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Sunday Night Spotlight: Sodium Lactate

Filed Under: Bramble Berry News

The hardest part of making soap is often waiting to unmold it to see the finished product. Luckily, there is an easy way to cut down the wait time. Sodium lactate is a liquid salt that can be added to cooled lye water in order to speed up unmolding time. Using sodium lactate produces harder, longer-lasting bars of cold process soap.
Derived from the natural fermentation of sugars found in corn and beets, sodium lactate is the sodium salt of lactic acid. Naturally a liquid product, sodium lactate is also available in powder form. Sodium lactate is commonly used in food products as a preservative. It’s also an extremely effective humectant, helping to strengthen the skin moisture barrier.

When making cold process soap, sodium lactate is added to cooled lye water. Lye water can reach temperatures up to 200°F. For soap making, it’s recommended to wait until the lye water has reached temperatures of 130  °F or below. Once the lye has reached optimal soap making temperature, the sodium lactate can be added.

The usage rate for sodium lactate is 1 tsp. per pound of oils. Simply measure out the sodium lactate, and stir into the cool lye water. Be careful not to use too much; using too much sodium lactate will result in a hard, crumbly bar of soap.
Below are two batches of soap created with the Basic Quick Mix. The only difference between the two is soap “A” was made with sodium lactate, while soap “B” was not. After 24 hours, both soaps were removed from the mold. Soap “B” is much softer than soap “A,” and stuck to the mold while removing. Soap “A” is much firmer, and came out of the mold smoothly.

Below are the two batches cut in the center. Because soap “B” is still soft, the knife stuck to the soap. Soap “A” is harder in the center, and the knife was able to make a clean cut all the way through the soap.
Sodium lactate is especially useful when creating soap that is palm free, or contains a high amount of soft oils. In the Palm Free in the Pot Swirl tutorial, adding sodium lactate would assist in unmolding. This is especially true for the Castile Cubes Tutorial, which is created with 100% olive oil. Castile soap is notoriously soft and requires a long cure time. Using sodium lactate makes these soap easier to unmold, which speeds up the drying process.
Sodium lactate can also be used in lotions to create a thicker, more hydrating product. In the Fresh Face Oil Free Lavender Lotion and Argan and Shea Lotion recipes, sodium lactate is used to create a creamier texture. The humectant properties of sodium lactate keeps skin moisturized longer.

In addition to hydration, sodium lactate cuts down on the stickiness sometimes found in lotion with a high glycerin content. In lotion recipes, a little sodium lactate goes a long way. Typically, the sodium lactate is used at 1-3% of the total lotion recipe.

Have you used sodium lactate in your cold process soap or lotions? I use sodium lactate in almost every cold process recipe, I love cutting down on wait time!

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140 Comments

    • That is called Polysorbate 80! It’s an emulsifier that helps any oil or color mix into the water better. That can sometimes prevent some of the ring around the tub. We like to use about .1 oz. per cup of fizzy mixture to start with: https://www.brambleberry.com/Polysorbate-80-P4438.aspx

      This additive helps harden cold process soap, and can also be used in lotion and hot process soap. 🙂

      -Kelsey with Bramble Berry

  2. Hallo, you told that SL will speed up the unmolding time. Can you specify approximately how much?

    Thanks

    • It depends on a number of factors, including your recipe, how the soap was stored, etc! We find sodium lactate usually allows us to unmold a day earlier than usual. After 2-3 days, check the soap. If it’s still soft to the touch, let it sit another day or two. If it feels firm to the touch, you can unmold and cut! 🙂

      -Kelsey with Bramble Berry

  4. It looks like this thread is mostly for those using sodium lactate for soap. I love using it in lotions instead of glycerin. Glycerin can make your lotion feel sticky. Sodium lactate feels silky, and works on the hands even after they are washed.

  5. This is my first time using sodium lactate with CP and the lye/oil mixture turned into a very thick glop within a few seconds of being mixed and I had to scoop it out rather than pour as usual. The lye water was room temp when I added the sodium lactate and the oils were about 90 degrees F. Can you please confirm that I should have added it at normal soap making temps (about 110F typically for me) and this was likely my problem?

    • Well I began mixing my lye/oil mixture at about 125 degrees after I mixed the SL into the lye water and it began to thicken again as soon as the oil began to mix with the lye water and was thick pudding in 30 seconds and this is before any colorant or fragrances were added. Here is my recipe if you can see anything in it that may have contributed to this:
      grams Ingredient
      720 coconut oil
      300 palm kernel oil
      120 olive oil
      60 castor oil
      1200 total oils
      456 water
      198 NAOH
      12 sodium lactate 1% of oils, 60% SL solution

      I did get some LabColors and fragrance mixed in after it thickened and again had to spoon scoop it into molds where it will likely have air pockets when it hardens similar to my first batch.

      • Hi Ed!

        Is the palm kernel oil in your batch in flake form? Also, what was your superfat? I’m thinking it may be a temperature thing!

