Is this just saponification?

[SequimSoaper]

Hi all,

Why does my soap change from such a beautiful creamy color to a golden brown gel after it has been in the mold for a few hours? Will it return to a creamy color?

Cyndie :?

 

[ChrissyB]

Yes, it will. After you mix your soap batter and it comes to trace, then you pour it in the mould, it begins an exothermic reaction, whereby it produces it's own heat. This is "gel stage". The soap will remain quite warm for some time then cool down by itself, the important thing is to not let it overheat. It will turn to a darker gel while in gel stage, and then when it cools back down it will lighten and harden up. But don't try to unmould it and cut until it is totally cool, sometimes 12-24 hours.

 

[SequimSoaper]

Prevent overheating?

How do I prevent it from overheating? Should I uncover it?

 

[ChrissyB]

Once it has reached full gel, right to the sides, yes. Place it near a fan or open window or something like that and it will allow it to cool down faster.
You have come across one of the biggest soaping dilemmas, to gel or not to gel. Partial gel is the one thing we all want to avoid, that's when just the middle of the soap gels, and it's still ungelled on the outer edges, it makes a darker circle in the middle of the soap.

 

[SequimSoaper]

Thanks!

I'll go uncover it.

How do I prevent gel? Am I not supposed to cover it and put it in a warm place after placing it in the mould?

So much to learn...

 

[Rosey]

Gelling is a choice. Some people prefer not to do it. Some people says it makes a difference, others don't. You can prevent it by mixing your lye and oils at a lower temp and/or putting it in the freezer/fridge for a few hours. Some soaps will gel no matter what you try to prevent. I've had 2 batches not gel from just mixing at room temp but one did have a small partial gel in the middle. I like to prevent the goat's milk from gelling for the whiter color by putting it in the freezer.

Sometimes they will still gel even after you take it out though. Soap has a temperament

 

[IanT]

Yes, it will. After you mix your soap batter and it comes to trace, then you pour it in the mould, it begins an exothermic reaction, whereby it produces it's own heat. This is "gel stage". The soap will remain quite warm for some time then cool down by itself, the important thing is to not let it overheat. It will turn to a darker gel while in gel stage, and then when it cools back down it will lighten and harden up. But don't try to unmould it and cut until it is totally cool, sometimes 12-24 hours.

The exothermic reaction actually starts right when the lye is added to the water!

 

[ChrissyB]

Yes Ian you are right!
I usually soap in a stainless steel bowl and I the longer I fiddle around with colouring/scenting, the hotter I can feel the bowl getting.
Especially if I use sugar or honey, it makes your soap heat up.

 

[SequimSoaper]

I mixed the oils and the lye at 98-99 degrees. The book I'm using (The Soap Book - Simple Herbal Recipes by Sandy Maine) says to mix them between 95-98 degrees.

If I aim for the 95 degree mark will it prevent gel or do I need to go much lower?

Also, how soon should I uncover it?

Thanks for the help!

 

[SoapieCP]

I agree with the 98 degree temp for no gel.

I made up a batch at 100 deg back in Aug and it came out even and creamy in colour.
Last week I made a second batch which I blended at 120 deg. This batch is near perfect but the gel has not quite reached right to the edges making it appear not quite as even as the first batch.

That said it still looks great and the soap itself is wonderful.

I will be using the 98/100 degree mark as a rule for the next batch and expect to be using it every time from now on.

CP Soap making is such an interesting experience with so much to learn along the way I LOVE IT

Example of dodgy gelling from the very first soap batch I made back in Jan09.

This was the batch made at 100deg. The darker areas is just shadow, not partial gelling.

These are the little lovelies all wrapped up as samples.

X

 

[Saltysteele]

i've read that you can actually tell trace is starting, just by the temperature change that occurs after adding the lye and emulsifying the lye in the oils. i think it was approx. 10-15 degrees, when thin trace started to show.


anyway, the last batch i made, i could actually feel the oils heating up through the bowl (thick plastic).

 

[debsmad]

...

 

[TessC]

There are different stages of overheating, anything from a tiny bit of a crack down the center of a log mold to some pretty bizarre "alien brain" cavities inside the soaps.

There's a pretty good pic of alien brain soap on the Miller Soap site, here: Botched Batches

I thankfully haven't had any soaps that sprouted brains (at least not yet), but I've had a few in my wooden log molds that developed cracks down the center. The soap was fine, and the cracks mostly go away once it's fully gelled and cooled back down, but it's still frustrating.