Newbie Help Please

[Kim Cox]

I made a batch of CP soap and reached thin trace, divided it into 3 parts and added dispersed pigment to 2 of the parts and than added my fragrance to all 3 parts. The uncolored part thickened very fast and became un workable, but the other 2 parts stated nice and thin. I was able to get it in the mold but was unable to do any swirls. Any idea what happened?

 

[artemis]

Can you please share your recipe?

 

[Kim Cox]

40% olive
30% palm
30% coconut
30% lye solution
used soap cal to calculate everything

 

[SaltedFig]

I'm sure someone will be able to pinpoint the cause of the effect you have seen, once the your additives and technique are also posted, but these are some possible causes I have came up with so far

The pigment slowed down saponification in the coloured portions somehow (probably unlikely) or ...

The remaining (uncoloured) batter was left in a warm pot while you worked with the colours in the other portions, then the extra warmth could contribute to the thickening of the uncoloured batter portion (technique possibility), or ...

The fragrance oil accelerated saponification and was added to the uncoloured batter first, causing it to be thicker by the time you poured (additive possibility).

 

[shunt2011]

I'm thinking it was the FO that caused it to thicken. Did you stickblend the fragrance in? If so you may have just blended a bit too long. Sometimes it's just a fluke. The mysteries of soaping.

 

[Kim Cox]

Thanks for the responses. I used a wisk to blend color and FO because I have had trouble with over stick blending and not being able to get thin trace in the past. I made 2 batches of soap and it happened to both batches. 1 batch I forgot to add the FO (it was a bad soap day) so I don’t think that was the problem, but I did leave the uncolored portion in the hot bowl each time and it makes sense the extra heat would speed up trace. I will try this weekend and put the uncolored portion in a different bowl. Thanks again for the help.

 

[dixiedragon]

It may have been whatever you used to disperse the pigment. If it was a bit of extra water or oil in a small amount of soap batter, than can slow things down a bit.