Crystals / beads forming on the top of my soap

[AgentM99]

Hello soapers,

First time making soap in about a year and I've hit a glitch. I used an olive oil recipe I've successfully used before but this time it's developed crystals / beads on top.

The soap did seem to take a while to reach trace and there were lots of little air bubbles while I was blitzing with my stick blender.

I also used a plastic klip it type container as a mold. I klipped on the lid, wrapped the whole thing in a towel and left it for about 2 days before I checked on it.

Here are some pics which might help.

Thanks for any help.

 

[IrishLass]

It looks to me like the soap got too claustrophobic being closed up in the plastic klip-it container for 2 days. Soap likes to have some air so that the evaporating water has a place to go. If it's closed up tightly with no where for the water to go, it makes sense to me that it will pool on the surface. If it were mine, I'd just give it some air and dab off the pooled water.


IrishLass

 

[AgentM99]

Thank you. I will try that now. I had assumed they were beads of lye.

 

[shunt2011]

If you're concerned that it's lye have you zap tested it? I would start there. But I agree that it's likely just water from being sealed to tightly for too long.

 

[AgentM99]

I hadn't tested it. I wasn't sure how to given it was soon after making it?