Using Stearic

[Penny]

Can someone please help me. I have a CP recipe that I've been working on and I really like. The problem is that when I use the soapcalk, it's coming up really soft. Hardness is 40. I plugged 5% stearic acid and it hardening increased just where I wanted it. My question is, have any of you used stearic in your soap? I've read a lot about it and am more confused than when I started. The stearic I would use is sourced from plants. Can you tell me the effect, other than hardening, the stearic had on your soap. Did you like it? TIA

[MarieJeanette]

Can someone please help me. I have a CP recipe that I've been working on and I really like. The problem is that when I use the soapcalk, it's coming up really soft. Hardness is 40. I plugged 5% stearic acid and it hardening increased just where I wanted it. My question is, have any of you used stearic in your soap? I've read a lot about it and am more confused than when I started. The stearic I would use is sourced from plants. Can you tell me the effect, other than hardening, the stearic had on your soap. Did you like it? TIA

Hi Penny!

Have you actually made the recipe yet or are you just in the formulating stage at this time (i.e., plugging percentages in on the SoapCalc to see what qualities pop up)?

I ask because a hardness of 40 using SoapCalc's quality numbers has always given me a soap that is good and hard once it has been made. One of my other soaps has a hardness level of 38 according to SoaCalc and that one is good and hard, too.

I've never used stearic by itself in my soap as an additive, but I have used Tallow, which is high in stearic acid. It gives me a nice and hard soap.

I've read of others who have used stearic as an additive and I think there's a certain percentage you shouldn't go over because it could cause the soap to crack and/or come to trace really fast. Hopefully those who have actually used it will chime in and lend their soaping wisdom as to what constitutes a good percentage. Sorry I couldn't be of more help, but I hope that helps even a little.

MarieJeanette

[natrldsastr]

I use stearic at about 1.5% in my all veg recipe, because I refuse to ship in palm too. Be prepared to work quick, it will trace fast.

[Penny]

Thanks so much for your responses. I'm just at the formulating stage of my recipe so I think I'll give it a go without the stearic and see what happens. You guys are GREAT!!!

[topofmurrayhill]

I've used palm stearic up to 2%. I think I tried higher once but the soap seized up -- not sure if it was the stearic or a combination of things.

Stearic acid will harden the soap, but it's different from using an oil that's high in stearic. Stearic is bound up as part of triglycerides in the oil. When you add stearic flakes, you're adding a free fatty acid. In other words, it's the fatty acid by itself, not in the form of a fat or oil. Free fatty acids are more prone to oxidation and can make your soap discolor faster over time.

The most basic way to control the hardness of your recipe is by adjusting the proportions of the different oils in it. Your recipe probably includes a hardening oil such as palm, lard, tallow or some kind of vegetable shortening. If you increase that slightly and decrease one of the soft liquid oils slightly, the soap will be harder.

[Penny]

I can always come here and get just what I need. Who could ask for anything more--except for maybe an unlimited supply of soaping supplies.

Top, I found a post of yours talking about the hardness #'s on SoapCalc. After I read it, it really cleared up some of the fogginess. You were talking about the iodine #. After I read your post, it all made perfectly good sense. I use a lot of OO in most of my formulations and my soaps come out really hard after a good curing time. I think I'll skip the stearic and keep experimenting with the PO. Thanks a lot for all the feedback.