Trying IL's recipe again!

[Deborah Long]

I guess I'm not getting the hang of this liquid soap thing! lol So, this is my 3rd? maybe 4th attempt and I have this weirdness going on! Amusingly enough, I was feeling fairly relaxed this time and not all nerves! Guess I should have been more nervous, eh? Any way, it was time for me to make more liquid soap since we've been washing our hands so much recently. I followed the directions, using equal amounts of H2O and KOH. It dissolved quickly. I added 10 oz of glycerin and stirred and then added that mixture to my warmed oils
I stick blended for a few minutes and couldn't see any separation, so I let it 'work its magic'. When I came back an hour later, my paste wasn't a paste. It looked exactly like it does in the photos - with a harder paste-like substance on the bottom of the pot and all the oils on top. I covered it back up and kept checking it. It's now 5 hours since I first covered it up and nothing has changed.
What now? Did I not reach emulsification? Is this a complete do-over?


Counting on all of you experts to let me know! @DeeAnna @IrishLass *Zany_in_CO
Thanks in advance!

 

[Zany_in_CO]

I've never made IL's LS so I can't help. So sorry. But good for you at least for giving it another go.

If it's any consolation, my first batch was a FAIL. I swore I would never make LS again. Then about a year later, I ran into a recipe on MMS that made all the difference. I joined the Liquid Soapmakers Yahoo Group in 2004. Faith on Alaiyna B Blogspot was a member of that group. She covers the basics as well as LS made with glycerin. You may want to look at her Beginner's LS tutorial here:
http://alaiynab.blogspot.com/2014/07/basic-beginner-liquid-soap-and.html

 

[Deborah Long]

Thanks, @Zany_in_CO - I appreciate your answer! I'm wondering if I can just heat up the oils and stick blend some more as it appears to me that I didn't reach emulsification...
What do you think??

 

[Zany_in_CO]

Thanks, @Zany_in_CO - I appreciate your answer! I'm wondering if I can just heat up the oils and stick blend some more as it appears to me that I didn't reach emulsification... What do you think??

You're welcome, Deborah.
Hmmm. When you ask, "Did I not reach emulsification?" That's for hard bars. LS needs to be brought to hard trace. Also "added that mixture to my warmed oils" - both lye solution and oils need to be heated to 160°F and maintained there until it reaches trace. You can stop there for "cold process", put in the oven overnight for oven process, or hot process it, i.e., cook in a crockpot until it's fully saponified.

Before heating the batch and giving it another go (which is probably what I would do) I would double check to see if you used the correct amount of KOH for the batch. That's the only other thing I can think of that might be the reason for the separation.

Good luck!

 

[Deborah Long]

@Zany_in_CO - too funny! Right after you posted your blog (or I read it, actually) I looked at my recipe and the measurements are almost exactly the same, and yes, I carefully weighed everything.
Sooo....see, this is my problem - I keep thinking emulsification - like in CP. I am going to warm it up tomorrow morning (almost my bedtime, now) and see if I can't get that lump in the bottom to soften up enough that I can stick blend some more to HARD TRACE - Deborah! lol

Thanks, at least you ended the mystery for me!

 

[Deborah Long]

Well, I was a lame brain and yes it softened up enough. BUT - what I did was actually set the pan on the stove to warm up and walked away, only to have the hubby yell at me that I had a giant mess! LOL
Yep, it had all bubbled over and started smoking. It was all over the stove! Easy to clean up, however, and now my stove is glistening and ready for me to try again and PAY ATTENTION this time! lol
I did manage to stick blend my next batch to a hard trace and am just waiting to dilute. I think a nap is in order!

 

[Aramis]

Hello, what is IL LS well i think LS stand for liquid soap but IL? Thank you

Found out Irish Lass recipie with glycerin

 

[Susie]

I have never had that particular problem. But, are you absolutely sure that what was on top of the gelled soap (yes, that was gelled soap) was just oils?

I don't cook my soap at all, and I would not ever put it on the stove, even to dilute. Even in the Crock Pot, you have to watch soap like a hawk when diluting. Otherwise, you get a really clean counter and floor after you clean it all up.

 

[Deborah Long]

are you absolutely sure that what was on top of the gelled soap

I'm not sure what it was! lol I kept stick blending past 'emulsion' until the stick blender couldn't (on the next batch) and it was just perfect! I *think* it was oils, but since I boiled it over we'll never know....

 

[Susie]

I know it is rather counter intuitive to stick your fingers in something that you know had lye in it, but you need to at least stick your gloved fingers in that liquid next time and then see if it suds up when mixed with a little water. My gelled soap (especially if it got too hot due to oils too hot, KOH/water too hot) will sink to the bottom. You need to test to see exactly what you have before jumping into fixing what may not be broken.