How can I make my cold process soap harder?

Here are five things that can yield a harder bar:

1. Use a water reduction. You need to dissolve lye in water in order to turn oils into soap.
2. Add some wax. A small amount of beeswax added to the melted oils will help harden your DIY bar soap.
3. Add sodium lactate.
4. Increase the olive oil.
5. Add some salt.

Does stearic acid harden soap?

Stearic Acid helps to harden products, such as candles and soap bars, helping the latter to create a rich lather that feels velvety. This property makes it ideal for use in shaving foams. With occlusive properties, it helps the skin remain hydrated by preventing or slowing moisture loss from the skin’s surface.

What ingredient makes soap harder?

Sodium lactate is used by soapmakers to make a harder bar of soap. I used to use it a lot… until I learned to better formulate recipes without it.

How do you fix soap that is too soft?

How to Fix it: To speed up the unmolding process for an extremely soft recipe use sodium lactate in the lye water at a rate of 1 tsp. per pound of oils. Click here to learn more about sodium lactate. If the soap has stayed in the mold for 2+ weeks and is still extremely soft, it will most likely not harden.

What is the shelf life of cold process soap?

Average bar of homemade soap: Many natural homemade bars of soap should be good for up to 3 years. Old-fashioned soap made using just lye and lard: These simple bars of soap may last 5 years or more.

How much stearic acid is in soap making?

Use Stearic Acid It’s a vegetable derived waxy substance that can be used at a 0.5\% of your oils in cold process soap.

How do you use citric acid in cold process soap?

Instructions: Dissolve 1 part citric acid in 4 parts distilled water. After the formation of soap crystals in cold process soap (trace) or after cooking hot process soap, add the citric acid-water mixture at up to 1\% of the weight of the fats.

How do you add stearic acid to cold process soap?

It’s generally added to cooled lye water at a rate of 1 teaspoon per pound of oils. It does wonders for hardening up your bar, and really helps extend the life in the shower. I use it in just about every one of my batches! Learn more about sodium lactate here.

Why isn’t my cold process soap hardening?

Too much extra liquid (milk, purees, etc.) on top of the water in the lye solution causes soap to not harden correctly. The type of mold also affects how quickly soap hardens. In general, cold process soap made in silicone and plastic molds takes longer to harden and umold.