How Does this Look for First Recipe

[candlemama]

I've been playing around on SoapCalc trying to come up with a recipe using grocery store oils for my very first CP batch. I'm not going to use any FO or color on this batch and am trying to stick to five oils. If it turns out, I'm planning to rebatch it with FOs and color. But this go around I want to keep it simple and not have to worry about any FO accelerating trace or doing any other funky things. I'm thinking I'll probably do about 2.5lbs of oils because that should fit in my log mold nicely with a little extra leftover for my round molds.

I'm trying to go for a creamy, bubbly bar with decent hardness and conditioning. I have a super fat of 5%. This is what I've come up with. What do you think?

CO 76 degree: 30%

Lard: 30%

OO: 20%

Castor Oil: 15%

Canola: 5%

According to SoapCalc, these ratios should yield a bar with Hardness 40, Cleansing 20, Conditioning 54, Bubbly 34, Creamy 33, Iodine 55, INS 159. I don't really know what the last two mean so don't know if those numbers are okay or not.

Also, I know it is critical to get the exact ratio of lye to oils. Every time I play on SoapCalc, I get a lye amount in ounces or grams with two or more decimal places (i.e., 5.712 ounces or 161.919 grams). My scale measures grams in whole numbers only and ounces only to a tenth of a percent (e.g., 0.0 ounces or 0 grams, etc.). Given the lye numbers above, can I just round off to 5.7 ounces or 162 grams? This particular recipe calls for 15.2 ounces of water.

Thanks for any insight you can offer!

[topofmurrayhill]

The lye amount that SoapCalc gives you isn't anything exact. It's only using averages for the SAP values of your oils. The real SAP values vary and we don't know them. That's one reason we use a lye discount (aka "superfat") for a safety margin. That will also cover measuring to the accuracy of your scale, so don't worry--all will be well.

Use the grams setting on the scale because it gives you a little more readability. In the long run, it wouldn't be bad to get a scale with an extra decimal place if your batches tend to be small.

To me the castor oil seems on the high side and the "conditioning" looks a little too high. I'd change some of that castor to lard (maybe 5/40 or at least 10/35) and I think it could be very nice.

[chuck_35550]

Run Coconut 25%

Lard 50%

Olive 10%

Castor 15%

Leave off the Canola. It makes a harder bar with more bubbles and a little milder on the Lauric/Myristic.

[IwantItgreen]

I'm a new soaper also, so only take this for what it's worth to ya, but I would take 10% of the castor and add it to the olive. That's just my personal opinion.

Chuck, do you generally soap with that high of castor? I've read alot of people generally using only 5%. What benefit does a higher percentage add?

[lkhwb]

Its good to keep your first recipe simple. You get to have a good appreciation of the oils and how they perform.

I would though, probably go with:

Lard 40%

Olive Oil 35%

Coconut 20%

Castor 5%

Too much castor makes for a really sticky soap and a softer one. It doesn't harden the way olive oil does. I too wouldn't use canola but I get DOS from it so just avoid it in general. Lard makes a lovely addition to soap as does olive, these will be nice and conditioning, the castor and coconut will make great bubbles, the lard and coconut will help in making a long lasting bar.

I actually don't use soapcalc to check numbers etc. I got to know my oils/fats and what they brought to a soap and run on instinct pretty much You don't have to have a good set of numbers to get a great soap.

Good luck!

Lisa

[candlemama]

Hmmm... I should have realized that the Castor oil shouldn't be so high since most of the recipes I looked at had it between 5-10%. Definitely don't want sticky soap on my first try. I think I will increase the lard and OO as suggested, leave out the Canola oil, and lower the Castor to 5%. I'm going to pick up my supplies and safety gear today. My husband comes home in the morning, so I may give it a go tomorrow night!

BTW, I know he's going to think I'm nuts since I have about 70lbs of M&P base already -- no one in the world needs as much soap as we have in the house right now, and I'm about to make more... What's wrong with me?!?

[LuminousBoutique]

Just wanted to add I dont get DOS from canola... but I wont use more than 10%, so that makes a difference IMO. In the past when I used up to 25% when I was learning, I did get DOS. It depends on the amounts, imo.

[singleyellowrose]

I wouldn't go that high with CO. Only because my skin doesn't do well with that high of an amount.

That said, I prefer higher amounts of Lard and Olive.

But that is just me. I would go with this:

Lard: 45%

OO: 35%

CO 76 degree: 15%

Castor Oil: 5%

As you can see, from all the different posts, we are all choosing something different.

In the end, it will be what YOUR skin likes. That's why you will make lotsa batches.

My personal opinion for your FIRST batch would be:

100% Olive Oil.

That way you get a good idea of what you are doing without feeling rushed.

[candlemama]

My personal opinion for your FIRST batch would be:

100% Olive Oil.

That way you get a good idea of what you are doing without feeling rushed.

I know you've given this advice to new soapers for their first batch from other posts but am not sure why OO is easier to soap for beginners? I wouldn't mind doing an all OO soap for my first batch since I planned to make one of those, too, at some point because they are supposed to be so mild (good for my kids), although I also read I will have to let it cure for 6 months.

Just wondering why all OO is easier. Thanks.

[Barbara AL]

I don't care that much for 100% olive oil soap to me they are slimey.

I like to use 75% Olive Oil, 20% Coconut and 5% Castor.

What about 50% Olive, 20% Coconut, 25% Lard and 5% Castor.

Barb

[chuck_35550]

I typically use 10% castor and haven't experienced any tacky feeling with the soap. Olive is expensive and the lard is cheap. Using lots of coconut can be really harsh on senior skin and sensitive skin types for the sake of bubbles and hardness. I use a high castor for my shampoo bar and its quite nice. Again, this is all personal stuff about how you like your skin to feel after using the soap. I'm using one right now that makes my skin feel like a million bucks and squeaky clean with lots of bubbles. Make a bar of Castile and see how you like the process and the result. Make a bar of all these recipes and see what you think. HTH. If you want to learn about the numbers, buy Scientific Soapmaking by Kevin M. Dunn.

Steve

Edited May 5, 2010 by chuck_35550

[singleyellowrose]

It traces SLOOOOOOOOOOWWWWWWW:laugh2:

Gives you a good feel for what you are doing and ALOT of time will go into your first batch.

ALWAYS, with 100% castille, get a stickblender.

Yes, it will take a LOOOONNNNG time to cure, but you will love it in a year!

For anyone new to CP soaping, you should KISS it!

Keep It Simple Sweetie!

You don't need massive amounts of $$$ ingredients to make good soap.

[Scented]

Just wondering why all OO is easier. Thanks.

Because it moves so slow that you won't think you have to freak out or rush the process. You just get an idea of each stage of the making without feeling rushed. If that makes sense.

I didn't start with this because I personally hate high olive content soaps lol. I didn't start with a lot of what people thought I should do and chastised repeatedly for it, BUT ... it's about what you want to learn and what you want to take on etc.