I try the heat method cp, lye to hard oils, liquid oils room temperature, the lye and hard oils reached 127 degrees, while the liquid oils where 74, they where to far apart, I wait to cool off the lye and hard oils but started the process of bonding, My batch was only 51 oz, was so hard to reach trace and end up heating my oils and cooling my lye and hard oils! Maybe doesn’t work well with small batches? 😰 I will try again! Because I think it’s the way to go! Thanks a lot for the information! ❤️👍
You actually don’t have to wait for the oils to be close in temp range. This is why I stated in the post to throw out everything you ever heard about specific oil temps and mixing when using this method. As long as the solid oils are melted down with the lye solution, you then add the liquid oils. Trace will happen in just a few minutes. I’ve done this method with 10oz batches all the way up to my typical 60oz batches. Happy soaping and don’t give up! 😊
Oh no! I am so sorry to hear about the ruined batch. It is sooooo frustrating when it doesn't turn out correctly. But don't give up! Like I tell my children all the time, "There is no FAIL just F-first, A-attempt, I-in, L-learning." I have found that in soap making and trying new recipes and techniques that don't work perfectly the first time, if I write down everything I can remember about what I did, I can usually figure out a solution by doing trial and error. Sometimes it takes multiple tries, but each time I eliminate one of the problems and keep narrowing it down until I get it exactly how it should be. I wish I had a simple answer to give you to explain what went wrong, but because I don't know the recipe you used or was there to see how you mixed it, I'm shooting in the dark. My first thought was that it could have been from the ratio of shea butter to the lye solution. Where there any liquid oils mixed with it like olive oil or jojoba etc.? Other thought was how the shea was melted. It takes a little bit more time with shea butter vs coconut oil or lard because it has a higher melting point meaning it takes more time. I've found that if I soften my solid oils/butters just a bit and ensure they are in smaller chunks before pouring the lye solution over them, they dissolve faster without congealing from accidentally over-mixing while trying to get them to melt.
Thank you for the s!! Very informative. I have been looking up a lot of information on this and this was the best explanation.
Thank you very much for the feedback! Always brightens my day to hear that someone found the information useful.
Such an informative podcast! Thank you so much for this! I am a new soap maker, and you have saved me a lot of time and unnecessary steps.lol
Yay! So glad it was a help to you. Thanks for listening and commenting!
I try the heat method cp, lye to hard oils, liquid oils room temperature, the lye and hard oils reached 127 degrees, while the liquid oils where 74, they where to far apart, I wait to cool off the lye and hard oils but started the process of bonding, My batch was only 51 oz, was so hard to reach trace and end up heating my oils and cooling my lye and hard oils! Maybe doesn’t work well with small batches? 😰 I will try again! Because I think it’s the way to go! Thanks a lot for the information! ❤️👍
You actually don’t have to wait for the oils to be close in temp range. This is why I stated in the post to throw out everything you ever heard about specific oil temps and mixing when using this method. As long as the solid oils are melted down with the lye solution, you then add the liquid oils. Trace will happen in just a few minutes. I’ve done this method with 10oz batches all the way up to my typical 60oz batches.
Happy soaping and don’t give up! 😊
Thank you very much, for taking the time to answer, I’m starting my journey and learning! 🥰 this info it’s so useful! Hugs
Do you have a video of this? I would love to see this in action :):):)
Sorry, we don’t have video at this time. We have ideas of doing so one day, Lord willing.
I tried the heat method mixing the hot lye solution with the hard shea butter and it turn into a big piece of slime. I'm not sure where I went wrong!
Oh no! I am so sorry to hear about the ruined batch. It is sooooo frustrating when it doesn't turn out correctly. But don't give up! Like I tell my children all the time, "There is no FAIL just F-first, A-attempt, I-in, L-learning." I have found that in soap making and trying new recipes and techniques that don't work perfectly the first time, if I write down everything I can remember about what I did, I can usually figure out a solution by doing trial and error. Sometimes it takes multiple tries, but each time I eliminate one of the problems and keep narrowing it down until I get it exactly how it should be.
I wish I had a simple answer to give you to explain what went wrong, but because I don't know the recipe you used or was there to see how you mixed it, I'm shooting in the dark.
My first thought was that it could have been from the ratio of shea butter to the lye solution. Where there any liquid oils mixed with it like olive oil or jojoba etc.? Other thought was how the shea was melted. It takes a little bit more time with shea butter vs coconut oil or lard because it has a higher melting point meaning it takes more time. I've found that if I soften my solid oils/butters just a bit and ensure they are in smaller chunks before pouring the lye solution over them, they dissolve faster without congealing from accidentally over-mixing while trying to get them to melt.