        -Kelsey with Bramble Berry

          • Perfect, thank you. I’m thinking it’s a combination of the hard oils and temperature. Palm kernel flakes have a higher melting point, so we recommend having your oils and lye around 135-140F. That way they will still melted the whole time and not thicken up the batch.

            The recipe also has a high percentage of hard oils, which will cause it to accelerate. Right now the coconut oil is at 60% and the palm kernel flakes are at 25%. Dropping the coconut oil to 33%, the palm kernel flakes to 15% and increasing the olive oil will give you more time to work with your design. 🙂

            Read more about common soapmaking oils here: http://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body-tutorials/tips-and-tricks/free-beginners-guide-to-soapmaking-common-soapmaking-oils/

            -Kelsey with Bramble Berry

  6. I just made a batch of cp soap today and used SL for the first time. In my excitement I somehow missed the directions on adding it to the lye water and I added it directly to the soap at trace instead. I used the recommended 1 tsp per pounday of oils. My soap did accelerate at this point (not totally sure it was the SL, but I hadn’t added fragrance to the white portion and that had accelerated, too). I had to improvise and do a layered design vs a drop swirl like the original plan. I’m wondering if not adding the SL properly could have any negative effects on the outcome of the soap? Thanks for all the great info!

    • Hi Anita!

      We have forgotten to add the sodium lactate to the lye water and used it at trace before. When we did that we didn’t notice any acceleration! I’m wondering if it may be something else. What is in your recipe? How much sodium lactate are you using? What about any fragrance/additives? Let me know and I’ll help you troubleshoot. 🙂

      -Kelsey with Bramble Berry

      • I used Avocado Oil, Castor Oil, Coconut Oil, Jojoba Oil, Palm Oil and Olive oil. My oils were approx. 35 oz, and I used 2 tsp of sodium lactate before splitting for colors. I split the batch into 1/2 white (titanium dioxide) , 1/4 brown (brown oxide pigment), and 1/4 red (Brazilian red clay). I added about 1 1/2 tsp of cranberry seeds to the white only, and 1.75 oz of Oatmeal Milk and Honey Fragrance to the brown only (oddly the brown didn’t accelerate nearly as much as the other two).

  8. Hello,
    I have used SL for my last two batches of Cold Process soap and both times I have achieved a very light trace, right where I wanted to be before adding my fragrance oils. Only to add them and have my batch turn into super thick trace, can no longer pour but have to glop my batter into some semblance of the design I originally was hoping to achieve. I have successfully used the fragrance oils before, the only new addition is the SL. Could the SL be causing the trace to advance that fast?
    The soaps still turned out really nice, just had to go with the lack of flow and make a slightly different bar of soap than intended. If I could figure out how to add a pic I would show ya.
    Thank you

    • Hi Erin!

      Sodium lactate doesn’t typically accelerate trace! How much were you adding to your batch? Also, how hot were your lye and oils? If the lye is cold, it can cause any hard oils to solidify and the batch will thicken quickly. Let me know and I’ll help you troubleshoot. 🙂

      -Kelsey with Bramble Berry

      • The first batch I made was the Galaxy Soap and I used the recommended amount, I want to say 2 teaspoons to the lye water. The second batch was the lemon linear from the new soap queen book. I did use less then recommended in the second batch, one tablespoon as opposed to one and a half. For both soaps the lye water and oils were right around 110 degrees when I combined them.
        I did however add the sodium lactate to the lye water right after combining the lye and water and not after it has cooled. Now that I read it more carefully I see that. Maybe that is my issue?

        • I don’t think adding sodium lactate right after mixing the lye and water should be an issue! What fragrance are you using for both? Thanks for answering my questions. 🙂

          -Kelsey with Bramble Berry

          • Kelsey,
            For the lemon soap I used 2 oz bergamot and 2 oz litsea cubeba. The galaxy soap I used 1 oz green fig and 1.2 oz of pomegranate and black currant oil. I got all my oils from brambleberry.com.
            I have used fragrance and essential oils in the past, if not these specific combinations and I know they accelerate trace . That is why I stopped stick blending at such a light trace. With the galaxy soap in particular, I stopped stick blending at very light trace and I rested the blender in the bowl. I grabbed the five measuring cups and colors and was lining everything up, along with the fragrance blend. It was a couple mins max and when I tested the soap it was already super thick and I remember cringing at the thought of adding fragrance to it as it would only get thicker. With the lemon soap , remembering what happened previously I used the stick blender for 10 sec bursts and then paused for a while to see if it continued to thicken while at rest. This time I took the stick blender out at a very light trace and grabbed my prepped lemon rind and juice and was folding it into the soap with a spatula and it started to accelerate very rapidly. By the time I added the fragrance oils they just floated on top of the thick batter. Thank you for all your help.

