Teach Soap

I am so confused!! I have read several soap making books and watched/read all the soap queen blogs and tv and still can't figure what temp is best to cp soap at. Everyone seems to have different suggestions on how hot or cool to soap at. What are the benefits of soaping at high and low temps? I have had my first seize and rice recently and am not sure which way I need to adjust the temp.

This question really stumped me too during my "pre-soaping" research (I've only just made my first 2 batches this week so I'm VERY new to this still).

I read everything from 80F to 110F and UP. But when I made my own soap I aimed for somewhere around 100 ... and I remembered Anne Marie from BB saying somewhere that you always want your oils and lye water to get within something like 10-15 degrees of each other before mixing together. So I think it's more important that the temps are close than exactly WHAT temp you're going with.

That said, with touchy recipes that use say goat's milk you have to be pickier about getting your mixtures to the recommended temps. Otherwise bad things happen to good soapers and all that And I've also read that cocoa butter can act up with graininess I think? Thus some recommend tempering it (I've not run into this ... yet!)

For whatever it's worth from this new soaper, I hope that helps a little.

Karri

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I soap therefore I am.

My temps are close, but they are not exact. I touch the soap pot and the lye pitcher and if they are warmer than my hands (but not hot), I soap them. I would say my temps are right around 110 degrees (US). After a while you will find what works the best for you.

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

I know it can be confusing, especially if you want a pat answer, but it is your preference and your recipe that will determine your soaping temp. And you may even soap some things one way and others, another. Some people soap at room temp and love it. I prefer around 110 or so, but like SB, I dont actually stick in a thermometer. I feel and make sure they are close. To me, that is more important than the temp. So my advice is to try soaping around 110-115 or, if you are using some elses recipe, then use whatever temp they suggest until you get several pots under your belt, then try some different temps with your usual recipe and see the differences. The journey is so much fun, so enjoy and happy soaping!

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Remember, it's not just that we weather the storm, but how we dance in the rain.

Tammy

My first 10 batches or so I was really anxious to get everything exactly right so I checked temps and mixed when the lye & oils were within 5 degrees of each other. Now that I am much more comfortable with the process and my recipes, I do the same as soapbuddy and just feel the pot and lye pitcher with my hand. If I try a new recipe, I'll check the temps just in case.

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

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

I just recently purchased BB's in the swirl pot video. KBShimmer soaps at room temperature but Anne Marie soaps at 135-145 on her SoapQueenTV video. If I made 2 batches of the exact same thing and soap one at the lower temp and one at the higher temp, what would be the difference at the end result? I have been generally soaping at 100-110. I guess I should try that experiment sometime.

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

I almost ALWAYS use lard and/or tallow in my recipes at first because i was so impatient. Now ive grown to love them and dont make much without them. I like it because i can soap around 115-120 and not be a nervous nelly. Now if i have a floral FO i wait until around 100. I think 100-110 is the safe zone for most. Just wait eventually youll be able to touch your pot and just know by the way it feels. Im waiting for that too!

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

What would be the negatives of soaping at room temp? Why is this considered an 'advanced' method?

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

What are the results of a false trace? I had a couple of batches that have what look like oil swirls in them. They are not lye. Could this have been the cause of a false trace? What is the lowest temp you can soap at without getting a false trace? Sorry about all the questions. I switched my base oils and am having some issues I have never dealt with before. I really appreciate any advice!

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

32% each of olive, coconut and palm oil, 4% castor, 5% superfat. I stick blended the lye water (at 104F) and the oils (at 102F). I also used titanium dioxide and BB's white magnolia.

I did another one that is 69% olive oil, 18.5% coconut and 18.5% palm. I stick blended the lye water (98F) and oil (at 105%). The FO was BB's black cherry.

Neither of them are zappy. They both have what looks like oil swirls in the soap but am not sure that is even what it is.