Teach Soap

Ok, So i've seen a lot of talk about Sodium Lactate, but have never looked into using it.

Today, I watched a Youtube video where someone used 3%, and it made their 1 pound batch/loaf hard enough to unmold (silicone mold) within an hour. (WOW)

What are the Pro's and Con's of using Sodium Lactate? Does it really help make lather more creamy?

This article was pretty informational: ,

I just purchased some myself from BB a couple of weeks ago, mainly because I saw it mentioned as a possible lotion ingredient. But I, too, have seen others mention it as an agent to harden soap. Haven't tried it in soap (or lotion!) yet, but would love to hear others' opinions and experiences. I know Irena mentioned that she uses it and it helps her with unmolding her soaps.

_________________
Carrie
Wife to my Best Friend and Homeschool mom to 7 beautiful gifts

I looooooove sodium lactate. It definitely helps with unmolding from silicone tons, and I only use it at about 1% or less. I hadn't heard anything about making lather creamier, but I guess it makes sense since it's a humectant like that link said. (I did not know that!)

I know I've seen on Oil & Butter blog (she posts here on the forums some) that she adds it to her HP cook to help produce a smoother soap, and I believe it cuz she has the smoothest HP soap I have ever seen!

Supposedly it will speed up trace, but I've not ever really noticed that.

I have used a salt water concentrate to help with hardening a few times when I was out of sodium lactate, and that works really well too. I warm up about 3 oz of water with 2-3 teaspoons of salt in the microwave in a cup and stir till it's all dissolved then weigh it in as part of my liquid amount. I have tried adding salt straight to my lye water after mixing it before, and the salt just didn't seem to dissolve well. Obviously not the same benefits as sodium lactate, but if it's just the extra hardness you need, it works.

_________________
Laura<3

I use it at 1% of my recipe. It does seem to speed trace a bit.

I've used it at 1% and I've also used 1 tsp. salt PPO added to the lye water. Both work.

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

I use it at 1 to 1.5%. It doesn't accelerate trace for me. I find if I use it at a higher %, the soap can get crumbly.

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

Thanks for the shout-out Laura! I was skeptical that SL would make much difference, but it did. I use it in my HP soaps at 3%, and it makes my HP fluid enough that I can pour, rather than glop, my soap into the mold. It makes unmolding way easier too. I haven't noticed it speeding up trace at all.

I haven't tried it in CP yet, but I'm hoping it will help with unmolding. I may try it at a lower percentage first if it tends to make bars crumbly as the others have said.

_________________
Soap Blog:

Ok, so it seems there aren't really any "Cons" other than crumbly soap and accelerated trace if you use too much.

I have it on my next NG order.(BB is $1.21 more)

I use SL in every batch now, 1-3% depending on the mold I'm using. 3% is for crafter's choice silicone loaf as I always have issues unmolding that darn thing! I've never had it accelerate trace *knock on wood*. I've added it to my cooled lye water, or to my oils. Seems to work just as well either way! I can't comment on any changes to lather because I started using mango butter in my soaps at the same time... they do have a much nicer lather, but I don't know if that's from the SL or the mango butter, or both!

_________________
~~Heather~~
Mad [soaping] Scientist

I thought the same thing Heather, I dunno if it's the SL or the silk that has improved my soap's lather, so I decided not to testify to either hehe.

_________________
Laura<3

I use SL in every batch. I LOVE it. Apart from hardening up the soap faster for unmolding and cutting, it also makes the soap last longer in the shower and produces and overall harder bar.

From: http://www.ingredientstodiefor.com/item.php?item_id=145

Sodium Lactate, a 60% concentration in water, is the sodium salt of natural L(+)-Lactic Acid, produced through the fermentation of sugar, an AHA that occurs everywhere in nature and is a natural moisturizing factor (NMF) constituent of skin. Sodium Lactate is a superior moisturizer, increasing the moisture content of skin by up to 90%. When compared to other commonly used moisturizers, it's water holding capacity is second only to Sodium Hyaluronate (Hyaluronic Acid), as referenced by the table below.

Sodium Lactate is an edible material that has been used for decades in the meat-packing industry because it effectively forces cells to hold water.

It is a mild, multifunctional ingredient that offers the following benefits in formulations:

Reduces irritation potentail and increases efficacy of Alpha and Beta Hydroxy Acids
Makes oils and butters less greasy and more moisturizing because it lengthens the carbon chain of oils
Significantly increases and accelerates the action (particularly the skin lightening action) of Vitamin C and its derivatives
Antimicrobial action helps facilitate product preservation
In production of bar soaps, use of Sodium Lactate will result in bigger yield, faster cure times, and improved product aesthetics/performance
Having a very slick, emollient, almost oily feel, Sodium Lactate can be used to reduce tack and improve skin feel of aqueous systems in which oils or esters could not be used
Because of it's water binding capacity and emollient feel, makes a fabulous component of salon "cutting lotions" or detanglers
Dramatically improved moisture content of skin even when utilized in rinse-off products.

TABLE ONE:: Water Holding Capacity of Several Moisturizers:

Sodium Hyaluronate:: 388.
Sodium Lactate:: 84.
Sodium PCA:: 60.
Glycerin:: 40.
Sorbitol:: 21.

_________________
The Soapinatrix! *whip-crack*
- Posting the trials and tribulations of my Soaping Journey!

Oooh, good find Coolah. Makes me want to change up all my Etsy shop descriptions haha!!

_________________
Laura<3

_________________
Carrie
Wife to my Best Friend and Homeschool mom to 7 beautiful gifts

From my understanding you can't unless you get your soaps tested to prove that the ingredients used still produce those qualities in the finished product. That's why you can't make claims that for example your soap is calming and aids sleep just because you include Lavender EO in it.

I could be wrong though.

_________________
The Soapinatrix! *whip-crack*
- Posting the trials and tribulations of my Soaping Journey!