          • I think it may be the lemon juice. Because lemon juice is very acidic, it does tend to react with the lye and can do some odd things in soap. I have heard of it accelerating or separating in cold process soap. It does need a lot of extra blending to stay emulsified, which can thicken it quite a bit. If you’re working with a more in-depth design, you may want to skip the lemon juice. It works nicely for more simple designs, as you are working with a thicker trace. 🙂

            -Kelsey with Bramble Berry

  9. I found a soap recipe that calls for sodium lactate that is “60 percent.” I’m sorry if this is a silly question, but I’m not sure what this means.

    Is Bramble Berry’s sodium lactate 60%?

  10. I want to use SL. I ordered some online but it came as a salt/crystals/powder. The SL you use is liquid form. Can i use dry SL in my CP soap or do i need to somehow reconstitute it?
    If so how much SL to liquid ratio?
    Thanks so much for any input you can provide.
    LISA JO

    • Because we haven’t worked with the powder before, I’m not entirely sure how to use it! I would recommend contacting the manufacturer to see how to incorporate it in soap, or if it needs to be mixed with water beforehand. They should be able to tell you more about how to use it. 🙂

      -Kelsey with Bramble Berry

  11. Sooo, can it be added to cooled lye milk instead of water? I bought sodium lactate to use in my goats milk lotion and it turns out, it doesn’t keep it from going rancid. So now I have a bottle of it.
    Thanks

  12. I love to use EDTA and it really adds to cleaning and suds. I also use Sodium Lactate and ask if there is any contra indications in mixing the two at prescribed rates. I recognize some do not like to use EDTA or are reluctant to do so as it may disqualify the product as being organic. I was using glycerin in place of a carrier oil but found it makes the soap to soft. Any comments are welcome.

    • Hi Bob!

      I believe those two should be just fine mixed together! I did a quick search online and didn’t see any potential problems. I would recommend making a small test batch with the EDTA and sodium lactate just to be sure. 🙂

      -Kelsey with Bramble Berry

  13. Hello,

    i want to make a HP Sulphur-Salt Soap (10% Sulphur in Lye and 60% after sapofined). I know Sulphur make a Soap softer. Salt make the Soap harder. But i want a smooth, hard soap. Can i do both, Salt at the end and SL in the Lye (perhaps 2%). Can i make this?

  14. Hello (:

    I assume that there are more pros to using sodium lactate than table salt–would you mind explaining what they are? (Does table salt not act as a humectant?) I read through most of the comments and it’s repeatedly said that it’s perfectly fine to use either, but the difference between the two–the effects each has on the soap–is never explained. So how do you decide which to use?

    Thank you.

    Also… according to http://www.thesoapbox.co.nz/soap-ingredients.htm, “Sodium Lactate: Humectant – helps binding with water, reduce water loss from the soap, keeps the weight of soap high (basically a marketing tool to sell water).” When you say, “Using sodium lactate produces harder, longer-lasting bars of cold process soap,” it is insinuated (to me at least) that sodium lactate helps increase the water evaporation rate… But it actually does the opposite?

    • One more thing.

      Brambleberrry.com’s usage rate for sodium lactate is .4-5% of oils–If you are making castile soap would you suggest going all the way up to 5%? Maybe even more?

      Thank you.

      • Hi Daniel!

        Salt water and sodium lactate are very similar! They both help harden the soap up, which makes it unmold more quickly. The biggest difference is that the salt water solution can accelerate trace slightly, while the sodium lactate doesn’t. If you’re working with a more complex design, I would recommend sodium lactate. 🙂

        I’m not entirely sure what sodium lactate does to the evaporation rate of soap! We have bars in our lab made with and without it, and we haven’t noticed any big changes in the weight of the bars. I would recommend making soap with the salt solution and sodium lactate. That way you can see which one you prefer, and if you notice a difference in the weight of the bars.

        Also, castile soap can be quite soft, so I think adding the sodium lactate at a higher percentage. You can also water discount the soap! Learn more about water discounting here: http://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body-tutorials/tips-and-tricks/water-discounting-cold-process-soap-how-why/

        Read more about castile soap here: http://www.soapqueen.com/bramble-berry-news/olive-oil/

        -Kelsey with Bramble Berry

        • Thanks for your quick response (:

          One more question: Does sodium lactate expire?

          Also, am I supposed to be notified via e-mail when I receive a response on here?

          • I lied, THIS is my last sodium lactate question.

            You recommend using 1 tsp PPO, but on Bramble Berry it says you can use up to 4% PPO (I accidently put 5% earlier). If I’m making a recipe using 3 lbs, or 48 oz of oil, that would be 3 tsp, which is a little over half an ounce (this is about 1% PPO). 4% of 48 oz is 1.92 oz–That’s a pretty big difference (4x more than you recommend). But, as I mentioned earlier, I’m using all olive oil as the base, so would 1.92 oz be alright?

