FO Accelerated Trace. Please Help!

[twaburds]

I have been designing a beautiful Rose scented soap for days in my head but on making it today it was a bit of a disaster.

I soaped at about 90F with 44% OO, 24% CO, 32% PO and a SF of 5%.

I split my thinly traced batter into 4, added fragrance oil and colourant and when I started to mix them in with a whisky each and every one accelerated to the point I couldn't pour them. Heartbroken!

Is there anything I can do with this fragrance oil as I absolutely love it and I really want to use the design (drop swirl) and colours I had chosen for it.

I dont really want to do HP.

Thanks in advance!

Sad Soaper.

 

[shunt2011]

If it's accelerating that quickly with just stirring the only way to likely get it to work is HP. Are you only mixing to emulsion and soaping fairly cool? Sometimes that helps. Where did you purchase your FO?

 

[The Efficacious Gentleman]

Some people have success adding the FO to the oils before adding the lye, but that wouldn't work for much of a swirl. As to not wanting to HP, with soaping it is often that we can't have our cake and eat it. If you want x, you have to do y. If you don't want to do y and there is no other way to get x, then you don't get x. You could settle for option z instead, if that is the better compromise.

.................. and when I started to mix them in with a whisky each and every one accelerated to the point I couldn't pour them..............

well there is the problem - alcohol speeds trace right up! :mrgreen::mrgreen:

 

[dibbles]

You might not be able to do a drop swirl, but maybe a spoon or chopstick swirl would work. I've been able to swirl some pretty thick batter that way.

 

[twaburds]

Haha, trust the scottish lass to bring whisky to the party!!

Ill try adding before lye, see if it helps. But yeah, I guess when working with the laws of chemistry its not really about what you want but what is possible!

Thanks!

 

[Steve85569]

twabirds,
If the FO came from a craft store it may not be intended for CP soap. They sell lots of FO's for M&P at those store ( ask how I know).
AS TEG mentioned any alcohol at all in the FO will cause acceleration or seizing.
You may be on to something with the timing BUT be prepared to shove what happens into a mold quickly if need be.

Welcome to the forum!

 

[SuzieOz]

I feel for you!!!

What I would do in this case is change my ideas about design for this particular scent. I'd colour it a straight colour - pick a beautiful colour that you love that goes with the fragrance - then after colouring and just before pouring into your mould, whisk the fragrance through quickly and thoroughly.

Place batter into the mould and do a nice textured top, or pile it up high - do something extra nice seeing as you obviously have a beaut thick batter to play with.

Then sprinkle with something if you like that kind of thing - rose petals, glitter ... and when your soap is done, slice up and stamp with a gorgeous stamp.

And there you have your beautiful rose-scented soap.

Now ... start planning that 4 colour swirl using a FO known to behave itself!

And show us some photos

Suzie xx

 

[KristaY]

I feel your pain and disappointment, twaburds. I usually use Fresh Cut Roses from Nature's Garden and it's only a mild accelerator so that's something to consider. But if you have a scent you love and know it's safe for use in CP, you could try an Ombre or gradient pour (if you don't want a single color). When I'm using a bratty FO, this technique works really well for me.

Bring your batter to emulsion and pour into equal portions for the number of colors you want to use. Divide the FO into the same number of portions. Add the color to each then start with the one you want on the bottom. Add FO to that one and stir or whisk in well, pour. Move on to the 2nd color, add FO and mix well. By the time you're ready to pour the 2nd color, the first color should be firm enough to support the 2nd. Continue on until you pour the last. You won't have the swirl you envisioned but you'll have beautifully colored soap that's visually interesting. Hope this helps and good luck!

 

[lenarenee]

I only skimmed the responses you got to your question so I apologize if I'm repeating something.

Have you used this fo before? Is it strong? If so, then maybe you can design a swirl with unscented portions of batter, then add the maximum recommended amount of fo to batter that won't be swirled.

Sorry, but still a good chance you can't make the exact design you intended.