My batch instantly traced. please help...

Slamscape

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Jul 24, 2021
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Im new to this. My first batch came out great using just olive oil and coconut oil.
Today I tried making my second batch with the image below. Put a bunch more money into it since it wasnt the first test run. But whenI poured the lye water into the melted oils. the batch turned hard faster than I could do one rotation around the bowl with the food processor. =(
the bowl was still hot like crazy. maybe the extra heat sped up the reaction?

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ChemicalPyros

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Nov 4, 2019
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Hello @Slamscape,
Your formula seems to contain a little too much butters. Usually, the ratio of Cocoa butter and Shea Butter should not go above 5%, in some extreme cases it can go up to 10%. Your contain 40% in total, which amounts to a lot in terms of soapmaking.
This means that your soap will trace incredibly fast, and it can only be done via hot process, and the final soap will be very hard, and harsh on the skin, the only silver lining is that after a long cure (1 to 2 years) the foam will be excellent.
 

Slamscape

New member
Joined
Jul 24, 2021
Messages
3
Hello @Slamscape,
Your formula seems to contain a little too much butters. Usually, the ratio of Cocoa butter and Shea Butter should not go above 5%, in some extreme cases it can go up to 10%. Your contain 40% in total, which amounts to a lot in terms of soapmaking.
This means that your soap will trace incredibly fast, and it can only be done via hot process, and the final soap will be very hard, and harsh on the skin, the only silver lining is that after a long cure (1 to 2 years) the foam will be excellent.

hows this then? will i get the same issue?

112
 

ChemicalPyros

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Nov 4, 2019
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In theory this formula seems nice, a little bit on the harsh side, but it can satisfy some customers, especially those who appreciate being "squeaky clean". The only way to make sure that this soap is good is to try and make it. I can tell you for sure that the trace will be good but the foam of the final soap may not be too good, in cold water you may not have any foam at all.

Usually Lauric acid is responsible for the foam, alone it has a very thick and creamy foam with small bubbles but it is very harsh on the skin, the addition of Oleic acid increases the bubble diameter and reduce the thickness of the foam and reduce the harshness. So there is a sweet spot for the Lauric/Oleic ratio where the foam is great and there is no harshness. This sweet spot is determined by experimentation, the only general rule I found is that the ratio Oleic/Lauric should not exceed 1.5.
Stearic and Palmitic acids are for the hardness and longevity of the soap, they must not go above 15 to 20%, Stearic acid increases both longevity and hardness while Palmitic acid increases mainly the hardness.
Other polyunsaturated acids (linoleic, linolenic and ricinoleic) increase the "moisturizing" feel but hinder the cleansing of the soap, and too much of them can give you a paste like soap instead of a bar.
This is how you design a soap by controlling the fatty acids that make it.
As a beginner I can recommend the following:
- Start by making single oil soaps for all the oils that you have, and using each soap for at least 2 weeks while taking note of the characteristics, this way you understand what each oil can give you in a soap.
- Then you can mix 2 or more oils to mix their characteristics and obtain a result that will satisfy you.
- Finally add the additives (clay, salt, charcoal, EOs, ...) one by one because they can affect greatly the trace and the final soap.
This way you master each and every parameter and with experience and trial and error you master the craft.
 

Slamscape

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Jul 24, 2021
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so attempting to apply what you have mentioned to me in combo with that I am looking for as a result on paper. this is what I have adjusted to.

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ChemicalPyros

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Seems fine enough, just one word on the castor oil, it is a smelly oil and its smell may not be appreciated by all users and can interfere with other frags or EOs, I usually recommend not using more than 5%.
 
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