Forgot to add the lye!

by Shannon

Light yellow middle is the non-lye 'soap'

Light yellow middle is the non-lye 'soap'

Well, it was getting quite late last night and I was finishing up my last batch of soap. I got my water "mixture" out of the fridge and whisked it into my oils with my fragrance.


Soap whipped up like frosting, which I thought was weird but I've never soaped with cold water/lye.

Well, this morning - the soap is still the same as last night.... and I found my container with my lye (that I had placed inside the cabinet for 'safety' while my water cooled). Ugh.....

NOW WHAT DO I DO?

1. Can I scoop the oil/water mixture out of the mold, and then add some additional water so that I can dissolve my lye and then whisk it all in? I know this will require a much longer cure time due to additional water.

2. Should I make another batch (it's not a big batch) - mix all of the oils all together, put the 'missing' lye into the new batch's water solution and then whisk all together and re-pour?

Any help is appreciated - I can fix this when I get home from work tonight... thanks!

It's my first try at rimmed soap, so I have to clean out the whole 'tube' - see picture :)

Shannon

Answer:

Oh goodness Shannon...I'm so sorry but you made me giggle! I could just picture you when you realised what had happened...one of those face palm moments! The 'soap' does look lovely and creamy though!

I would go with option number 2. Melt your first 'oil & water mixture' along with the new oils for the second batch. Use the full water amount for the second batch and add both batches of lye to it. Then proceed as normal.

At least with this mistake you know exactly what happened...that's a rare occurrence!

Good luck!
Cathy

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cold vs hot processed soap NEW
by: new to soap making

Cold processed requires no heat but hot process requires heat (in a crockpot for example). Both use lye which 'saponfies' the mix making it actual soap. Technically soap with lye is the only kind of 'soap' but the US government agencies allow the term 'soap' to be used for non soap products (i.e. not made with lye). The lye of course goes away over time (think of how cooking with alcohol it cooks it out but leaves the flavor)

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Forgot the lye NEW
by: Becky

I love it! Makes May want to rub it all over my body. Might try it, could be a great party for me and the grandkids.

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Soap without Lye
by: Leslie

I was wondering can your mixture be used like it is, without the lye? Would it be a lotion or just a mess? I would like to make this, but I have never used lye before just melt and pour. I would love to move on to using lye because I have some ideas for some soaps that I would love to make. Which is better and what is the different between Cold pressed and hot pressed? Thank you

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Can be saved
by: Anonymous

It seems you made a nice lotion. Might try to use it as is or.... supplement some oils and water (with lye this time - lye for all oils) and whip it in the first one... then pour it into a mold or 2... and you made yourself floating soaps... or you can pipe the content on parchment paper and let it cure and have soap macaroons or meringues or cookies type of cute soaps
.

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