Color separation/Squiggly Lines in Soap

[blacdance]

Can you tell me why my soap turned out the way it did. This is the 3rd batch that has the marbling effect going on. Can you see those squiggly, transparent lines in the soap. This time it's completely separating my colors. I finished this batch at about 12am this morning. I unmolded it a little after 8am this morning (too anxious).

Here is the recipe I used:

2oz Palm Oil
3oz Canola Oil
20oz Olive Oil
16oz Coconut Oil
2oz Shea Butter
3oz Sunflower Oil
10oz Shortening
1oz Sweet Almond
3oz Castor Oil

19.8 Liquid (this time I used water, last time I used Aloe Vera Juice)
8.8 Lye (it was 8.71 and I round up)

I added 3 tsp of White Kaolin Clay to my oils right before I added my lye solution.

I added Tussah Silk to my lye solution (this was the first I added it which I don't think mattered as this problem started before that).

I added 2 oz of Love Spell type fragrance

I used Gold Mica (which did nothing) and Purple and Blue pigment color.

Is it because I'm unmolding way too soon even though it's hard?

I'm so confused. I have another batch that's still insulated and setting up. It's way to early for that one. I decided to leave it for the remainder of the day to see if that's the problem.

Please tell me what you think the problem is. I placed the loaf back in the mold and covered it up. I only cut one slice of it. Pic attached.

Thanks for any help you could give.
~Michelle

 

[Sammi_552]

I can't tell from the picture, is the crackle only in the colored portion of your soap?

 

[lizflowers42]

Did you mix all your palm oil up? Could be stearic acid streaks. But I still dig it!

 

[thefarmerdaughter]

http://www.soapmakingforum.com/f11/rebatching-over-heated-soap-31212/#post292930

 

[judymoody]

That crackle usually is associated with 1) using too much titanium dioxide 2) stearic acid precipitating out of your soap batter. IME, the latter is likely if you soap too cool and if you don't heat and stir your palm oil before using. The stearic can settle towards the bottom and as you work through the container, you have more stearic content.

The crackle is harmless. I wouldn't rebatch - it won't make it prettier.

 

[mechanolatry]

I've had this happen before with a particular fragrance oil, I also had this problem a lot when I was using olive pomace oil. Don't know if that helps, but personally I think it looks kinda fun! You can pretend you did it on purpose...

 

[hlee]

I love your blue soap and the squiggly lines look cool to me.

 

[blacdance]

It was on the darker purple and the blue.

 

[blacdance]

Yes. I believe I melted the palm oil before mixing it. All of my oils are completed melted before I mix.

 

[blacdance]

I just did a batch last night and did not use any TD. It did the same thing but worse this time.

 

[blacdance]

Could it still be stearic acid streaks if I didn't use any Stearic Acid? :?

 

[sistrum]

Stearic acid is in the oils you use. You should study up on the oils you're using, it will help you in formulating your soaps. And NEVER just "round up" your lye amounts!

 

[jerzy1_beth]

Did you ever correct this problem or find out what was causing it? Im fairly new to soaping and I am now starting to have this problem also. I can't figure out what is causing the problem. What has high stearic acid levels? My soaps are generally olive oil, coconut oil, palm kernel flakes, palm oil, shea butter and tiny bit of beeswax. Please help! Mine look just like your photos.