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OK, got the CP swirls, but why did it crumble?


Guest EMercier

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Guest EMercier

Got swirls in my CP, but when I went to cut it, it crumbled. I don't know what when wrong. Not a lot of lye, because no zap. Poured it last night, had trace. First time using FO and cannot smell it. Did I wait too long to cut it? Used a recipe that I ran through the MMS calculator. I did cheat this morning to see if I had soap bubbles and I did. I just don't understand. Help?

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Guest EMercier

But the swirls look nice right? :) I did pull some soap out of the batch and mix the color with that. It wasn't really thin, so I added a bit of oil. A very little bit. BUT, it was purple at the time, but turned pink in the soap.

OK, this is what I used:

2oz Sweet Almond Oil

10oz Canola Oil

16 oz Olive Oil

7oz Mango Butter

7oz Shea Butter

14oz Water

5.25oz Lye

I weighed everything, except the water. I used fluid ounces. I did the same thing I did with the first batch. They were about the same temperature. It did trace rather quickly. Could that be it? It looked like all the tutorials I studied and studied and studied again. It poured fine. I dropped the mold a few times to get it even and the air bubbles out. I'm really trying to perfect the CP for my show in April. I'll keep trying if I have to.

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I'm by no means an expert, but I would weigh my water and not measure. That way you maintain consistency. I was told with soap to always weigh all the ingredients and not go by measurements. I do the same with my candles too so I can maintain consistency.

BTW - I think your swirls were very nice. I like how soft the color came out. Very feminine looking. :)

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Guest EMercier

OK, guess I'll weigh my water. The first batch I made in my life I didn't weigh anything I used fluid. That was all wrong! Then I started to weight everything except the water, because on the Miller website it said that fluid measurments of water should be fine.

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I would guess it would the 30-32% butters. Butter's hardness comes from stearic acid, not palmitic or the other "harder" fatty acid soaps. I've made a 20% shea butter soap and it was much more "brittle" - I figured it was the high stearic and the unsaponifiables. I'd reduce the butters and use some coconut or palm kernal or palm or tallow or lard in it's place.

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I don't think it was the water. Water is the one thing in this world that is the same in liquid measure as weight. Besides, the minute amount of difference from the measuring cup shouldn't affect the soap that much. I would listen to Robin on this one.

I have made a soap that was 37% shea butter and it isn't brittle, but I think I lucked out with the other ingredients I added.

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I too would agree with Robin. Way too much butter. Reduce down to 5-10% each. Then add some coconut or PKO or both and some lard.

Try not to go over 25% when using the Coconut and/or PKO. Alot of people can't handle it over that %.

Mebbe try something like:

35% Lard or Palm

20% Olive

15% PKO

10% Coconut

10% Shea

10% Almond

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I don't think it was the water. Water is the one thing in this world that is the same in liquid measure as weight. Besides, the minute amount of difference from the measuring cup shouldn't affect the soap that much. I would listen to Robin on this one.

I have made a soap that was 37% shea butter and it isn't brittle, but I think I lucked out with the other ingredients I added.

I wasn't meaning it was the water just saying that I was told to always weigh everything for consistency. Perhaps this was because I do such small batches at times?? That way you know you have the same amount of water every time and don't go over or short yourself. :)

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Guest EMercier
I too would agree with Robin. Way too much butter. Reduce down to 5-10% each. Then add some coconut or PKO or both and some lard.

Try not to go over 25% when using the Coconut and/or PKO. Alot of people can't handle it over that %.

Mebbe try something like:

35% Lard or Palm

20% Olive

15% PKO

10% Coconut

10% Shea

10% Almond

I can go with that. However, I don't have PKO. I ordered some Coconut Oil and Palm Oil. What can I substitute for that (PKO)? OH, the FO I used was Hawaiian Paradise. I'm trying this again. Maybe this week.

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