Need to stop panicking!

[dwolanin]

I just got done trying to make a in the mold swirl pour with 4 colors. I knew I was in trouble when I started to SB and it was ready in about a minute. I had my colors all ready and waiting and I started to divide the batter among them. After I did, I noticed I forgot to put in the FO. Oh Dear! And I always do this, I always seem to forget it even when it's right in front of me ready to go. So I divided up the FO into the individual containers of color and whisked them up and pour them into the mold one after the other. Then they start clumping! plop plop in the mold. The next color I whisked and it smoothed out. If I didn't panic I might not have had the other clumps. I need to slow down even when the batter is speeding up. Think, Think! It seems that every time I use the mango seed butter it accelerates the trace. hummm. Cocoa Butter didn't.
This is the recipe. I know about not using to many "hard" oils but I didn't think these were except for the mango butter.

Palm 30% I didn't stir this but I did shake the bucket good
Olive 30%
Coconut 25%
Mango butter 10%
Castor 5%
Is Palm and Coconut considered "hard" oils?

I hope it turns out okay. It's going to be one ugly soap though. Not at all what I thought in my head LOL :wtf:

 

[dixiedragon]

Yes, palm and coconut are considered hard oils. I've had mango butter seize on me before when I used it at 10%. I assumed it was b/c it was rancid, but maybe it's just the nature of mango butter? The only time I soaped with it was to use up the rancid mango butter, otherwise I use it in lip balms, etc.

 

[IrishLass]

How warm or cool did you soap? I ask because I usually have plenty of time to swirl with my high hard fats/high butter formulas just as long as I soap them warm enough- normally between 110F/43C- 115F/46C, and with just warm-to-the-touch lye solution......and plenty of hand-stirring (instead of stick-blending). Even when it looks like things are thickening up too much, as long as I make sure to intermittently hand-stir the different colored batters every now and again throughout the swirling session, they usually stay fluid enough for me to be able to get the job done nicely.


IrishLass

 

[shunt2011]

I highly recommend adding your EO/FO to your oils before adding the lye mixture. Makes it so much easier and I have never forgotten to add them since starting this. The only time I don't add them directly is if I am trying to swirl a fast moving EO/FO. Then I color my batter and stir/whisk in the scent really well and then pour. I do this 1 color at a time add fragrance and pour.

With 30% Pam and 10% Mango is is a lot of hard oils. I would take the Palm to 25%, CO 20% and add the left over to the Olive Oil. That should help. Your recipe is very close to mine and I usually have plenty of time to work with my batter.

 

[hmlove1218]

I highly recommend adding your EO/FO to your oils before adding the lye mixture.

I second this. It makes it so much easier and most fragrances seem to behave better when I do this. I have one that will rice when added at trace, but only accelerates when added to my oils. The only time I don't do this is when I'm trying to do swirls with a discoloring FO. Then I'll mix to emulsion and separate out what I need for my colors and add it to the main batch.

 

[JustBeachy]

I'm on a mango butter kick at the moment, used it on two batches this weekend with no trouble. But then again, I use a lot of butters and never really experience any of the fast trace I've heard others talk about. I use a high amount of OO in my soaps, so I'm sure that helps. I also soap hot, usually around the 110F mark.

 

[The Efficacious Gentleman]

Don't forget, you've not been soaping very long in the grand scheme of things - things won't always come totally automatically and every batch is a learning experience.

 

[dwolanin]

Hi Irishlass,
I soaped at approx 120 F. To hot maybe? I usually soap at that temp.

I'm going to try that next time. Adding the FO to the oil first. It goes against everything I have learned so far. But I'll do anything at this point. LOL Thank you for your help!

And it has been quite the learning experience LOL. Can't wait to unmold it, It's always such a surprise! Kind of like Christmas

 

[PinkCupcake]

When the soap thickens up faster than I expect and I have to plop it in the mold, I switch to a spoon swirl. It works even with a pretty thick trace.

 

[dwolanin]

I cut the plop soap this morning and I think it came out really well. I thought that there would be air pockets and bubbles in it. But even with the plopping and accelerated trace it came out pretty good.
Have to wear shades looking at this soap! LOL

 

[Obsidian]

Looks really neat. I even see a smiley face in the center bar lol. Some of my best designs have been from plop and glop.

 

[judymoody]

The soap is very tie dye! I have been soaping for some time and I still sometimes get into a panic when things go wrong. I had soap batter seize on me the other day. I know what I should do - let it gel in the container and then plop it in the mold. But no, instead I try to cram crumbly play doh like soap into my molds. It came out OK in the end but there were numerous air pockets. I can see what we'll be using at home for awhile.

 

[JustBeachy]

I love it. Love the colors. Good job.