            Thank you (:

          • We recommend using the sodium lactate within two years of purchase. I’m not sure if it necessarily expires, but after two years it may not be as effective. You’ll want to store it in a cool, dry place. Read more about storing your products here: http://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body-tutorials/tips-and-tricks/how-to-store-handmade-bath-products/

            The 1 tsp. of sodium lactate per pound of oils is a good starting place! However, because your recipe is softer, you may want to go up to the 1.92 oz. amount. 🙂

            -Kelsey with Bramble Berry

          • Hi Daniel!

            After looking into this further, I realized the .5-4% usage rate for sodium lactate was for lotion. I am so sorry about that. For soap, we recommend the 1 teaspoon per pound of oils. If you go higher than that, the soap can be quite hard and may crumble.

            Sorry again for any confusion. For soap, we recommend sticking to 1 teaspoon per pound of oils. 🙂

            -Kelsey with Bramble Berry

  15. Hello! I just purchased some sodium lactate, but when I was making my batch I accidentally looked too fast and put I tablespoon instead of 1 teaspoon per pound. It is for a 10 inch mold and I ended up putting only 1 T. in it. I don’t have the recipe off hand at the moment, and it may be a bit lye heavy, but probably not since I super fatted it 2%. What can I add to this new rebatch I plan on making to correct any possible lye heaviness, and to counteract the excess sodium lactate? It’s a lovely shaving soap I made, and it completely crumbled it when I took it out of the mold and tried to cut it. Definitely a new one on me. :/ I am a bit overwhelmed at the moment. I am currently in the process of trying to shred it for either a rebatch or laundry soap, but don’t really want my clothes to smell like Bay Rum..haha. Please help!! Thank you

  16. The comments on the Sudsy Shampoo Bar is closed. I thought I might find the answer here. With the citric acid creating a “softer” shampoo bar initially, would you be able to add SL to make it more firm? Or would the salt interfere with the lather? I have not used SL before, but am curious to learn more about it. Thank you.

  17. Can you use sodium lactate in salves/balms and solid lotion bars to harden them up as well? Kind of to avoiding using all my beeswax.

  18. Hello!

    I’m so thankful for your website when I play around with my concoctions – thank you!!

    Another really helpful article.

    I was wondering though if you would consider this a natural ingredient on a soap label? If a soap has all natural ingredients and this – can it still be called an all natural soap?

    Thank you xx

  19. Hello,
    Can you use salt in place of sodium lactate? What is the big difference between the two? I was just wondering how it would look on an ingredient list versus salt or even sea salt. Thank you so much in advance!
    -Devyn

    • Hi Devyn!

      You can use a salt water solution to harden your soap! To make that mix 1 teaspoon of regular table salt into 1 ounce (by weight) of warm distilled water. Stir until the salt is fully dissolved. We recommend 1 teaspoon of salt in 1 ounce of water per pound of soap. Make sure to discount the salt water solution from your liquid amount. Then, add the solution at trace. We used it in the Palm Free Vertical Twist with great results: http://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body-tutorials/cold-process-soap/palm-free-vertical-twist-tutorial/

      The salt water solution will harden your soap like the sodium lactate will. The salt water solution may accelerate trace a bit, so be prepared to work a bit faster. 🙂

      Also, as for your labels, we recommend listing those ingredients from most used to least used. So, the water you can just count as the water in your batch and list it with that, as the water used in the solution is just taken from that. The salt will likely go near the end, as only a small amount is used. Let me know if that makes sense!

      Learn more about labeling your soap here: http://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body-tutorials/cold-process-soap/how-to-label-cold-process-soap/

      -Kelsey with Bramble Berry

  20. I’m starting to play around with using the CPOP method. I think I prefer the gelled look, and (I think) it also helps with making a harder bar and unmolding easier. That being said, would there still be benefit in using SL in CPOP? Just curious!

  21. Hello, I want to make a batch using the room temperature soaping technique. Since the lye water is added to the soaps before cooling, would it be alright to add the SL at trace? Please advise. Thank you!

    • Hi Stephanie!

      You can the sodium lactate to the room temperature lye water! That’s the perfect time to incorporate it, as the lye is nice and cool. However, we’ve added sodium lactate at trace as well with no problems. That’s an option as well. 🙂

      When soaping at room temperature, be on the lookout for “false trace.” If you have any hard oils or butters in your recipe, they may start to solidify when the cool lye water is poured in. You can decrease the amount of butters in the recipe, or just keep stick blending! Stick blending will ensure everything’s incorporated. Read more in this post about trace: http://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body-tutorials/tips-and-tricks/trace/

      -Kelsey with Bramble Berry

  22. I made a 4 lb batch of soap and I think the sodium lactate caused it to e crumbly.
    The soap is only 5 days old. The top felt very soft but as I cut it into bars, the middle of each bar is hard, and the bottom is crumbly.

    Would it be okay to rebatch this batch or is it ruined from too much sodium lactate?
    The F.O disappeared, so I wouldn’t mind a rebatch, maybe crock pot HP?

