Colors in bar graph

[rkroll]

Hi. I'm new to soap making and really like your recipe builder. Can you please explain what the different colors mean in the graph of soap properties? Thanks!

 

[Yooper]

You mean this graph?

The red means you are out of the standard recommended range for each of those properties (see I’m really high or low on those), and the green is showing that I am in the standard recommended range for those properties. The graph below that shows the % of each of the fatty acids that give the soap its properties.

 

[rkroll]

Sometimes the bar is yellow. Is that just when you are on the edge of suggested range? Thanks!

 

[Yooper]

Sometimes the bar is yellow. Is that just when you are on the edge of suggested range? Thanks!

Yes, exactly. It doesn’t mean “stop!” but it means to take a look at it to make sure it’s what you want.

If you see the example above, almost all of my graph is red! BUT that doesn’t mean it’s not an awesome soap. It’s a salt bar with a huge 20% superfat. The idea of having green/yellow/red is not to stop you from making a soap that you know will be what you want- it’s simply to alert you that you may be out of the norm for a standard soap guideline.

 

[Dibennett]

Trooper, so this is my latest recipe which smelt great but did not stay together when I cut it, the bars cracked. What could I have changed to get a harder longer lasting soap?

 

[Yooper]

The INS number is very low- that may be ok but it also means the bars will at first be very soft. Did you let the soap gel? how old was it when it was cut? Olive oil soaps do take a long time to harden, but it shouldn't "crack" at all!