Brown Top on Cold Process?

[Elle2014]

What would make the very top ridge of my cold process batch turn brown? I don't think this is DOS, because it was like this in the mold before I even cut it, and it's only on the highest ridge in the middle of a few of my bars. What did I do wrong

...and please excuse my soda ash

 

[IrishLass]

It looks to me like it could be a bit fragrance oil migrating out of the mix (or perhaps one of your base oils). Was everything mixed really well?

IrishLass

 

[Elle2014]

It looks to me like it could be a bit fragrance oil migrating out of the mix (or perhaps one of your base oils). Was everything mixed really well?

IrishLass

I think so. I did my very standard 17.2 oz olive, 17.2 oz coconut, 17.2 oz palm, 2.1 oz castor recipe. I got a freebie bag from my recent order to Soap Making Resource, so I decided to experiment with the stuff included (which I had no prior experience with). The green color is from dandelion leaf (ground to powder in a coffee grinder) and the chunks are ground juniper berries (also run through a coffee griner, but much coarser. I used about 2 tsp patchouli essential oil and 2 tsp cedarwood essential oil (neither were fragrance oils - just essential) and everything was stick blended together - even the juniper berries.

I haven't been soaping long enough to trust myself with a light trace, either - I tend to overblend and let the batch get really thick before I put it in the mold.

Edit: I also added about a dime size pinch of tussah silk to the lye water, which I'd never tried before (and haven't tried again since). It was in the freebie bag too - could that affect it?

 

[DeeAnna]

The color change is also right above the point where your soap would have been the very warmest, so I'm wondering about things like differences in moisture content, a slightly different crystalline structure to that part of the soap, oxidation and color change of the botanicals due to higher temp and exposure to oxygen, ... oh, who knows what, really.

On the right hand pic, second bar from the bottom, you can see what looks maybe like a bit of leaf or berry with a few similar speckles just below the larger bit. See how they have also changed color?

 

[Elle2014]

The color change is also right above the point where your soap would have been the very warmest, so I'm wondering about things like differences in moisture content, a slightly different crystalline structure to that part of the soap, oxidation and color change of the botanicals due to higher temp and exposure to oxygen, ... oh, who knows what, really.

On the right hand pic, second bar from the bottom, you can see what looks maybe like a bit of leaf or berry with a few similar speckles just below the larger bit. See how they have also changed color?

I see what you mean - I hadn't noticed that. Maybe it's just the juniper or the dandelion changing colors.

I (obviously) don't ever sell my soaps, but I'd like to some day. What would you all do if a batch ended up with the odd brown streak down the middle? Discount those bars? Try to cut off the tops and bevel the edge or something? Leave them like they are and just go with it? They have a wonderful piney scent, and I was going to give them as gifts for Christmas... :think:

 

[cmzaha]

In my opinion color change just adds another point of interest. No one would know it was not done on purpose. It could be the center was trying to overheat especially if you gelled the soap.

 

[judymoody]

It might be a bit of patchouli oil that wasn't completely mixed in.

I have used dandelion and juniper berries and over time the soap went from sage green to tan. So this might be the beginning of the process of discoloration.

 

[Elle2014]

It might be a bit of patchouli oil that wasn't completely mixed in.

I have used dandelion and juniper berries and over time the soap went from sage green to tan. So this might be the beginning of the process of discoloration.

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh! Nooooooooo! :shock: My beautiful soap is going to be tan?

Well. They were free, and I guess I got what I paid for. I'm glad you mentioned that - I would have been horrified if that happened in a few months without warning.