Stearic acid soaping temperature

[BB25]

I’d love to know what temperature people soap at when Stearic acid in CP soap.

I have made several batches now using Stearic in varying amounts up to 1% of total oils and with lye & oils combined the temp is usually around 55 degrees celsius (recommended 60 degrees somewhere but now can’t find the source)…..

Would love to know the lowest temp you’ve soaped with Stearic acid and not had any issues….

 

[KiwiMoose]

I don't think I would ever attempt to make a CP soap with stearic acid. It's so hard to melt! I do use soy wax in my soap however which is quite high in stearic, and I tend to soap around 40 degrees.

 

[Mobjack Bay]

I have not tried using stearic acid in cp soap, but 5% sounds like quite a lot based on what I've read here on the forum. Here's a useful thread about the benefits of soaping with 1% or less: https://www.soapmakingforum.com/threads/stearic-acid-in-cp.69515/

 

[BB25]

I have not tried using stearic acid in cp soap, but 5% sounds like quite a lot based on what I've read here on the forum. Here's a useful thread about the benefits of soaping with 1% or less: https://www.soapmakingforum.com/threads/stearic-acid-in-cp.69515/

My apologies, it’s 1% of total
Oils that I’ve used up to…… I’m making 500g test batches so it’s 5g…..

I don't think I would ever attempt to make a CP soap with stearic acid. It's so hard to melt! I do use soy wax in my soap however which is quite high in stearic, and I tend to soap around 40 degrees.

I like to soap around 40 too as I use a high % of butters and this seems a sweet spot but recently I really liked the addition of stearic to up my numbers and it seemed to make quite a difference to the finished bar but it does do weird stuff when you first add it to the batter due to its instant reaction to the lye but I stir through this it goes relatively normal again after a short while but combined with my butters and pomace oil it does trace faster than I like…..

 

[Vicki C]

My apologies, it’s 1% of total
Oils that I’ve used up to…… I’m making 500g test batches so it’s 5%

5 grams?

 

[BB25]

5 grams?

oh dear, now I feel like i'm losing my marbles...... I have got myself very confused with this....

I think perhaps I've been adding too much...... no wonder it's making a big difference to my soaps!!
I've made batches with 2% (10g), 3% (15g), 5% (25g).........

So when it says 0.5-1% total use (from what I've found online and on here) that would therefore be a maximum of 5g in a 500g batch then???

 

[Mobjack Bay]

yes, 5 grams is 1% of 500 grams. 5/500 = 0.01, then multiple by 100 to get percentage, so 0.01 x 100 = 1%

or just use this calculator https://www.calculator.net/percent-calculator.html

 

[BB25]

yes, 5 grams is 1% of 500 grams. 5/500 = 0.01, then multiple by 100 to get percentage, so 0.01 x 100 = 1%

or just use this calculator https://www.calculator.net/percent-calculator.html

Thank you. I must admit, maths isn’t my strong point but I honestly don’t know what happened to my brain on this one

 

[Becky1024]

I use stearic acid in shaving soaps, and only do it hot process. My recipe works best temperature is around 55 - 65 C before I mix in the lye.