Ricebran oil, palm oil soap

800g Ricebran oil
200g palm oil.
distilled water 350ml, lye 126g: MMS calculator says this is superfatted around 7%


Was going to use green tea in the lye solution for this one, until I read that it can foam up a lot if you add the lye to it when it is warm. I couldn't be bothered cooling it so I just used 350ml plain water instead. In the end I did wind up cooling the lye solution in an icewater bath. They lye went a browny colour, possibly from dregs of green tea still in the mixing-jar after I tipped the tea out?
Once the oils and the lye were both around 100 degrees I tipped the lye into the oil and stirred very briefly to combine, then went at it with the handheld Braun mixer. Within a few minutes it was a custard consistency and very yellow. It was a little gloppy as I poured it into my Wiltshire loaf mold, right to the top. I put the remainder into a heart-shaped ice tray from Ikea. Both molds are now in the garage with gladwrap over them to stop bugs getting at the soap- those mosquitoes just don't know what's good for them! Weather is a little humid, it rained a few drops here and there today after a very hot day. Right now the temperature is 24.7 degrees.

I hope it works. I hope its not too soft. I hope the oil is okay- it supposedly expired in January, and I think I bought it as long as a year ago but I never opened the tin. Certainly wasn't rancid-smelling, not much of a scent to it at all.

Had some ideas about packaging it. Will use old sewing pattern tissue and maybe stamp 'EmilyKate' on it, stick it closed with japanese washi tape.

Morning, Sunday 27 February.
Rain overnight. VERY soft, VERY sticky soap. I popped out one of the mini soaps from the icecube tray, the surface was cracked and soap was left inside the tray. Will leave them all in there to cure a bit more.  Icecube tray soap did not seem to have gone through gelling. The soap in the loaf mold had gelled almost but not quite to the edges. I carefully flipped it over and peeled the loaf mold back off it. Very soft so it became somewhat misshapen but it didn't crack and none was left in the mold. Cut into 11 sticky pieces with crimped cutter. They are now resting between tissue paper on top of a cooling rack.

I still have some stearic acid, if this batch remains too soft then I'll use the acid in the next batch to make it harder. It also would have been better to use the lower end of the suggested water volume.

Tuesday 1 March

Still very soft, maybe less sticky. No zap!

Ricebran and Palm Oil Created by EmilyKate	Service provided by Majestic Mountain Sage http://www.thesage.com © 1996-2010 Majestic Mountain Sage, All Rights Reserved
Liquids waterFor the size of fat batch that you are using, we recommend that you use approximately 250 to 375 milliliters of liquid. WARNING: Always add your solid form lye, sodium hydroxide or potassium hydroxide, to the liquid. If the liquid were added to the solid form lye a violent reaction could result. This means you could have a "volcano" erupt out of your container.	Fats & Oils Fat Amount (grams) % in recipe Palm Oil 200 20.00 Rice Bran Oil 800 80.00 Total Weight 1000	Lye Table (NaOH) % excess fat Lye Amount (grams) 0 135.61 1 134.25 2 132.90 3 131.54 4 130.18 5 128.83 6 127.47 7 126.12 8 124.76 9 123.40 10 122.05
0% to 4% excess fat range: Proceed with caution! We do not recommend this unless actual saponification values are known and used. 5% to 8% excess fat range: This is the range we use most often. 9% to 10% excess fat range: Creates a softer soap because of the amount of excess fat. DISCLAIMER: Every effort has been made to ensure that the information contained here is accurate. However due to differing conditions, tools, and individual skills we cannot guarantee the information is applicable in your situation. We are not responsible for any injuries, losses, or other damages that may result from the use this information available here.
Always wear protective goggles, gloves and other safety clothing when handling sodium hydroxide or potassium hydroxide. Refer to the appropriate MSDS for complete details.
Basic Soapmaking Instructions While wearing safety goggles and neoprene gloves, combine solid lye and liquid, stir well. Set aside and allow to cool (100° F to 125° F). This is best done outside while you are standing upwind. Combine oils and heat gently. Once the fats and oils are melted allow the temperature to drop to 100° F to 125° F. Combine lye solution and melted oils. Be careful not to splash while combining the mixtures. Stir until the mixture traces. If tracing takes more than 15 minutes, which it often does, stir for the first 15 minutes, then stir for 5 minutes at 15 minute intervals. Tracing looks like a slightly thickened custard, not instant pudding but a cooked custard. It will support a drop, or your stir marks for several seconds. Once tracing occurs... Pour raw soap into your prepared molds. After a few days the soap can be turned out of the mold. If the soap is very soft, allow it to cure for a few days to firm the outside. Cut soap into bars and set the bars out to cure and dry. This will allow the bar to firm and finish saponification. Place the bars on something that will allow them to breathe.

Sunday May 15
The soap is now hard enough. could maybe be left another few weeks but I was impatient. Wrapped up the bars in sewingpattern tissue. Gave to Bec, Liat and Natsu. The end peices of soap looked like they had a kind of gel-like consistency in the middle, below the surface. I took photos but this quality didn't show up in the photos.