  23. Hi,
    I’m making soap using a new technique. It’s HP using an immersion blender to maintain the heat and push the process along faster. All ingredients need to be hot when blended. Can I add the SL to the water before I add the lye? Would it still be effective?
    Thanks,
    Mary

    • Hi Mary!

      We have never tried that before, so I’m not entirely sure! We have added sodium lactate when the lye water is fairly hot and it worked out just fine. You can also add that sodium lactate toward the end of the cooking process. As soon as it’s added to the soap it will heat up. I know some hot process soapers like to add it at trace so the soap stays nice and fluid. 🙂

      You may want to make a small tester of the lye and liquid, and see if adding the sodium lactate beforehand does anything odd. You can also make a small test batch of soap to see how it works!

      Read more about sodium lactate in this Sunday Night Spotlight: http://www.soapqueen.com/bramble-berry-news/sunday-night-spotlight-sodium-lactate/

      -Kelsey with Bramble Berry

  24. Hi,
    I want to use Sodium Lactate in my soap to improve life but I was wondering if I can use it in melt and pour soap.

    Thanks for your input!!!!

    • Hi Preeti!

      While sodium lactate works great in cold and hot process soap, it doesn’t help harden melt and pour soap. Our melt and pour bases have already been turned into soap, so the sodium lactate won’t have the same effect. Also, adding extra liquid to the bases can make them oily or greasy. We don’t recommend adding sodium lactate to our melt and pour bases.

      The great news is our melt and pour bases are nice and firm, and have a shelf life of a year or so. 🙂

      Melt and pour bases: https://www.brambleberry.com/Melt-Pour-Bases-C151.aspx

      -Kelsey with Bramble Berry

  25. Hello! so, I can make a salt water solution to use instead of sodium lactate…but I’m a little confused. I have made CP soap one time so far and I don’t know much. Could I use Himalayan pink salt instead of table salt?! I don’t have table salt and I don’t want to buy any. So, it’d be 4tsp in 4 oz water, and that’s added to the amount of water the recipe calls for? And is added to the water/lye when it’s cooled?! Also, this batch I made (no SL or salt water used) I left in the molds to cure for the entire 6 weeks…I can unmold them after only a couple of days?!?!? Oh, one more thing…that 4tsp/4oz is per pound of oil weight (as I saw said in another answered comment), just want to be clear?! Thanks.

    • Hi Alexa!

      We definitely recommend using regular table salt. We tested out several different types of salt, and had the best luck with regular table salt. 🙂

      The amount of water in the salt solution is subtracted from the full amount of water. So for instance, if your recipe called for 14 ounces of water total, you would use 10 ounces for your lye and 4 ounces for the salt solution. That way your batch doesn’t get too watery!

      The salt water solution is added after the oils and lye water are emulsified, it is not added to the lye water mixture. You can see how to use the salt water solution in the Palm Free Vertical Twist recipe: http://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body-tutorials/cold-process-soap/palm-free-vertical-twist-tutorial/

      Typically, soap is in the mold for 3-5 days or so. When it’s firm enough to unmold, you can cut it and let it cure for 4-6 weeks. Curing the soap makes the soap firmer, milder and last longer in the shower. It needs airflow to cure, as the air helps the excess water evaporate.

      Learn more about curing and storing your soap here: http://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body-tutorials/tips-and-tricks/how-to-store-handmade-bath-products/

      The 4 tsp. in 4 oz. of water is per pound of total soap. So, we recommend 1 tsp. in 1 oz. of water per pound of oils, water and lye.

      Let me know if that makes sense! 🙂

      -Kelsey with Bramble Berry

    • Can I make my own Sodium Lactate? I want to make sure my soaps are GMO free and I’m not sure sodium lactate is. I want to get my soap batter to be fluid and I’ve seen people use this and their soap was very fluid and they could get good swirls. My soap ( Hot Process ) was too thick to swirl well so I need to know if sodium lactate will help or could just the use of salt water help. Thanks,

      • Hi Teretta!

        You can use a salt water solution if you like! To make the solution, mix 1 teaspoon of regular table salt into 1 ounce (by weight) of warm distilled water. Stir until the salt is fully dissolved. We recommend 1 teaspoon of salt in 1 ounce of water per pound of soap. Make sure to discount the salt water solution from your liquid amount. Then, add the solution at trace. The salt water solution was used in the Palm Free Vertical Twist Tutorial with great results: http://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body-tutorials/cold-process-soap/palm-free-vertical-twist-tutorial/

        We have used this salt water solution in cold process to help harden the soap. However, we have not done a lot of testing with it in hot process soap. I believe it would help make it smoother, but you may want to make a small test batch to be sure. 🙂

        -Kelsey with Bramble Berry

  26. I am going to make the palm free vertical twist soap and I want to add SL. Should I still add the salt water that the recipe calls for?

  27. Hi there,

    I’m making an all natural/vegan line of soaps. Does using sodium lactate make it NOT? I’ve been doing some research and I keep reading 2 sides of the ingredient! Which one is it? Hmmm…please help.

