Teach Soap

I just figured out why my soap has been so soft. I was reading the properties of fats that Irena so graciously posted in the READ ME section. My soap is high in lard and olive oil. Lard makes a soft soap and olive makes an initially soft soap. 1+1=2 right? Apparently not in my head LOL oops? Thinking maybe I need to throw some palm back into my recipe! HOPING that will fix my soft soap issue.

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~~Heather~~
Mad [soaping] Scientist

Everywhere I read, it tells me that Lard makes a hard bar of soap. But personally, I just don't find it so. Every batch that I found too soft, has Lard it in. Out of curiosity I went back to OO, CO, PO and CO and voila - perfectly hard bar of soap again.

I also found that my lard bars really lacked the bubble factor. They were more 'work' to use ...

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

I find if I use a high % of lard, it makes my soap soft and sometimes a little sticky. Yes Coolah, lard doesn't offer much in the bubbleage factor.

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

This is exactly what I have been finding! The outside will be nice and firm so I cut it... and the middle is soft and super sticky. I've been using 35% lard. Not to reformulate my basic recipe. Ah, the learning curve! Can't wait to get my palm in a nice microwavable BB bag! So much easier than the plastic tub I have now.

I too had read that lard made a harder bar, that's why I decided to use the 35%. I need a cane so I can shake it at wherever I read that hehe

*bonks self*

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~~Heather~~
Mad [soaping] Scientist

Yeah same - I replaced my Palm + a bit more and had my Lard sitting around the 40% mark! Same result as you - firm on the outside, soft and sticky on the inside.

Thinking I might try again with just 15% Lard to replace the Palm straight out from my first 'newbie' recipe.
So that would be 50% OO, 15% CO, Lard and Shea Butter and 5% Castor Oil...

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

Thinking I will go with:

35% olive
20% cocnut
20% palm
15% lard
5% shea (or something else, maybe grapeseed or jojoba)
5% castor

Will have to play around with it in SoapMaker first though. See what the graph turns up. Although my old recipe (35% olive, 35% lard, 20% coconut, 5% castor and 5% shea or more olive) showed it would be quite a hard bar. I guess they meant after curing LOL

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~~Heather~~
Mad [soaping] Scientist

I wish palm wasn't so controversial >< It brings so much to the soap bar.

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

I wouldn't use grapeseed or jojoba instead of the shea.

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

I'd stick with the shea, too. It helps make the soap harder. Jojoba's so expensive, I'd leave that for leave on products.

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Genny

Just not sure I have the 5% shea left, even for one batch!

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~~Heather~~
Mad [soaping] Scientist

OK - I'm defending LARD!!!!
My main recipe uses 37% lard & 32% olive oil, along with coconut and castor oils. I gel my soap and I don't have a problem with soft or sticky bars. I usually cut my soap within 24 hours after it cools.

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

I am going to have to vote with Linda. Just looking at some of my notes I will use an average of 30% lard. One batch for Christmas I did 35% and it turned out to be my favorite! The one batch that gave me problems I only did 18% lard and my OO was 50%. Now that one was soft and is currently in "time out" in the basement. Thinking it is going to need a 2 month cure. In the end I am sure it will be nice hard soap, just need to be patient.

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Susie
Sometimes A Mistake is so much fun, You just have to do it again!

I made an experimental batch with lard, it was 30% I think, and it was pretty firm. The soap was really great for conditioning. Huge amounts of lather. Unfortunately I am unable to obtain refined lard - the stuff comes from the butcher and is a tan colour and smells strongly of pig. So did the soap . . . enough said!

I havent made anything with lard yet - much too good roasting potatoes to waste it on soap
However, could you not add in, say, 5% cocoa butter to firm the bars up a little?

Adam S

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