I decided to restock my Coconut Cream soap. This is made with 100% coconut oil (with a 20% SF), and contains coconut milk, coconut water, coconut flour and is fragranced with coconut, of course!
Coconut milk and coconut water measured out:
Coconut flour measured out:
Adding the lye to the water:
Adding the coconut milk + coconut water to the oils:
Interestingly, this coconut soap has always separated and riced on me, and I have to stickblend it back together until it is smooth. I was hoping to take a picture of this to show you, but it didn't try to rice at all today. I have always presumed it was the fragrance oil that was causing this, but now I am thinking it might be due to the temperatures. I usually try to soap this recipe fairly warm to avoid false trace (which, I understand, can happen easier with a 100% coconut oil soap), but today I was delayed and ended up letting the lye solution cool longer than I normally would have. I wish I had thought to record the exact temperatures of the oil and lye solution for next time I make this (triple duh!).
Here it is poured into the mold:
Dividers in, nice and creamy:
I checked on it 30 minutes later, and what do I see?!
Quadruple duh....I forgot that this recipe heats up pretty good and I usually elevate the mold slightly and blow a fan on it. It only partially gelled, so it is currently on a time-out on the heating pad - I'm attempting to force it into a full gel:
I also made some coconut cream to go along with the coconut soap:
And I made these the other day just for fun, they are Black Raspberry Vanilla, and I used my homemade melt and pour soap to make the raspberries:
And now, I'm glad this duh-day is almost over...I hope you all are having a fantastic week - thanks for stopping by!
Update: The partial gel won....I officially give up. The heating pad did nothing, so I transferred it into the oven...still nothing! Partial gel it is.
oh no! that must have been pretty frustrating, but just think that you got to play and that made it all better :)
ReplyDeleteI still love those little cupcakes...they make me hungry :)
Very frustrating! It did make me happy to play though, I tried to make the best of it =)
DeleteI think it is a good idea not to have an extra set of keys. Now you had time to do something you love - soap :D I hate partial gels and in most soaps I prefer no gel at all, but we all know that soap has a mind of it´s own sometimes.
ReplyDeleteHmm, perhaps you are right - I won't get that second set of keys after all! ;) I am with you, I don't mind gelled or ungelled, but I don't want partial! The heating pad didn't work...it's in the oven now!
DeleteWow, you were productive! I love the pictures! Great soaps!
ReplyDeleteThanks Dana! =)
DeleteHi Cee. I was just thinking of making an all coconut oil soap with coconut cream or yogurt, but I don't want to make the superfat higher than 5 or 6%. Do you think it will be drying?
ReplyDeleteYour cupcake soaps look so cute! Love the raspberry topping.
I am so clumsy when it comes to keys (and phones), so I always have spare keys. Hope you already had spares made. :-)
Why do you not want to SF above 5? Yes, it will significantly drying! Not bellow 20%. Almost like the laundry soap.
DeleteSince it's hot here, I don't want the soap to turn rancid fast. I was hoping the yogurt or coconut cream would make it moisturizing.
DeleteI'm glad to see Maja already answered this for you Silvia. I agree with what she said - that low of a SF is going to be way too cleansing, almost at laundry soap level. You are on the right track though, thinking about the extra fats in the milk - you could probably drop your SF to 15-18%, but to be honest, I still keep my SF at 20%, even with added milk.
DeleteThanks Cee and Maja. I will postpone making an all coconut soap, but when I get there, will write about it. :-)
DeleteLooking forward to it Silvia! :)
DeleteThe best laid plans ha! I guess we can't always win, the gel has to get its way sometime.
ReplyDeleteI guess that's true Odette, I suppose I am just a sore loser and a poor sport! ;)
DeleteWhen you have days like that you should just stay in bed and do nothing ;) Luckily you always can rebatch your coconut soap, if that partially gelled thing disturbs you a lot. I just read from somewhere that using very low temperatures you might could avoid that happening. Don't know if that really works?Those raspberry cup cakes are sooo cute and smooth, I'd like to eat them!
ReplyDeleteHi Signe, yes, it might be worth it to try to go even lower with the temps next time...thanks!
DeleteI am sorry to hear this soap didn't turn out as you wanted...but those Black Raspberry Vanilla soap are so cute that you have to forget that soap accident.
ReplyDeleteGreat pictures, those soaps are so beautiful and just about to eat, Cee!
Thanks Nat, the berry soaps almost make up for it! ;)
DeleteHonestly, I don't believe in the 'false trace' theory, especially not when advanced , experienced soap maker, such as you, works. I always work at RT, unless I add beeswax (which is not often). Yeah, this was one of those days, when you better do nothing! But, I'm sure you have made a great soap, whether you'll leave it this way, or 'recycle' it.
