Was this cut too soon? Is this normal?

[Mark the Box Guy]

My first attempt at making a shampoo bar may not be working out. I've been working on this recipe for some time by reading others' comments and abusing SoapCalc with possibilities, and believe that it should be moderately low cleansing, and very creamy and bubbly. I had intended to produce it entirely with the Hot Process Crockpot method, which worked for my second batch (see: Berlin Phil's Blue Arm in General Chat), but after some thinking, decided to let it cook for an hour and then finish (assuming that it wasn't finished already,) in my mould. I sliced it the next day and the center looked a bit jellified. Let's be kind for a moment and allow that "jellified" is a proper word, and not the contrived utterance of my sometimes awful grad students. We all know what I'm talking about, no? Now I definitely sound like one of my grad students, but such is the danger of making soap it seems.

My sense from reading the forum over the past month is that soap can be made from many methods, from HP to Room Temperature, and that while this choice effects the soap's visage and creaminess in subtle ways, the end result is still soap, and therefor my method is valid.

Would someone mind very much commenting on the jellified center and advising me on whether this should be rebatched or simply left to sit for a month?

It's important to know that I will call this shampoo Mum's Bad Hair Month. That's a lie; it's not important at all.

Obligatory Recipe

* Olive Oil = 300 grams
* Coconut Oil (76 Degree) = 100 grams
* Castor Oil = 250 grams
* Avocado = 150 grams
* Shea Butter = 50 grams
* Coconut Butter = 100 grams
* Almond Oil, Sweet = dash at mid-trace
* Tea Tree Oil = a few dashes
* Bergamot Oil = a few dashes


No Whisky was harmed during the making of this shampoo soap.

 

[Marilyna]

Hi,

I did HP soap for a few years. The soap in the crockpot looks completely finished to me. In fact, it might have been done some time before. Did you check for doneness? I used to watch for it to look like Vaseline all the way through. If it coated the spoon, it was done. Or if you took a bit and rubbed it between your fingers and it felt waxy, it was done.

The jellified soap looks just like all the HP I ever did. That's what HP in general looks like, in my experience. So, no, DO NOT rebatch. There's nothing wrong with the soap!

 

[adoptapitbull]

Looks just fine to me. I don't think a rebatch would end up looking any different than what you already have. It'd probably end up looking worse!

 

[Kay]

Looks fine to me also. All soaps will harden up over time. Let it cure. It'll be fine.

 

[DeeAnna]

It looks fine to me too. Patience, grasshopper.

And the obligatory critique of your recipe: Perhaps 250 g castor in 900 g total oil might be a bit generous? I can't speak from experience with a high castor recipe, but I have gotten a couple of impression from others. One is that too much castor definitely hurts the "bubble-age". It can also increase the soap's softness, which might be part of the reason why your soap is softer than you expected. I limit castor to no more than 10% in my recipes and usually end up with castor in the 5% range, FWIW.

 

[Mark the Box Guy]

It looks fine to me too. Patience, grasshopper.

And the obligatory critique of your recipe: Perhaps 250 g castor in 900 g total oil might be a bit generous? I can't speak from experience with a high castor recipe, but I have gotten a couple of impression from others. One is that too much castor definitely hurts the "bubble-age". It can also increase the soap's softness, which might be part of the reason why your soap is softer than you expected. I limit castor to no more than 10% in my recipes and usually end up with castor in the 5% range, FWIW.

Having just leapt from the shower with a particularly clean head of hair, I can say without hesitation that your critique is excellent, and confirmed by a single case study: my clean head.

Yes: the "bubble-age" is shorter than I had hoped. It's not bad, mind you; it's just shorter than I had hoped. And yes: the soap is soft, but that's not a problem. I'd rather not abuse my already thinning hair with a hard bar's rough treatment. I like the soap soft; it's ok by me.

Whether I'll change the recipe remains to be seen. Afterall, Mum's Bad Hair Month is about to start.

 

[pamielynn]

Do you have coconut oil listed twice in your recipe? My allergies are soooo bad today that I can't see all that well....

 

[Mark the Box Guy]

Do you have coconut oil listed twice in your recipe? My allergies are soooo bad today that I can't see all that well....

Fixed... thanks.

 

[kazmi]

Looks like hp to me! Let is cure for awhile and the jellified center will firm up.

 

[Lotus]

Your finished bars look gorgeous. They look like sushi salt bars, I just want to lick it! : )

 

[hoegarden]

Are you referring to the side that look whitish and dry? If it is, the whitish part is due to outer layer cooling down faster while the inner part is still gelling. No big deal, you can just cut away the part and use. It will get crumbly over time. The rest of the soap is still usable.

