Eager to become a pro!

[Hamia]

Hi there!
I got into soap making when a friend of mine raved about how castile soap is the best all around cleaning product in the house. Of course I wasn't a fan of paying the high prices for the commercial castile soap. After I found out how easy it was to make my own, it was like a whole new world opened up. I am trying to get a gift business off the ground right now. I want to sell soaps, homemade cookies, candles and gift cards. But it is a process.
Right now I have the oils melting as today I am making another batch of chocolate soap, my personal favorite.

 

[Zany_in_CO]

 

[dmcgee5034]

Hi and welcome - looking forward to seeing pictures of your chocolate soap

 

[Shirley-D]

Hello and welcome. I can't resist a beautiful cat picture!

 

[Hamia]

This is one of the first batch of chocolate soap i ever made. I cut open a piece just on a whim and i guess i didnt mix it enough because the inside is still uncolored. Looks like a chocolate buttercream!

 

[dibbles]

The discoloration happens with exposure to air. You should see the discoloration in the center over the next few days. Welcome!

 

[Hamia]

The discoloration happens with exposure to air. You should see the discoloration in the center over the next few days. Welcome!

It's brown because of cocoa powder
Also thank you

 

[dibbles]

I guess when I read it was chocolate soap, I assumed a fragrance oil was used and the chocolate ones often discolor. Still, if it wasn’t mixed well enough, I would expect to see mottling through out rather than just on the edges.

 

[Zany_in_CO]

i guess i didnt mix it enough because the inside is still uncolored. Looks like a chocolate buttercream!

That's really interesting! I've never seen anything quite like that. Of course, if you said you intended to make it like that, no one would know any better and we'd all be so impressed!

 

[Hamia]

I guess when I read it was chocolate soap, I assumed a fragrance oil was used and the chocolate ones often discolor. Still, if it wasn’t mixed well enough, I would expect to see mottling through out rather than just on the edges.

My bad for not saying i used cocoa as a colorant

That's really interesting! I've never seen anything quite like that. Of course, if you said you intended to make it like that, no one would know any better and we'd all be so impressed!

I'll have to remember that for next time. I think getting these into a chocolate mold with that effect would be cool af
Now that I think of it I'm not sure what happened

 

[Ephemerella]

@Hamia If you didn't tell me that was soap, I would have SO eaten it.

 

[Hamia]

I guess when I read it was chocolate soap, I assumed a fragrance oil was used and the chocolate ones often discolor. Still, if it wasn’t mixed well enough, I would expect to see mottling through out rather than just on the edges.

you were right. i was wrong. just washed with another bar from that same batch and the edges were dark brown while the insides were creamy. i just don't know the mechanism for how that happens.

 

[dibbles]

you were right. i was wrong. just washed with another bar from that same batch and the edges were dark brown while the insides were creamy. i just don't know the mechanism for how that happens.

Did you use any fragrance oil?

 

[Bubble Junkie]

Hi there!
I got into soap making when a friend of mine raved about how castile soap is the best all around cleaning product in the house. Of course I wasn't a fan of paying the high prices for the commercial castile soap. After I found out how easy it was to make my own, it was like a whole new world opened up. I am trying to get a gift business off the ground right now. I want to sell soaps, homemade cookies, candles and gift cards. But it is a process.
Right now I have the oils melting as today I am making another batch of chocolate soap, my personal favorite.

Good luck!! I decided I wanted to make soap as well and I've spent over a thousand dollars and haven't sold the first bar!!! But I do have three businesses that said I could sell my soap in their shop!!! I'm about to make some soap as well but your chocolate soap sounds AMAZING!!! Good luck!!!

 

[AliOop]

you were right. i was wrong. just washed with another bar from that same batch and the edges were dark brown while the insides were creamy. i just don't know the mechanism for how that happens.

This is a very common phenomenon in soap. It is usually from vanillin in the fragrance oil, but other additives can cause the temporary dark "rind," too.

As @dibbles said, the entire bar will eventually turn dark over time. So, you cannot plan on keeping the dark edges and light inside - it doesn't last. Sorry! It looks cool for now tho.

 

[Sun2]

This is one of the first batch of chocolate soap i ever made. I cut open a piece just on a whim and i guess i didnt mix it enough because the inside is still uncolored. Looks like a chocolate buttercream!
View attachment 72320

After exposure to air for a few days it will turn brown

 

[Zany_in_CO]

Good luck!! I decided I wanted to make soap as well and I've spent over a thousand dollars and haven't sold the first bar!!! But I do have three businesses that said I could sell my soap in their shop!!!

Just a gentle nudge... you may want to go to the Introduction Forum and start your own thread so others will see it and reach out to help you.

https://www.soapmakingforum.com/forums/new-member-introductions.16/

 

[Quilter99755]

A few years back I ground lavender buds into a fine powder....similar to cocoa powder. I used no scent at all, hoping that the powder scent would come through. No such luck. When I cut the bars every one of them had a creamy center with a grayish brown "skin" on the outside. A few days later the creamy center became the same color as the outside. I made other cuts in one bar and had the same result until the bar got really thin. And the bud powder never gave off any hint of lavender. I never bothered testing any other type of powder after that. At least your powder leaves a nicer color than my lavender batch