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Candle & Soap Making/Alcohol in soap making

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Expert: Terry Knorr - 5/26/2006


Question
I was wondering why ethyl alcohol is added in making basic soap?

Answer
Hi Dave!
Ethyl alcohol is most often used in soap making to create a more transparent soap.  I prevents the soap molecule from forming a large chain which "folds" over on itself.  When this occurs, you get an opaque soap.  The ethyl alcohol prevents this from occuring, giving you a translucent or transparent soap.  

Terry

Candle & Soap Making

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Terry Knorr

Expertise

I can answer most questions concerning the making of handmade soaps. Those which I cannot answer, I am willing to research for you.

Experience

Began making and selling handmade soaps under the name of Earth Soaps in 1994. Have since expanded under the name Good Earth Herbs to 24 different soaps. We do both retail and wholesale business. I also teach two different classes on soapmaking: a basic class and an advanced class.

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