    Many Thanks!

  28. hi
    D’s is my first time of hearing about sodium lactate.can I use salt instead of SL and is sodium sulphate d same as sodium lactate.

    • Hi Adex!

      You can use a salt water solution to help harden your soap if you like! To make the solution, dissolve 4 teaspoons of regular table salt into 4 ounces of distilled water. Then, combine the salt water with the rest of the water in your soap recipe. Add your lye and stir well. We used salt water in the Palm Free Vertical Twist recipe with great results: http://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body-tutorials/cold-process-soap/palm-free-vertical-twist-tutorial/

      Also, sodium lactate is derived from the natural fermentation of sugars found in corn and beets. I did a quick internet search and it looks like sodium sulphate is derived from sulfuric acid, meaning it is not the same as sodium lactate. We haven’t tested that in soap, so I’m not sure how it would react. I would recommend contacting the manufacturer to find out more. 🙂

      -Kelsey with Bramble Berry

  29. Last time I used SL I failed. I didn’t discount it from the water and I added it with the oils instead of the water. I’m making 50/50 milk soap so I don’t have to freeze the milk. I wanna use SL so I don’t have to wait too long And have a good one. when I discount the SL. Do I discount it by poo or ppo with the 50% milk?

    • Hi Maria!

      When we use sodium lactate, we don’t discount our water. We consider it an additive! We’ve had the best luck with adding 1 tsp. of sodium lactate per pound of oils to our cooled lye water. That creates a harder bar that releases from the mold faster! 🙂

      -Kelsey with Bramble Berry

  31. Hi, I am from Barbados, I have made quite a bit of soap andi am happy that I have found this site, the information is great.
    Thank you

  32. I have a quick question, please. Up to now I have used liquid SL with no problems, at 3% of oil weight. I’m not able to get the liquid form this time around, but only the powdered version. My question is, if i used this at a rate of 3% of oil weight, must I make the powder 3% before I make the solution, or is the actual finished solution (40/60) the 3% of oil weight, since I am making my own solution?
    Also, could I just add the powder to my lye water if i use 3% powder?

    Thanks, I hope this is not confusing.

    • Hi Zikhona!

      We haven’t worked with sodium lactate powder, so I’m not too familiar with it! However, I did a quick internet search, and one soaper recommends using the powder at 2% of your batch weight (that includes oils, lye and water). Then, multiply that by 5 to figure out how much distilled water you need. Make sure to subtract that water from the water used in your lye so your soap isn’t too soft.

      Then, add that mixture in at light to medium trace.

      Also, contacting the manufacturer may help! They may have a better idea of how to add that product. 🙂

      -Kelsey with Bramble Berry

    • Hi Jennifer!

      You’ll want to add 1 tsp. of sodium lactate per pound of oils to your recipe. 🙂

      -Kelsey with Bramble Berry

  34. I love sodium lactate in lotions! I find it to be a wonderful humectant that offers moisturizing properties without the stickiness one finds in glycerin. It can also be great for acne, so it’s a great addition for someone like me with oily, acne prone skin. Thanks for writing up a spotlight on this ingredient!

    • Hi Susan!

      So glad you like the post! I love it in lotion too. 🙂

      -Kelsey with Bramble Berry

  35. I find that a water discount also helps to make a harder bar of soap. With my soap cupcakes, the first try wasn’t great, my silicone liners were sticking and pulling away the soap even after 3 days! I tried just sodium lactate in the recipe, and it helped a bit. Took a bit less time to harden up before un-molding. But once I added a water discount on top of that, the soap came out of the mold no problems at all!

  36. Hi Kelsey, I just read your reply to Fuchia that this product has no GMO in it. As Corn could be non-GMO, I have hard time to believe that beets are clean also. All beets in USA ura genetically modified, unless grown in your own or organic garden….
    I did buy it too to try in my CP soaps. I do try to make my products GMO-free, since I don’t make it for sale but rather for my family and friends.
    Thank you

    • Hi Iryna!

      I totally understand your concern. Our vendor did assure us this product has no GMOs.

      One of the best things about making your own bath and body products is the ability to choose which ingredients go into your recipes. While sodium lactate helps create a harder, longer-lasting bar, it is not necessary to add to your recipes. 🙂

      -Kelsey with Bramble Berry

  37. Nice write up, but I wish you wouldn’t use teaspoons for measurements – I’ve heard generally it’s 1-3% PPO, or per pounds of oils. Teaspoons vary too much 🙂

    • Hi Ann!

      We’ve found that teaspoons give us the most accurate and consistent results. If you’d prefer, you can use percentages in your recipe. 🙂

      -Kelsey with Bramble Berry

  38. What’s your thoughts about adding sodium lactate to goats milk (or any other milk) soap? You use at same amount? We usually mix in an ice bath so temperature rarely gets above 65-70. Would you add it then? Are there still the advantages of using SL?
    Thanks!

