Teach Soap

Hello, my name is Jessica. I was unsure if this should go in the newbie forum or Cold Process. Considering it is a cold process topic, I put my money on this subforum. Nice to meet you!

Two nights ago, I tried making my first batch of soap. I got Anne Watson's Smart Soapmaking book from Amazon, all of my utensils and ingredients, and had a blast up until I was ready to pour the soap into the mold. I did two things wrong: I added essential oil on my own accord and I let the temperature drop too much. The soap had thickened nicely in the bottom of my pot before I could get it into the mold. When I tried pouring into the mold, it glopped together and fell apart with the consistency of flan, and my final product reminds me of chopped and abused lasagna noodles. I have attached a picture.

Is this worth rebatching? Since it was my first go, am I even competent enough to rebatch? Opinions/feedback GREATLY appreciated!

Thanks!

What was your recipe? At what temp did you mix your oils and lye? Did you use a stick blender? Which essential oil did you add? Did you run the recipe through a lye calculator first as printed mistakes can happen.
Go to Miller soap. There are some nice recipes there. http://www.millersoap.com/#Soap%20Contents

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

I used Anne's Olive Palm Soap recipe.

18 oz olive oil
12 oz palm kernel oil
9 oz distilled water
4.1 oz lye

I added the lye mixture to the fats at 95 degrees. I used a stick blender for about 2-3 minutes. I got egg nog consistency, added my ever so brilliant Lotus oil, and then tested the temp and it was wavering at 95 still. I was under the impression that it was supposed to rise in temp a few degrees at saponification?

And I didn't run it through the lye calculator.

I would have gone to 110 degrees. Palm kernel has stearic acid which can start to solidify at lower temps. If the Lotus oil was not specifically made for soap, it's possible that you got a seize. Is the Lotus skin safe? I ran your recipe through a lye calc and for that recipe I would have used 11 ozs. of water with 4.2 ozs. of lye.

You could rebatch, but make sure that the Lotus oil that you used is skin safe.

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

Hi! & Welcome, I am also new, and I just made my first batch of soap today, I am nervous as to how it will come out, I am sorry your soap came out this way, it will get better.

OK... that is what I was thinking, more water. And the Lotus oil is skin safe. Thank you so much for your help!

So, I went to start my rebatch process, and when I cut in, the middle is completely smooth. I haven't received my pH strips in the mail yet, but it looks like soap, except for the groovy top -- I am still going to rebatch this one just for the experience.

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

Thanks soapbuddy!

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