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rdc1978

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So, I've been trying to do the technique below for...lets see....days now. I've had limited success. A big part of the problem is that the last time I tried this design, I soaped at around 85 degrees and when I blended to emulsification, the batter was fine, but when I left it to thicken, it got pretty lumpy. I am assuming it was the palm oil solidifying. Today, i tried again, but I soaped at like 97 degrees, and the batter didn't clump, but it set up kinda quick, so I didn't have too much time to do the design work. As a general rule I normally soap at like 90 degrees and never had a problem, but I read on here that the palm oil will start solidifying again at like 95 degrees so I thought maybe I should keep my temps above 90.

For those of you who use palm oil, what is the lowest you can soap at to keep a loose batter?

I'm also considering if I should just switch over to a coconut and olive oil recipe, use sodium lactate and increase the superfat so the soap isn't too trying. I had gotten some advice from a great guy on youtube (name slips my mind, he donates a lot of his soap to the homeless, very sweet man) and he had told me a while back that he sometimes just used a basic 50% coconut, 50% olive oil soap with like a 20% superfat and it would stay loose enough to do design work.

Anyways, here is my recipe, any help is appreciated. Its like 10pm, so if I haven't explained myself well, please let me know

3% castor oil - 1.11 oz
30% coconut oil - 11.1 oz
57% olive oil - 21.09 oz
10% palm oil - 3.7 oz

5% super fat, 29% lye concentration

water - 12.93 oz
lye - 5.28 oz



This is what I'm going for BTW
 
I don’t know why, but every time I try that swirl as soon as I start to pour my batter thickens up. I’ve been soaping a room temp and that is very helpful. My recipe that I’m sticking with now is CC6DF165-07E2-4C8F-9876-2CB06EE7F044.jpeg
When I first tried soap frosting, my loaf batter was so runny and took forever to trace that my swirls were not too defined. But then I was so confident I attempted a small batch of the heart swirl just for funsies and I start rushing to pour a lumpy mess! I think she’s cursed that video! It’s still fun! And I’ll probably keep trying!
 
I would replace all or most of your olive oil with lard, decrease your coconut oil to under 20% and add high oleic safflower oil or almond oil instead of olive oil. I also decrease your SF to 2% or 3%.

The addition of lard and lowering your CO will increase the amount of time for making your designs.

Also check out the FO you are using, they can accelerate your batter. I have one that accelerates my batter within seconds.
 
Not every design works with every recipe or every scent...something you need to take into consideration. You might want to use the same recipe she is using along with a scent that you know behaves very well...like BRV.
 
I would replace all or most of your olive oil with lard, decrease your coconut oil to under 20% and add high oleic safflower oil or almond oil instead of olive oil. I also decrease your SF to 2% or 3%.

The addition of lard and lowering your CO will increase the amount of time for making your designs.

Also check out the FO you are using, they can accelerate your batter. I have one that accelerates my batter within seconds.

Thanks! I've only used lard once and didn't like it for the scent, but I may try another source or a deodorized lard.

Upon reflection I think youre right about the f/o acceleration. I've been trying a bamboo scent from WSP that is not supposed to accelerate at all, but...I think it does because my batter seems fine at emulsion when I split it, it seems fine when I color it, I add the f/o and before I turn around its like silly putty consistency. I had this same problem with brambleberrys bamboo mint, which I adored and had no acceleration when I first tried it. Weird.

But I will be brave and try lard again. There is a seller on etsy who sells lard that just looks so pretty and tidy.

Not every design works with every recipe or every scent...something you need to take into consideration. You might want to use the same recipe she is using along with a scent that you know behaves very well...like BRV.

True. I dont think she published the recipe, which is totally cool and I understand. But I was kinda thinking along the same lines. Soaping 101 did a YT video of an ebru soap design similar to this and so I may try the bastille recipe they used.

Thanks, it could be the recipe, like you said. I hadn't thought of it becsuse normally the recipe is pretty slow moving. But I could maybe use a different recipe and a different fo
 
Thanks! I've only used lard once and didn't like it for the scent, but I may try another source or a deodorized lard.

Upon reflection I think youre right about the f/o acceleration. I've been trying a bamboo scent from WSP that is not supposed to accelerate at all, but...I think it does because my batter seems fine at emulsion when I split it, it seems fine when I color it, I add the f/o and before I turn around its like silly putty consistency. I had this same problem with brambleberrys bamboo mint, which I adored and had no acceleration when I first tried it. Weird.

But I will be brave and try lard again. There is a seller on etsy who sells lard that just looks so pretty and tidy.
The lard I use barely has a scent to it. I use Armour brand from Walmart. You have to get your nose almost in it to smell anything.
 
Here is a crazy thought, I have been microwaving batter when it cools off or starts to thicken up before I want it to. You might think it would make the batter seize or set up more quickly, but it doesn’t - generally it makes it more runny and buys me some time. Has anyone else tried this before? I’m guessing people will tell me this doesn’t or shouldn’t work... but for me it does.
 
