Increase in mildness of CP soaps after cure...

Susan and i have been talking quite a bit about what we were thinking the reasons were for getting milder soaps after longer cure times...

It has been fun and we have found a number of very cool online articles... I can't wait to share... eventually I will hopefully get to it... in the meantime it would be cool to also get other members' thoughts on this...

i've got a theory in my head..... it's a long ways from my head to the fingertips, though. don't even know how to explain it, other than it gives the molecules to finish aligning. see, still couldn't make it an "ah ha moment"

hmmm... we might be heading in the same direction... we found some articles on the different soap structures that form in soap at different conditions... temp and concentration... will post soon... this will be fun mate!!

i can't wait to see your theory finally out of your head...

lmao

there's a lot of fuzz and filler to fish it through

you'll have to dust it and put it through the wringer...

I am looking forward to seeing what you have to share Riaan. My only thought is that soap is the opposite of cheese....cheese gets stronger as it ages

I like Bret's theory that the molecules align as it cures. I try to keep 1 bar of soap from each batch to compare to a just cured for 6 weeks bar. There is really such a difference, I cannot explain it, but I can feel it.

I love these topics! We need more so I can learn more. If everyone one of us shared our experiences maybe we can find a common factor.

To me, cure time has always been more than the evaporation of water. The soap will rehydrate but the "mildness" we feel is still there so it must be something else.

Can't wait til Rvan puts it all together (in english ) for us!

I agree with you. I also think that the soap molecules don't align quite as nicely in a soap with a steep water discount, which leads me to think it really is the oils and waters melding and truly becoming one mild and wonderful bar of soap.

You all lose me in these conversations, but I love to read em

Topcat wrote: My only thought is that soap is the opposite of cheese....cheese gets stronger as it ages

Ahh but does the lather not get stronger?

Kellie wrote:I also think that the soap molecules
don't align quite as nicely in a soap with a steep water discount, which
leads me to think it really is the oils and waters melding and truly
becoming one mild and wonderful bar of soap.

I totally agree Kellie!!

beachbabiesbath wrote: You all lose me in these conversations, but I love to read em

I was thinking this but didn't post it.

hehe... that smiley cracks me up and so do you guys...!!

this one too!! but i suppose it is when the adequate response would have been horse manure!!

hehe!

rvan wrote:hehe... that smiley cracks me up and so do you guys...!!

this one too!! but i suppose it is when the adequate response would have been horse manure!!

hehe!

or that the person was speaking through their ass

LOl I love that emoticon...

he he he. . . like that one. . .!

yep made me lol..!!

I can't wait to read what you have.

And on the water discount -- I don't use one very often. I made my regular goat's milk soap recipe for a long time with full water, then on the recommendation of another soaper, started doing water discounts and wasn't really happy with the results. I gave out 1/2 bar samples of one vs. the other to about a dozen people and ALL preferred the soap made with full water, even though they were made within a week of each other, both unfragranced, identical recipes, etc. That sold me on letting time do the work and not trying to rush the process with shortcuts.

I am glad you posted that Beth. I thought I was missing something, or the only one who didn't like discounting the water. I much prefer to use full water or milk and let the soap do it's thing for 6 weeks.