M&P Oil Separation

[Winterspring]

I've been doing M&P for about six months, now. I've had very nice success with some rebatches using natural, store-bought soap, and some good success with personal "recipes". I do use a lot of oil and some additives (like Vitamin E or glycerin) in my bases, and it usually works out just fine.

As of late, I've been trying to get creative with color. I've gotten some interesting results, but the last three batches have been...problematic. First, they've been bowing in the middle. After some research, I've found that the bowing is probably because it's too hot when it goes into the mold.

Recently, I've had some problems, ever since I started really messing with the color. The first batch I had to re-melt was one where I just didn't like how I'd cut it, and then when I re-melted it so that I could get relatively even cuts, there was this white, scuzzy layer at the top. Assuming it was all the extra fats I'd incorporated, I'd melted it a third time, and when I beat it like I was punishing scrambled eggs, I poured it into the mold before it got too gloppy and it was relatively okay. Not as I'd pictured it, much darker, but okay.

The second batch where I'd had to do this was due to a layering error. The layers just split apart. So I had to break apart all the layers I did and melt again. Then the scuzzies, so I melted it down again, then carefully (insert whole mess of pain in the butt here that resulted in a soap I don't especially like, but my family members seem to love it). Third time's the charm, right?

This latest batch was using activated charcoal.

I wanted black. BLACK. So I added my usual amount of probably-way-too-much-fat-and-other-goodies, and probably a teensy too much activated charcoal. When it came out looking good and cut it, I found that it crumbled. Like, bad. I chalked it up to having used all hard oils, more EO than I normally do to bump up the scent, and, like, I don't even know how much a.c. I just kept having my friend dump half-tablespoon-like scoops in until we both looked like chimney sweeps and called it good. So I remelted-it, added in some softer oils, beat it, hoping to avoid the oil floaties, and poured it into the mold. I was hoping for better results.

Well, the second result is that I have a nice, non-crumbly black bar. It looks like patent leather.

On the bottom.

On the top is a soft layer of gray. Presumably fats and oils.

I know I use a lot more oils than most soapers, but I never really had too much of a problem with it until recently. I haven't changed my proportions, depending on what I'm putting into the mix. I just want to know:

1) how to prevent this from happening.
2) what temperature the soap should be before pouring.

 

[seven]

what kind of base are you using? which supplier? i think there's a good rule of thumb for adding additives, exceeding that can give you a problematic soap. ever think of making your own base? that way you have total control on which oils to put. slightly OT, but a mp base can be made easily using the hp method with only glycerine (if you don't want to deal with other chemicals).

 

[Winterspring]

It happens with whatever brand I'm using. (I've tried soapmakingresource, BrambleBerry and one other whose name escapes me at the moment.) It happens with white bases or clear. I guess I'm probably just putting too much into it, honestly.

I haven't yet tried the HP or CP processes. I'm excited to, but still nervous! (Not about the lye. I love playing with dangerous substances! Stupid meth heads made it so difficult to get lye, though...grrrrrrr....I'm making soap! Not drugs, and how on earth am I supposed to get rid of all those bodies...er...nevermind...)

When I do get around to trying my hand at "real" soap, that's a great idea, though. Then I can make heaps and bunches of soap to use if I have to make a few pounds in a hurry. Thank you!

The black soap turned out to be very pretty, though. The third iteration always seems to nail it. It usually makes the soap a darker color, but in this case, that's very desirable, so yay! No white washcloths for this batch, though. heh heh.

 

[seven]

good to hear about the black soap yeah, just use a lesser additives next time to see how it turns out. my best guess is you were using too much.

and about making your own base, try it someday, you're gonna love it! i've been making all sorts of bases anyway i want. like a few weeks back i was making an aloe vera, with olive, goats milk, and some hemp, lol! the whole shebang