I love masterbatching the oils. Well, not the process it self but the results it gives me: the ability to make soap quickly at any time, just by melting and measuring all of the oils at once, instead of individually.
Initially, I was concerned about masterbatching oils. I wondered, how do I know that each container has the exact same proportion of all of the oils? And though “exact” might be too strict of a word, I do know now that each batch has roughly the same proportion of oils. I know it because when I compare two identical containers with the same amount of the oil blend, they look very similar (the level of the semi-solid oils is the same).
I include the word multi-batching because I distribute the oils into containers, instead of keeping it all in one big pot with a warming belt (at the moment I cannot justify the expense for the belt, given that I am mainly a hobbyist soap maker, and only sell randomly)
I masterbatch about 400 – 450 oz of oils at a time, which is enough for about 10-12 soap loaves, depending how big of a mold I use. The overall process is pretty simple:
1- Measure the oils
2. Melt and blend the oils
3. Distribute the oils into containers
I have listed the detailed process below. But first let us take a look at the recipe:
Masterbatch Recipe
| Ingredient | Gram(s) | Ounce(s) | Pounds(s) | Oil % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Karite Butter (Shea) | 1,275.73 | 45 | 2.81 | 10% |
| Tallow, Beef | 4,465.05 | 157.50 | 9.84 | 35% |
| Rice Bran Oil | 3,189.32 | 112.50 | 7.03 | 25% |
| Ricinus Oil (Castor Oil) | 637.86 | 22.50 | 1.41 | 5% |
| Coconut Oil, 76 deg | 3,189.32 | 112.50 | 7.03 | 25% |
This recipe has the following properties:
As you can see, with 70% of hard oils, this will be a hard long lasting bar. The conditioning levels seems low, however, remember that lye calculators do not include the super fat into their bar properties, because they cannot know which oils will be left out of the saponification process (no one does!). So I do not worry about the low condition number as I know my 5% superfat will take care of that (the superfat will also decrease the bubbly level, which is why I try to keep that within the recommended range).
This recipe will reach trace fast, so no time for fancy swirls. It will also need to be unmolded soon (8-14 hours). If I insulate the soap to promote gel phase, and if the fragrance tends to accelerate, I can unmold after 8 hours. If I do not insulate, it takes longer. I kind of have to keep an eye on them. If I wait 24 hours, the bars tend to crumble when I cut them.
By the way, I know tallow it is not easy to source. Initially I was rendering it myself, but last time I got it from Soapers choice, I bought 50 lb I think, (it was cheaper that way), and it has lasted me a long time!
EQUIPMENT I USED
- 20 Quart stainless steel pot.20 Quart stainless steel pot. I bought mine locally, gently used from craiglist
- Scale
- Or larger scale*
- 5 quart bucket or large plastic bowl (the roundness of the bowl makes it easy to scrape oils out) I got mine at Home depot. (If you have a scale that can measure 500 oz or more, you probably do not need this container)
- Silicone Spatula / scraper. I like this one for its thick handle and flexibility, I found it at a Ross or Marshall’s store.
- Plastic containers with a secured lid (No. 5 or 6 type) , with smooth even sides (to make it easy to scrape out the oil out of it). I like these because they fit in my microwave. I have about 8 containers of varied sizes.
- Large stainless steel spoon with long handle
- Heating pad. I used it to melt the coconut oil/shea butter and make it easy to extract from container, however, leaving it out in the sun would have been an option too.
- Masking tape and a sharpie or pen
- Gloves (any type, it helps keeping my hands clean)
- Scooper* (it helps with the tallow and shea butter, if you have them in large containers)
- Small Container with a handle, to use as a ladle. (A small pitcher would do)
PROCESS:
If you prefer to watch it, you can go to the video here
- Print your recipe. If you are using mine, you can print it from here.
- Weigh all of your containers. Write this weight on a piece of masking tape and adhere it to them (weigh without the lid). Leave room to add the weight of the oils later next to it. Set them apart.
- Weigh each oil into the 5 quart bucket and transfer it to the stainless steel pot. I usually have the pot on the stove (turned off) so I do not have to transport it later. As you weigh and add each oil, mark it off from the recipe.
- Turn on the stove to low heat. It will take 1 hour or so to get everything fully melted.
- Once the oils are all clear, use the stainless steel spoon to thoroughly blend the oils. I stir them for about one minute.
- Using the small container with the handle or a ladle, start filling the containers. Put each container on the scale and tare it out prior. Write down the weight, on the same masking tape or label, so you will know how much oil is in each container. Before filling the next container, stir the oils again with the spoon, for about 30 seconds or so.
- Once you are finished, allow the oils to cool before putting the lids. That is is!
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