Coffee Soap Disaster

NatureandNurture · Oct 11, 2009

Why is it whenever I'm really happy with how a soap is turning out that something always seems to go wrong at the last minute to mess everything up. :? I had made a vanilla scented coffee soap, and it was turning out great! Smelled awesome, looked fantastic. I figured there was no way it was going to gel in the usual place because it's getting cold here. So I thought I'd try an oven method. Yeah, so not my best decision. They were plastic molds, I had them on a towel on top of a shallow pan... just in case. The oven was on it's lowest setting, but apparently that, coupled with the natural temperature jump of the saponification reaction was just too much for my poor little molds. Both of them warped, one of them cracked around the middle bottom. :cry: The soap apparently is thick enough that it just oozed out a bit. However, I can see a liquid around the warped sides of the molds. I don't know if it separated or just what.

I'm sad about the loss of my molds, even sadder about the possibility of the loss of this soap. *sigh* It figures. :roll:

holly99 · Oct 11, 2009

Ugh! I'm sorry. I hope your soap at least turns out.

NatureandNurture · Oct 12, 2009

I think it'll be okay, it just looks weirdly shaped. I cut off a thin piece and it's a uniform color, so it'll be alright. The molds are beyond help though.

MikeInPdx · Oct 12, 2009

Don't feel bad....I've had that happen to me too!

ibariaSoap · Oct 12, 2009

bummer!

We mourn with you!

ewenique · Oct 12, 2009

Next time try using just the heat from the oven light. Molds that would probably melt or warp from oven temps of 170 should be safe with the light only. You have to keep them in longer, though, 5-6 hrs instead of 2. I've even used Pringle tube molds this way, but had to take out an oven rack so the tubes would fit!