Teach Soap

Just wanted to thank everyone for their assistance while I was trying to learn CP soap. Unfortunately I just don't think I'm capable of making it, so I'm just going to have to be happy with MP soap for now.

I did as advised and went right back to the beginning. I used my first recipe. I used Water instead of goat's milk. I had no colours, no fragrances, nothing.

And I still failed. I just don't know what I'm doing wrong, and I don't even know what to google or search for to help understand what I'm doing wrong. I think it's time to just pack it in. I'll call my first batch a lucky first time attempt and leave it at that...

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The Soapinatrix! *whip-crack*
- Posting the trials and tribulations of my Soaping Journey!

Don't give up hun! I know you can figure this out and get perfect soap! I have confidence in you =D

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~~Heather~~
Mad [soaping] Scientist

Coolah, please don't give up. There's lots of us on this forum who have many years of soapmaking behind us, and I, for one, am always glad to help. Kind of regard it as a mystery to be solved, truthfully. And I hate to think of all the wonderful soap you'll miss making if you throw in the towel.

Is the picture you posted the last soap? And you used no fragrance of any kind?

What was your recipe, including your lye and water amount? At what temperature did you combine your lye and oils? What was your superfat? Did you pour it in the mold at a light, medium, or heavy trace? What kind of mold is it? How long did you leave it in the mold before taking it out?

Do you use a stick/immersion blender?

(You may not know what questions to ask, but us "old-timers" do! )

Anita

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

*lifts head of desk* Ok...

Recipe:
Olive - 388grams (I sneezed and overpoured)
Castor - 46g
Coconut - 200g
Lard - 250g

Lye - 122g
Water - 300g
Superfat - 5%

Water/Lye Temp: 50 Celsius
Oils Temp: 50 Celsius

Fragrance: None
Colour: None

Traced in 5 minutes. Poured beatifully.
Poured Temp: 42
Sitting in front of fan.

Poured at Medium Trace. Stick Blended. Silicone mold from Crafters Choice. Left it in just a little under 24 hours. Was cool to the touch, put it in the freezer for half an hour before unmolding.

_________________
The Soapinatrix! *whip-crack*
- Posting the trials and tribulations of my Soaping Journey!

This is what I went off btw:

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The Soapinatrix! *whip-crack*
- Posting the trials and tribulations of my Soaping Journey!

Do me a favor Coolah; check your olive oil bottle and tell me if it's imported and if so, from which countries?

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

Yup - Produced and Packed in Spain.

Point of note - this is DIFFERENT Olive Oil to what I used in the first batch I think. First batch I just bought a little 1 liter bottle. When I got success, and realised how much I used, I went and got the 4 liter one...

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The Soapinatrix! *whip-crack*
- Posting the trials and tribulations of my Soaping Journey!

Can you get a shot of the part of the label that lists the ingredients?

Anita

This is going to sound ditzy... but I can't find anywhere that lists ingredients. Just says 100% Pure on it...

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The Soapinatrix! *whip-crack*
- Posting the trials and tribulations of my Soaping Journey!

A lot of countries blend their own olive oils for import, even though it shows only one country on the bottle or can. Can you get a bottle of olive oil from another brand and try again? Your soap should not have been as soft as in the pic, even if you didn't gel.

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

Yeah I can pick up another bottle when I go the shops next...

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The Soapinatrix! *whip-crack*
- Posting the trials and tribulations of my Soaping Journey!

That's what my first batch was like after 24 hours too! Took a couple days to firm up enough to cut, and it still smooshed a little in the middle.

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~~Heather~~
Mad [soaping] Scientist

That's okay - if it does actually say 100% that's a good think. I'm guessing Irena and I were thinking the same thing, that your olive oil might be a blend, but it does seem to be pure olive oil.

Anita