A BIG BIG BIG thank you!

[Kris10Tackles]

To everyone who’s given me so much wonderful advice and guidance over the past year! First I love using them, I love the way my bathroom smells after I shower, and I love the way they look. Everyone has been so generous with their time and knowledge whenever I have a question. 
 

Thank you, thank you thank you!!!! 🥰🥰

[NightLight]

Those look great! If you want to beat ash on soap, you can spritz lightly once 91 per cent alcohol on top after you finish the pour and top finish!

[Kris10Tackles]

3 hours ago, NightLight said:

Those look great! If you want to beat ash on soap, you can spritz lightly once 91 per cent alcohol on top after you finish the pour and top finish!

Trying to beat the soda ash has been a pain. I have been spraying 99% and I’m still getting it!

[NightLight]

 

http://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body-tutorials/tips-and-tricks/explaining-and-preventing-soda-ash/

 

ALSO

https://soapauthority.com/preventing-soda-ash-cold-process-soap/

 

Sounds like a line out of a movie, but it’s true! The amount of water used when making cold process soap dramatically increases or decreases your chances of getting soda ash on top of your soap. That means the best way you will be preventing soda ash on cold process soap is to pay attention to the water!

For cold process soap, the more water you use, the more likely you are to get soda ash. I have found that a 30% or more water discount generally means I won’t see soda ash on my soap. The higher the water discount, the less likely the problem. I prefer to do anywhere from 35% to 45%. You never want to discount more than 50% of the water. Read more about using a water discount here.

Now, keep in mind that less water means that trace will happen faster. If you are using a recipe with a lot of hard oils it will reach trace faster. When you use a fragrance or essential oil that speeds up trace, like clove essential oil, it will reach trace faster. If you soap at higher temperatures, your soap will reach trace faster. So however your soap recipe behaves without a water discount, just keep in mind that water discounting will decrease trace time!

Ways to slow down trace time when using a water discount:

• Soap with your lye water solution and oils at room temperature
• Increase the percentage of oils in your recipe that slow down trace (avocado oil, olive oil, etc.)
• Stay away from essential oils and fragrances that accelerate the time it takes to reach trace
• Stick blend less

Another thing to remember is that the humidity where you are can also affect your soap. If you have high humidity (over 30%) on soap making day, consider a slightly higher water discount.

An additional point worth noting is, the more water you have in your batter plus the longer that water is exposed to air, the more likely it is that you will find soda ash on cold process soap. It seems that batches poured at a thinner trace (more watery consistency) take longer to go through the saponification process. A medium to thick trace helps speed things up a bit.

 

 

I have used a pinch of beeswax in batches and it does work. Do you cover your soap?

[Laura C]

15 hours ago, Kris10Tackles said:

Trying to beat the soda ash has been a pain. I have been spraying 99% and I’m still getting it!

Hi. I just happened to see this post but I'm not a soap maker but I love to buy handmade soaps. Without an untrained eye, your soaps look beautiful to me. I don't know what soda ash is (until I just looked it up) and didn't know to look for it. LOL. My point is, buyers that are non soap makers probably won't know the difference. 🧼 It's pretty much the same situation that soy wax candle makers run into with frosted tops and sides. 🥃 I don't mind, I like the more rustic or textured look the ash and frost gives to products.😊 

[Kris10Tackles]

1 hour ago, Laura C said:

Hi. I just happened to see this post but I'm not a soap maker but I love to buy handmade soaps. Without an untrained eye, your soaps look beautiful to me.

🥰🥰 Thanks so much! I just started making CP soap this year and so your compliment means a lot!

[Kris10Tackles]

9 hours ago, NightLight said:

 

http://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body-tutorials/tips-and-tricks/explaining-and-preventing-soda-ash/

 

ALSO

https://soapauthority.com/preventing-soda-ash-cold-process-soap/

 

Sounds like a line out of a movie, but it’s true! The amount of water used when making cold process soap dramatically increases or decreases your chances of getting soda ash on top of your soap. That means the best way you will be preventing soda ash on cold process soap is to pay attention to the water!

For cold process soap, the more water you use, the more likely you are to get soda ash. I have found that a 30% or more water discount generally means I won’t see soda ash on my soap. The higher the water discount, the less likely the problem. I prefer to do anywhere from 35% to 45%. You never want to discount more than 50% of the water. Read more about using a water discount here.

Now, keep in mind that less water means that trace will happen faster. If you are using a recipe with a lot of hard oils it will reach trace faster. When you use a fragrance or essential oil that speeds up trace, like clove essential oil, it will reach trace faster. If you soap at higher temperatures, your soap will reach trace faster. So however your soap recipe behaves without a water discount, just keep in mind that water discounting will decrease trace time!

Ways to slow down trace time when using a water discount:

• Soap with your lye water solution and oils at room temperature
• Increase the percentage of oils in your recipe that slow down trace (avocado oil, olive oil, etc.)
• Stay away from essential oils and fragrances that accelerate the time it takes to reach trace
• Stick blend less

Another thing to remember is that the humidity where you are can also affect your soap. If you have high humidity (over 30%) on soap making day, consider a slightly higher water discount.

An additional point worth noting is, the more water you have in your batter plus the longer that water is exposed to air, the more likely it is that you will find soda ash on cold process soap. It seems that batches poured at a thinner trace (more watery consistency) take longer to go through the saponification process. A medium to thick trace helps speed things up a bit.

 

 

I have used a pinch of beeswax in batches and it does work. Do you cover your soap?

I usually soap with a 10-15% water discount and I was diligently covering my soaps after pouring but I’ve stopped covering it and haven’t noticed any difference. At the end of the day I’m not too worried about it.

[NightLight]

Try 1 per cent beeswax