Gel issue or glycerin River?

[BWt]

New (6 months) to CP soaping. This is my first attempt at indigo extract. Added 1/4 tsp indigo extract to dry lye and mixed well (before adding lye to distilled water). Added .5 gr tussah silk to lye (silk was was completely dissolved.). Added 1 tsp blue mica and 2 tsp sodium lactate to oils and mixed well before adding to melted butters. Poured lye at 125-130 ish into melted fats. And oils. At very light trace added FO and EO. Blended/stirred well until medium trace. Poured into silicone loaf mold, wrapped to gel. Exterior of soap has no pattern. Happy with color. Do not understand pattern. Thank you for any comment.

 

[DeeAnna]

What people call "glycerin" rivers. (Although it's all soap, not "glycerin") This particular pattern was caused by the tiny variations in water content that were created by the way the batter was poured into the mold.

To get more consistency and control, start using "lye concentration" or "water:lye ratio" and stop using "water as % of oils." If you increase your lye concentration above the 28% you have in this recipe, it's likely you'll see fewer rivers. At 33% lye concentration (2:1 water:lye ratio), rivers are not usually a problem.

 

[BWt]

Glycerin rivers. This particular pattern was caused by the tiny variations in water content that were created by the way the batter was poured into the mold.

To get more consistency and control, start using "lye concentration" or "water:lye ratio" and stop using "water as % of oils." If you increase your lye concentration above the 28% you have in this recipe, it's likely you'll see fewer rivers. At 33% lye concentration (2:1 water:lye ratio), rivers are not usually a problem.

Thank you. I need to learn more about water:lye ratios. I can change soap Calc but want to always understand what I’m doing. Am going to read up on this Thank you

 

[DeeAnna]

Here's more I've written to get you started -- Soapy Stuff

 

[Zing]

Still great looking soap there! Blue is my favorite color.

 

[BWt]

Here's more I've written to get you started -- Soapy Stuff

Thank you! Classic Bells yes! I read recently an article on her site about what the numbers on soap Calc meant. When I walk my dog we often sit in a nearby park and he sunbathes while I read. Looking forward to the morning read. Also want to read that wrapped wool soap thing. Am a weaver and tapestry person with wool to spare. I so love this group. Thanks again

 

[AliOop]

@bwtapestry Her/Classic Bells = @DeeAnna

 

[BWt]

Thank you! Classic Bells yes! I read recently an article on her site about what the numbers on soap Calc meant. When I walk my dog we often sit in a nearby park and he sunbathes while I read. Looking forward to the morning read. Also want to read that wrapped wool soap thing. Am a weaver and tapestry person with wool to spare. I so love this group. Thanks again

Here's more I've written to get you started -- Soapy Stuff

DeeAnna. Thank you! Read your article on lye and water ratios. Now am going to pull my book with soap recipes and my notes on each batch. I want to see what ratios I’ve been using and have an overall understanding of how these ratios affect the finished soap. Have made approximately 20 smaller batches so far. All good yet some better than others. Love your site with so much soap information!

 

[CpnDouchette]

Beautiful soap and a lovely colour. I quite like glycerin rivers. I tend to soap at 38% lye concentration and will occasionally add additional water just to get rivers in certain portions of my soap. These bars are really quite stunning, imo.

 

[AliOop]

That soap is just beautiful! The glycerin rivers add a special touch, IMO. Great job mixing a little blue with the indigo, too.

 

[BWt]

Beautiful soap and a lovely colour. I quite like glycerin rivers. I tend to soap at 38% lye concentration and will occasionally add additional water just to get rivers in certain portions of my soap. These bars are really quite stunning, imo.

Thank you. My first blue recipe. Am working learning to raise the lye %. Will have to try the additional water too!

That soap is just beautiful! The glycerin rivers add a special touch, IMO. Great job mixing a little blue with the indigo, too.

I cheated a bit when the indigo turned the mix a murky gray. Added blue mica. Next batch am upping lye percentage and increasing indigo. Thank you for your compliment. I like the pattern from the River. Accidentally fun!

 

[earlene]

Beautiful soap. With those rivers, it looks a bit like a Clyde Slide. Really quite attractive design and a lovely shade of blue.

 

[BWt]

Beautiful soap. With those rivers, it looks a bit like a Clyde Slide. Really quite attractive design and a lovely shade of blue.

Thank you earlene. Now need to look up a Clyde Slide! It sounds like rodeo slang. I love rodeos btw.

 

[earlene]

Me, too! I took my granddaughter to the Rodeo in Steamboat Springs in 2013. Here's one of many photos I took on that trip:

I'd include one of her, but she doesn't like her image out there on the internet these days.

 

[BWt]

Me, too! I took my granddaughter to the Rodeo in Steamboat Springs in 2013. Here's one of many photos I took on that trip:

View attachment 68093

I'd include one of her, but she doesn't like her image out there on the internet these days.

Love this picture! There is something really special about rodeo. I was at a rodeo in Fraser/Winter Park in 2008 my grandchildren rode the sheep bareback until they were tossed off. It was great fun! This is a pic of my granddaughter on the sheep.

 

[Windancer]

Love this picture! There is something really special about rodeo. I was at a rodeo in Fraser/Winter Park in 2008 my grandchildren rode the sheep bareback until they were tossed off. It was great fun! This is a pic of my granddaughter on the sheep.

Riding sheep doesn't sound like fun for the sheep as their backs are not designed for riding!

 

[BWt]

Riding sheep doesn't sound like fun for the sheep as their backs are not designed for riding!

That’s why the kids are tossed off after five or six seconds or less. Have to be quite little as weight limits are strictly controlled. This was a fundraiser and for children 5 and under. Parental approval required. Think there was a bit of cash raised and no sheep were harmed. Sheep were irritated yes. Kids introduced to rodeo.

 

[earlene]

Love this picture! There is something really special about rodeo. I was at a rodeo in Fraser/Winter Park in 2008 my grandchildren rode the sheep bareback until they were tossed off. It was great fun! This is a pic of my granddaughter on the sheep.

Thank you. Isn't being a gran the best gig in town? I think so!

Mine rode a mechanical bull & was tossed off of that pretty quickly, too. She had more fun feeding grass to one of the horses in a further coral, though. She used to plan extensively for the horse farm she wanted when she grew up. I still have one of her detailed drawings of how it was going to be set up. I will treasure it always, of course, even though her dreams have changed.

 

[BWt]

Here's more I've written to get you started -- Soapy Stuff

Ok. Have read and mostly understand the need to use lye % (instead of % of oils). Set soapcalc to 33% lye. Made the identical indigo recipe that had glycerin rivers. Switched out indigo for sea buckthorn powder and changed mica color. No glycerin rivers. The biggest surprise was the difference in lye. Only about 10 grams additional lye. Need to add pics of cut soap. THANK YOU @DeeAnna for taking time to help and generously sharing your knowledge. Am continuing to read your site. So very much to learn! The best part is the learning process is not without rewards, delightful and useful soap!! Thanks again DeeAnna

 

[BWt]

Thank you. Isn't being a gran the best gig in town? I think so!

Mine rode a mechanical bull & was tossed off of that pretty quickly, too. She had more fun feeding grass to one of the horses in a further coral, though. She used to plan extensively for the horse farm she wanted when she grew up. I still have one of her detailed drawings of how it was going to be set up. I will treasure it always, of course, even though her dreams have changed.