Fix a cracking-soap recipe

[Blufuz]

Hi everyone! I need some help please

I have this soap recipe that is:
38% cocoa butter
31% coconut oil
31% Shea butter

The soap came out nice and hard, the lather feels really nice, but halfway through using it, it starts to crack!

Any suggestions on what might fix this without changing the oils too much? I thought maybe a higher SF?
My stepmother really likes it (before the cracking), so I’m hoping it can be fixed…

 

[Mobjack Bay]

I’ve never seen that happen before. Was all of the batter poured at once? It almost looks like a bit of batter hardened in the mold before the rest of the batter was poured on top.

 

[Terri E]

Hi, I remember reading that very high percentages of cocoa butter could cause this.

 

[Blufuz]

I’ve never seen that happen before. Was all of the batter poured at once? It almost looks like a bit of batter hardened in the mold before the rest of the batter was poured on top.

no, I had a uniform bar when I started

 

[The_Phoenix]

Could the soap dish be the problem? A dish that can’t drain water after use will cause the soap to disintegrate in weird patterns if left to sit in water. Do you have any other bars in use that rest in a different dish to compare? Is the soap squishy?

 

[Blufuz]

Could the soap dish be the problem? A dish that can’t drain water after use will cause the soap to disintegrate in weird patterns if left to sit in water. Do you have any other bars in use that rest in a different dish to compare? Is the soap squishy?

It doesn’t happen with other soaps, and the dish drains fairly well. The soap is not squishy; it actually dries remarkably quickly compared to ZNSC. The cracking happened also when I used it in the shower, and it eventually happened to my stepmother. However, it only happens to soaps that are in use; all the ones left in the cellar are fine.

I think the high cocoa butter is responsible, but I’m not really sure why or how to fix it…

I got the impression that the cracking happens during the drying period between uses; it never noticeably cracks while using, and the flaky bits become more pliable when wet.

 

[Obsidian]

I have one recipe that tends to crack if its not kept on a wire rack so all the water can drain quickly and it can dry evenly. In my case, its a high lard recipe.
I really suggest you try a faster draining dish wire caddy. If that doesnt help, you will probably need to add a liquid oil like olive or avocado

 

[Terri E]

Hi, I remember reading that very high percentages of cocoa butter could cause this.

Here the info is on Soap Queen:

 

[Blufuz]

The other thread (12% Honey CP Soap) about honey in soap gave me an idea for a solution!

If 10% honey makes soap soft, then maybe I’ll do that to counter the cracking!

 

[Servant4Christ]

The other thread (12% Honey CP Soap) about honey in soap gave me an idea for a solution!

If 10% honey makes soap soft, then maybe I’ll do that to counter the cracking!

Have you tried this yet? I'd love to hear if it worked for you. Any time I've used that much honey, my loaf overheats and cracks on top of the loaf.

 

[Jorah]

no, I had a uniform bar when I started
View attachment 73385

I like that bar shape. It is exactly the mold shape my wife is looking for! (now I have to hunt for that shape!)

 

[cmzaha]

I like that bar shape. It is exactly the mold shape my wife is looking for! (now I have to hunt for that shape!)

Here is one for 4-5 oz bars
https://www.wholesalesuppliesplus.com/products/oval-basic-silicone-mold.aspx
This makes 2 oz bars
https://www.wholesalesuppliesplus.com/products/oval-guest-silicone-mold.aspx
You can also look on Ali Express but do your math to figure out what size the bars will turn out.

 

[Jorah]

Here is one for 4-5 oz bars

Thank you! I searched all over eBay, but the oval molds all seemed to make guest-sized bars. These are perfect.

 

[Blufuz]

Have you tried this yet? I'd love to hear if it worked for you. Any time I've used that much honey, my loaf overheats and cracks on top of the loaf.

Not yet, maybe if I manage tomorrow

 

[DeeAnna]

Cracking like what the OP is seeing is due to layers of different soap molecules in the soap bar. There's a more soluble layer, a less soluble, a more soluble layer, etc. When the soap is wetted, the layers that are more soluble absorb water and become softer.

This makes them more prone to washing away when the bar is used again -- these softer layers of soap get rubbed away or dissolved faster than the harder layers. As more and more of this soluble soap is washed away, cracks eventually form.

My guess, although I don't have proof, is that the phenomenon that causes this type of cracking is vaguely related to how "rivers" form in soap -- those cloud-like, swirly, or crackly patterns in soap. But I don't know why a soap rich nut butters would be more prone to doing this. I"m not disagreeing with this thought ... just don't know the reasoning behind this idea.

 

[Zany_in_CO]

Any suggestions on what might fix this without changing the oils too much?

You might want to skip the cocoa butter and sub with all shea butter. Since raw shea butter contains unsaponifiables it plays nicer with other FAs. Add 5% castor for a softer bar and better lather

My 67% Raw Shea Butter recipe is one of my all-time favorites. Can't stop using it when it sits at the sink soap dish with other sample size soaps.

 

[Blufuz]

Have you tried this yet? I'd love to hear if it worked for you. Any time I've used that much honey, my loaf overheats and cracks on top of the loaf.

I made the soap with honey today! I’ll start a separate thread to share the results, but I also didn’t dare make the high honey soap in a loaf mold, especially in the middle of summer

 

[Blufuz]

Have you tried this yet? I'd love to hear if it worked for you. Any time I've used that much honey, my loaf overheats and cracks on top of the loaf.

The results are in!
https://www.soapmakingforum.com/threads/10-honey-fixes-cracking-soap.91957/