Jump to content

How can I make soap if I can't do math??


Michi

Recommended Posts

I feel like a dork, I can't even use the calculator if I can't change my ingredients from ounces to a percentage. :rolleyes:

Then I look at the calculator and it's like "huh"??

I really thought I might make some CP tomorrow, but now I'm thinking NOT!!

:(

NOthing like soap to make a person feel utterly stupid!! :mad:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Which calculator are you using? If you use the one on www.thesage.com you can put in your oz of each ingredient and have it calculated. After it is calculated, then look at the percents, and if you are using www.soapcalc.com you can then transfer the percents from one over to the other. Make sense? And if you are using another calculator, then I don't have a clue! HTH

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Which calculator are you using? If you use the one on www.thesage.com you can put in your oz of each ingredient and have it calculated. After it is calculated, then look at the percents, and if you are using www.soapcalc.com you can then transfer the percents from one over to the other. Make sense? And if you are using another calculator, then I don't have a clue! HTH

I do it this way too

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Bet you're thinking "gosh I wish I had listened in math" :)

Lots of people have problems with math. Just keep after it, eventually you'll start to see the patterns and the words and expressions and numbers will finally click.

It is kind of important if you want to get anywhere beyond just casual soaping. Because you'll want to play with your own recipes, and not be stuck using someone elses...

Lots of people here will help you along... anytime you need Math 101, just ask :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

When I have a recipe that is in %, I use the soapcalc/sooz

http://www.soapcalc.com/calc/SoapCalc.asp

When I have a recipe that is in oz, I use The Sage

http://www.thesage.com

If I need to enlarge or reduce a recipe, I enter it in to whichever calc above, calculate, then reduce or enlarge it.

The nice thing about soaping is that you still use between 3% and 6% FO. If you can figure that for candles, it's the same for soap only it is oils instead of wax.

HTH

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I read somewhere about someone making it like a ratio.....1 oz to 10 percent? so if (I'm trying to paraphrase what I understood it to mean!) if you were making a 20 oz batch (I tried to say 1 pound but my sleepy head isnt' letting that happen right now!) and needed 15% of coconut oil you would use 3 oz.

15% of 10 oz is 1.5 them multiply by 2?

I sure hope i'm putting this right, I just woke up and didn't get nearly enough sleep!

Another way.... if you need to figure the percentages for a 3 lb batch. for say 12% calculate 48 x 0.12........... 18 % 48 x 0.18

I hope I don't seem like an idiot.....I don't follow any recipes, I just throw my stuff together, a little bit of this and have to make sure I have some of that....I'm just not so hateful of math right now, definately don't love it but only 3 more weeks to go for my accelerated math class to be over! If I did any of this math wrong PLEASE correct me, I should have probably waited at least until I could have the monitors colors normal instead of dimmed all the way down:embarasse Sure wish I could be sleeping right now....little sister showing up in 5 min!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Michi, I can do math, so anyone can do it. I struggled so hard in high school with math, but in college, I got an A!! Dh still wonders how I did it.

Anyways, try the MMS one first and that will help you get your percentages down. Then try the soap calc and it will tell you what kind of bar you will get. Just play around with it a few more times and it will eventually click!

Steph

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks everyone!

I DID try to pay attention in math, but I swear it just never "clicked" with me. I had heard once, that if you don't "get it" at the beginning of the class, you're gonna be totally lost throughout and boy that is how I felt. :rolleyes:

Give me an English class, spelling grammar, literature, and I'm all over it, but math???? :eek:

Ok, I appreciate the advice about using the MMS calc. and then converting over the the soapcalc. I had looked at both yesterday but had really wanted to use the soapcalc. since it is really detailed etc. so I didn't really notice the MMS one using ounces.

I've had all these oils/ingredients for a while, and have just been trying to find the time and the courage to do it, and then to get sooo discouraged by all the numbers was not fun yesterday. ;)

Off to check out the calcs. again, thanks!!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Michi

For your first one, why don't you just borrow a basic recipe and tweak it for what you have. Then run it through the lye calc. and post it and let the experienced soap people look at it. I used the recipe that Eugenia posted on here and substituted the goatsmilk for the water in the lye solution. That is the batch I posted yesterday. There are tons of recipes out there that will give you somewhere to start. Don't be scared Michi, once you get that one down, you'll wonder what took you so long to get started. :yay:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Michi, I find the soapcalc (in percentages) much easier to use and understand. All you need to know is your mold size. For example, if your mold is 2 lbs., you enter that # and the percentages of oils.

I soaped a castille the other day with the 1 TBS of sugar per lb. I discounted the water by using this calculation: Total oils divided by 4 = ounces of water and used the lye amount recommended by the calc. It was 90% olive and 10% castor.

This batch traced quickly and was very easy to work with. It was pretty darn hard the next day.

I know it's boring Michi, but you might want to consider a simple soap like that, with no color or FO for your first effort.

e

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...