ReplyDeleteBRV cups are gorgeous, it's really difficult to tell they're not real.
Hey, didn't you make coconut butter (of coconut flakes) last time?
Yes, I'm wondering about the false trace too...it would be worth it to try even lower next time just to see. I don't measure temps either - are both your oils and lye solution at RT Maja? And you are correct - I did make coconut butter last time! :)
DeleteYes, both. The lower temps., the better. As long as the batch stays liquid. The problem is to wait lye to get as cold as I want it. :-)
DeleteNot that long ago, i tried a different method. I was making a shampoo bar and as I didn't colour ,nor swirl it, I added hot l/w to the mix of oils, without having meleted them beforehand. So, it was hot/cold mix. It took awile to melt all oils, but it worked, no 'false trace' issues, no hustle.
I never take photos while working, which is pity, because I could illustrate the process as it goes.
I am definitely going to try this! My usual recipe tends to be a bit fast moving, and I bet if I use RT lye it will really help. Thanks so much for the info!
DeleteDo you know how many times I've had to run to the next door neighbor's to borrow back my set of keys? Handy, yet embarrassing.
ReplyDeleteOooh, I love the idea of an all-coconut soap! Does the coconut flour give a exfoliating quality to the soap? (I love my coconut flour, but I'd be willing to sacrifice a little for soap!)
I'm glad to know it's not just me with a key problem...lol! I was using homemade coconut flour in the previous batches, which definitely added an exfoliating quality. This time, however, I have used store-bought coconut flour, which is more powdery, so I'm not sure how that will translate in the soap - I will try to keep you posted!
DeleteHi Cee, I was thinking of trying on a recipe with everything coconut too. But being new to the craft, I am waiting for more confidence to experiment on recipes. I love the raspberry topping.
ReplyDeleteI think you would love a 100% coconut oil soap, it is so super easy to make! Just remember to use a 20% SF and keep it cool, it heats up! It usually tries to crack on me in a log mold, and as you can see, even in my divider mold it likes to act up! :)
DeleteDear Cee, it seems that you had such hard day! When it comes to car keys I can completely understand your situation. It happened to me twice to lock the keys in may car while I already driven from home...
ReplyDeleteThis partial gel is also frustrating but you can either rebatch this soap or use it as is. But you have to be really proud of your cupcakes - they are perfect!
Thanks Gordana, it was just that kind of a weird day yesterdy! Thanks so much for your kind words :)
DeleteAw~ on the stubborn partial gel, LOL also to the stubborn partial gel! At least it didn't rice on you!
ReplyDeleteYeah, but I'm soooo stubborn and still pouting that it won...lol! ;)
DeleteI agree with Signe and Maja, better to have just stayed in bed. ;) I think the soap looks great regardless, you could say you did it intentionally to get that nice colour blend, and despite the fact that it didn't gel fully, I'm sure the whole coconut thing you have going on is still fantastic.
ReplyDeleteYour raspberries are so realistic looking, I crave some mousse with a nice berry topping whenever I see that picture.
Thanks Monica, I wish it really was mousse...yummy! =)
DeleteSounds like you had a rough day, Cee, but I'm glad that you were able to get some soaps and cream out of it! The coconut soap looks fantastic, even with the partial gel. The ingredients sound so nice! And the cream looks so rich and nourishing. The Black Raspberry Vanilla soaps look good enough to eat! I have heard such great things about that fragrance - I'll have to pick some up someday.
ReplyDeleteI think you would really like the BRV fragrance Jenny, it is one of my more dependable fragrances - the fragrance sticks well, and I don't have any acceleration or discoloration issues with it.
DeleteOooh. Sad. I never gel milk soaps. I always freeze the milks then pop in a fridge. turns out perfect every time. Ricing... probably the fragrance which reacts to the temp. Dropping the temp will definately avoid ricing with fast moving fragrance oils. Dont give up! It sounds like a lovely coconutty soal. X
ReplyDelete3 Researches SHOW How Coconut Oil Kills Belly Fat.
ReplyDeleteThe meaning of this is that you actually get rid of fat by consuming coconut fat (also coconut milk, coconut cream and coconut oil).
These 3 studies from major medical magazines are sure to turn the traditional nutrition world around!
Coconut oil items
ReplyDeleteGood quality products at affordable prices. Try it out.
พิณนารา Brand :
Pinnara Coconut oil Serum and Pinnara Jasmine Rice Facial Mask
Hmmmm I wonder if this is still marketable, maybe you could try using a different type of mold, like a half circle.... disguise it to look like an actual coconut 🥥🤣
ReplyDelete