AAAGGHH! Stearic Spots?

[Shirley-D]

No, it's not confetti soap!
I am sure it is stearic spots, just need a confirmation. I have never had this before, but I kinda feel I deserve it! I push the envelope sometimes, just have to see stuff for myself. I consider these experiences a rite of passage. If something is good how much more good can it get before it is bad? What is the limit? I soaped on the cool side with soy wax and got away with it, nice slow trace. So I went a bit cooler (90F) and got this! So yes, I deserved this. I scratched out some of the white spots and they seem waxy like my soy wax.
So is this what stearic spots look like? Also, I had a bit of left over frankinsence EO I threw in at the end. That wouldn't do this would it?

Good thing it was just a small sample in a milk carton.

 

[TheGecko]

So is this what stearic spots look like? Also, I had a bit of left over frankinsence EO I threw in at the end. That wouldn't do this would it?

Maybe...if you used an oil high in stearic acid. It could also be bits of cooled wax.

I don't know enough to know if EOs "rice", but if they do, since you tossed it at the end into cooling batter it could be that too.

 

[AliOop]

I get that it’s not what you wanted, but I like how your soaps look.

And as the queen of stearic spots myself, I hereby award you this medal for the best stearic spots of the week.

 

[Shirley-D]

@AliOop Thank you! I'm honored. Ha Ha Ha

@TheGecko, so stearic acid and cooled wax are sort of the same thing. I was calling it stearic spots because there is so much stearic in the soy wax. After thinking on it a while, I think it is whole pieces of cooled wax. The thing is, I knew it was cooling but it looked fine while mixing it. I always thought the cooled wax would be visible. Maybe the last minute EO temperature tipped it over the edge. Live and learn! I have been making and tweaking 1 lb of soap at a time and getting very close to my signature recipe. I want to settle on a good basic recipe that I can rely on (vegan and palm-free). Nearly there

 

[Phantomina]

Really nice color!!

 

[earlene]

I have not had this happen with a soy wax soap. Yeah, I guess you are pushing the envelope. But why, exactly? Is it because it is just too darned hot in your Arizona summer & you didn't want to stand over a hot soap batter?

I get that! I've been to a few Spring Training events in Arizona & that's not even in June; the Springtime heat in some parts of Arizona can be pretty darned hard to take sometimes. Several years ago one Hot July day in Phoenix, my husband & I chose to miss an important meeting because neither of us could bear the thought of one more second sitting in that car without properly working AC, so we stopped at a shop to get it fixed. There were several other meetings to follow, so it worked out okay, but I will probably never forget how hot it can get without AC in a car when driving through certain parts of our country.

 

[Shirley-D]

Yes @Phantomka, I am happy with the color thanks to @KiwiMoose who suggested using neons. It is Neon Purple House Party from WSP used at 1/4tsp PPO. It is actually a bit lighter and softer than the picture shows, but still pretty.

 

[Shirley-D]

@earline, yes, sometimes Arizona is like opening the oven door and sticking your face in. I'm just having a really good time playing with my soaps. Some of my oils are getting old and the soy wax was so cheap, so I'm being a bit wasteful by pushing the envelope. I want to get a feel for my recipes. I was doing M&P but CP is far more interesting to me. What happens if I do this...or if I do that...soap hotter...soap cooler...add this or that. I recently retired so I have the time and patience. The soap is just for me at this point so it doesn't matter. Who knows, I might find a way to repair that rip in the time-space continuum.

 

[earlene]

@earline, yes, sometimes Arizona is like opening the oven door and sticking your face in. I'm just having a really good time playing with my soaps. Some of my oils are getting old and the soy wax was so cheap, so I'm being a bit wasteful by pushing the envelope. I want to get a feel for my recipes. I was doing M&P but CP is far more interesting to me. What happens if I do this...or if I do that...soap hotter...soap cooler...add this or that. I recently retired so I have the time and patience. The soap is just for me at this point so it doesn't matter. Who knows, I might find a way to repair that rip in the time-space continuum.

Hi, Shirley, you accidentally tagged the wrong person. My names has no 'i' in it, but I still found your response because I always read new posts.

 

[Shirley-D]

OOOH so sorry @earlene, I know who you are, you have been so helpful to me and other newbies.

 

[TheGecko]

but I will probably never forget how hot it can get without AC in a car when driving through certain parts of our country.

I spent almost 10 years in Phoenix. Moved there in June and remember calling my BFF at 4am and telling her "It's four freaking am and it's 90 freaking degrees!" Got a second degree burn from a gear shift. Blistered the bottoms of my feet from my driveway. Can remember hanging my clothes on the line and by the time I got done with the third line, the first line was already dry.