Teach Soap

I've been reading and watching everything I can on the internet about CP soap making. I've run across recipes that I want to try and I've always read to run the recipe through a lye calculator to make sure everything is correct. I've done this with about 4 recipes so far and have found that the water amount is always off in each recipe - anyone know why?

Examples:

Pumpkin Soap
16 oz Olive Oil
8 oz Coconut Oil
3 oz Sunflower Oil
3 oz Cocoa Butter
4.19 oz Lye (6% superfat)
8 oz Distilled Water

Basic 3-Oil Soap
16 oz Olive Oil
8oz Coconut Oil
8 oz Palm Oil
4.53 oz Lye
10.5 oz Water
1 oz EO

The water is off by quite a bit in each of these recipes. Is this something the recipe maker is doing in order to achieve something they want?

That's because the amount of water in relation to the amount of lye is a little flexible. The relationship between the oils and the lye is not flexible (or if it is, not by much). Thus there is not one specific, "right" water amount, but a range of acceptable amounts. More water = weaker lye solution. Less water = stronger lye solution.

The lye calculator at this site gives a range of water amounts: https://www.thesage.com/calcs/LyeCalc.html

I use SoapCalc, then I'll use the one at The Sage (linked above) to see what the full range of water amounts are for my recipe.

As a beginner, you want to start with weaker lye solutions. Look at the percentages and aim for high 20's....27%-29%. Those with lots of experience under their belt may go up to 33%. I have made roughly 30 batches so far, and I have only gone as high as 30%.

Great, thank you!