(if i am replying to the correct issue)

 

[Mark the Box Guy]

Your finished bars look gorgeous. They look like sushi salt bars, I just want to lick it! : )

Seriously? I hadn't considered the notion that they were attractive. My sense is that I would make better looking soap later, as I become better at this. The shampoo bar is only my third batch. I made another general use soap (but with a bit of Bentonite Clay) yesterday, which of course is my 4th batch.

Thank you, though.

 

[Lotus]

Seriously? I hadn't considered the notion they were attractive. My sense is that I would make better looking soap later, as I become better at this. The shampoo bar is only my third batch. I made another general use soap (but with a bit of Bentonite Clay) yesterday, which of course is my 4th batch.

Thank you, though.

Really, they have an almost translucency to them, making them seem like they belong in the ocean or some such thing.

But, you see, I have found that I'm not entirely attracted to the look of most HP batches. It often has such a crumbly, dried food that got left in the togo container, patted down, maybe ricey look. However, I have seen it done well and quite smoothly, which yours looks like. I'm serious about how pretty it is.

Oooh! I have it! You know that "Foam Insulation" stuff, you just spray it, and it oxygenates and expands? That's what I think HP usually looks like! : )

I've been trying to figure out that one for weeks, now.
PS: This is what I mean about the himalayan salt block look. : )

http://www.google.com/search?q=hima...-talk-to-your-himalayan-salt-plate%2F;720;423

 

[Mark the Box Guy]

Really, they have an almost translucency to them, making them seem like they belong in the ocean or some such thing.

But, you see, I have found that I'm not entirely attracted to the look of most HP batches. It often has such a crumbly, dried food that got left in the togo container, patted down, maybe ricey look. However, I have seen it done well and quite smoothly, which yours looks like. I'm serious about how pretty it is.

Oooh! I have it! You know that "Foam Insulation" stuff, you just spray it, and it oxygenates and expands? That's what I think HP usually looks like! : )

I've been trying to figure out that one for weeks, now.
PS: This is what I mean about the himalayan salt block look. : )

http://www.google.com/search?q=himalayan%20salt%20block&client=safari&rls=en&psj=1&bav=on.2,or.r_cp.r_qf.&bvm=bv.47008514,d.cGE&biw=1235&bih=699&um=1&ie=UTF-8&hl=en&tbm=isch&source=og&sa=N&tab=fi&ei=Vb-jUeTQJqb9iQKTpIFQ#facrc=_&imgrc=halP5NtarRm9DM%3A%3BL0ceavMONs_17M%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.saltnews.com%252Fblog%252Fwp-content%252Fuploads%252F2008%252F01%252Fused-himalayan-salt-block-from-the-meadow.jpg%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.saltnews.com%252F2008%252F01%252Fhow-to-talk-to-your-himalayan-salt-plate%252F%3B720%3B423

Ok... the salt block, and all the goodness cooked upon it, looks yummy.

I wasn't aware that HP soap had such a distinct appearance. But it's now becoming clearer to me. Perhaps I have a good sense of when to stop cooking. I'm sure that I'll do it again, but perhaps I'll wait a while and see how pure CP goes.

Thanks again.

By the way, your dolls look dark. Attractive, yes, but dark.

 

[Lotus]

Mr. Mark, the Box! Please post pictures when you get a CP made. I love to see the progression of people's work.

Yeah, I was surprised, myself to realize what an HP batch looked like.


About my dolls. . . enter the darkness of my "carnival-asylum" world, and tread dangerously. . . : ) Ha, I have no idea where that came from, just started spouting words.

Thanks. I love dark. : )

 

[thinkativeone]

I agree with Lotus. I was quite surprised to see your pics were HP. Almost all the HP bars I've seen are completely fugly = freaking ugly! :shifty: Lovely bars! Makes me almost inspired enough to have a go at HP. Almost. :think:

 

[Mark the Box Guy]

There should be some photos in a thread about Berlin Phil's Blue Arm in the General Chat forum, if I recall. This is my second HP (out of four total batches) and neither came out as you describe. Both have looked smooth and indistinguishable from CP.

I'll document my next batch closely and we can all see what's revealed. Perhaps I've stumbled upon a trick.

 

[bodhi]

They look lovely, seriously. I also tend to very definitely dislike the look of hp soaps but yours are quite nice. SO... now that you have mastered hp and had it confirmed by all who frequent here.. well maybe not all, but lets not count the rest for now, shall we? Also, the CP is going to take forever to cure; so why rush? Enjoy your hp mastery and in the mean time, where is the rest of the story?! lol

 

[Mark the Box Guy]

Enjoy your hp mastery and in the mean time, where is the rest of the story?! lol

Berlin Phil? He'll be back; he always comes back. I may tell everyone about Mum's Bad Hair Month first, though.