Gel or not to Gel...that is the question...

[Pug Mom]

My most recent batch of soap (blueberry) came out interesting... The soap that I put in the wooden mold gelled, but the soap that I put in the individual plastic molds does not appear to have gelled. They are completely different colors. Will this make a difference? Will one need to cure longer? Will there be a difference when I go to use them? Or is the difference completely cosmetic? :?:

 

[Deda]

Saponification of ungelled soap takes a little longer, maybe 12 to 24 hours. The cure time is essentially the same, 4 weeks. The difference is purely cosmetic.

I almost never let my soap gel. I prefer the more opaque soaps and creamy textures I get with ungelled soap.

 

[Dalziel]

noob question but how do you make it gel?

 

[Deda]

noob question but how do you make it gel?

When I make a soap that really needs to gel completely I grab a heating pad, lay the mold on top and wrap the whole shebang in towels and let it sit out of drafts. Peek in a couple hours and it will look like a big pile of Vaseline.

Some people swear by wooden molds to achieve full gel, I didn't have much luck and often ended up with partial gel on the edges, not a good look for me.

 

[joy]

I just asked this same question on another forum a week or so ago. So what I gather is that gelling is not required, but it does saponify the lye quicker, which is neither here nor there 'cause you still should/need to wait about four weeks for cure. Correct?

Ao to add to the question, if you put herbs and such in the mixture, is the gel phase the culprit for the changes in the colors? (ie., Lavender buds turning brown, or perhaps Goats Milk soap heating up too much and turning color?) and is that why some people prefer it not to gel?

 

[ChrissyB]

The reason that you have two different looking soaps from the same batch is this: the soap in the wooden moulds gelled, but the soap in the individual smaller moulds didn't gel because of the large surface area for a relatively small volume of soap.

 

[Pug Mom]

The reason that you have two different looking soaps from the same batch is this: the soap in the wooden moulds gelled, but the soap in the individual smaller moulds didn't gel because of the large surface area for a relatively small volume of soap.

Yup, I figured that out, I was just wondering if the soaps would now be different.... I guess not really?

 

[mandolyn]

The reason that you have two different looking soaps from the same batch is this: the soap in the wooden moulds gelled, but the soap in the individual smaller moulds didn't gel because of the large surface area for a relatively small volume of soap.

Yup, I figured that out, I was just wondering if the soaps would now be different.... I guess not really?

Well, lucky you. You now get to see exactly what the difference is between gelled & non-gelled.

To answer your question, both soaps will be just fine. When I use individual molds, & I want them to gel, I put some saran wrap on, the wrap them up in a blanket.

 

[Pug Mom]

Hmmm. I did put saran wrap on them, but I just laid a towel over them, didn't wrap them. I think I kind of like the color that they turned out to be though.... Very interesting...

 

[reallyrita]

Gel or not to Gel....that is the question

I play around with gelled and ungelled soaps too. I always put my gm soaps in the freezer for a couple of hours and then pop into the fridge for overnight. I soap RT and my gm soaps stay white or nearly white. Since I don't scent my gm soaps, I can't speak to that, but, I have often wondered if the heat generated during gel might not be burning off or mophing the scent somewhat. Although, in the end, it is hard to tell the difference when in the shower between gelled and non'gelled (except that the non-gelled is more opaque), I find I do have to wait a couple of days before cutting my freezer/fridge soaps. I usually cut my gelled soaps right away. It takes the non gel soaps longer to harden up and I think they do not last as long...but that could just be me thinking they melt away quicker!! I have some gelled soap by my kitchen sink that is nearly a year old...and I use it many times a day....go figure!! I like both. If I freeze first, I never get ash. If I just shove in the fridge, I might get some ash.

 

[abigtroutt]

My last several batches I've been putting in the refridge all night so it wont gel. I wanted to keep a lighter colour. I have noticed it does take longer to go through the saponification process. I made a batch of Oatmeal, Goats Milk and Honey soap yesterday afternoon. I did the taste test on a few end cut pieces and one tasted like soap and the other tasted like :shock: a 9 volt battery :shock: I knew the cure took a little more time so I tasted the same bar later today and no 9 volt I also made a coffee soap today and put it in the refridge and it did gel a little...must have been the honey added at trace....It still looks and smells gooood!

 

[Lil Outlaws]

I betcha non-soapies would think we were nuts after hearing us talk about doing a taste-test on a bar of soap ROFLMAO