Teach Soap

Hello guys. Hello Anne-Marie... I encountered problem in my first batch.. actually i dont have idea at all in this field. I only relied on research thru internet. So when i did my first batch, am so disappointed with the results, it is because the texture is not fine like milk evap, it is somewhat like granular. I dont know why?

My query is: if i want to make papaya soap, do i use the papaya extract as substitute to water where we dilute lye? or i have to dilute lye in water and just add later the papaya extract... Please help me guys.. your advices and suggestions are much appreciated....

How much papaya extract are you using. If it is just a couple of tsp., add it at thin trace. If it is papaya nectar and you are using several ounces, I would substitute it for part of the water and add it at thin trace also.

@lsg: so you mean, you will not use the papaya nectar as solvent for your lye? is that what you mean lsg? if that so, what would be the fluid you will be using to dissolve or to dilute lye prior mixing it into the oil...

Water is your best medium to dissolve you lye.

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

@soapbuddy: Sorry guys this many questions. Im really new in this soap making particularly in cold process method. On the other hand, i did some research and i watched the online video posted by Anne-Marie. With that, it gives me basic knowledge. I saw there also the processes on how to calculate the required lye as presented in their SAP chart. so im confident now as to the exactness of lye in my recipe. Even the required water as solvent fluid for lye, i also learned it from Anne-Maries blogs and her ads posted.

BUT MY DILEMMA NOW IS THAT, "IF I WANT TO ADD NECTAR (STILL FLUID) FROM FRUITS OR HERBS CONCOCTION". WHAT SHALL I DO WITH THE WATER, DO I NEED TO REDUCE THE WEIGHT OF THE WATER AND ADD THE WEIGHT OF NECTAR OR CONCOCTION?

LIKE FOR EXAMPLE...IF THE WEIGHT OF WATER NEEDED FOR MY BATCH, SHALL WE SAY 6 OUNCES. AND I ALSO PREPARED 3 OUNCES OF PAPAYA NECTAR TO MAKE PAPAYA SOAP. MY QUESTIONS WOULD BE:

1) DO I REDUCE THE WATER FROM 6 TO 3 OUNCES AND ADD THE 3 OUNCES OF PAPAYA NECTAR DURING TRACE?
2) OR I WILL STILL USE THE 6 AND ADD LATER THE 3 OUNCES OF PAPAYA NECTAR DURING TRACE, IN THIS CASE, THE TOTAL WEIGHT OF FLUIDS IS NOW 9 OUNCES.
3) OR I WILL PREPARE 6 OUNCES OF PAPAYA NECTAR (NO MORE WATER) AND USE THIS PURELY AS A SOLVENT FLUID FOR MY LYE?

WHAT IS THE RIGHT PROCEDURE IN THE NUMBERS ABOVE... IF NONE OF THE ABOVE, PLEASE ADVICE ME GUYS... THANK YOU IN ADVANCE...

TO SOAPBUDDY: I HAVE NO REALLY PREFERENCE AT ALL IN TERMS OF MEDIUM TO DISSOLVING LYE. ---I DONT KNOW IF IM RIGHT IN SAYING THIS... BUT EITHER WATER OR PURE NECTAR, ITS FINE WITH ME FOR AS LONG AS THAT IS THE RIGHT PROCEDURE.

If you need let's say 6 ozs. of water, I would mix the lye with 5 ozs. and add the rest (1 oz.) as fluid nectar. I would not use strictly nectar to mix with your lye. Since it has natural sugars, it could make your lye water overflow your container, or start caramelizing the natural sugars. Stick with water to dissolve your lye and add any nectar or juice in a small amount.

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

@soapbuddyt: ok, copy..it made me clarify my dilemma. thanks a lot soapbuddy. i will redo it and feedback you later the results. Thank you as well to lsg for your advices...

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

Hello guys. this is the result of my second batch after i incorporated all suggestions. see attached image... You can see in the attached image the 2 color of bap soap. the orange one (we named that here as PAPAYA SOAP).. I bought that here in our market while the oak white is mine (that is the result of my second batch.). I tried to post that here it is because what i really want for now is, i could also make soap like the ORANGE ONE.. When i compare that two, the orange one is more fine in terms of texture compared to my recipe. What would be the possible reasons. Please help me guys...See my recipe and procedures below so that can related and see where are the errors in my recipe...

Here's how i made my batch...

Ingredients:
Coastic Soda 2.963 oz
Coconut oil 14.110 oz
palm oil 3.527 oz
Water 4.586 pz
Cucumber extract 1.411 oz
papaya 3/4 cup... (what i did here is, i just blend it. not the nectar really)
essential oil (lavender oil) 0.317 oz

My procedure was:
1) I measured all ingredients
2) I dissolved lye into 4.856 oz water
3) I heated the oils (coconut and palm oils)
4) when both lye-water solution and oils temperature goes down to 115 degree F, i poured lye-water solution to oil.
5) when trace found, i added the 1.411 oz cucumber extract, essential oil. After these latter two ingredients fully dissolve to the mixture, i added the papaya (blended).
6) When the mixture is sticky but pourable, i poured it in my soap mold. at this time, is just used cardboard lined with wax paper..I will just improve it when i have a perfect recipe...

Please help me guys...

THANKS..
JOSEPH D. RICO

Joseph,
Before I evaluate your recipe I have a question for you. Do have a scale that's accurate enough to handle three numbers past the decimal point? You should have also weighed the papaya. 3/4 cup is quite a bit for that size batch.

Instead of using ounces, I would convert your ingredients to grams for a more accurate measure.

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

@soapbuddy: yes i have soapbuddy. actually i used grammes as my means of measuring the weight of my recipe. i just convert it to ounces just for presenting here. coz i know you are using ounces as your measurement..Like for example: coconut oil - 14.110 oz, that is equivalent to 400g...while coastic soda - 2.963 oz, that is 84g... thats the way i measured my ingredients soapbuddy.. And i think you're right by saying "the papaya is a bit for my recipe". It is because, i prepare that 3/4 cup but i divided it into two.. 1) 1/2 cup and the 1/3 cup is in the other container..When i added the first 1/2 cup... the texture is yet fine.. but when i added the other 1/3 cup of papaya. I noticed already changes in the mixture...the texture became rough...

By the way soapbuddy, is it ok though i did not get the juice of papaya, i used the blended one instead? when we say blended, it is just similar to smashed papaya....

I'm glad to hear that you used grams. When I'm testing a new fragrance I use grams also.
When you use blended papaya instead of just the juice you might get some strings from the pulp in your soap. So some bars might not be completely smooth.

For that size batch, you could have used 2.88 oz. of lye, for a 7% superfat. According to soap calc you would need 4 to 7 ozs. of liquid. Your water and the cucumber extract equal to 5.997 ozs. So depending what the weight of the mashed papaya is, it's possible that this batch might start out soft.

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

@soapbuddy: Thanks soapbuddy for your suggestion.

With your suggested weight of lye and the water + cucumber extract, if u r the one how did this batch what would be the weight of your mashed papaya..

@soapbuddy: thank you so much for your suggestions. its really help me a lot making my batch perfect. Am so glad now with the result of my 3rd batch.. its already fine and smooth. As well as the color, it like really a ripe papaya.

I tried your suggested weight of lye, 2.88 oz and for water, i use the 7 oz. 3.5 oz water, 3.5 oz cucumber extract and 1.764g papaya juice ( I really tried to get juice only to make my batch pulp free. Now its great, has a very good result..Thanks again soapbuddy.

By the way, how could i order soap materials here.. coluorants, fragrances. Im from Davao City, Philippines...

Any idea guys.... Thanks again.

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