Soapmaker Man

I'm the guy carebear is talking about. I master-batch my recipe oils/fats and premix my lye solution. I mix equal amounts of aloe vera juice with lye. After pouring the EXACT same weight of lye into the aloe vera juice, I then stir in my silk. I let this solution cool a bit before carefully using a stainless steel funnel and pouring into my Gain Detergent bottle with a spout and cap. I stir my premixed lye solution in it. The built in spout is really nice. I have used 6 week old solution with perfect results. I keep the jug stored in a closet up high, out of the light, and in an air conditioned soaping room. A 50% solution is so simple to use. I also add a bit of salt sometimes and always some sugar. I add these 2 ingredients to the cold fresh goat milk. I stick blend them in the cup containing the very cold GM. I usually add about 1 T. PPO of sugar, and when I do add salt, about 1/2T. PPO. To help my salt dissolve better in the very cold GM, I pregrind in my coffee grinder my salt into a powder. It works well for me, and makes a great hard bar very quick. I love RTCP and RT lye solution soapmaking. as it works for me.

Paul....:highfive:

ETA: Kymber, if you need help figuring your solution amount if you want to try my method, send me your recipe or the amount of lye required and how much liquid you need for your recipe, and I'll PM you the exact amount needed and how easy it really is. This method is so handy to figure your lye plus it's easier when doing a water discount. I love it since I add GM as the rest of my needed liquid for m HTH's!y recipes. You could add milks, aloe vera juice, anything to make up for the rest of your needed liquids. I use farm fresh GM, but add a little powdered GM to make up the difference of the aloe vera juice, so I can say it's made with GM.

Actually CareBear, I buy in bulk from a online wholesale source. But, Wal-Mart does carry the same foamie sheet I buy in bulk. I go through a lot of neon green 2mm Darice Foam in my TOG Molds! Your new TOG 6 Bar Wire Log Cutter shoud be to you Tuesday or Wednesday at the latest with more liners inside the box for your TOG 10" Dual Log/Slab Mold. My saying is "It's built like a "tank.":laugh2:

Paul....

Wess stated and true, Grandma!

Paul....

I tested over 30 recipes I've made up using Sooz Calc. trying to get a good, if I can borrow the word, "synergy" from the various oils, fats, butters I use to get the recipe I really like today! At least 30 recipes! I've been at this 2 years now, and still sell a lot more TOG Soapmaking Tools, than The 'Ole Goat Soaps & Lotions! Do I make THE WORLDS BEST SOAP??? HARDLY! Do I after testing over 30 recipes make a decent bar with good synergy, I think so. I was too anxious at first too, but started out making goat milk soaps and never looked back. I wish I would have transitioned from regular CP to GMCP over a period of time though. A good bar of soap, like it's maker, is like a good bottle of wine or cheese, it gets better over TIME!

Paul....

Another thing to add to my shopping cart at Tradewinds!

Paul....

You know, the other day I was reading a scent description and saw that too! "Discolors to white." It caught my eye, but did not bookmark it. You are correct, I just can't remember where....

ETA: Found one:

http://www.brambleberry.com/cybilla3.html The Violet and Sun Kissed Currant.

Paul....

This looks like a great, simple, but fantastic recipe! Cool, gotta try it! Thanks!!!

Paul....

Another newbie question, can I add pumice to this?

My suggestion would be to try it with just sea salt or kosher salt first. You won't really need pumice added to this. You can add it if you wanted to for some reason though. The salt, especially the rougher kosher, will add more abrasion to this soap than the finer sea salt.

Paul...

This is terrific. I have all of this on hand Thanks bunches. Do I need to put it in the oven?

I don't with my wood TOG Lined Molds with Wood top. I just put the top on and it is in full gel in 30 minutes or less! So if you don't have good heavy wood molds with a top, you might want to insulate or put into an oven at 170 for a short time. This stuff sets up fast and is uncuttable after a few hours pouring--get the jackhammer! LOL

Paul....

I'm like Robin & Misty, I take mine on road trips too. It has been 2 years 3 months since that detergent stuff has touched my skin! Love my GM soap!

Paul....

Sure here is my recipe;

75% Coconut Oil

15% Shea Butter

5% RBO or Olive Oil

5% High Oleic Sunflower Oil or just up the OO and/or RBO to the whole 10%.

Salt will add a little volume to your mold. I figure my regular amount of oils X 80%. Use that number at a soap calculator to figure the above recipe.

To figure salt I use 80% of the weight of my oils in the recipe. I mix my oils to a light trace, color if you want, add FO or EO, then add salt. Hand whisk only the salt until completely mixed and pour! It thickens to a heavy trace pretty fast. I can cut my bars after 1 to 1-1/2 hours, they will be hot to the touch. Hope this helps!

Paul....

