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  1. ChemicalPyros

    Using vinegar

    Hello, Sodium acetate does not have a smell, but you have to account for the neutralization of all the acetic acid so you will have a better soap. the best wat to do this is to neutralize the vinegar using a pHmeter before hand then adding it to the soap.
  2. ChemicalPyros

    Any chemists want to take a guess what happened?

    The difference is mainly with the compatibility with the surfactants, HPMC is more tolerant of hydrophobic surfactants, HEC less so, CMC even less. I am not familiar with MCC but if you can get your hands on HEC you're in for a treat. I usually recommend HPMC for the best foam but HEC will do...
  3. ChemicalPyros

    Any chemists want to take a guess what happened?

    In chemistry it is very well known and established that heat accelerate a reactions rate, so no question here, it is actually one of the earliest established laws in chemistry (ask Le Chatelier). The real question is what reaction(s) is the heat accelerating. In the case of oils you may have...
  4. ChemicalPyros

    Any chemists want to take a guess what happened?

    Hello @TheStrand, For the mixture you have done, I am not sure what happened or how. But to be on the safe side you can put it in a sealed container and leave for a couple of weeks and see what comes out of it. Thermodynamically speaking, soap should come out in the end, but when will that end...
  5. ChemicalPyros

    Introducing myself

    Hello Donnarae, Could you please more information about your trials, what are the oils, the ratios, and what exactly is the problem according to your observations.
  6. ChemicalPyros

    I am puzzled , what’s there in soap

    It is a pleasure, glad I could be of help.
  7. ChemicalPyros

    Longevity of soap

    Longevity and Hardness are usually wrongly correlated, they each correlate with the fatty acid profile of a soap (if you are making a very basic soap of oils and lye and water), but they start to differ the moment you start adding other additives from EOs to FOs to clays and powders so on and so...
  8. ChemicalPyros

    Is this soda ash?

    Keep in mind that oils/fats are not soluble in soap (soap help dissolve oils/fats in water). so too much superfatting can result in this kind of blooming. So yes I agree with you it is always better to be mindful of the water and oils.
  9. ChemicalPyros

    Salt vs sodium lactate

    Hello Karan, Salt makes the soap harder and difficult to cut (it may crumble), so it is better to use it in molds where you do not need to cut, or to cut immediately after unmolding. you can go up to 3% of the oil phase with salt (30 grams for 1000 grams of oil). Keep in mind that you can use...
  10. ChemicalPyros

    I am puzzled , what’s there in soap

    The usual 5% superfat, but it can be done without superfatting, it should be very smooth.
  11. ChemicalPyros

    My batch instantly traced. please help...

    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%.
  12. ChemicalPyros

    My batch instantly traced. please help...

    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...
  13. ChemicalPyros

    Is this soda ash?

    Hello @MonicsDelight, Soda ash is usually finer than this, to me this seems like some kind of blooming (separation of fats according to their polarity). When you wipe it does it have an oily feel? This can be due to an incomplete saponification, or to superfatting and/or bad curing conditions...
  14. ChemicalPyros

    My batch instantly traced. please help...

    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...
  15. ChemicalPyros

    I am puzzled , what’s there in soap

    The temperature is fine, it may be due to the citric acid but I doubt it, because even if it reduces the lye, the quantity is still small enough and can cause some superfatting which does not affect the soap greatly. When I put the recipe in the calculator, I noticed that you have a huge amount...
  16. ChemicalPyros

    I am puzzled , what’s there in soap

    Hello, While I cannot say that those are glycerin rivers, I cannot confirm it 100%. To me this a product of pouring too early, probable due to a false trace. Anyway I recommend that you mix a little more to make sure that you achieve the trace. You can also add some starch, this can help you...
  17. ChemicalPyros

    Soap Hardness

    Usually you can go with 1% of the oil phase and make your way from there, you increase r decrease according to your wanted specs.
  18. ChemicalPyros

    Pearlescent agent gone wrong?

    You might have a ghost trace or a fake trace, and in your case the charcoal might have held the batter together, if you still have this problem try adding clays or starch, it will hold the trace better, and in some cases changing the temperature (higher or lower) might solve the problem.
  19. ChemicalPyros

    Best formula for Cleaning Liquid Soap (Castile)

    Hello @adnirusli, For the liquid soap you should take into account the fatty acid profile. Ideally Palmitic and Stearic acids should be equal to zero or else the final soap will be opaque and with time it will separate because the salts of those fatty acids are insoluble in water at room...
  20. ChemicalPyros

    Pure Coconut Oil

    I would suggest in this case pairing it with some essential oils or FOs to mask it instead of eliminating it, this way you can make it work to your advantage.
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