    • Hi Anita!

      You can definitely add sodium lactate to your goat milk recipe and use the same amount as you would with distilled water. It will help harden that bar up and release earlier from the mold!

      Also, 65-70 is a fine temperature to add your sodium lactate. You can add it when your lye water is 130F or cooler. 🙂

      -Kelsey with Bramble Berry

  39. I use sodium lactate in every batch of CP I make, it really does help. However I also notice that I seem to get more soda ash too so i try to keep my soap sprayed with alcohol during the process up until the unmolding.

  40. I add my SL after the cook! I will add between 3-5%. It makes such a smooth batter, and adds to the fluidity of it for swirling! It’s amazing!

    • Hi Robin!

      That’s awesome! I love sodium lactate – I add it to every batch of soap I make. 🙂

      -Kelsey with Bramble Berry

  41. Just tried sodium lactate in my hot process-oven process. It was beautifully creamy and smooth when I checked on it after 35 minutes in the oven at 180F, but not quite gelled yet, so I cooked it another 20 minutes. When I took it back out, it was an oily, separated mess! I stirred, whisked, and even stick blended, which seemed to help a little, but my in-the-pot swirl (working with 2 colors) didn’t go very well due, to the runny, slippery consistency of the soap. It literally slithered out of the pot when I poured it in the mold.

    What did I do wrong? Too much sodium lactate? Under-cooked? Over-cooked? I used 9 grams of sodium lactate, after measuring out a teaspoon, seeing that 1 tsp was 6.8 grams, and multiplying that by 1.375 (I had 22 ounces of oil).

    Any advice would be much appreciated. . .

    • Hi Jane!

      Do you mind if I ask what’s in your recipe? Also, what fragrance did you use?

      Let me know and we’ll figure this out!

      -Kelsey with Bramble Berry

      • I used 1.6 oz of “Christmas Forest,” but I don’t think the fragrance oils can be blamed, since I added that after the cook, when the soap was already weird. Recipe was 6.5 oz coconut oil, 6.5 oz palm oil, 7 oz olive oil, 1 oz castor oil (these ratios are my standard base recipe), with 1 oz sweet almond oil added w/ the FO after the cook. Superfat was 6.1%; 4.1% of that was from the sweet almond oil after the cook, 2% was from the base oils.

        I used 0.22 oz citric acid, which represented 1% of oils (for chelation purposes), mixed with 4 tablespoons of water, which I whisked in at thin trace. After adding the citric acid, I split the batch in half, added the color to one half, and stick blended both halves to thick trace before putting them in the oven.

        Water was 8.3 oz. Lye 3.25 oz; 3.12 oz of that was for the base oils (without the sweet almond oil) at 2% superfat, and 0.13 oz of that was to react with the citric acid so it would convert to sodium citrate without consuming any of the lye needed for saponification. I added the 9 grams (0.32 oz) of sodium lactate to the cooled lye water (about 120F) before mixing the lye water with the oils.

        It was absolutely gorgeous while mixing and tracing and after the first part of the cook. . .until I took it out the second time after another 18 minutes in the oven. Then it was oily and separated and truly revolting. Have you ever heard of this happening due to under or over cooking?

        I put it in the mold and hoped for the best. When I took it out this morning it seemed normal except that it was rather oily all over the outside of the loaf, and I could see little pin-pricks of oil in the soap when I cut it in half, although that seems to be absorbing/drying. There are lots of small air pockets, presumably because in my distress I forgot to tap the mold on the counter.

        The irony is that in spite of the air pockets and the ruined swirls from the weird texture after the cook, it lathers up nicer than anything else I’ve made, and it feels lovely on the skin, very conditioning. It tested at 9.5 on my pH strips. No zap or anything.

        But it’s hideous to look at. I’m not sure the performance is worth the appearance. Ideas? I’d like to keep using the sodium lactate, but I don’t think I can if it separates on me and prevents me from doing swirls!

        Thanks so much for any help you can give!

        • Hi Jane!

          Thank you so much for that recipe! It sounds like you’re doing everything just right.

          I think heat may be the issue. Typically, you don’t want your soap to get any hotter than 200F. If it does, the water inside can start to evaporate and create air pockets. It may also create the separation.

          You may want to get a temperature gauge for your oven to check and see how hot it’s getting. If it’s 200F or warmer, you may want to leave your oven open to let some of that hot air out.

          Some soapers also use a crockpot to help regulate the temperature while they’re soaping.

          Hope this helps!

          -Kelsey with Bramble Berry

          Hot Process Series: Crock Pot Camo: http://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body-tutorials/cold-process-soap/hot-process-series-crock-pot-camo/

  42. Can sodium lactate be added after the lye has been poured into the oils? I sometimes forget to add it and remember when I’m about to stick blend the mixture.

    • Hi Marleny!

