Teach Soap

Many times I've read after you pour in the EO/FO make sure not to over stir. What does that mean? Can you really over stir? I thought the more you stir, the thicker the trace. Perhaps over stirring "disperses" the EO/FO too much?? Since I seem to think my scents fade too much, I was just wondering..

I"m also at 5% SF.. maybe since the lye eats EO/FO's.. 7% is more in order?

Overstirring would only cause your soap to get to a thicker trace. It has nothing to do with how much you superfat. EO's with a lower flashpoint (like citrus) tend to fade in soap. It also depends how much scent you use per lb. of oils. Some are stronger that you can use at 0.5 oz. PPO, some are weaker and are used up to 1 oz. PPO. I prefer to add my scent directly to the oils after they have melted and cooled. I don't add anything at trace.

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

You just don't want to get a super thick trace and have to glop your soap into the mold, instead of a nice smooth pour.

I haven't ever had a glop or seize problem.. I get a nice creamy medium trace.. using an average of 2 to 2.5 oz EO per 58.5 ounce batch. I'm just fading is all... I've notice on the same recipe with varying the superfat the scent longevity differs as well.

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

I can give that a shot soapbuddy.. though during the initial first week or so the smell in the house is overwhelming from the curing bars. I can't even imagine how strong it will smell with that much.. LOL

Do you have strong odors around your house from soap?


Another weird one - SPEARMINT. I made the first batch of it with only 2 oz of spearmint. Best smelling batch still smells strong 4 months later. 2nd batch I used 2.5 oz, and scent faded out rather quickly. (Second batch was 5% SF, first batch 6%) both done as CP. Second one was done at non-gel.


Most interesting smelling scent so far: Gingerfish.

Spearmint is pretty strong. With that one you can use 0.5 oz. PPO. When you don't gel, you have a better chance of the scent not fading since it doesn't heat up. % superfat should not make any difference.

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

But the post says 2nd batch was non gel, and it's the onc that faded (if I am reading it right), so the non gel didn't help it?

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

looks like spearmint was used in both batches, and the second batch actually had more

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

Actually I can hold the older batch in one hand and the new faded batch in the other and smell the difference between them..
The only difference between the two batches is the faded one had the least amount of SF, and was done without gelling.. so that's what most perplexing to me.. especially since you say I'm unaffected by SF. /and that non gelling helps preserve it as well..

I'll have to try doing about an 8% and see how the scent performs.. then I can give you a good answer?!

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

I add them at trace.. but I also had this thought last night.. If you CAN reduce EO's for HP because they're not destroyed by the completed soap, then that kind of contradicts the statements of CP won't harm the EO's? Am I just getting confused?

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