Teach Soap

Hi there! Long time reader, first time poster. I have been making soap for about a year now. Other than my own forgetfulness (you must add fragrance before pouring soap! It's awful when you think you have a great drop swirl going only to realize the fragrance you are smelling isn't coming from the soap but the jar of fragrance next to you), my soaps have come out very nice. I had even created a recipe or two of my own for Christmas gifts and was very proud of myself when they came out just as planned.

That being said, my aunt absolutely fell in love with my honey soap recipe. I decided to make another batch for her on January 1, 2017. I thought I did everything the same, with the exception of soaping a bit cooler (around 90 degrees Fahrenheit) because I didn't want the honey to overheat the batch. The soap feels spongy though. It has been unmolded and curing for 3 1/2 months. It still feels a bit tacky, like I unmolded it yesterday; and it's not soft enough to mold by hand or anything but it feels like it has a lot of give to it when I squeeze it. My recipe was:

Castor Oil 8.57% (3 oz)
Coconut Oil 28.57% (10 oz)
Olive Oil 34.29% (12 oz)
Grapeseed Oil 5.71% (2 oz)
Avocado Oil 8.57% (3 oz)
Canola Oil 14.29% (4 oz)
Lye 4.90 oz
Distilled Water 11.20 oz

At trace, I added 2 tbsp. of honey mixed with 2 tbsp. of water (discounted from the original amount) to make it easier to incorporate. And yes, I know that some of the oils seem kind of random. The recipe was based on what I had left in my stock. As I was soaping for pure enjoyment and gifts only, I didn't have a lot of special oils on hand.

Any help is appreciated! Thanks!

Castor Oil, Grapeseed Oil, Avocado Oil and Canola Oils are all soft oils. 2 tbsp. of honey is too much for that size recipe. 1 TBS is enough.
My bet on why the soaps still feels tacky and is spongy is because of the honey.

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

Thank you soapbuddy. Maybe I used less honey the first time I made it. The first batch firmed right up. Maybe I'll try adjusting the recipe or adding beeswax to harden it a bit.