even color?

[mysoapopera]

I made a batch of soap with Pauls recipe (since im still not happy with a base of my own yet), And I wanted to know for sure if it was my doing or not. (gotta trust a paul recipe). So everything went ok, poured into molds still ok, very pretty cream color, Then about 20 min latter the center turned dark brown. This morn I cut them and it was still brown, yellow and out to the ends is the creamy white color. will this even out as time goes on? or did I do something wrong (again)?? I did RTCP I mixed half of the lye with aloe juice (cold) then when everthing was around 90deg. i mixed lye/aloe into cold gm then all into the oils. I did not cover with blankets, because I tought it was all RT. I did however cover the top with plastic wrap. Thanks Kathleen

 

[soap_lady]

I haven't made soap quite like that, (I also RTCP soap) but here is my interpretation to what might have happened.

But I also ask the question, did you add a fragrance and if so what was it?

The center turning dark brown sounds like it started to go through the gel phase of the soap making. This is normal, but the edges didn't go through the gel phase which is why they stayed the lighter color. The reason why the entire log didn't go through the gel phase is because it was left uncovered and wasn't insulated.

Also another thing that could have happened was that the goats milk could have burned a little bit. When I mix mine, I split the total liquid amount between the aloe juice and the goat's milk. (taking into consideration that it is concentrated and canned) and I mix all the required lye with my aloe juice. Then at trace I add the goat's milk back into the mixture.

 

[mysoapopera]

I forgot to add pictures

This is my first attempt to add a pic??

 

[soap_lady]

You did a great job of adding in a photo. It looks like it went through a partial gel. (which happens when it's not insulated well enough to keep the generated heat in.)

But otherwise they look really good and as the soap ages some of the color may even out a little more.

Did you scent the soap? If so with what?
Scent can often alter the color of CP soap especially if the fragrance contains vanilla. And sometimes scents that you least expect to contain vanilla do.

 

[mysoapopera]

I did not use eo or fo I did not realize you could add the gm at trace...like if the recipe calls for 28 oz you can mix the aloe (14oz) with the lye and then the other 14 oz at trace everything being RT and it will get hard? maybe that is where Im going wrong. I was mixing all the gm (frozen) and the lye, then into the oils and my bars were still comming out fairly dark like gingerbread. I guess I thought I did not have to cover because it was already at room temp?? by the way, the way I explained in the other post is the way I did this batch. Thanks for your help

 

[mysoapopera]

so if I had covered all the bars would they have turned dark? I m trying for a light creamy (color) if I can use GM? When you said you did not use this (my) method...am I doing something wrong?? this is the way I thought it was done (from what I had read)lol

 

[soap_lady]

Are you using fresh goat's milk or canned?

Yes if the recipe calls for 28 ounces of liquid you can use 14 ounces of aloe juice and 14 ounces of goat's milk. Then add all of your lye into the aloe juice but add the goat's milk at trace. This really helps so the goat's milk doesn't have a chance to get hot and burn and makes a nicer bar of soap, in my personal opinion. And adding the lye into the goat's milk an also cause it to darken, or turn an orange shade depending on the amount of lactose (sugar) that is found naturally in milk.

The room temperature part of RTCP refers to the temperature of the ingredients before they are mixed together. But after they are mixed together a chemical reaction takes place and heat is the result from that. From that point on the rules apply to regular soap making. Where the product needs to be insulated to keep the heat in. Once you see full gel, where it turns a dark brown color, from one side of the loaf to the other, you can uncover it and let it cool back down. And it does go from a dark brown color into a lighter color.

As a side note, there are some recipes where you don't want to achieve gel, because it might contain extra sugar (such as honey) which will heat up your soap further. When I make these types of soap I put my mold into the fridge so it cools down fast and doesn't go through the gel phase. I made a beautiful oatmeal milk and honey that didn't go through the gel phase. (milk products will also cause your soap to heat up a little more than soaps made with water or other liquids.)
Here is a picture of that soap.

What I meant by my method was I don't add lye to my goat's milk and I add it to trace. But I deal with all my oils at room temperature and I don't melt them.

 

[mysoapopera]

Ok, I am using 4tbl spoons of honey at trace for 64oz of oils. but nothing else. I am using fresh GM that i freeze in ziplock bags. If i need to add a few oz I usually have it in the fridge my kids drink it. with all the good info I have read I missed this somehow?? Do you add the gm cold at the end or it really would not matter at that point. Thank you for all the help you have so graciously given, It has helped me tie up some loose ends.
Thanks Kathleen

 

[Laurie]

Hi...for the most part I only add 1 tsp of honey per pound which would be about 4 tsps for the amount of oils you mentioned. I am just wondering if the amount of honey with the gm which has naturally occuring sugars may have caused the dark color, or the darker gel color in the center.

After my lye and oils are mixed together then I add my RT gm. Believe me, I do not have all the answers. It is purely speculation my dear Watson.

Just wondering,
Laurie

 

[soap_lady]

I don't think it was the honey that darkened it. For the picture shown i used 2 tbs honey for 34 oz of oil. And it didn't get dark t all.


What recipe did you use for your soap Kathleen?

 

[mysoapopera]

Good morning..I used:
canola 6.4
castor 3.2
coconut 19.2
safflower 4.48
crisco 16
oo 14.72
aloe juice 11 oz, mixed with lye
GM 10.50 cold, added to oil, just before lye/aloe
lye 9.4
at trace 4 tbl of honey (ithought it was 2tbl/for each 2lbs)

today the bars are getting lighter, still a little stick where it is very light around the edges. Today I will try to add gm at trace and cover for 12 hours? and see what happens. I dont think I should add honey just yet. let me know what you think...thanks Kathleen

 

[Laurie]

Soap Lady...that is how my soap looks when I add honey, but because I use less it has alot less speckles. I really like the look of all those speckles.

mysoapopera, let us know how the new batch goes.

Laurie

 

[mysoapopera]

I am mix'n now..Ill keep ya posted. I thought those little dots were oatmeal? is it the sugar in the honey? I love that look!!

 

[Laurie]

Come to think of it, I always add oats when I add honey so maybe it is the oatmeal. Now I am going to have to experiment and use just honey one of these times.

Laurie