partial to gel after 3 days and fridge?

[unmouton]

I was using my milky way molds. I poured the soap, and did not insulate. A few hours later they began to gel a little bit (which almost never happens to me with these molds) so I tuck them in the fridge.

Pull them out the next day to cut, and I have a HUGE partial gel. The centers were hot pink, the corners and edges a pale pastel pink. I was bummed but I unmolded and zap tested, no zap. Figured they were at least usable.

Today (day 3) I walk into my curing room where they are sitting to cure... and the partial gel is gone! My soaps are a perfect hot pink! (I was so glad, because they are plumeria and sweet orange.)

This has NEVER happened to me. I've been stuck with quite a few partial gels in my decorative molds, and most don't gel at all. Has this happened to anyone? And how did they fully gel after 3 days and over 12 hours in the fridge? (I guess the reason I'd like to know is because I've been stuck with partial gels and Id love it if there was a way to fix them.)

Thanks!

 

[heartsong]

x

LOL! sometimes i think soaping is 3 parts skill and 1 part luck! i've been doing this for a while now, but every so often something that practically defies gravity happens! glad things turned out so well!

monet

 

[carebear]

I cannot stop gel to save my life. The reaction continues and if it's slow enough of with enough air flow or in a cool environment then the heat of the reaction isn't enough to cause gel... but the reaction continues as I said - so gel can start up again any time.

I've tried starting with a chilled mold, stuck the soap into the freezer immediately for 24 hours, stepped down to the fridge for a few days, then to my cool garage. And the damned things gelled when I brought them inside.

After the 3rd iteration of that I gave up and now gel with gusto...

(this is especially likely if you soap with water or sugar, with some FOs or anything that accelerates...)

 

[xyxoxy]

I'm still trying to figure out how to get good results with individual molds.
I've done a couple RTCP batches that I poured in the molds and then refrigerated... they seemed ok but I think they would have looked better if they gelled. Some develop an ashy film which I don't get in my big batch soaps.

The only way I can get a nice gelled look in a milky way mold is to rebatch... which I haven't decided if it's worth the effort. Still can't seem to do a neat job. Maybe I just need more practice.

I should probably stick with slicing up batches in big molds.

 

[unmouton]

Thanks! I feel much better now, knowing that this weird phonomenon happens to others. It just ticks me off that in other batches the gel stops midway for no apparent reason! Guess Ill thank the soapin gods for letting me have this one.