Teach Soap

Hello,

I made my first liquid soap. Due to not family with the procedure, I am not sure the soap is fully saponified(though the PH of the finalized liquid is tested neutrally after I added citric acid. And the soap do generate lather and wash away dirt and oil on skin).

My question is if the soap is not fully saponified(or let say if we use a not fully saponified soap), what will effect our skin? Thanks in advance!

Erica

How was the soap processed? What do you consider not saponified? Not cooked?

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

With Paste Method(H.P.) as mentioned in Catherine Failor "liquid soap" book. What brought me the doubt is that the paste when cooked(the over 3 hours cook), the paste didn't become translucent(it might be caused by the deep color herb water mixed with lye beforehand?).

main process as following:
1. Stir the lye & oil pot: I used hand and electric blender for almost 2 hours.
2. Store the above thicken "paste" for 2 days(maybe too long?)
3. Cook the paste in doube boiler for over 3 hours (Catherin Failor said translucent means nautrlized, and mine paste was not)
4. Dilute the Soap: Bring water to a boil, add the paste. The paste was hard to disslove(though it finally did) and the pot is full with foam.
5. Neutralize the soap with citric acid.

I don't have that book, so I don't know what the recipe is. If I was you, I would go to Summer Bee meadow lye calculator, click to box that says liquid soap. Input your recipe there and see if there is any difference in measurements. I find this calculator for liquid soap very accurate. http://www.summerbeemeadow.com/SitePage ... ators.html
I don't use citric acid in my liquid soap at all.

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

I don't think it would matter to much if it is not fully saponified, as long as the lye is gone. It may not be clear or last as long but should still work. I am not sure why it took 2 hours to trace. I heat my oils to about 160 and add my lye/water mix to the warm oil. Crank the heat up and stick blend till trace, usually about 10 to 15 min. Once traced I cook right away for 3 hours plus. I most of the time get something sorta clear, always is with what is left on the spoon. I dilute right away as well, add borax then let it set for 2 weeks. Then add whatever to finish it up. I hope this helps.

Bruce

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www.homebrewsoaps.etsy.com

How to make sure tthe lye is gone? when trace is shown or PH test or...?

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

How to make sure the lye is gone? when trace is shown or PH test or...?

I use a phenolphthalein solution to test mine. I know there is a page or two about this in the book you have. It is an accurate way to tell if all your lye is gone. I have read that ph strips may not be real accurate. I purchased my phe. sol. from a bio-diesel supply house. If you can't find any PM me and I'll tell you the www for some. Also that book teaches you to go +10% on the lye, I refigure the recipes and go +2% on the lye. My reason for this is what good qualities do you get from borax or other for your skin or hair? I want less in my recipes.

Bruce

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www.homebrewsoaps.etsy.com

If you need a PH meter, I would suggest you get the one from Jen at http://www.Lotioncrafter.com

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