cp soap gone wrong. twice in one week.

[cece_em]

So, my two different batches of cp soap this week didn't turn out the way i wanted. First, my milk soap with honey and oats overheated so that it got a layer of oil on top. Fragrance really is the culprit. I have rebatched this soap after i had unmolded and cut it.

The second batch gone bad was green tea. The liquid was part water, part green tea. The green tea was chilled and added to the soap once the lye-water solution and the oils were mixed. Before i put the fragrance, the soap batter was still good. But when the fragrance was added, it got problematic. This fragrance is from the same supplier of the fragrance in my milk soap. Long story short: it overheated. So i placed the mold in front of a fan, but the soap batter became liquidy to the touch. I actually got impatient and decided to cook the soap.

Before i scooped out the soap from the mold, the soap was very liquid so i stirred the soap batter in the mold. I think the soap, before i stirred, had separated So i made sure to stir everything thoroughly. When i started scooping the soap from mold to stainless steel bowl, the bowl was very warm to the touch so that the soap became petroleum jelly-like in consistency when i stirred. It was as if i applied an outside heat source to it.

The problem with rebatch or hot process soap is it can be a challenge to glop the soap mixture in the mold. When i started molding, the soap was still warm but it got to a point when the soap in the mixing bowl had cooled off. my concern is, will this soap harden up in the mold after a few days? I insulated the soap mold now. I am using a wooden log mold.

 

[IrishLass]

When i started scooping the soap from mold to stainless steel bowl, the bowl was very warm to the touch so that the soap became petroleum jelly-like in consistency when i stirred. It was as if i applied an outside heat source to it.

Sounds like the soap went right through the gel stage as you were stirring it, so insulation is not needed at this point.

Based on all that you wrote, I have every confidence that your soap will harden in the mold just fine.


IrishLass

 

[JayBird]

At what temperature are you soaping? When I soap with delicate ingredients such as milk and fragrance, I bring the ingredients below room temp by a bit, or at least chill the lye mix.

The combination of honey and fragrance is tricky, because both can accelerate saponification. When I use those together, I use the stick blender only until the mixture is thoroughly blended, then stir with a spoon for a couple of minutes, then quickly incorporate the honey and fragrance with the blender, give a few quick stirs with a spoon, and pour. The mix does heat up, and acts crazy in the mold, so I walk away from it for the day.

Good luck! It seems like you're doing the right things

 

[cece_em]

Sounds like the soap went right through the gel stage as you were stirring it, so insulation is not needed at this point.

Based on all that you wrote, I have every confidence that your soap will harden in the mold just fine.


IrishLass

Update: yes the soap has hardened quite a bit yey! But the top is kind of sticky to the touch. Which i think is normal considering that it has been 4-5 hours from glopping the soap. I hope to cut this soap after 36-48 hours from molding, and hoping against hope that there won't be problems during the cut.

 

[cece_em]

At what temperature are you soaping? When I soap with delicate ingredients such as milk and fragrance, I bring the ingredients below room temp by a bit, or at least chill the lye mix.

The combination of honey and fragrance is tricky, because both can accelerate saponification. When I use those together, I use the stick blender only until the mixture is thoroughly blended, then stir with a spoon for a couple of minutes, then quickly incorporate the honey and fragrance with the blender, give a few quick stirs with a spoon, and pour. The mix does heat up, and acts crazy in the mold, so I walk away from it for the day.

Good luck! It seems like you're doing the right things

I always give my lye mix an ice bath and i make sure that the lye mix is at least room temperature. My conclusion is that everything is a gamble when using fragrance the first time. Here in the Philippines, we do not have a lot of suppliers for fragrance oils for cp soap making and ordering items overseas is too expensive

Yes, the trick when using milk and/or honey is not to stick blend too much after the honey and fragrance are introduced into the batter. And maybe i should increase my liquid a bit from 33% of oils to 36% of oils. I use soapcalc for my recipes.

 

[MorpheusPA]

Ask me about the time I stick-blended a mix after adding a floral FO and sugar. The temperature spiked rapidly, and gelled instantly in the mold. About four minutes later, there was a small erupting volcano atop the soap, with a tiny pool soap-lava flowing over the top.

