Accidental Partial Gel Phase

[Johnray]

I tried making a bar of red wine soap and it gave me a pleasent surprise!

I think it is due to the accidental gel phase. I boil the red wine down to get the alcohol out and then replace water with red wine ice cubes. The oil temp was about 50 deg and the lye solution low 30 range.

Did anyone experience such an incident before?

 

[Saponomancer]

It looks more like vanilla discolouration than gel, I don't think I've ever had gel do that, that's pretty neat.

 

[artemis]

Did anyone experience such an incident before?

This is discoloration. It starts at the edges and eventually will color the whole bar. Partial gel will look more like a round center that is a little darker and a little more translucent than the edges of the soap.

 

[DeeAnna]

Artemis is right. The "rind" is not from partial gel, which will always have an oval or round shape. This is a color change due, I believe, to exposure to air or water evaporation. The entire outer surface of the bar will turn to the darker rind color in a few days. If you cut a bar in half after a few weeks of curing, you'll see the original lighter color in the center. That area of lighter color will get smaller as the soap ages.

 

[earlene]

Yes, I've had that rind before and it did not remain. I really thought it looked pretty cool and kind of wish it would stay. It does take some time, and as DeeAnna said, cut in half while still fairly young, the inside remains lighter. But I tend to cure a very long time before use or gifting, so by the time it was in regular use, it was dark throughout.

 

[Johnray]

You guys are right, it has now all turned red. so sad...