Cracking Soap

[dalewaite48]

Does anyone know why some of my Goat milk soaps crack at some while in the freezer. After I pour into my mold I put into the freezer for 8 hrs. Sometimes they come out perfect and other times the soap will have cracked around the outside edges, see attached picture.

 

[lsg]

Normally I would say it overheated during gel phase; but you put in in the freezer. You might take a look at this link--Why is my soap cracking?.

 

[Kari Howie]

Are there any other variables that may have changed, e.g., different recipes, additives, fragrances, etc?

 

[dmcgee5034]

I also make GMS, so food for thought…. I used to put in the freezer, then abandoned that after finding it was overkill, and I still got gel phase sometimes, and soda ash. I moved to the fridge, and it was better for me and my soap (faster saponification and less soda ash), and got some advice that if its a nice temp where your soap sits, skip the cold cycle - and guess what? So far so good, actually awesome, and I’ve done that ever since, because the house and counter are always a steady perfect temp. All that to say, maybe you can skip the freezer that may be contributing to those cracks in your lovely soap. Move to the fridge, if you can, and give that a go, if you are still worried like I would that my soap would overheat and make the GM smell funky.

 

[Mobjack Bay]

How much water are you using in your recipe?

 

[dalewaite48]

No water using Goat Milk but using 23.8 to 10.2 Lye

 

[Mobjack Bay]

Oh right, goat milk, not water. Sorry about that oversight. I was thinking along the lines of high water content leading to unreacted water in the soap freezing in a weird way. I imagine the same thing could happen with the milk. This is pure speculation based on the cracks looking more like fractures/fissures than expanded/overheated soap cracks.

 

[dalewaite48]

I tried a batch today also goat milk and I put in the refrigerator instead of the freezer and it came out perfect and no cracks.

 

[dmcgee5034]

Well, I jinxed myself and didn’t put it in the fridge and it cracked
Glad yours came out without cracks

 

[dalewaite48]

Well I think I will call this issue of cracking a success as I have now made 3 batches of soap that I previously had trouble with cracking and put them in the refrigerator instead of the freezer and all 3 of them came out perfect. Thanks for everyones comments and helps.