Orange spots

[Jtilley]

Working through some issues. Seems like when one thing is figured out something new pops up.

made GMS and when we cut it at 36hrs it has some orange spots.

16 oz olive oil (50%)
2 oz castor oil (6.25%)
9.2 oz coconut oil (28.75%)
4.8 oz shea butter (15%)

4.6 oz lye
10.3 oz goat milk
2 oz frosted fir fragrance from brambleberry
Green Apple mica , brambleberry

Oils/ lye mixed at 75-85 degrees

Placed in oven overnight that was heated to 95 degrees (proofing setting) then shut off once heated. This was recommended to force gel phase. We were having issues with partial gel phase even when putting in fridge or freezer for 6hrs.

The soap did crack a little on top as well.
Thoughts?
Thanks!

 

[DeeAnna]

"...Thoughts..."

About what? The spots? Or overheating?

Spots are something that didn't get properly mixed into the soap batter. If you're adding fragrance at trace, that's probably the reason. If the fragrance is well behaved, add it to the fats before adding lye. If it's not well behaved so it's best to add it at trace, then be sure to blend more than you're blending.

"...We were having issues with partial gel phase even when putting in fridge or freezer for 6hrs.... The soap did crack a little on top as well...."

Use the "can and fan" method to manage overheating. (Props to @dmcgee5034, the person who recently coined this name! I'm sorry -- I can't remember who.)

The "can and fan" method: Put the mold on some soup cans (or anything else that raises the mold off the counter). Train a fan to blow room temperature air over, around, and under the mold.

From what you say, you might just need to lightly cover the mold with a towel to get full gel. CPOP, even at the lower temperatures you're using, can often be too much of a good thing. I used CPOP in my early soap making days, but don't anymore.

 

[dmcgee5034]

Same feedback from your other post on this (oils %) and just a testimonial for the now named “can and fan” process. Yesterday I made a soap (will post pics tonight after the cut) with a known accelerator and heater FO, and I did the can and fan which cooled it down nicely.
Give this a go, along with @DeeAnnas advice and post your results. Hopefully you’ll be pleased with the difference.

 

[AliOop]

Please put something between your soap and the coated metal rack. Those coatings are easily degraded by the high alkalinity of fresh soap. The resulting contact between the soap and metal is a very common way to experience DOS.

 

[Jtilley]

"...Thoughts..."

About what? The spots? Or overheating?

Spots are something that didn't get properly mixed into the soap batter. If you're adding fragrance at trace, that's probably the reason. If the fragrance is well behaved, add it to the fats before adding lye. If it's not well behaved so it's best to add it at trace, then be sure to blend more than you're blending.

"...We were having issues with partial gel phase even when putting in fridge or freezer for 6hrs.... The soap did crack a little on top as well...."

Use the "can and fan" method to manage overheating. (Props to @dmcgee5034, the person who recently coined this name! I'm sorry -- I can't remember who.)

The "can and fan" method: Put the mold on some soup cans (or anything else that raises the mold off the counter). Train a fan to blow room temperature air over, around, and under the mold.

From what you say, you might just need to lightly cover the mold with a towel to get full gel. CPOP, even at the lower temperatures you're using, can often be too much of a good thing. I used CPOP in my early soap making days, but don't anymore.

Can and fan method worked great at preventing cracking.

I added the fragrance to the oils but still got small orange spots when cutting the soap….

 

[DeeAnna]

...I added the fragrance to the oils but still got small orange spots when cutting the soap….

What fragrance from what company?

Did you blend the fragrance into the oils really well before adding the lye solution? Without standing next to you as you make soap, it's hard to know your method without asking questions like this.

Can you pour some of the fragrance into a clear glass container and see if the liquid contains any sediment? I know this is unusual, but I had a fragrance years ago that had sediment. The sediment made spots in my soap something like yours.

 

[Jtilley]

What fragrance from what company?

Did you blend the fragrance into the oils really well before adding the lye solution? Without standing next to you as you make soap, it's hard to know your method without asking questions like this.

Can you pour some of the fragrance into a clear glass container and see if the liquid contains any sediment? I know this is unusual, but I had a fragrance years ago that had sediment. The sediment made spots in my soap something like yours.

It has been two different fragrances, both from brambleberry.
The one pictured above is frosted fir.

https://www.brambleberry.com/shop-b...e-oils/frosted-fir-fragrance-oil/V001312.html

The second is lilac.

https://www.brambleberry.com/shop-by-product/scents/fragrance-oils/lilac-fragrance-oil/V000207.html

I added the fragrance to the oils when they were about 85 degrees. I mixed by hand with a rubber spatula until it looked like it had incorporated.

There didn’t appear to be any sediment when I added it to the oils. I don’t have anymore of the fragrance but I can first pour the next batch into a clear container to examine.

 

[DeeAnna]

If this has happened with 2 different fragrances, I highly doubt this is related to the fragrances. I suspect this is a technique problem.

Fragrances are usually soluble in fats but that doesn't mean they will mix together easily.

You say you mixed the fragrance into the fats with a spatula. Spatulas work well for soap making, but they aren't high-intensity mixing tools.

People don't normally whip cream with a spatula; they use a whisk or blender instead. Apply that same idea to mixing fragrance into your fats.

Set the spatula aside and use a stick blender. Or a whisk if you can't use the stick blender.