The lard I use barely has a scent to it. I use Armour brand from Walmart. You have to get your nose almost in it to smell anything.

I really think i just have a sensitive nose. Its really the least useful superpower. LOL.

However, ill try again because the benefits of lard seems to tick so many boxes, particularly for doing swirls and designs. Someone else said I also may have erred in setting melting it at too high a temp.
 
Here is a crazy thought, I have been microwaving batter when it cools off or starts to thicken up before I want it to. You might think it would make the batter seize or set up more quickly, but it doesn’t - generally it makes it more runny and buys me some time. Has anyone else tried this before? I’m guessing people will tell me this doesn’t or shouldn’t work... but for me it does.
I have, and it works as long as whatever needs doing gets done shortly after. It can thicken with a vengeance if you let it cool back down. But, if you just need another 45 seconds or less, depending on batter amount and type, it can work like a charm. Another caveat is that your batter cannot be seizing or rapidly accelerating at the same time, or the time you take to microwave is the time the batter takes to become unreasonable.
 
I have, and it works as long as whatever needs doing gets done shortly after. It can thicken with a vengeance if you let it cool back down. But, if you just need another 45 seconds or less, depending on batter amount and type, it can work like a charm. Another caveat is that your batter cannot be seizing or rapidly accelerating at the same time, or the time you take to microwave is the time the batter takes to become unreasonable.
I’ve done this pretty early in the process - when the batter seems grainy because oils are too cool I’ll give it a little 20 second zap. And it stays loose.
 
I’ve done this pretty early in the process - when the batter seems grainy because oils are too cool I’ll give it a little 20 second zap. And it stays loose.
Oh. I'm talking about later in the process, when you're like 75% done with a complicated pour and your batter is pancake batter going on pudding.
 
True. I dont think she published the recipe, which is totally cool and I understand. But I was kinda thinking along the same lines. Soaping 101 did a YT video of an ebru soap design similar to this and so I may try the bastille recipe they used.

Thanks, it could be the recipe, like you said. I hadn't thought of it becsuse normally the recipe is pretty slow moving. But I could maybe use a different recipe and a different fo

You’ll find her recipe in the description of the video
 
@rdc1978 I'm one of those who can smell lard in soap. Coffee soaps somewhat help (coffee is really good at causing scents to fade in soap during cure) but I can get that hint. There are some scents that do seem to help with the smell. I know @Zany_in_CO knows of one or two but i haven't tried it.

Its so good to know there are some of us out there. I've said it and have been made to feel insane.

Though, I could be insane as I'm going to try this design again and am totally expecting a different result.

The only time I've had my batter seize is when i used a bamboo FO FYI.

Aha! Very interesting.....sounds like the f/o may be the culprit. I was so excited to find a bamboo f/o that didn't accelerate, but I had based that on the WSP testing notes.

Bummer because I love the fragrance and kinda went all in on multiple bamboo based f/o from WSP.

But thanks for the heads up. At least I won't keep trying the design with the bamboo f/o.

However, I might be insane because I plan to try this design.....again. LOL.
 
Its so good to know there are some of us out there. I've said it and have been made to feel insane.

Though, I could be insane as I'm going to try this design again and am totally expecting a different result.



Aha! Very interesting.....sounds like the f/o may be the culprit. I was so excited to find a bamboo f/o that didn't accelerate, but I had based that on the WSP testing notes.

Bummer because I love the fragrance and kinda went all in on multiple bamboo based f/o from WSP.

But thanks for the heads up. At least I won't keep trying the design with the bamboo f/o.

However, I might be insane because I plan to try this design.....again. LOL.
Did you read all the reviews as well as WSP's own soaping notes?
 
Have you had a chance to watch any of the Kapia Mera (Holly) videos on YouTube? She does a lot of swirled soaps and often shares her recipes. I really like the recipe she shared, here, with a minor tweak to 20% palm and 20% CO. I don’t use sodium lactate, which means the soap can start off a little soft, but it gets rock hard after 2-3 months due to the olive oil. The recipe holds up well, too. I’m getting lovely bubbly lather from an 18-month old bar I pulled out the other day. I also use lard, which is very friendly for swirling, but have found that my lard soaps smell more lardy with time.
 
Have you had a chance to watch any of the Kapia Mera (Holly) videos on YouTube? She does a lot of swirled soaps and often shares her recipes. I really like the recipe she shared, here, with a minor tweak to 20% palm and 20% CO. I don’t use sodium lactate, which means the soap can start off a little soft, but it gets rock hard after 2-3 months due to the olive oil. The recipe holds up well, too. I’m getting lovely bubbly lather from an 18-month old bar I pulled out the other day. I also use lard, which is very friendly for swirling, but have found that my lard soaps smell more lardy with time.

The name sounds very familiar.....I'm almost sure I've watched her videos but in all honesty I dont think I ever checked the description for her recipe.

Thanks for the tip! That's actually a good idea, I've just gotten more used to YT'ers not particularly inclined to share their recipes. And I totally understand it, so I normally won't even check anymore.
 
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