Soap Making 101

[savingdogs]

Gosh Farmfresh, we posted at the same time. I did not mean to contradict you.....I'm sure you are more experienced with soap.
But with that crisco recipe, I had more trouble with it not unmolding because it had not hardened enough yet. That is the only recipe I've used however but it does not seem hard to slice even after a couple days when I've made it. In fact, it did not seem ready to unmold the first two times until I got better at the recipe and tended to be too soft.

I added 8 oz of goat milk to the recipe last time and took out 8 oz of water and that recipe came out really really nice and a bit harder.

 

[Farmfresh]

Gosh Farmfresh, we posted at the same time. I did not mean to contradict you.....I'm sure you are more experienced with soap.
But with that crisco recipe, I had more trouble with it not unmolding because it had not hardened enough yet. That is the only recipe I've used however but it does not seem hard to slice even after a couple days when I've made it. In fact, it did not seem ready to unmold the first two times until I got better at the recipe and tended to be too soft.

I added 8 oz of goat milk to the recipe last time and took out 8 oz of water and that recipe came out really really nice and a bit harder.

You really didn't contradict me. Any way feel free to do so at any time! I have been known to be wrong you know.

You are quite right. Some soaps un-mold much easier if you freeze them a bit. Use that one myself sometimes. If it is a soft soap I often leave it in the mold for a couple of days, before un-molding it.

Usually though, I cut my soap (not to be confused with OFG cutting the cheese. ) right after I un-mold it. That way it is still fairly soft and easy to cut. It drys and cures faster in smaller pieces as well.

Another thing be sure to cut the soap plenty large - there will be shrinkage as it dries.

 

[savingdogs]

I LOVE that crisco soap....I keep meaning to try other recipes but it comes out so good and so easy it is hard to invest in other oils. I've changed it by adding oatmeal, honey and goats milk but never used different oils. It comes out a light tan color but my next trick I think will be adding color so I have something besides tan!

 

[Farmfresh]

Try a bit of Paprika. It makes the soap a lovely color.

 

[Farmfresh]

Have you tried a basic olive oil castile yet? That is my favorite basic soap by FAR. I buy the pure olive oil (not extra virgin - remember the lower the grade the better it is for soap) at the wholesale club for a very reasonable price.

I also have a good recipe called "19th century soap" that uses tallow, lard and olive oil for a nice gentle basic soap.

I much prefer the soaps with low cost (read that CHEAP) ingredients.

 

[Damummis]

It came out of the mold Ok. So far so good.

 

[savingdogs]

It looks great! You did awesome!

 

[Damummis]

DH told me to wait till next week to make any more. Then I can use goat's milk.

 

[savingdogs]

Well you want to freeze your goats milk and add it to the water after you have the lye mixed in. Add it really slowly, a bit at a time so it doesn't heat up too much. I set the container in a sink full of ice. I actually had a second person add the goats milk ice chunks for me while I stirred.

It will reach trace faster with the goats milk so be ready!

 

[glenolam]

That's the only way I do it, SD. I freeze my GM ahead of time in 16oz bags since the majority of my recipes call for that amount. Then I place the GM in my lye pot in a sink full of ice and add the lye to that. It takes a very long time for the frozen milk to thaw, but I have yet to scortch the milk this way.

Here's a pic of some soap I've done:

Cafe Mocha - it's a kitchen bar made with coffee grounds and cocoa butter

Lavender and Peppermint sitting in the molds

Acai Berry