Teach Soap

Does anything happen to the soap (separates, needs a longer cure time, etc.) when it's made at less than 87 degrees? I've tried all kinds of temperatures above but want to make sure it's ok to go below. Is it ok to go at 75 degrees or 55 degrees, etc.?

The oils I'm trying are:
Coconut 76 degrees
Palm Oil
Pomace
Castor
Goat milk powder

Thank you so much!

The lower you go the more chance you can get a false trace and/or lye pockets. I would not go at 55 degrees. What is your ambient room temp?

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

The room temperature is pretty average. About 69 I guess?

I've thought about going lower but just want to make sure it isn't a bomb first! I've never gone below about 84 degrees F. 55 sounds pretty chilly so I won't need to try that.

Thanks!

Coconut 76 degree melts at above 76 degrees. If you go lower, there is a chance you will not reach a true trace as the solid oil will have a harder time interacting with the lye.
I normally soap at approximately 110 degrees (give or take) as I go by the feel of my hands on the soap pot and the lye pitcher.

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

I mix my oils + lye water at 120 degrees or higher, but always making sure that the two are close in temperature to each other.

I agree with the others that mixing them at a low temperate can cause false tracing along with very little time to work with the soap (adding in fragrance/essential oils, colours, patterns, etc.).

I have been having a heck of a time keeping a thin trace in order to do swirls. I've read that lower temps mean slower trace, but then an instructor told me to soap at 110 degrees, and a post here said low temp means little time to work with the batter. I made three identical batches, with the only solid oils being palm and coconut, The one I mixed at at 85 degrees was so thick I could barely get the dividers out of the mold to make a very goopy swirl. At 108 degrees I got a better swirl and at 112 it was even thinner (but not thin enough). Any tips out there for keeping a thin trace and making sure it's slow moving so I can swirl?

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