Question for correct lye amount to use for cp soap

[Kristin2011]

I am new to making cp soap and I was just wondering if this was the correct amount of lye I needed to make a 2lb batch of soap? Here’s the recipe I made and I put it through a lye calculator. The lye concentration is at 33% and 7% superfat.

Can I replace the water content with Coconut Milk instead? And how much tea tree oil should I add per pound?
Thanks for any information you can provide!

cp soap

1 Olive Oil 43%
2 Almond Oil, sweet 10%
3 Coconut Oil, 76 deg 15%
4 Cocoa Butter 5%
5 Jojoba Oil 10%
6 Castor Oil 7%
7 Avocado Oil 10%

Totals 100 2 32 907.184



Is this what I use for lye and water? That is what the soapcalc said

Ingredient Pounds Ounces Grams
Water 0.511 8.179 231.871

Lye - NaOH 0.252 4.028 114.205


Hardness 25
Cleansing 10
Conditioning 63
Bubbly 16
Creamy 21

 

[carebear]

looks about right.

 

[judymoody]

For tea tree oil, you might start at .7 oz PPO and see how you like it. I've used as little as .5 oz PPO and the scent still comes through nicely but I don't like super strongly scented soaps.

 

[BakingNana]

The one time I used coconut milk for most of the liquid, it DOSsed within 4-5 weeks and smelled horribly rancid. It was 100% coconut oil, so I'm assuming since CO is so stable. the coconut milk went rancid. Be interested in others' experiences with coconut milk.

Good luck on your new soaping adventures!

 

[busymakinsoap!]

The one time I used coconut milk for most of the liquid, it DOSsed within 4-5 weeks and smelled horribly rancid. It was 100% coconut oil, so I'm assuming since CO is so stable. the coconut milk went rancid. Be interested in others' experiences with coconut milk.

Good luck on your new soaping adventures!

Hmmm I wondered wheather the high superfat in 100% coconut would make a bar with coconut milk prone to DOS

ive made some, its comming up 6 weeks with no sign of DOS

 

[BakingNana]

Was it all coconut oil or a mix of oils? And yes, that soap was high SF. I think I'll keep the coconut milk for cooking. I don't think it's especially adding much other than a marketing factor. I'd rather keep the SF high and forget the milk in 100% CO soap. I am having luck, tho, with almond milk in an 8% SF soap. 8 weeks old and really yummy so far.

 

[LavenderLady]

I dont know, but I would wonder if a 25 on the hardness scale is too low? While I do go over and under the recommendations for certain soaps, this being a beginning bar, I would probably make it harder. Also, I would not use the coconut milk until I had made several batches without any milk, then I would first try buttermilk or goats milk, then move up to the coconut, but that is just my humble opinion.
As for the Tea Tree oil, it is a pretty strong EO, so for a normal level of scent you can start at .4 oz ppo.
Generally speaking, for strong Eo's such as mints/eucalyptus etc., you begin at .4 oz ppo, and for average ones you begin at .7 oz ppo. For citrus you will need an anchor EO or some clay or orris root powder to maintain a good scent level.
For FO's, to get a normal scent you can begin at .5 oz ppo, and if you want a strong/intense scent, you can use 1-1.5 oz ppo, as long as you make sure that you stay within the "safe for skin" range of that particular fragrance.
Many vendor now list the amount of fragrance that they believe will offer you a "normal" scent level in your soap, and all should offer you the maximum skin safe levels for usage, so as long as you stay within those, you can decide how intense of a fragrance you desire with a bit of experimentation.
Whatever you decide, good luck and have fun!

 

[BakingNana]

ooops...just went back and checked my files. I did make a soap with coconut milk that is fine at 5% SF. Also had shea and avocado in it. Still, I agree with LavL that you may want to delay working with any milks until you're comfortable with soaping in general. Ingredients get expensive. At any rate, I hope you keep us posted on your endeavors!! Sounds like you're off to a great start.

 

[carebear]

Well, since the hardness value of olive oil Is given as 17, yet 100% OO soap is rock hard, I'd say it's not a problem.

I dont know, but I would wonder if a 25 on the hardness scale is too low? While I do go over and under the recommendations for certain soaps, this being a beginning bar, I would probably make it harder. Also, I would not use the coconut milk until I had made several batches without any milk, then I would first try buttermilk or goats milk, then move up to the coconut, but that is just my humble opinion.
As for the Tea Tree oil, it is a pretty strong EO, so for a normal level of scent you can start at .4 oz ppo.
Generally speaking, for strong Eo's such as mints/eucalyptus etc., you begin at .4 oz ppo, and for average ones you begin at .7 oz ppo. For citrus you will need an anchor EO or some clay or orris root powder to maintain a good scent level.
For FO's, to get a normal scent you can begin at .5 oz ppo, and if you want a strong/intense scent, you can use 1-1.5 oz ppo, as long as you make sure that you stay within the "safe for skin" range of that particular fragrance.
Many vendor now list the amount of fragrance that they believe will offer you a "normal" scent level in your soap, and all should offer you the maximum skin safe levels for usage, so as long as you stay within those, you can decide how intense of a fragrance you desire with a bit of experimentation.
Whatever you decide, good luck and have fun!