe, using a water discount of 34% instead of my usual 38%, lye concentration 27.5%, and unscented.
I weighed my olive oil and set aside. For the liquid (4 oz) I weighed out .8 oz of frozen distilled water and 3.2 oz of frozen goats milk. I placed my container in an ice water bath, and then sprinkled in my lye a tiny bit at a time until all the cubes were melted and the lye was thoroughly dissolved. I removed the lye solution from the ice bath and checked the temp (which was 72 degrees, about the same as the room temp olive oil), and added it to the oils. I used my SB to reach trace, which happened very fast (much faster than previous castile batches). Poured it into my mold and stuck it in the freezer.
When I came back a couple of hours later, there was quite a lot of liquid on top of the soap (liquid that didn't freeze!). I took it out and let it rest overnight, and it was worse in the morning. Thinking maybe it had reached a false trace, or maybe I measured wrong, I made a 2nd batch. This time I kept using the SB until it reached a very heavy trace. While the liquid didn't appear to ooze out while it was in the freezer, it developed the same problem about an hour after placing it in the fridge. This morning liquid had seeped out all over the place. I did the zap test and boy did it zap! The soap loaf seemed solid, although soft, and the sculpted top held its shape. But since I was pretty sure the liquid was lye, I went ahead and cut it, and found many pockets of lye throughout.
What do you folks think went wrong, and what should I do differently? Is there something about the combination of goats milk and olive oil that would cause it to behave differently than just a milk soap, or just a castile soap? Could my lye be “off”? Do I need to stick with 38% water? Really appreciate any help before I try it again! Thanks!
Recently I've been experimenting with RTCP, no-gel, and sculpted tops (successfully) and have just gotten into making milk soaps (goat and coconut, also successfully). A few days ago I decided to make a test batch of goats milk and 100% olive oil using the RTCP and no-gel methods. I use canned goats milk, which I mix with an equal part of distilled water (since the milk is double strength) and then freeze in ice cube trays. I also keep a supply of distilled water ice cubes on hand for milk soaps, because I want all my liquid frozen. Here's the recipe I used from SoapCalc (in oz, even though I weigh in grams):
12 oz olive oil ("A" grade from Soapers Choice)
1.5 oz lye
4 oz liquid
This is a 5% superfat recipe, using a water discount of 34% instead of my usual 38%, lye concentration 27.5%, and unscented.
I weighed my olive oil and set aside. For the liquid (4 oz) I weighed out .8 oz of frozen distilled water and 3.2 oz of frozen goats milk. I placed my container in an ice water bath, and then sprinkled in my lye a tiny bit at a time until all the cubes were melted and the lye was thoroughly dissolved. I removed the lye solution from the ice bath and checked the temp (which was 72 degrees, about the same as the room temp olive oil), and added it to the oils. I used my SB to reach trace, which happened very fast (much faster than previous castile batches). Poured it into my mold and stuck it in the freezer.
When I came back a couple of hours later, there was quite a lot of liquid on top of the soap (liquid that didn't freeze!). I took it out and let it rest overnight, and it was worse in the morning. Thinking maybe it had reached a false trace, or maybe I measured wrong, I made a 2nd batch. This time I kept using the SB until it reached a very heavy trace. While the liquid didn't appear to ooze out while it was in the freezer, it developed the same problem about an hour after placing it in the fridge. This morning liquid had seeped out all over the place. I did the zap test and boy did it zap! The soap loaf seemed solid, although soft, and the sculpted top held its shape. But since I was pretty sure the liquid was lye, I went ahead and cut it, and found many pockets of lye throughout.
What do you folks think went wrong, and what should I do differently? Is there something about the combination of goats milk and olive oil that would cause it to behave differently than just a milk soap, or just a castile soap? Could my lye be “off”? Do I need to stick with 38% water? Really appreciate any help before I try it again! Thanks!
