Question about soft soap

[la-rene]

Hi all, so, I'm having an issue with a soft soap. It's been a week and the outside is hard, but the inside has a circular dark spot of almost toothpaste consistency soap in it, which does not react with phenolphthalein at all (no pink).

When it's cut, it dries eventually. However I don't want to cut it until it's more solid, because it actually sucked to the knife and created peaks when I pulled the knife away.

I know the recipe was good, since it's the same one I always use, but these are oxide colored soaps, so I refrigerate them to stave off gel. I don't think I messed up with the lye and I would have had to mess up twice, since both of the refrigerated soaps are doing this.

So, I guess I'm wondering, if anyone else had this problem and how long to possibly wait before cutting.

Thanks!
LA

 

[newbie]

WHen was this soap made and how long did you refrigerate it? It could still be quite soft if it's ungelled and has been kept cool.

 

[la-rene]

Last Saturday and over night about 10 hours. Then kept in the mold for 4 days, unmolded it and left to sit for 3 more until I tried to cut it.

 

[lsg]

I would let it set for a week and then try to cut it. It may harden up and be OK. You can always rebatch if it doesn't turn out like you want it to.

 

[Candybee]

I agree, I had a batch that took 2 weeks to get hard enough to cut. It was my first castile and I didn't do a water discount. Sheesh! I thought I had done something wrong. It was like semi-liquid library paste for a long time. But then I waited and it turned out fine. It turned out to be the soap that made me fall in love with castile. Now I water discount when I make a castile.