As anyone who reads about my soapmaking knows I do like to experiment so for my latest batch I wanted to make my favourite Aloe Vera and Cucumber Soap which is a recipe in Jan Berry's book Simple and Natural Soapmaking. This time I decided to double the recipe I used last time and instead of chopping up an aloe vera leaf and putting it in the processor with the cucumber I just scooped out the gel and used that instead. I did show how I removed the gel in Using Aloe Vera in Soapmaking if anyone is interested.
Sorry about the blurry photo but it looked alright on the camera but I didn't have my glasses on. LOL! I always get surprises when I see some photos after they have been uploaded onto the computer.
Well the plan was to keep the soap in the moulds for several days in an effort to avoid soda ash which looks like a powder on the finished product. It isn't really an issue unless soapmakers are selling their soap in which case they try to avoid soda ash forming. One of our soapie ladies on The Homemaker's Forum has great success with her batches as she keeps them in the fridge for a number of days after they have gone into the moulds but I don't have room in mine and also I don't think the menfolk will enjoy taking something out of the fridge which smells of perfume.
I always wondered if you could just double a recipe and knew I should have run the ingredients through a soap calculator like SoapCalc or the Brambleberry Lye Calculator but I didn't....until tonight. As it turned out both those calculators allow for more liquid than I used which is interesting as the soap in the individual moulds was still really soft after five days.
I wasn't happy with the result as the soda ash formed within a few hours and spoils the look of the individual moulds but there is none on the soap which was in the loaf mould. Go figure! I had better results with my original batch and I also made the mistake of using the Mandarin and Myrrh Fragrance Oil which I was given and I wanted to use it up. It made the soap mixture seize which didn't give me time to make sure the green mica I had used for colour was mixed through adequately. That's always a possibility if using fragrance oils which have vanillin in them and also the soap can become discoloured over time which I think will happen to this lot. That's okay though as it is all a learning curve. Next time I will probably just leave the fragrance oil out. I was a tad disappointed with the colour as I had bought three micas from Green Living Australia due to the problem I have been having getting clays to mix in properly.
I also made a plain old batch of lard soap using the same recipe as in this post Making Soap with Lard but I left out the colour and fragrance as it is for one of the menfolk. I didn't even trim it so it is looking very 'rustic' for want of a better word ;-)
This is the recipe I used for the Aloe Vera and Cucumber Soap. I always like to look back at previous posts so it is good for me to have a record of what ingredients I have used. It beats having to try and find the slip of paper I have written the recipe on.
Aloe Vera and Cucumber Soap
396g Coconut Oil
908g Olive Oil
226g Sweet Almond Oil
56g Castor Oil
50g Mandarin and Myrrh Fragrance Oil
100g Aloe Vera
56g Cucumber
222g Lye
170g Water or more to bring total to 496g
We had this visitor to the back yard the other day which the CEO has never seen before. Does anyone have any idea what it is? I was just thinking a few days ago that the Aussie Backyard Bird Count must be just about due to start so I had a search online for it and it actually starts next Monday, the 22nd October so if you are an Aussie and want to join in don't forget to register. I had noticed that the Storm Bird hadn't been around at all as they always turn up during the bird count and would you believe it, the next day I heard their distinctive call. That was the day the storms started too. We always thought that they were predicting storms but according to an article I read it seems they are simply calling out for a mate Do storm birds have the ability to predict wet weather? You live and learn!
Have a great week everyone and stay safe. There is some nasty weather around these days.
Chel, what is the reason for soda ash? Too much lye?
ReplyDeleteIn a way, it's good that you don't keep soap in the fridge. They are so pretty and can be mistaken for chocolate or cookies. :)
Nil, this is what Kenn says on Modern Soapmaking 'Soda Ash is caused primarily by any free sodium in sodium hydroxide interacting with oxygen, various fragrance constituents, and even heat, which forms sodium carbonate on the surface of the soap as it comes in contact with the air'. She has a great article on her website anout it. I have sprayed before too but it didn't seem to work. I never get it unless I add fragrance and colours.
ReplyDeleteThanks Chel. 😊
DeleteAh how interesting, I have had a similar problem with my soap and now I know the name. So If you cool it down, sealed in the fridge that can prevent it prior to un-moulding it? Ill have to try it next time!
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Emma, you can spray your soap with Isopropyl Alcohol which seems to be what professional soapmakers do. If you do a search online for how to prevent soda ash Kenna from Modern Soapmaking and The Soap Queen have some really good suggestions. Lilies keeps her soaps cool and in the fridge for a few days and she has success with that.
DeleteChel, are you procrastinating with your soap making when you are supposed to be packing up your kitchen ready for the reno?? Meg:D
ReplyDeleteMe...procrastinate??? Of course not,Meg ;-) Well, maybe just a little. LOL! I still haven't started packing up the kitchen as I thought I would start when the builder arrives to do some bits and pieces before gutting the kitchen and bathroom. The rain has delayed him by a week so I have been procrastinating.
DeleteThis one looks good Chel. You're far more adventurous than I am. I find one and stick with it. Love the ?orange rind? on top. Mimi xxx
ReplyDeleteMimi, I put calendula petals on top....just for fun. LOL!
DeleteChel, My husband who is a bit of a twitcher thinks your bird could be a male Eastern Koel,which is the Stormbird? however he can't see his eye or tail properly so a bit hard to be exact. Must sign up for the Bird Count, we had fun last year with it. Love your soap experiments, and I think the cucumber soap would have a nice fragrance.
ReplyDeletePauline, no it isn't the stormbird/Eastern Koel as the one we have here is black with red eyes. My hubby hasn't seen this one before. Yes, do sign up for the Bird Count as it starts on Monday.
DeleteOff topic, Chel, but hope you're okay there, after the nasty storms just went through your area? Be safe.
ReplyDeleteNanette, the entrance to the State Rose Garden was damaged due to a tree landing on the roof and the road home from there was blocked by another big tree. We went for a drive later and lots of the trees growing on footpaths have come down. The Council will have their hands full tomorrow. I just found some branches from the neighbour's tree in our yard as they must have flown in during the storm. Will post photos on my blog later if the NBN stays on.
ReplyDeleteGlad you're ok, and it was only branches that ended up in your yard. Just saw video on Higgins of flash flooding at Eastern Creek....I think. Look forward to the photos.
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