HP Question

[Kelly]

I've been making HP soap on and off for awhile now (for myself) and I'm just not happy with the waxy look. Is there anyway to avoid this, or is this what you get with the HP method?

I might have to try CP for the look I want... I like the smooth even bars without waxy tops, sides and bottoms!

(Also if anyone is curious I made a Black Cherry (Red bottom) topped with Whipped Cream (turned brown) HP soap that turned out to be a great fragrance mix!!)

TIA

Kelly

[Kelly]

I must be the only one doing HP in this CP world!

[swamp_deb]

I don't understand what you mean by waxy look. To me it has a different texture than my cp but after a while it looks the same. Some soaps I only do hp and some cp, I guess I just like variety. :smiley2:

[Kelly]

Let's see how can I explain it... it doesn't photograph well so I can't really show you. It's more chunky... like if you don't cut the tops and sides off it'll have a chunky appearance. To me it looks and feels waxy to work with... maybe I'm cooking it too long!

Here's a picture of kind of what I mean

See how it's all chunky and you couldn't possibly pour it smoothly into a mold but that you have to pack it in there? Well when I pop mine out of the mold it'll have holes where it didn't get packed tightly. Leaving me with not so pretty bars of soap (imho).

So yeah, like you said the texture is different I guess I just used the word waxy, because I thought that would be the best way to describe it but upon further review it wasn't!

[CareBear]

It's hard to get a really smooth HP but you might try using some sodium lactate which will keep it more fluid till it gets into the mold. Also use more water and make sure you don't overcook it.

[Kelly]

It's hard to get a really smooth HP

That's what I was afraid of. Thanks for the suggestions, I'll give them a try, but I'll probably end up trying CP anyway! I just like that less cure time is needed for HP. But I bet once I start CP'in I'll become addicted to it.

[CareBear]

Eugenia does a great HP, and some others here as well and hopefully they'll pop up.

But frankly, CP is easier all around if you ask me...

[eugenia]

Eugenia does a great HP, and some others here as well and hopefully they'll pop up.

But frankly, CP is easier all around if you ask me...

I agree. I used to HP the ones that were terrible in CP and now I find that soaping room temp and starting with a whisk makes them manageable.

SL will help to keep HP more fluid, as will sugar (1 TBS pp or oil). I like to pile my HP up, then slice the ugly rough top off.

IMO, HP takes several weeks to harden as well and I just like CP so much better, LOL.

Kelly, yes, you probably are over cooking it.

[swamp_deb]

Now I understand! I use sugar in mine to make it more fluid when I pour and also you need to bang (kinda like dropping while it is still in your hands) your mold to get the air bubbles out. You could be over cooking it too. All of those will make a difference.

[thecandlespastore]

To me CP is so much easier than HP and uses less time. I HP too but don't really care for it too much. They still have to cure/dry for 4 weeks just like CP, and 9 times out of 10 I use a sliver of my CP the next day after soaping it, so being able to use it immediately has never been a turn on. Also wanted to add that I had to drop my mold from the height of my boobs down to the floor to ensure that there were not air bubbles when I HP (I'm 5'11.5" so that's quite a distance.)

Give CP a try girl! You just might end up loving it:yay: Well, off to the land of liquid soap, I have 4 gallons to make tonight.

[ilovescents]

I was quite addicted to HP but the labor involved made it monotonous after a while. I've been doing CP for the last 2 weeks and love it so much more! Everyone's right, it still takes at least 4 weeks for HP soap to dry. I have to say that my HP soaps from a year ago are ultra luxurious! I also used some of my CP soaps after 2 weeks and love the smooth texture and the loads of creamy lather. CP is so much easier in my opinion as well.

BTW, my avatar is one of my HP soaps (Black Raspberry Vanilla) made a month ago.

[CareBear]

Well, off to the land of liquid soap, I have 4 gallons to make tonight.

OT but gosh - I've been working on LS with a 3% SF and still getting strangely drying soap. HELP ME. I'll take the thread elsewhere tho.

[Kelly]

I was quite addicted to HP but the labor involved made it monotonous after a while. I've been doing CP for the last 2 weeks and love it so much more! Everyone's right, it still takes at least 4 weeks for HP soap to dry. I have to say that my HP soaps from a year ago are ultra luxurious! I also used some of my CP soaps after 2 weeks and love the smooth texture and the loads of creamy lather. CP is so much easier in my opinion as well.

BTW, my avatar is one of my HP soaps (Black Raspberry Vanilla) made a month ago.

See, I was under the impression that you couldn't even try CP soap (for yourself) until at least 4 weeks, which is why I started with the HP. I know that it takes curing time but I was able to use it myself pretty much right out of the mold.

When I put the HP soap in my mold I never came close to dropping it from boob height. More like ankle height several times.

Maybe I should order the BCN kit for CP soap.

[Kelly]

Oh shoot I forgot to say, that I don't think I am over cooking but maybe I am. What I read was that you should keep cooking until it doesn't look "granulated" anymore so I keep cooking and stirring until it is no longer granulated and becomes thicker like stirring petroleum jelly.

If that makes sense!

[katshe]

Thought I'd share this- I posted on soap dish

I have posted pick in another post earlier

this is my new process for general soap making and I truely like the soap texture and color better this way.

First I mix oils with lye at 100 degrees, sb till trace

Put in 170 degree oven for two hrs 20 min

Turn off oven and leave over night ( soap is still in stock pot)

turn oven on 170 in the morn for a couple hrs till soap is melted

Take out of oven and remelt double boiler , whip with rotary mixer with regular beaters (not whisk)

Beat until it looks a creamywhite

Add fo / whatever else you like, botanicals etc- this way I am using less fo, sort of like m&p amount maybe a little less depending on scent.

Scoop into mold

Slam mold to get out air

let set up

Cut- Who hoo -pretty soap!!!!!!!!!!!

,

May sound like alot to do but it is quite easy.

Middle one is how most of them look.

first is regular hp not whipped

third is with mint leaves