      I’m not sure! I don’t believe the sodium lactate would mix in well with the oils. I would recommend sticking to adding it to your lye water. 🙂

      -Kelsey with Bramble Berry

    • Hi Marleny,

      I have been using SL for a short time and have yet to try it with the lye. May have to do that. I have had no issues with incorporating it with my oils/lye mixture. Just make sure to mix well. hth

    • Hello!

      From a quick internet search, it sounds like you weigh out sodium lactate powder to your desired level, and then multiply the amount by 5 to figure out how much water to use. Then, subtract the water total from your recipe, mix it with the powder and add it back to the soap at a light-to-medium trace.

      You may also want to contact the vendor to find out their recommendations. 🙂

      -Kelsey with Bramble Berry

  44. I have just purchased the sodium lactate and have tried it in 3 different batches of soap. The bars are definitely harder, which I like, but each batch has little white dots everywhere. It’s not completely a bad thing but it takes away from the swirling that I have done. Is there a trick to not getting this effect?

    Thanks

    • I had that problem too. I haven’t been happy with SL yet, but everybody else seems to love it so I’m trying to figure out what I’m doing wrong. So far it has not worked well for me.

    • Hi Jill!

      We haven’t really found that’s happened in our soaps with sodium lactate. However, there are several other causes of spots, including air bubbles.

      To get rid of those, pour your lye water down the shaft of your stick blender before blending. Then, after your soap is in the mold, give it some good taps on your counter.

      It may also be bits of Titanium Dioxide. To get rid of those, you can blend your color in a coffee grinder before adding it to your soap. 🙂

      -Kelsey with Bramble Berry

      • Thanks for the info. I may try the trick with the lye/water and stick blender. But I feel like everything is blended very well and I always tap it on the counter multiple times. I have not had Titanium Dioxide in any of my batches so it’s not that. Hmm……

        • Hi Jill!

          Another trick is to mix your sodium lactate in well with your cooled lye water. That way it’s dispersed evenly and you avoid white dots. 🙂

          -Kelsey with Bramble Berry

  45. When using Sodium Lactate for CP soap, is it ok to do a water discount, or do you need to use full water? Thanks!

    • Hi Heather!

      When we use sodium lactate in our recipes, we use the full amount of water. You can water discount if you’d like your soap harder though. 🙂

      -Kelsey with Bramble Berry

      • I tried a batch 2 days ago with the 1 tsp SL PPO and tried to unmold after 48 hours, but the soap is stuck in the mold. Any ideas how to get it out without damaging the loaf?

        Any ideas what I’m doing wrong? I made two batches back to back with the same recipe, colors, EO’s, etc, with one with the SL and one with 1 TSP salt PPO, and it came out of the mold no problem, but the SL batch is sticky and stuck. This is a tried and true recipe that never gives me any problems. I’ve tried SL several times with all disastrous results. What am I doing wrong? Salt H2O works fine, but not SL.

        Thanks!
        Heather

        • Hi Heather!

          Hmm, that’s weird! Typically when you add sodium lactate your soap unmolds faster.

          Are you adding the sodium lactate to your cooled lye water? Also, do you mind if I ask what’s in your recipe?

          -Kelsey with Bramble berry

  46. I have a question about Sodium Lactate. Can it be used in a hard bubble bath bar recipe? Since there is so much glycerin in the recipe it seems my bars never fully harden and when I cut down on the glycerin the bars get crumbly and do not want to hold their shape.

    • Hi Lynn!

      After a year and a half of testing, we found that recipe works well, so adding an extra ingredient may not work so well.

      If you’d like your bars a little drier, you can cut back on all the liquid ingredients slightly. 🙂

      -Kelsey with Bramble Berry

  47. Hey, Ann Marie! Sodium lactate is great for hot process, because it keeps your soap so much smoother when it’s time to pour! The difference is amazing! I think the Soap Queen lab needs a crockpot, or at least someone who knows about hot process. I feel like we are the ignored minority! Thanks for all the awesome tutorials and info!

    • Kat,

      Do you add the sodium lactate into the lye water at any time, in the same amount? I only hot process (just started) and am doing a lot of trial and error right now.

      • I add my SL after the cook! I will add between 3-5%. It makes such a smooth batter, and adds to the fluidity of it for swirling! It’s amazing!

  48. Thanks for the tips, so does that mean Sodium Lactate has GMO in it because it comes from corn?

    • Hi Fuchia!

      I just heard back from our vendor. There are no GMOs in this product. 🙂

      -Kelsey with Bramble Berry

      • Hmmm, I’d like more info. I’ll try to contact the company, because unless it’s organic, pretty much all corn and beet sugars found in the USA are GMO right now.

        • Hi Kelly!

          We can’t give out vendor information, but we have several documents on the product, including the MSDS. I’d be more than happy to email those to you!

          -Kelsey with Bramble Berry

  49. Thank you for your info on using Sodium Lactate…I have just made a batch without and it is sticky and cut really badly…I will be using this product in future…again thanks
    Dawn 🙂