Teach Soap

I'd like to try making a batch of soap using cream of coconut as part/all of my liquids. Can anyone give me any advice on how to measure - it just seems like I should measure it differently than water because it is soooo thick. Maybe I'm just paranoid?

I've never used cream of coconut, but have used coconut milk numerous times. If the cream of coconut is condensed or has a high sugar content, you may want to dilute it with water and freeze until slushy (to use as the full water amount) or, using only enough water to dissolve your lye and the difference in cream of coconut added at trace. If there's a lot of sugar in, it will probably gel quickly so I wouldn't insulate it. Hope this helps!

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Linda
I know the voices in my head aren't real, but they sure have some great ideas!

It definately helps, I didn't even consider the sugar content. Thanks Linda!!

You're welcome. Please let us know how it goes.

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Linda
I know the voices in my head aren't real, but they sure have some great ideas!

Cream of coconut just means its very concentrated. Coconut doesn't have milk, it has water. Coconut milk is basically coconut extract in water and sometimes manufacturers would add gum and or preservatives. When coconut "milk" gets to something like 70% or above concentration they call it cream. Higher concentration means more fat. I don't think sugar content is significantly higher if it has no other additives. If you use cream instead of milk you will run into more curdle when mixed with lye. You either want to thin the cream down to milk consistency to avoid extra curdle or you SB it to smooth it down after mixing it with lye. Either way its still easier to freeze it into chunks first.

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Shieh Design Studio
https://www.facebook.com/ShiehDesignStudio
http://soapandrestless.blogspot.com

Funny, I never even considered that coconut cream didn't actually have cream in it. OK, I'm thinking that I might try a blend of frozen coconut milk & coconut cream with my next batch. Hopefully I won't make too much of a mess.

Thank you!!

Be careful if the product has any guar gum as that could make your soap accelerate trace.

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Irena
Closed minds are like faulty parachutes; they refuse to open.

It does have guar gum listed as an ingredient - I foresee a disaster in my future but I'm still gonna give it a try - or I just might make a batch of piña coladas with that can of cream of coconut that is staring me in the face every time I open my cabinet and call it a day!!!

Thanks to all for the info & advice, I'll keep you posted on the outcome if I take the soap route.