Accidental Marbling!

MicheleRG · Apr 28, 2017

Hi,

I've been a long time lurker first time posting.

I'm hoping all you experts can help me, I have made charcoal soap several times Olive 40%, Coconut 20%, Palm 20 %, Avocado 15% and Castor 5% Lye and Oils at 100F adding the Charcoal and EO at trace. Yesterday everything seemed to mix as normal yet today the charcoal has separated into a cool sort of marbling (totally accidental). This is the same charcoal I have used in the past so was wondering if the trace may have been false despite the mixture thickening heavily. Any ideas?

Thanks

MRG

Sorry pic attached this time

Rusti · Apr 28, 2017

Neat! Looks like it's just glycerin rivers to me, but I could be wrong. If it is, it's just cosmetic and it looks really cool.

ETA: soap doesn't zap or anything right?

0115d8cf · Apr 28, 2017

(I could be wrong, but) it looks like some wicked glycerine river-ing. I like it, personally!

toxikon · Apr 28, 2017

Well it looks really cool!

Most recommend preparing your activated charcoal by hydrating it in your water (before adding lye) and whisking it up really well to avoid clumping.

I can't really say why it did it this time, as opposed to previous attempts, but you may be right about false trace. Palm oil has a melt point of about 105 degrees, so it may have started solidifying again before the mix could be well-blended.

dixiedragon · Apr 28, 2017

That's an amazing effect. I would buy that soap! I wonder if you could learn to reliably duplicate it?

MicheleRG · Apr 28, 2017

No zap at all, everything came together smoothly just like normal so it was quite a surprise to see it like this today. I doubt I'll be able to replicate it again given it hasn't happened in the past:-?.

Good idea toxikon - In future I will try hydrating the charcoal (I've not done that in the past).