I just use farm fresh GM in my soaps. I'm lucky to live in dairy country of Missouri! I went to the Meyenberg web site, and cut this information reguarding their powdered goat milk;

· MEYENBERG 12 oz. Powdered Goat Milk Canister: Stamped on Bottom

Shelf Life: 4 years from date of manufacture - Guarantee 365 days to warehouse / distributor

· MEYENBERG 4 oz. Powdered Goat Milk Packet: Code embossed on left side margin of the packet.

Shelf Life: 18 months from date of manufacture – Guarantee minimum 180 days to warehouse / distributor

Hope this help you a little:grin2:

Paul....

Congratulations! I love making only Goat Milk soaps! I love the creamy texture, the good qualities it adds, the lactic acid in the GM. I started over 2 years ago using GM, and never looked back. I burned several batches at first, then developed my own way (not using any frozen GM at all) of keeping my soap a nice off-white GM. It took several attempts but got it! So will you. Great job on this accomplishment so early in your soaping adventure.:highfive: That was faster than I when I first started!

Paul....

Now when you say 33% lye solution what is meant by that? Is that 33% LYE and 67% water? I've made maybe 10 batches of soap. So I am still learning. Also what is the purpose of the water discount?

Yea, a 33% lye solution is 2 parts (by weight) water to 1 part lye (by weight).

I edited my post above to explain more!

Paul...

What is the purpose of a water discount? And if I was doing this what is a safe amount to do this with?

A lot soap with a 33% lye solution. If you want a deep discount, up it to a 35 to 37% lye solution. The 33% is a starting, decent discount. Never go over 40% lye solution, as it is not safe.

ETA: The reason for a water (or any liquid) discount is multi fold. The main reason is to reduce curing time. Another is to avoid warping of your bars. Too much liquids can cause that.

Paul....

Ok I am officially soap nuts...I have been at the soap calc so long that I was dreaming of soap qualities last night

So this is my formula, I think

coconut 28%

canola 12%

palm 36%

soybean 12%

cocoa b 5%

castor 7%

h 46

cl 19

con 50

bl 25

cl 33

iodine 59

ins 153

I may supper fat this at 7%, but what to discount lye /water 33 or 38%? for hp?

I think I like these numbers and will give it a go .

Still want to try a coconut/cocoa butter bar too.

I think that is a good, solid recipe! All the numbers look just fine! That will be a great bar for you!

Paul....

Very good post with excellent advice that I agree with 100% and that I practice wholeheartedly. I've tried the 'Break the Rules' soap, too, and can personally vouch that is it is quite lovely.

MarieJeanette

Same with me guys! I use coconut oil at 23% and palm kernel oil at 11% in my best selling and most favored recipe. AT 34%, arrest me, take me to the "Soap jail" because I'm breaking the rule by 4%. LOL LOL Don't tell anyone, but sometimes I up my PKO to (dare I say it):lipsrseal 14% for a total of 37% for really hard water. I do up my lye discount to 7% though.

Paul... (soapmaker by trade...rebel because....I can!

I do mine at 75% coconut oil too, and find it to be very nice, no drying effects what so ever. I use shea with mine too, because of the unsaponificationable values in it, and a few other high conditioning oils.

Paul....

So true, Meridith. Sometimes I just blame it on those darn soap fairies! LOL What works perfectly for you may not work for me, and the other way too. I have only been making salt bars for about 2 or 3 months now, and have a lot of learning to experience. I will never, ever know everything about soapmaking, but love to learn and share my results, albeit right or wrong. Thanks to each one of you who shared in this thread! We have heard some interesting ideas, and that is the main thing, sharing.

Paul....

Thank you sweetiepie and Meridith for your observations. As I mentioned, I have never had problems with mine either! I do put my labels on the inside, but have never lost even 1 packaging due to glycerin "sweating." Interesting, indeed.

Paul...!

I would agree with tallblonde. I would reduce the castor to @5% and replace with perhaps canola oil if you want a store bought less expensive oil. That would be 12% canola, use no more than that though. Better yet would be 6% olive and 6% canola, not too much oilive keeping costs down, but still adding it's great conditioning aspect. I really like canola myself at 7 to 9% in my recipe.

Paul....

Thank you Lori. I have never had a problem thus far. I've have not had any issues with sweating bars. I have a dozen in my SUV in the rear. I've had them in there for a week now, 24/7, with no problems keeping them in the hot, humid rear of my Suburban. Guess I'm just lucky.

Paul....

Lori, I print on 3 sides of a "cigar" type band and seal it under shrink wrap. It works well for me and my customers can still smell the soap since the ends are open. Here is a pictur of my recent salt bars;

Paul....

I gel all my soaps too. I like the looks of the gelled soap especially since I use only goat milk. Many who use goat milk do not like gel, but I embrace it! I also feel the soap is a little firmer faster and has a better texture. I think curing time is a bit sooner also. Just my 2cents worth though. LOl

"To gel or not to gel, that is the question!"

Paul....

Yer right CareBear, given a good long cure time, her recipe will get harder because of the lard and Olive Oil. Old time lard soap was 100% lard and it cleaned and got hard. Given a good long cure time this recipe as she posted will harden up.

Paul....