# newbie soaper questions



## Jo~* (Oct 26, 2007)

Ive been trying my hand at making gms the last couple of months and have made 4 batches so far.
My biggest problem seem to be that it gets thick real fast just before I pour it into the mold. 
One minute its just tracing and the next its like pudding or cake batter. As a matter of fact the top of the soap looks like a frosted cake.
Other than that the soap seems fine, its a nice off white color and I am using the first batch it lathers up nice and feels good on my skin.
Its made with lye of course and coconut oil, olive oil and shortening. It may be a bit drying for other people, but with my oily skin it makes me feel nice and clean. 
Thanks JoAnn


----------



## NubianSoaps.com (Oct 26, 2007)

Just stop going quite so far into trace. You will get a feel for when you are nearing trace, then add your scent, stir for a second and pour, let it go to trace in the mold. When you add your lye your butters and oils are fairly see through, then they become opaque and you can tell it's mixed really well (immulsion) then it starts to thicken like pancake batter and you know you are a couple mintues to trace, that is when I pull soap out into my coloring and swirling cup, it's when I add scent and honey etc....and then pour...usually as I am pouring the last mold, it is actual trace some have you wait till...then I swirl. This way I am not rushing, and each of my scents has it's own card on how it behaves, some are bomb proof and I can use them with my eyes closed, others I have to add the scent and then stir and not stick blend.

Congrats on your 4 batches! And I would doubt with lard in your recipe your soap is drying at all! vicki


----------



## Jo~* (Oct 26, 2007)

"Congrats on your 4 batches! And I would doubt with lard in your recipe your soap is drying at all! vicki"

Vicki, can I change out the shortening for lard? And it would be not as drying? I'm the only one in the family with oily skin.
I didn't realize it could trace in the mold, thanks for that info!!!!!!
JoAnn


----------



## Kalne (Oct 25, 2007)

You can sub lard for the shortening but run the new formula through a soap calculator to see if your lye amount changes.


----------



## hsmomof4 (Oct 31, 2008)

I love lard in soap. Tallow too.


----------



## Jo~* (Oct 26, 2007)

Kalne said:


> You can sub lard for the shortening but run the new formula through a soap calculator to see if your lye amount changes.


Is their one soap calculator the same as another, just type in soap cal?


----------



## Jo~* (Oct 26, 2007)

Ok I think I found a soap cal that looks pretty easy to understand lol its the one at Brambleberry.
Looks like its time to trade in my old scale for a digital one haha.


----------



## Kalne (Oct 25, 2007)

I use soapcalc.net but others here use the one at thesage.com I think. There are more than that out there too but those are the 2 I am familiar with.


----------



## Poverty Knob Goats (Apr 13, 2010)

I think a good digital scale is a must have. I didn't realize how far off my old kitchen scale was untill I got a digital. It explains some of my "Failed" batches.


----------



## NubianSoaps.com (Oct 26, 2007)

Shortening is hydrogenated soybean oil, it is not a butter or hard oil.
Lard is hydrogenated pig fat, it is a hard butter.

You can use any oils or any butters in your soaps, but no oil subs out for a butter in quality of bar. IMO 

thesage.com is a good calculator to start with. V


----------

