First time this happened??????

[Fendigirl]

Hope everyone is Covid safe and doing well
I am fairly new to soaping. This is the first time that my soap turned rock hard after only 2 Days
I have used this recipe before (cp) . Only difference was that I added a bit of titanium dioxide and mixed at a slightly higher temp ( 125 degrees) . Usually this recipe is quite soft.
It reached trace rather quickly 4-5 minutes
I used a silicone cake loaf, put it in the freezer for about 8hrs then in the fridge over night. It was fairly soft when I cut it.
Now I’m wondering if it reached a false trace? ( even though I don’t really know how you can tell)
soap doesn’t look as “creamy”
any helpful hints would be appreciated
pic - below, with the other hobby I’m trying ( rolled fondant toppers)

I

 

[lsg]

If you had false trace, then the oils and water might separate in the mold. You used over 48% hard fats. That will give you a harder bar. Titanium dioxide could account for the quick trace. If you were using a stick blender, then 4-5 min., IMO, is not a quick trace.

 

[Todd Ziegler]

I agree with @Isg I don't consider that a quick trace with lard and olive oil.

 

[Fendigirl]

If you had false trace, then the oils and water might separate in the mold. You used over 48% hard fats. That will give you a harder bar. Titanium dioxide could account for the quick trace. If you were using a stick blender, then 4-5 min., IMO, is not a quick trace.

 

[Fendigirl]

Thank for your responses

 

[TheGecko]

Anytime you change something in your recipe, it will change something in your soap. TD is a 'matte' colorant so of course your soap isn't going to look as 'creamy'. If you want a 'creamy' soap...I would suggest an egg-shell mica and gel your soap.

If you allowed your frozen soap to come up to room temperature while in the mold and then cut it...it would be soft, that is just the name of that process. I haven't frozen any soap, but I do refrigerator my GMS during the summer. My process is to let it come up to room temp in the mold, then unmold and cover with a tea towel for a couple of days before cutting.

A 'false trace' wouldn't have your soap looking like that. A 'false trace' usually occurs because your hard oils/butters are resolidifying and thus are not getting mixed with the lye (emulsification) and so the water and oils/butters separate during the saponification process and you end up with wet and oily soap when you go to unmold.

"Reaching trace quickly" with 25 oz of oils would be a matter of 10 seconds with a stick blender. I make a lot of 16 oz and 35 oz batches of soap; for the smaller batch, I use a whisk and then maybe a couple of 2-3 second bursts. For the 35 oz batch I whisk and then maybe a few 5 second bursts. And even when I make a 14 lb batch of soap for six molds, that long would leave me with pudding.

 

[Fendigirl]

TheGecko
thank you for your detailed response
much appreciated

 

[Rick Jarvis]

Just a weird add. I was making a batch of colors in white soap. In one funnel pitcher I used TD mixed with water( very easy mixing) and one with TD mixed with oil (much harder to mix). The weird thing is the TD mixed with water accelerated the batter pretty quick..the TD with the oil behaved. Shrug