Zero percent superfat?

[Scooter]

As others have pointed out, looking at the whole formula is very important. I soap at 2-3% SF but I also put at least 20% unrefined shea in my soaps, and that introduces a lot of unsaponifiables.

 

[DeeAnna]

czmaha What is your reason for it?...

Not Carolyn, but speaking for myself, the skin feel and mildness of a soap with lower superfat is not greatly different than the same recipe with a higher superfat IF the blend of fats is formulated for mildness.

If the blend of fats is high in coconut and other high myristic-lauric fats that can be irritating to the skin, then a higher superfat can help the soap to be milder to the skin.

I do see a difference in the lather. Less superfat => more bubbles.

I also am of the opinion, admittedly controversial, that more superfat can contribute to a higher probability of overall rancidity. I do not believe lower superfat eliminates the chance of rancidity -- it only reduces or slows it.

 

[cmzaha]

czmaha What is your reason for it? I just found the first batches I made too oily for my taste.

That is exactly my reason. With low coconut oil or no coconut oil I feel like the soap does not rinse off well. I also forgot to mention my drains do not like high superfat soaps. When I cut the superfat we started have less problems, but in my house the drain problems always exist

 

[SunRiseArts]

Thank you all, I do agree that less superfat => more bubbles, which is why I was asking. I can't wait for my soap to dry so I can try it. The two first batches were too oily for my taste. I even thought I liked melt and pour more that CP. My boys certainly prefer it.

I appreciate everyone's help.! :bathtub:

 

[SunRiseArts]

I have a question to add to this, and sorry for being a pain ... lol, *I am trying to learn). If you dissolve your mica in an oil, say almond oil. Does that add to the overall superfat of the general bar? Since the batch is already at trace, I wonder what happens to the additives.

Oh, did I ever mention that I almost flunk chemistry? It could be that I had an awful teacher! ha ha. Thanks God for the online calculators, or I could never make soap!

....

oh And also, does the PH of the soap changes over time? Can the ph be different in 6 weeks of that of a year, for example?

Thanks.

 

[Susie]

The secret to adding oils to mica (you don't have to, but that is another discussion) without upping the superfat, is to subtract the amount of oil you are mixing with the mica from the total amount of oil needed.

Example: If your recipe calls for 10 oz olive oil, and you need 0.5 oz of oil to mix with the mica, you add 9.5 oz oil to the bowl to mix with the NaOH/water, and put 0.5 oz in the cups to mix with micas.

 

[cmzaha]

czmaha What is your reason for it? I just found the first batches I made too oily for my taste.

Exactly for the same reason. Also I find some just do not rinse off well enough if I use no co. I adjust for the amount of CO in the recipe. So I go 0-3% superfat. I do not find 0 superfat in the least drying and I have old dry skin

 

[SaltedFig]

oh And also, does the PH of the soap changes over time? Can the ph be different in 6 weeks of that of a year, for example?

Thanks.

Hi SunRiseArts!

Yes, the pH drops quickly in the first 48 hours, then continues to drop over the next 2-3 months, with the change in pH getting smaller as time progresses.

There will be a difference between the pH of soap between 6 weeks and a year, but the amount of the difference may not be huge. There is some variance according to oils used in the recipe.

 

[KristaY]

I have a question to add to this, and sorry for being a pain ... lol, *I am trying to learn). If you dissolve your mica in an oil, say almond oil. Does that add to the overall superfat of the general bar? Since the batch is already at trace, I wonder what happens to the additives.

Thanks.

Personally, I don't account for the oil I add to mix color. The big reason for this is I don't know how much I'll want to add to get the color I want. So I mix various micas to color the batches I'm making, use what I want, then put lids on the containers. I'll use the rest in another batch so I'm all good.

Lets think about colorants dissolved in a light carrier oil. The standard is 1 tsp color to 1 Tbsp oil. If you're making a 1 lb or 500 gm batch you might add half or drops to portions of the batter depending on the design you're going for. Let's say you add all the color which will be 1 Tbsp or 15 gm oil. If you include that into the overall oil wt of the batch, it's minuscule really. But if you're heavily coloring a batch, add the amount of the carrier oil into SoapCalc and see what the difference is in lye. I've done it and it results in a few grams difference which doesn't worry me much. The worst it's going to do is add to my SF and since I start at 2-3%, I'm good.

I do account for water used in clays or AC. I usually set Soapcalc to 1.8:1 lye water ratio then deduct some knowing I'll need extra to hydrate clay or AC. I don't like high water and don't do a scientific calculation so I just deduct a bit (an oz or 30 gms) from the water needed for the lye. Since water doesn't affect the SF, I don't worry a bit about being under or over wt.

Since you're adding the colorant at any stage of trace, it won't affect what type of SF you've got (meaning the oils left untouched by lye). The lye takes what it wants so the oils used to mix color don't affect that. Remember, saponification takes up to 72 hours to complete so the oils you use to mix colorants won't affect what the lye saponifies. It'll only add a bit to the SF.

 

[SunRiseArts]

Thank you again! :mrgreen: