My soap fiasco

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Well, it didn't work. It never got to the trace stage, not even overnight. A thick layer of oil on top of thick, grainy stuff that reminded me of my first attempt at fudge(only white). I'm wondering if my lye wasn't compromised, because I got alot of this stuff on my hand and it didn't burn at all. Thanks for all the tips, ladies, and you too Hoot. Back to the drawing board!!

-- Dawn (olsoncln@ecenet.com), December 15, 2001

Answers

What is your recipe?

-- Cindy (SE. IN) (atilrthehony@hotmail.com), December 15, 2001.

1# 15 oz coconut oil (solid), 1# 7.75 oz sunflower oil, 1# 7.75 oz olive oil, 10.75 oz lye, 32.75 fl oz still water. I chose this recipe to start with, because it seemed to be pretty basic and simple, and I could get all the ingredients pretty cheaply. I suppose I'll try again in a couple of weeks, when I get the nerve and energy up.

-- Dawn (olsoncln@ecenet.com), December 17, 2001.

Re-cook it. Cut up the hard stuff in the bottom, and cook it slowly until everything melts. Then cook it until it will trace. Did you stir it, and how long did you stir it for? Some recipes require stirring for an hour before it will trace! And just to make sure, did you make the soap in a non reactive pot? (Glass, stainless steel, or unchipped, uncracked enamel?)

-- Rebekah (daniel1@itss.net), December 17, 2001.

I mixed it up in a stoneware crock (glazed), figured that would be alright. I'd love to recook it like you advised, but the husband had me throw it out in the burnpile (worried about the kids, understandable). I stirred it for two hours straight, with an old rubber spatula, and made sure both the lye water and the oils were both between 96 and 98 degrees. I've thought about it alot, and the only thing I come back at is the lye... I had bought it a couple of years ago when I got it into my head to make a go of this, never opened it, though. Oh, well. I'll just try again after the New Year!!

-- Dawn (olsoncln@ecenet.com), December 17, 2001.

The only time I have had a failure like that is when the weather was wet or humid. Keep trying!!!!

-- Jenny (auntjenny6@aol.com), December 18, 2001.


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