Teach Soap

Hellloooooo!

What is the idea balance of unsaturated vs saturated fats (on soap calc) so that soap does not set up or trace to fast? In addition to my other "issues", I am noticing my soap with 40% olive oil (and 55% soft oils) traces in like 2 minutes and is pudding in 3.

Lisa

I think other contributing factor is your temp and water to lye ratio also. My standard recipe traces in about 25 minutes when mixing with a wire whisk. If I use the stick blender and just "pulse" a few times it goes to a med trace much faster. Depending on the EO or FO, I've ended up with "soap on a stick" a few times because of the rapid trace. I've noted that this same recipe with trace much faster if I soap at 115 degrees instead of 85 degrees. I know recipes with a lot of soft oils take forever to trace.....but then so does olive oil. I try to stay away from too many softies in the same recipe because of the humid climate of my area makes DOS a problem.

Thanks. I always soap between 100-110 (100 when I am dealing with a funky FO) so I feel like that is low enough. I may have a slight addiction to my stick blender as I am in a full trace so fast. I just it for about 5 seconds when I pour in the lye, stir for another minute, another 5 with the SB, stir for another minute and then I am there. ... ...at pudding.

Even when I don't use the SB, I am in trace in 15 minutes or less and really can't go thur pouring an entire funnel soap without gloppy pudding at about 2/3 into my pour.

Lisa

My batches trace at less than 5 minutes with the SB on and off then hand stirring in between. I soap at around 110 degrees.

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

Like Soapbuddy, mine are around 5 minutes, maybe a little more. My favorite recipies give me a little more time, but I have a couple with the "right" FO they trace w/a spoon within minutes, no SB required...

What does the sat:unsat ratio even mean? I noticed most of my recipes are at a 45:55 ratio. Can someone clue me in? Thanks!

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ween rules

I would also like an explanation of sat vs unsaturated fats as I think that is a contributing factor (in addition to temp and sb use) for a fast trace. I just wish I had like 8 minutes vs. 4 or 5!