CP failure

[soapfan2012]

Hi everyone,
I started with CPOP and rebatch, because failed a few times. Results are OK, friends and family like my soap (maybe because it is free...lol).
Anyways, I made 2 batches (around 35 oz each) of CP (shaving soap). Both had the same problem.
1. I get very faded colors (dark cacao).
2. I didn't get the fragrance even with double dose (bitter almond)
3. It traces too fast and is like weep cream in a couple of minutes, so I cannot put it into shape-mold.
I believe everyone got these problems in the beginning so wait for lots of replies.
:arrow: :idea:

 

[Fragola]

Actually, we all get into different problems in the beginning.

Also, you should give the exact recipe, temperatures, ingredients and additives. Add pictures.

Why is that you had to rebatch ? That you couldn't pour it into molds ?

For 3 - besides high temperature and/or fast tracing recipe/ingredient, you probably blend too much. Give it few quick bursts.

 

[soapfan2012]

Hallo Fragola, CPOP was OK, I rebatched twice when I forgot to put essence oil, and once when I put too much color in so it was giving up color when used.
here is the recipe:
Castor Oil 1.8 oz
Cottonseed Oil 10.6 oz
Palm Kernel Oil 10.6 oz
Palm Oil 12 oz
dark cacao powder 1 table spoon(/red powder (from dessert shop) 0.5 tea spoon)
bitter almond oil 1 table spoon
water 13.5 oz
lye 5 oz
temperature: when PO and PKO completely melts I put other oils and mix and turn off the heat.
I think you are right with 2 much blending, I'll try again today.

 

[judymoody]

Regarding your fragrance, one tablespoon is roughly 1/2 ounce by weight (based on water weight; fragrances will vary). Most soapers use between .5 and 1 ounce per pound of oils to fragrance their soap. So for 35 ounces of oils, your fragrance should be between 1 and 2 ounces or 2 - 4 times of what you used.

Bitter almond tends to be fairly strong so if it were me I would use the lower end of that amount which is still twice what you were using. Where did you get it from? Do you know that the fragrance is soap-safe? Some fragrances can fade or morph in soap regardless of how much you use.

Regarding the cocoa powder, I wasn't sure how to interpret what you wrote. I usually start with a teaspoon per pound of oils and see how I like it. If your soap gels, you will get a deeper color.

It may be that your % of hard oils is speeding up trace a little bit. I haven't used cottonseed oil in soaping so I can't comment on that.

 

[IrishLass]

The fast tracing issue looks to me like a pseudo-trace, especially with the amount of PKO in your formula. PKO always gives me pseudo-trace* unless I soap it much warmer than 'just melted'. I soap at 120F with PKO (as well as cocoa butter, kokum butter and mango butter) to keep pseudo-trace at bay.

*Pseudo trace: i.e. false trace. It looks just like a real trace, but it's not. What's really happening is that the harder fats are precipitating out of the mix because the batter temp has fallen too far below their melting points for them to be able to keep in fluid suspension long enough for the lye to work on them. The tell-tale characteristics of a pseudo trace are that it happens very quickly- within a few minutes or sometimes even seconds upon adding the lye solution (especially if the lye solution is cooler and/or if a stickblender is used), and the resulting 'stearic spots' (white spots or globs of fat) in the finished bars.


IrishLass

 

[judymoody]

Good point, Irishlass!

I also notice that false trace tends to look a bit grainy instead of like smooth custard.

Sometimes when this happens if I hand stir for a bit, the mixture will thin out as the exothermic reaction heats up the mixture. Then I can bring it to real trace.

Doesn't work every time but worth a shot!

 

[soapfan2012]

I did less blending, and it worked. I made the same thing with bitter almond 1 oz. and orange FO 0.4 oz. (white and orange color), write and post pics as soon as I cut the soap. Th color is still not vivid enough.

 

[soapfan2012]

quote="judymoody"

Regarding the cocoa powder, I wasn't sure how to interpret what you wrote. I usually start with a teaspoon per pound of oils and see how I like it. If your soap gels, you will get a deeper color. /quote

Hello judy,
tell me more about gelling...
thanks