Halp! Volcano or false trace?

[TashaBird]

HALP! Did I volcano? Did I get false trace? Tallow, shea butter, CO, avo, rice bran, castor. My usual recipe, except added shea butter. Goat milk, honey, colloidal oat pow. Soaped w oils at 115-120, lye mix at 85ish. Stayed surprisingly fluid for awhile, but I was sure I reached emulsion. Put both loaves into a cooler w a small heating pad that turns off after 20 mins.
The top was real smooth last night. Where the discoloration is has a sort of skin over a squishy area, and it’s got an odd dip/mound shape.
Did I get a volcano? If so, it’s my first. Would the soap still be ok?
Or could it have been false trace? How can I tell what it might be?

 

[TashaBird]

I’ve got another batch of the exact same soap prepped and I don’t want the same thing to happen.

 

[TashaBird]

Ok. Searched and watched false trace videos. I do not think that was it. It was smooth and creamy
Now to check for volcanic action.

 

[TashaBird]

I’ve been searching but can’t find, photos of partial volcanos in CP soap.
Also, this is a new FO to me. So maybe had something to do with it.

 

[Ford]

Hi, volcanoes look just like the real thing. More separation? Check your FO usage rate? It may reassorb?

 

[TashaBird]

Hi, volcanoes look just like the real thing. More separation? Check your FO usage rate? It may reassorb?

Usage rate was %6 and that’s what I used. Could it have partially volcanoed once out into my cooler?

 

[Ford]

Check out the pics. In the forums beginner's section. "Important thread...." volcano Pics, ugly, nasty, yeck!

 

[Obsidian]

That is overheating and separation. Your recipe has milk and honey, both which will raise the temp due to the sugars and you insulated, it got too hot.
whether or not its ok depends on what happened inside. if it has big oil pockets or it doesn't set up, it will need rebatched. When you are ready to cut, do so inside a cake pan. if it leaks oil, you need to collect it all for rebatching.

 

[KiwiMoose]

Maybe overheating and alien brains? Could even have some 'teeth' inside. Yes, these are all real things! Let us know once you cut it. Good advice from @Obsidian

 

[TashaBird]

That is overheating and separation. Your recipe has milk and honey, both which will raise the temp due to the sugars and you insulated, it got too hot.
whether or not its ok depends on what happened inside. if it has big oil pockets or it doesn't set up, it will need rebatched. When you are ready to cut, do so inside a cake pan. if it leaks oil, you need to collect it all for rebatching.

Thank you.

Check out the pics. In the forums beginner's section. "Important thread...." volcano Pics, ugly, nasty, yeck!

Will do. Thank you.

 

[TashaBird]

I haven’t cut it yet. Hoping for a miracle. It’s still squishy and weird. I thought it was perfect, I’m so bummed! It’s been really hard to even get my act toget her and make anything, and I was so excited about the new scent and addition of shea butter and colloidal oats. And, the swirl came out great! 10 lbs of soap. TEN. I’m crushed. I’ll cut it tomorrow in a tray in case it’s even worse inside. I’ve got all the exact same ingredients prepped to make the exact same soap again. I’m not sure wha to do.
My goal was a double batch (two loaves each) of my standard rustic soaps for the holidaze. Between work and my health I have hardly made anything lately. This was the final of my trio and I thought I had it. I’m so disappointed.

 

[TashaBird]

I still have not rebatched a soap. I’ve been really intimidated by it. Would a recipe like this be suitable for Rebatching? I’ve been searching the forum for info about it. Is there a thorough tutorial anywhere that someone can recommend?

 

[AliOop]

Sorry, we have all been there. It's always best to wait and see how the soap looks. I've had alien brain tops like that before, and the inside was just fine. If it's still soft tomorrow, give it a few more days to firm up. Sometimes it just needs more time. Hang in there!

 

[TashaBird]

Thanks so much for those who have been helpful. This soap has really done a number on my nervous system!
So, from what I can tell I got a small over heated channel down the top of the soaps. Only two bars out of two large loaves even had a tiny hole. I waited 4 days to cut and it’s still quite soft. And the honey is somewhat visible.
This is my “rustic” line of soaps, and the aesthetic imperfections aren’t as bad as expected. I’d prefer not to rebatch if possible as I’m on a holiday time crunch.
Do you think it will be ok?
Second question. I have the same soap prepped to make another batch. Im going to double check my recipe. Will post next. I think where I went wrong was laying the heating pad on top of the loaves. It worked before. But with the addition of shea butter, colloidal oats, and new FO, something made it too much. If I avoid the heating pad, do you think it’ll be ok?
Thank you so much for any support, help, or even encouragement!

 

[TashaBird]

Here is my recipe. I’m posting here to keep it consistent with my request for help in this thread. I hope that’s ok.

 

[KiwiMoose]

I'ver never used honey nor goat milk but my understanding is that the soap should be kept cool and not encouraged to gel when using either. What was the FO?

 

[Mobjack Bay]

I think you could pour the batter into the mold, cover it and then watch what it does over the next 15-45 minutes or so. If it starts getting hot and looks like it is going into gel quickly, leave it out on the counter, point a fan at the mold or find another way to cool it down. If it seems slow you can always cover it with a towel or decide to stick it in a cooler to help it warm up enough to gel without drama. What’s the ambient temperature in your soaping space? With honey in the recipe and 31% lye concentration, I wouldn’t think you would need to use a heating pad at all for the size molds you’re using.

 

[TashaBird]

I think you could pour the batter into the mold, cover it and then watch what it does over the next 15-45 minutes or so. If it starts getting hot and looks like it is going into gel quickly, leave it out on the counter, point a fan at the mold or find another way to cool it down. If it seems slow you can always cover it with a towel or decide to stick it in a cooler to help it warm up enough to gel without drama. What’s the ambient temperature in your soaping space? With honey in the recipe and 31% lye concentration, I wouldn’t think you would need to use a heating pad at all for the size molds you’re using.

It’s about 55-60F in myt soaping area and I work on a steel counter, so it’s cold. I have put this goat milk and honey soap into my soap cooler for insulation before, and I thought I’d used my small heating pad then also, and it worked well with this recipe (before those three additions.) I’m not trying to avoid gel necessarily. Should I cover it, as you said, and leave it on the counter, or would it be ok to put it into the cooler, just without the heating pad?
But for sure watch it this time either way!

 

[Obsidian]

Since this has been a naughty batch, I would leave the next one out on the counter and see what it does. I've had some batches overheat and split on the kitchen table, it would have been a disaster in a cooler.

 

[dmcgee5034]

Could even have some 'teeth' inside. Yes, these are all real things!

Not trying to squirrel on this post but after a forum and google search, I’m too curious not to ask about teeth @KiwiMoose. Curious enough to ask, possibly too scared to look lol