Teach Soap

Hi, everybody!

I'm waiting for my supplies to arrive so I can try CP soaping for the first time. I've read lots of books and watched lots of videos, and I hope I'm ready. I'm a little nervous, but plan to keep it simple starting out.

Anyway, I wanted to ask you guys about using and storing palm oil. I know that palm oil tends to separate out and I need to melt down the entire amount and mix/shake it up before I use it each time. I have a 7-pound bag coming from BB, and I'm hoping it comes in the microwavable/boilable (is that a word?) bag like on SQTV. Is it okay to nuke the entire bag each time I need palm oil, take what I need, and then leave the remaining palm oil in the bag until the next time? It may take me a while to get through 7 pounds (I'm wondering if I got too much, but the price was so darn good) and I wondered if it was okay to put it through multiple remelts and just store it in its original bag. Once I settle on a favorite recipe, I can portion it out into containers, but until then I may experiment with different recipes and different amounts of palm.

Also, are there any tricks to working with coconut oil? I know it can get liquidy in hot weather (especially the 76 degree variety), but does it need to be mixed up like palm, or can i just glop it out and be good to go?

Finally, I have some shea butter that I got about 6 months ago. I stored it in some plastic wrap and a plastic ziploc bag at room temp at the back of a dark drawer. It still looks and smells okay. Think it's still good to use?

Thanks, everybody!

_________________
- Jenny -
My soapy blog:
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To answer your questions:

Yes, no, no, yes, no, yes and yes.

Just kidding.
The shea butter should be fine if it was kept in a cool dark place.....kinda like a bat.

You can renuke the bag of palm oil over and over without worry. The palm oil will not break down by microwave. However, the structural integrity of the bag may begin to deteriorate over time and break. I keep mine in old crisco containers. The store brand of crisco comes in a nice all-plastic tub with a lid. I Use a paint mixer and electric drill to mix it when it arrives in a 5 gallon bucket, then pour it into separate containers and immediately stick it in the fridge to solidify. It's mixed well when it becomes solid and I just scoop out what I need for the recipe.

The coconut oil doesn't need to be mixed up. I personally don't like working with liquified coconut. I keep mine in the house in the AC in the summer and rather use an ice scream scoop. Beats having to hoist the 5 gallon bucket to pour. If you don't like working with the liquid coconut....you can get the 92 degree that doesn't melt as easily. It's exacly the same with identical sap numbers....just a little more solid.

And don't be nervous making your first batch. Now repeat after me: "I'm having fun now, I'm having fun now, I'm having fun now"

I just tried my first batch last nite. It was not as bad as I was expecting. Everyone here was a great help and I am glad I joined. The hard part for me was getting the lye water and oils to the exact same temperature. I can see where a infrared themometer would be a good thing to have. I have seen them at the hardware store but they are like $40. For now I will just use my meat thermometer that is just for soap. Please post again tomorrow and let us know how you did. I am curious how other soapers feel about their first batch.

On the west coast we have a retailer called Harbor Freight and Tool. With a coupon you can get an infared for about $30. Do yourself a big favor and get one even if you have to pay $40

Agreed. Harbor Frieght is where I purchased mine. It's an investment you wont regret.

The oils and lye don't have to be the "exact" same temp as long as they are within about 5-10 degrees of each other it's ok (at least it has been for all of my batches so far!)

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

Thanks for the replies, everybody!

SuperSoaper, I was wondering, too, if the bag would eventually break down with repeated heatings. I like your idea of portioning it off into containers and putting them in the fridge, especially if the palm oil will stay well-mixed as a chilled solid and I can just scoop what I need. That way, I don't have to put an exact, pre-planned amount into the container.

ArmourSoap, congrats on your first batch! It's good to know that it's not as complicated as it can seem sometimes. I don't know if you can tell, but I tend to overthink details and get myself all wrapped around the axle. (I know you're collecting idioms, SuperSoaper, so that one was for you - enjoy.) My supplies probably won't get to me before the middle of next week, and I probably won't have the chance to soap before the week after that, but when I do I'll post the results, good or bad!

And I agree with everyone on the infrared thermometer - I love mine. I got it at Lowe's for $30-something. It is definitely worth the investment.

Thanks again, everyone! (And you're right, SuperSoaper, sometimes I do have to remind myself that I am supposed to be having fun! )

_________________
- Jenny -
My soapy blog:
Follow me on my

Very glad it this information helps. And thanks for the idiom!!!! Definitely one I haven't heard before.

I really wish I had found this place before I wasted some much on "trial & error" making my soap without any references. There's a good group of people here. "Birds of a feather, stick together".

JRose something to watch if you nuke the bag, it'll build up pressure inside the bag if the lid is on tight. Heat expands. Loosening the lid and keeping the bag upright will keep it from exploding. Speaking of exploding, has anybody ever put an egg in the microwave?? It's ok until you open the door.

No wonder my mother has gray hair.

Hey Armoursoap, Harbor Freight is on the web when you are ready to get that thermometer, but I think there is one in your neck of the woods too. Idioms abound.

Thank you Dave. May get one with my next paycheck. Nice to meet another guy here. I did not realize it was such a bi-gender hobby. This is great! I looked at the one on their website before replying and I see one for $36. I have to admit that to keep dipping, waiting, wiping, dipping and waiting was a pain. I think I am going to splurge on Tuesday and get one!!

Supersoaper putting eggs in microwaves. I bet you made your poor mother crazy!

Had to look up the "bi-gender" meaning.....still not sure I understand.

I don't think bi gender is actually a word. But is should be because both root words make sense. Bi means "both" or "two" (get your mind out of the gutter Dave) and gender....well we all know what that means. So it means both genders right?

Dave love the signature line. Had to read it a couple times to grab the idiom. Sometimes I think you're right about that.

O.K. I guess I get it. And I blame you for the signature line and the influx of idioms around here in general. "I've had it up to here" with idioms.

Without speaking in iambic pentameter, I didn't mean to upset the apple cart. Sorry.

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