White Bar Soap - NEW Type of Method

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user 49910

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This is my newest batch of soap. It came out really well. Went to a thin trace within 2 minutes and then poured into a silicone loaf mold.
Yes... there are a few tiny air bubbles in there. Like the Navajos do when they make their famous Turquoise jewelry, I keep a few imperfections to let the "BAD SPIRITS" out! 👾
Suggestions? Comments? Criticisms? Beneficial Ideas?

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And away we go...

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Well done!

COMMENTS:
1) Your recipe is a Basic Trinity of Oils formula with HO Sunflower subbed for the Olive Oil and added castor. It's an excellent starting point for Newbies with endless options for variation.

2) The sodium lactate (to increase hardness) and TD (for whitening) aren't needed. You could easily eliminate them. The bar will be nice, hard and white without them -- maybe even better!

3) An INS value of 167 is a little high. INS 160 is so called "perfect soap". You may want to tweak your oil %'s to bring that down for a nicer soap.

4) After tweaking, try adding fragrance to find something you love. Here's how I test fragrances with minimal expense:

FRAGRANCE TESTING
 
Well done!

COMMENTS:
1) Your recipe is a Basic Trinity of Oils formula with HO Sunflower subbed for the Olive Oil and added castor. It's an excellent starting point for Newbies with endless options for variation.

2) The sodium lactate (to increase hardness) and TD (for whitening) aren't needed. You could easily eliminate them. The bar will be nice, hard and white without them -- maybe even better!

3) An INS value of 167 is a little high. INS 160 is so called "perfect soap". You may want to tweak your oil %'s to bring that down for a nicer soap.

4) After tweaking, try adding fragrance to find something you love. Here's how I test fragrances with minimal expense:

FRAGRANCE TESTING
I appreciate the comments. However, I am an experienced soap maker and I like the Sodium Lactate to improve the bar hardness and makes it easier to remove the loaf from the silicone mold. In addition, I've made the same batch before with no Titanium Dioxide and it was not nearly as white appearing. More of a dull faded amber color. I prefer using the TD to improve the appearance of the bar soap.

I used the HO Sunflower oil because I was out of Light Olive Oil. Yes... the INS is a tad bit high, but certainly an acceptable number for me personally. The INS value or Iodine Number can be helpful, but they should only be a small part of the whole picture when designing a soap recipe.

As you can see in the Recipe Properties % Graph, I am well within good parameters for a good bar soap. Perhaps the longevity graph is on low side but I find the bars to last quite a long time, especially after a 3-4 week drying time.

I may tweak it a little just for grins... 😁 Time will tell. Again I appreciate your feedback and input.
Just because I am new on this forum however, does not imply that I am an inexperienced soap maker.
Vaya con Dios!
 
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Looks nice. The coconut is kinda high, if it ends up being too drying, reduce the coconut to 20% and increase the palm to 50%. That will make it less harsh.
Thank you for your kind comment. I have an oily skin type so this formulation does not bother me at all. I did find out that upping the amount of Castor Oil really helped in the "skin feel" of the soap though.

I may try your suggestion as it seemed to graph out better on the Soapmaking Friend Recipe calculator. I have to admit though that I do really enjoy a bubbly lathering bar of soap... 😉
 
Again I appreciate your feedback and input. Just because I am new on this forum however, does not imply that I am an inexperienced soap maker.
I apologize. But I kinda remembered from your intro that you were fairly new to soap making.
I'm happy you appreciated the feedback and input. As I've said to others, if you don't want my honest opinion, don't ask! :D I'm one who will give it to ya straight.

Also, I have no clue with all the Newbies around who knows what about using a soap calc and especially what the INS and other values stand for. My answers are often designed for the larger audience, not just you personally so please don't feel offended if I sound condescending. I don't mean to come across that way... so many queries, so little time...

Gracias. Vaya con Dios back atcha. :D (Cue mariachi band...)

ETA: If you don't mind my asking, what is the "New Method" you referred to in the Title?
 
ETA: If you don't mind my asking, what is the "New Method" you referred to in the Title?

Okay... the "NEW" method is one of my own invention, derivation, thought process, craziness, scrambled brain cells from the 70's! Maybe it isn't new, but to me it is. It really seems to work so far.

