orange/brown specks in soap

[Leah M]

Hi,

I'm new to soap making and can't seem to get rid of these specks in my soap. Some batches have more then others. I read on another thread that honey was the cause but I don't add honey to my batches. I'm super frustrated.

my recipe includes:

Olive oil
Coconut oil
Castor oil
Shea butter
Frozen goat milk
tussah silk
colloidal oats

Any suggestions?

 

[dibbles]

Are you using 100% frozen goat milk for your liquid? If so, how are you dissolving your silk fibers? Are you using true colloidal oats, or oat flour, or oats that you ground yourself?

 

[Leah M]

Are you using 100% frozen goat milk for your liquid? If so, how are you dissolving your silk fibers? Are you using true colloidal oats, or oat flour, or oats that you ground yourself?

100% frozen goat milk and once melted and mixed with the lye, I am adding the silk fibers. Also using true colloidal oats.

 

[dibbles]

100% frozen goat milk and once melted and mixed with the lye, I am adding the silk fibers. Also using true colloidal oats.

I think it could be possible that your silk fibers aren't dissolving completely and showing up as specks, but I'm not sure as I've never done it that way. I have only used silk in hot lye solution and it dissolves completely. I also pour through a strainer to be sure no fibers are remaining in the solution. Since I usually soap at cooler temps, I don't use silk that often - hopefully someone who knows better than I will be along with an idea.

 

[AliensrReal]

Are you referring to the brown specks or white specks? The brown specks look like oatmeal to me.

 

[BodyWasher]

Are these the beginning of “dreaded orange spots”?

When did you make the batch and when did you take pictures? Are the specs growing over time?

I haven’t encountered them myself but I’ve heard Rosemary Oleoresin Extract (ROE) can help prevent them. Lotioncrafter sells some and has directions regarding use “Typically, 0.2 - 0.5 grams will be added to 1000 grams of oil.”

 

[artemis]

The brown specks also look like oatmeal to me.

 

[Shelley D]

I'm not an expert but I have been making milk soaps almost exclusively for 2 years and for the most part I can keep a batch from scorching by freezing the milk, as you are doing. However, I did notice that when I recently tried an oat milk variation my batch got super hot super fast, like as soon as I started combining the lye solution (which was cool) to the melted oils & butters (which were also cool). I slid that loaf in the freezer as soon as I got it filled. So my guess would be that the lye solution, which does still heat up after blending, does react with the colloidal oats (possibly any undissolved silk fibers also) and causes the slight browning. If it doesn't smell bad (wait the full cure time), then I would say it's cosmetic more than anything else. Just my 2¢
Happy soaping!

 

[KiwiMoose]

My oatmeal and/or oat milk soaps always have specks. Both of these are made with oat milk (not oatmeal) and you can see the specks in them. Please note the single colour soap is also ciaglia so there are specks of colour in it too.