I thought it was kind of amusing, actually, as it wasn't that big and didn't look like it was going to destroy the batch (it didn't).

I've had soap I was doing at the top end of the temperature range gel in the pot as well. My response is to shrug, pour, and come back a few hours later. Things are almost always fine.

 

[cmzaha]

I always give my lye mix an ice bath and i make sure that the lye mix is at least room temperature. My conclusion is that everything is a gamble when using fragrance the first time. Here in the Philippines, we do not have a lot of suppliers for fragrance oils for cp soap making and ordering items overseas is too expensive

Yes, the trick when using milk and/or honey is not to stick blend too much after the honey and fragrance are introduced into the batter. And maybe i should increase my liquid a bit from 33% of oils to 36% of oils. I use soapcalc for my recipes.

more liquid added will cause it to heat even more. When I soap with a 35% lye concentration, Not 35% water as % to oil, most of my soaps will not gel, which is what I want. I have had fo's overheat to the point of the batter going to liquid and it was fine the next day. I do not so much worry when it goes liquid, I do worry when it starts to volcano and cracks on top

 

[cece_em]

more liquid added will cause it to heat even more. When I soap with a 35% lye concentration, Not 35% water as % to oil, most of my soaps will not gel, which is what I want. I have had fo's overheat to the point of the batter going to liquid and it was fine the next day. I do not so much worry when it goes liquid, I do worry when it starts to volcano and cracks on top

I haven't figured out how to use that part. Nice tip. Thank you

I am worried that i glopped the soap mixture (top part in the soap mold) when it was already cool to the touch and i am worried that the soap may not set up properly.

 

[cece_em]

Ask me about the time I stick-blended a mix after adding a floral FO and sugar. The temperature spiked rapidly, and gelled instantly in the mold. About four minutes later, there was a small erupting volcano atop the soap, with a tiny pool soap-lava flowing over the top.

I thought it was kind of amusing, actually, as it wasn't that big and didn't look like it was going to destroy the batch (it didn't).

I've had soap I was doing at the top end of the temperature range gel in the pot as well. My response is to shrug, pour, and come back a few hours later. Things are almost always fine.

The worst case scenario that i had was the pool of oil on top of soap after 24 hours from molding. It wasn't lye heavy, and the soap smelled really good though it was too brown.

I am concerned tha for this batch, i glopped the soap in the mold (top part of the soap batter) when it wasn't warm anymore. Is it a misconception on my part that rebatched or hot processed soap glop left to cool down (no longer warm to the touch) before molding will not make the soap set up and harden in the mold?

 

[MorpheusPA]

The glop should still set, but may take a bit longer to do so. If you find it didn't, you can always re-heat to gel phase and re-mold...just do it within 24 hours or so for best results.

 

[ourwolfden]

I had this happen the other night! I had a beautiful swirl and had set some soap batter aside to pipe on the top. I walked away to watch some TV and wait for the extra to get to the right consistency when I came back the extra was still liquid, I mixed some more and it looked like it went through gel, I let it sit, came back and put it in a piping bag. When I started piping the top layer broke on my soap (it was thin like ¼ inch or less) and there was a mess of clear oil and then the rest of my oils on the bottom, it was strange. I tried to get it in the freezer, the mold was too full and I made a mess, so after some cursing I put it in my crock pot mixed it up really well, let it sit, added more FO and then remolded it. My pretty swirl now is an ugly flesh tone, but it smells good. I think I will felt it.

I blame the yogurt… and my impatience for soaping a little warmer than I should.

 

[cece_em]

That is quite frustrating when things don't turn out as it should. But we learn in the end...

 

[cece_em]

Update: i rebatched this yesterday. I am very mystified because the top part of the soap has already gotten firm, while the sides are still soft to the touch. When i press the sides, dents are formed. I am thinking of rebatching this again, or wait 3-5 days to cut this. My mold is a wooden mold which has collapsible sides, so probably if the sides of this loaf are exposed to air, i am hoping that it firms up. Oh, and this rebatched soap was in the mold for 24 hours...

Help!

 

[Obsidian]

No need to rebatch again, just let it dry.

 

[cece_em]

No need to rebatch again, just let it dry.

Thank you so much!