I apologize if I came across crabby... I am not new to soap making, just this forum. Of course considering how long some of the main members of this forum have been making soap compared to me, I guess I would be a newcomer, so to speak. Some of them have a lot of experience, especially in the retailing / marketing end of things.

The method is where I add the fragrance oil to the warmed & melted oils prior to adding the lye water solution prior to stick blending. Basically doing it in reverse rather then adding at trace. I also add the Kaolin clay and Titanium Dioxide to the somewhat cooled lye water and let them rehydrate before the blending process. The process works well from what I have observed. I know some will disagree with me, but everyone is entitled to their own opinion. Regarding clays, to me it doesn't make sense to add them to the oils since clay are a product of water and wind erosion. Therefore, rehydrating in water makes more sense to me.

I will admit, so far it seems to be working well for me with the caveat that the trace will occur quicker than normal, around 2 - 3 minutes or so. The nice thing about this is the fact that I use mostly fragrance oils, of which some are notorious for warp drive tracing! So far with the two batches I've made using this process the trace is more controllable. I just have to remember to stop blending when it gets to the thin gravy stage and then pour into my loaf mold. Checking the mold about 3 minutes later and that critter is setting up quicker than a Missouri mule on a sit down strike! LOL!
This process doesn't give any fudge time for adding colorants post-trace or swirling or fluffing and so forth.

Regarding fragrance oils, I have found the the ones supplies by Paris Fragrances seem to not be so finicky and quick to trace compared to others I have used.
Also, the Kaolin seems to really add to the "scent life" of the soap compared to previous times not using it. Time will tell though.
 
Okay... the "NEW" method is one of my own invention, derivation, thought process, craziness, scrambled brain cells from the 70's! Maybe it isn't new, but to me it is. It really seems to work so far.

I apologize if I came across crabby... I am not new to soap making, just this forum. Of course considering how long some of the main members of this forum have been making soap compared to me, I guess I would be a newcomer, so to speak. Some of them have a lot of experience, especially in the retailing / marketing end of things.

The method is where I add the fragrance oil to the warmed & melted oils prior to adding the lye water solution prior to stick blending. Basically doing it in reverse rather then adding at trace. I also add the Kaolin clay and Titanium Dioxide to the somewhat cooled lye water and let them rehydrate before the blending process. The process works well from what I have observed. I know some will disagree with me, but everyone is entitled to their own opinion. Regarding clays, to me it doesn't make sense to add them to the oils since clay are a product of water and wind erosion. Therefore, rehydrating in water makes more sense to me.

I will admit, so far it seems to be working well for me with the caveat that the trace will occur quicker than normal, around 2 - 3 minutes or so. The nice thing about this is the fact that I use mostly fragrance oils, of which some are notorious for warp drive tracing! So far with the two batches I've made using this process the trace is more controllable. I just have to remember to stop blending when it gets to the thin gravy stage and then pour into my loaf mold. Checking the mold about 3 minutes later and that critter is setting up quicker than a Missouri mule on a sit down strike! LOL!

This process doesn't give any fudge time for adding colorants post-trace or swirling or fluffing and so forth.

Regarding fragrance oils, I have found the the ones supplies by Paris Fragrances seem to not be so finicky and quick to trace compared to others I have used.
Also, the Kaolin seems to really add to the "scent life" of the soap compared to previous times not using it. Time will tell though.

I was wondering what your New Method was, too. I figured you probably meant New-to-You, but I wasn't sure, of course.

Adding the FO to the oils up front is fairly common among some soapers, I do it, too. I learned it here. Actually more to combat forgetting to add my FO (often forgotten in my early soaping) that to ward off acceleration, although that is also another concept. I've been fortunate not to choose many fast moving FO's along the way, although, I have had one or two.

I know several soapers add TD to their lye water, and it's been in the back of my mind to do this one day, but I just haven't yet. One of thee days I'll want to make a pure white soap & maybe then I'll get around to adding TD to the lye solution. I have added other natural colorants to the lye water, though. I did it with alkanet root. Strangely my experience was not any different with adding it to the lye vs. adding it to the batter when it came to depth of color. But that was only one time, but at least I had a control that time.

I don't use clays very often, although I have bought some with that intention. I read that some soapers swear by orris root or kaolin clay prolonging fragrance, and others swear they don't. Only once did I try it with orris root. but without a control (for comparison - your derivation), I'd say it was a wasted experiment on my part. Maybe someday, but I'll probably not do a controlled study on that front. Life is shorter on my end. I probably shouldn't say that; I intend a longer than normal life, and have yet to get there.

