Adding oil at trace

[Candybee]

I want to try a recipe where you add an oil in at trace. Do I also put that in the soapcalc along with my soaping oils? Does the addition of an oil at trace (like sweet almond oil or avacado oil) get saponified the same as the other oils?

I am just trying to understand how adding an oil at trace may make a difference in the quality of the finished soap as opposed to adding it in with the other oils before adding my lye water. Hope my questions make sense.

[chuck_35550]

You're gonna get several different opinions on this subject. You must add the superfatting oil as part of your formula with the hopes that the 5% or whatever % you use will not be affected by the lye solution when added at trace. I think that's a waste of time IMHO. Most everything I've read and from my own experience is that saponification is random. Avocoado has unsaponifiable molecules that do not respond to the process, as well as olive pomace oil but I would still just dump the whole amount in at once and not wait until trace (you forget to add it). Fos and eos affect the process as well (acceleration) so its a toss up in my opinion but do add all oils to your soapcalc recipe. HTH

Steve

[TallTayl]

Definitely add the superfat oils into the SAP calculations.

Adding your selected SF oil/butter at trace in CP has no measurable effect on the final soap. Much of the saponification is still taking place at trace, so the lye, like the Ring in Lord of the Rings, takesssss what it wantssss. Plus, as mentioned above, why risk forgetting an oil?

If you wish to have a reasonable chance at your selected oil remaining as a superfat ingredient, you could HP your soap and add your SF after the cook. There's been some speculation that even then the soap changes over time exchanging ions as it ages.

[LovelyLathers]

I add all oils to my soapcalc. All you are doing is superfating, You can do the same thing by upping your lye discount and playing around with that. The lye will saponify what it wants so there is no way of knowing what is superfatted. Less chance of forgetting something also. I have how ever added a tble of castor oil ppo when there is none in the formula but added in the beginning.

[Candybee]

Thanks for the replies. My common sense tells me it will probably be saponified as the rest of the oils. But I have read a couple of references in adding an oil at trace so just wondering if it did make a difference or its an imagined difference. I am going to try it both ways and see for myself just because I want to see if I can tell the difference.

[LovelyLathers]

I noticed no difference either way. When I first started I did the same as you. It is great to test and experiment so you know what is going on and the feel! By the way You are doing a great job!! I wish you well in your soapmaking!

[TexasBrat]

I added some flavor oil at trace which is made up of vege oils and I did not account for them when I calculated my recipe and all went well with my batch.

[Candybee]

Thanks for all your responses. Knowing myself its gonna make life a lot easier to add all oils at the same time. I know if I developed a recipe to add at trace I would probably end up forgeting it or wishing I hadn't if I am having a problem with a particular batch. I'm still gonna try it sometime just because I am curious.