Teach Soap

As I was browsing a site, while expalining how she was making her soap, I stumbled on a phrase: lye and oils mixture temperatures: lye (40 C, 104 F) and oils (31 C, 88 F), why she used different temperatures for the lye and the oils? I have read that both lye solution and oils must be at the same temperature. Is she doing something, she is not mentioning why, that is of a good deal to know?

I don't go by exact temps, but my oils and lye are around 110 degrees for both. If your lye is cold and you add it to room temp or cold oils, you can get a false trace and/or lye pockets. The temps don't have to be exact, but fairly close.

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

You can also soap using the thermal transfer method, which is my method of choice. That's where you pour your just mixed hot lye over your cold solid oils to melt them. Once they're melted you add the liquid oils.

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

I just found this and found the heat transfer method. I was reading the book I have (Everything Soapmaking) and noticed she used this method but didn't really explain what it was. Now I know, thank you. I feel like a sponge here, you guys are wonderful to share your knowledge!

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~Dharlee