Welcome to the forum, Ft Stockton. I have stayed there now and again in my travels.
 
I rarely add anything to my lye solution except salt & baking soda when making my ZNSC, of course. I don't use TD at all except in suntan lotion and diaper cream. I prefer White Kaolin Clay to lay down a foundation if I'm using a colorant or want to whiten the soap. I like the feel of a bit of clay in soap. It may be just me, but I think it boosts lather and cleansing. I add fragrance to the clay and let it sit for a good while before adding it to my oils. I do think it helps to "stick" the scent. All additives go into the oils before adding the lye... for the same reason @earlene mentioned... so I don't forget to add them at the end. :D

I apologize if I came across crabby... I am not new to soap making, just this forum.
No need to apologize. As an experienced soaper I would have been miffed at my responses as well. You were right to do that. :thumbs:

Thank you for taking the time to reply at length to my question. I appreciate that and better understand where you're coming from now.
 
I prefer White Kaolin Clay to lay down a foundation if I'm using a colorant or want to whiten the soap. I like the feel of a bit of clay in soap. It may be just me, but I think it boosts lather and cleansing. I add fragrance to the clay and let it sit for a good while before adding it to my oils. I do think it helps to "stick" the scent. All additives go into the oils before adding the lye... for the same reason @earlene mentioned... so I don't forget to add them at the end.

I too have noticed from the first batch of bar soap made with the white kaolin clay addition, that it did increase the lathering and extend the cleansing ability of the soap, i.e., not having to lather up the wash cloth as frequently during my shower routine. The skin feel was unlike any commercial soap I have ever used, even Dr. Bronner's bar soap.

I plan on adding the fragrance to the clay sometime in the near future. I have read that process here and on several other websites. I will admit though, that so far by adding the clay to the lye water, my FO scent retention has most definitely improved. I have considered buying one of those mini-blenders / milk frother gadgets on either Amazon or Ebay, but the track record on quality and longevity seem to be on the less than ideal side of spending $10-12 dollars on one of those units. I suppose I could use the old method I use for mixing 2-part epoxy glue and get a wooden match stick for a stirring device... LOL! (Necessity is the mother of invention rule applies here.)

My question to your last question is this: why should all additives go into the oils prior to adding the lye water? I either misread @earlene or missed it completely regarding her statement about all additives going into the oils.
 
My question to your last question is this: why should all additives go into the oils prior to adding the lye water? I either misread @earlene or missed it completely regarding her statement about all additives going into the oils.
It's not a "should thing" but rather a preference in CP. I do "all additives" but that's just me. Not everyone does. Members who do HP add fragrance at the end of the cook. Since HP soap is fully saponified at that point, the fragrance is not exposed to the action of the lye and is more likely to "stick" and last longer.

Hydrating clay by adding it to the lye water before soaping is a good thing. :thumbs:

Here's what @earlene said:
Adding the FO to the oils up front is fairly common among some soapers, I do it, too. I learned it here. Actually more to combat forgetting to add my FO (often forgotten in my early soaping) that to ward off acceleration, although that is also another concept.

I have considered buying one of those mini-blenders / milk frother gadgets on either Amazon or Ebay, but the track record on quality and longevity seem to be on the less than ideal side of spending $10-12 dollars on one of those units.

Do you not use a SB? (Stick Blender aka Hand Blender aka Immersion Blender). Once my additives are in my warmed oils, I SB for one full minute before adding my lye solution. ;)
 
Do you not use a SB? (Stick Blender aka Hand Blender aka Immersion Blender). Once my additives are in my warmed oils, I SB for one full minute before adding my lye solution. ;)

I do use a stick blender, what I was referring to was using a mini-blender for mixing the clay and FO together. I have seen some use of them on YouTube videos and on a couple of other soap making websites.
 
I have 2 of those tiny mini frother-type things. One is a Badger (highly recommeneded by someone here at SMF) and the other a thrift store find. Neither has failed me yet. I use the Badger at home & the other is in my travel kit. They don't get a lot of used\, in terms of time being turned on, so I wouldn't expect them to wear out quickly.

Maybe for daily use with multiple cups of latté they might, but unless you are planning to use one with that kind of intensity, I doubt you'd have anything to worry about.
 
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