For @Dawni - my Ash tops

[Lin19687]

@Dawni

These are a couple of the TOPS of some soaps. I just cut them off to fit into my new boxes I will still sell them in a bag of samples though so no loss really.
Sorry they got banged up in the bag a bit.
The dark grey was the top to a FIRE soap... the ash just made it PERFECT ! almost cried when I cut those

I put my 1 full NO FO bar. As you can see there is NO ash on it.
conclusion: FO's in my recipes ash.
I don't cover with plastic, I gel and cut usually with in 8-12 hrs

 

[earlene]

Cool and interesting. So, it's the same soap formula for the fragrance-free soap as the other? I will have to pay closer attention to my own vis-a-vis fragrances and ash. You have given me food for thought.

 

[Lin19687]

Yes and No. All same ingredients but some are lesser amounts.
Plain has less PKO and higher RBO.

I also have 3 other plain trials with varying amounts of the same ingredients, none had Ash. I really think it is the FO......... It may also be the Gel now that I think about it. These testers didn't heat up like the other recipe did. Even though I did wrap with blankets.

also the Plain is not that yellow as it looks in the pic.

ALSO, the 2 brown ones on the Right have NO Mica added, just FO discolor

 

[lenarenee]

Oh, I would have cried too!

In my experience, high lard soaps ash a lot - and it's a really thick stubborn ash!

I too, have been thinking that fo's contribute to it.

 

[Lin19687]

Poor pic, but it is Autumn Fire, the middle came out not perfect but not too bad for not trying very hard.
And when the top Ashed like it did ... swoon !!!
Pic is kinda blurry but picture the cut piece on it.
This recipe had Palm, Pko, RBO, Shea in about that order, so high on Palm's

 

[Primrose]

See I might be that rare person that loves ash. I know when I use activated charcoal my soap is gonna ash. With some designs it just works. I reckon your tops are gorgeous. Would love to see the whole bar

 

[Dawni]

@Lin19687 thank you for taking the time to show us!

Your autumn fire soap is gorgeous! And you're right, the ash really works for this one. The top that you cut off reminds me of a mountain top!

The ash also looks great on the orange/brown soap, background, right side. Gives it some depth I think.

I don't use FO so my ash is for sure from something else. I should pay attention to my soap with high lard and RBO......

Is there somewhere that explains why there's no ash in HP soaps? If they do still get, I've never in mine, not a single one. Is it the heat? Do people who CPOP don't get em either?

 

[Lin19687]

I do know that I was at a FM that was so super Muddy and warm that everything got damp on top. Many of the soaps with 'light' ash were free from ash when they dried. I guess it is like Steaming.
Maybe as you HP the steam from it being really hot takes care of it ?
Although back in 2004 my salt bars ashed and I HP'd them

When I get this 'new' recipe down for sure I will try the plastic wrap over the soap as it gels and see if there is any difference with the same FO's.


Oh and the ash starts for me at about a week old

 

[earlene]

I don't get ash on most HP soaps either, except if they are lye heavy. I believe there was ash on my CO soap I made for laundry soap, but I don't have any left to look at, so can't be sure. So it probably does depend on the recipe at least to some degree.

I have had ash on CPOP'd soaps, so it's not just the heat.

 

[penelopejane]

Lin,
Maybe you might like to try embracing the ash:

If your luck is anything like mine if you tried this you might end up with no ash. But that would be a win win because you would have found the solution to ash on your soap!

 

[Dawni]

I don't get ash on most HP soaps either, except if they are lye heavy. I believe there was ash on my CO soap I made for laundry soap, but I don't have any left to look at, so can't be sure. So it probably does depend on the recipe at least to some degree.

I have had ash on CPOP'd soaps, so it's not just the heat.

Could it be the constant heat then? Hot lye solution, hot oils, hot batter until molding and then gradually cooling in whatever pace it wants to cool itself?

Or as previously stated by someone somewhere else, it's the saponification process coming into contact with air, which is only on top, that's causing it and since HP is already saponified, that contact does nothing? Then heat isn't a factor I guess..

Eh wait I saw this somewhere, I'll go hunt for it so I don't ask anymore stupid questions lol

Some ash doesn't bother me, unless it's completely covering a swirl I wanted to try coz yknow, I'd wanna see if I succeeded or not lol, was just curious.

@penelopejane that's a great example of making ash work for you. Makes interesting looking soap.

 

[Lin19687]

Lin,
Maybe you might like to try embracing the ash:
View attachment 38221
If your luck is anything like mine if you tried this you might end up with no ash. But that would be a win win because you would have found the solution to ash on your soap!

I actually DO embrace the Ash. I love it. Works great on most of my soaps... You would have to go look at my website to see them. I have started to take some pics down as I am redoing pics since I am changing the tops of the soaps. rusticlifefarm.com The Hazelnut one is a good one. And yes when I wanted it on one soap it didn't come out as ashy as I wanted figures....

I too wonder if it is the constant heat,,, or longer heat during the process maybe ?
I don't think I am lye heavy. My oils are always a bit more when I weigh them and the lye solution always has some that never fully comes out of the jug. I thought about spatula scraping the lye liquid but really I figure it just gives me a bit more SF
I also check my scales before every soaping session.

 

[Susie]

I use mostly the same recipe that contains sugar, same temperature, different FOs, spray with 91% alcohol, and cover with the same number of towels each time. Some get ash, some don't. Some I remove the ash with a hot water rinse before cutting, most I leave as a design element. If people ask me what it is, I just tell them that is how you can definitively tell that that is hand made soap.

 

[Lin19687]

Someone asked how I did that "technique" I just smiled and said I could not disclose that secret hahahhahahaha

They actually were mad, I think it was another soaper trying to figure things out. She asked me other questions too

 

[Marilyn Norgart]

You would have to go look at my website to see them

what is the name of your website? I love looking at everybodies soaps

 

[Lin19687]

They are really bad pics I am waiting for Spring to finally bloom here so I can take outside pics...
Most of these soaps no longer have the bumpy tops to them.
rusticlifefarm.com