Teach Soap

Hi,
I am trying to make cold process Xmas gift soap from family's rapeseed crop grown here in Ireland, but with little success
Might you please comment where I am going wrong?
I am using the following recipe:

Recipe:
- 130g Caustic Soda
- 330g water
- 20ml (4 Teaspoons) Essential Oils or Fragrant Oil
- 900g filtered but not chemically refined rapeseed oil

Pour the caustic soda into the water and stir well to ensure fully mixed & dissolved.
While the mixture is cooling, I measure the oil
Once both are sitting on 30-40 degrees Celsius, I pour the water mixture into the pot of oil and stir. I have been told to expect the mixture to thicken as I continue to stir it, and as it cools - but it doesn't really thicken at all..
I then add colour &fragrances, etc. Mix again.
Then I begin filling the moulds and cover with a piece of cling wrap.
As I understand it should start to harden after 2-4 days, but 10 days have passed and it has not gone hard.

A friend told me that I need to use palm oil or some other hydrogenated oil, but the whole point is to use Ireland grown oils!
I would be very grateful!

Many thanks

Peter McCloskey
Drogheda
Ireland

Rapeseed has a short shelf life. From my calculations, you have too much lye. I calculated 111 grams of caustic soda.
You won't get much lather, the soap will be soft for a long time. You need a balance of oils for bubbles, conditioning and hardness.
I'm sorry, but this is not a good recipe.

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

Do you have access to lard (rendered pig fat) or tallow (rendered beef fat)? Both of them work beautifully in soap and can be used in place of palm oil.

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