Teach Soap

So I was stumbling all over the internet today, and came upon a site, (I cant remember the name) They said that sometimes a T of sugar is added for more cleansing. Is that true? If so, would I put it in my water? Is it necessary? Still no lye, but I did get my molds built today.

It's not used for cleansing, but for more bubbles. I don't use it. Yes, you can put it in your water AFTER the lye water cools off.

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

I usually dissolve the sugar in the water before adding the lye. I add sugar to many of my soap recipes and it seems to increase the bubbly lather. I only use 1 tsp. per pound of oils.

I also add sugar (unless I'm using honey) to my soap, 1 tsp per pound. I've made batches without it and I think the sugar does help with the bubble factor. I use it in my olive oil soaps. I also add salt ( also 1 tsp per pp), to help with the hardness, not sure if it does, but I do it anyway. I add sugar and salt both to my lye water, mix well to dissove and then add my lye.

I tried the sugar to the water and it carmalized when the lye was added. I was going to get some simple bar syrup and try that but keep forgetting. I think I read somewhere that it could also be added to the lye mixture after it cools. Maybe I should do some grocery shopping soon

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Susie
Sometimes A Mistake is so much fun, You just have to do it again!

Would glucose have the same effect as sugar? Maybe it could be melted with oils, or even added to them after the lye. If you were using a sb, it should mix in OK. I've been thinking about using glucose for a while, as my 2 attempts with sugar resulted in spotty soap.

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Suzanne
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid= ... 1135479737
http://stuffandnonsense-essebee.blogspot.com/

Make sure that the sugar is fully dissolved in the water before adding lye or it will harden in the bottom of your solution container.

I mixed and dissolved very well.... still got what looked like spun sugar. Maybe I should have gone to baking school I no longer remember what my concentration was but I would think this might have been part of the issue. I just gave up on the sugar thing. There was so much else to learn.

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Susie
Sometimes A Mistake is so much fun, You just have to do it again!

Thanks guys! I finally got my lye yesterday, then realized I have no stick blender! Getting it today. I think ill be leaving the sugar alone for a while. At least until I get just the basic mixing and pouring down. The amount of notes Ive taken from this site is overwhelming! I need to get them organized or they will be useless

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Susie
Sometimes A Mistake is so much fun, You just have to do it again!

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

I tried sugar in my latest batch--dissolved 1 tsp. sugar per lb. of oil in the water before adding the lye. The lye turned it slightly carmel, but I did not have problems with overheating or a bad smell. I added the lye water while very hot (150 degrees) to my oils (which were at 90 degrees) and the mixture traced and turned into soap--no problems. It is only on day 3 now, but I am hoping that it will produce those nice big bubbles I have seen described on the Internet. This was also my first base with tallow in it, and I also added castor oil, so the lather should be really great. At least that's my dream.

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