Teach Soap

Alrighty now,
Made a big batch this time (16 bars) ...
Decided to go with the honey again but this time only went
with 2 tbsn honey to 60 oz oils (3lb 12 oz) ....

I wanted "white" with purple swirls (pot swirl) but it didn't work out that way.
The honey seeped to surface in small beads, I put it under fan for a day and they subsided quite a bit, the rest I smoothed down with finger and eventually everything worked out ok.
Learned to "NOT" scrap out remaining pot on top = looked messed up .....
The only really "white bars I have been able to make was with lard and lye, but that got DOS and I don't care for DOS. Any recomendations as to how to get a really white bar without using lard ???
Critique welcomed ............
Tx Yu ...

Honey won't give you white bars. Unless you are adding your superfats after the cook, There is no guarantee that your shea butter will end up as your superfat. Lye at trace is still very active and it will take whatever it wants. Add all your oils and butters right into the soap calc and calculate everything right up front. When are you adding the honey and are you mixing it with a little bit of water first?

If you want blindingly white bars, do a 100% coconut with a 20% superfat. I don't use palm oil at all. For a regular recipe, coconut oil at higher then 20%, my skin finds drying. I get gray with ultramarine violet, so I no longer use it. For purple, I use LabColors.

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

Let me get this straight = 100% coconut oil superfatted at 20% ....... nothing else .....
But, over 20% it is drying to the skin ????

I just dumped everything in together, added the lye and mixed/poured .....
I think I'm done with the honey = had to find out, etc, etc (threw Hony Soap I in the trash = never wanted to harden up)

Tx Yu ....

Back to the drawing board .....

Yes. 100% coconut oil superfatted at 20% ....... nothing else .....is fine.
But, over 20% in a regular soap is very drying to my skin.
I'm not sure why. It could be the 20% superfat.
If you decide to try honey again, dilute it with some water first, then add it when your oils and lye water are mixed, but before a thick trace.
Good luck on your next batch.

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

Tx Yu ............

Yeah, you won't get WHITE soap with honey. The sugars carmelize and make your soap tan.

I actually think this batch is really pretty!

IMO, I think you need to adjust your expectations down a bit. Sometimes you will get exactly what you were going for. But sometimes not. Try to appreciate your soap for what it IS, and don't be disappointed b/c it's not exactly what you pictured.

Lard is not known for being DOS prone like some oils (canola, soy, etc). Perhaps try lard again.


You can also use titanium dioxide.

I think those purple swirls are beautiful, too! Even if you couldn't get the white quite right, it's a very pretty soap!

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Olivia :)

Tx's guys,
Yep, am somewhat shellshocked after getting DOS with lard ......
The bars I made with lard/lye came out super pretty white, then .........
At least I can truthfully call this batch "honey" soap ....
I've kinda got it in my mind that I indeed do want "white" as a base color,
then do my color work from there ......
Still trying to find my ideal base recipe etc, etc, etc .........

Started bathing with my "pine tar" soap last night = great stuff,
is brown in color but lather is white = super great ......

I think they look beautiful even if it isn't white. I think i'd like it more than pure white!