Question??

[soapnmomx2]

I have been making soap for about 2 years now. I have always used beef tallow or olive oil. I have been getting requests for soaps made with soybean shortening and then soaps made with lard. SO I bought a nice 50 pound block of soybean shortening to start off with and ALL the soaps I have made turn to this slight brownish color in areas on the outside while curing. Even with no fragrances or anything added. Is this common with soybean shortening? Never had this problem with olive oil or the tallow I have always used. I have not bought any lard to try since I am not having a nice experience with the shortening. The bars are fine turn out perfect just over time go from a nice white to not so white.... Any suggestions?

Thanks!!! :wink:

 

[SimplyE]

I have never used soybean anything, but lard turns white. I have not used it much, but it makes a nice bar. Some people say it might have a bacon smell, but I did not find that to be the case at all.

 

[reallyrita]

I made a few batches with Crisco when I first started soaping. I believe that is all or mostly soybean. My soaps when a light tan color and when I cut them into bars I was surprised to find that the insides were creamy colored. Since I was using FOs and was a rank beginner, I thought this was the way it was supposed to be. I have always assumed it was the FO but after reading your post, I wonder if it was the Crisco. I know that a lot of soapers do use Crisco with no problems. My recipe had OO and CO in it as well. I tried a shortening brand from the health food store called Spectrum. Turns out it was 100% palm oil and a very white one. It made a nice white soap but was expensive to use. Then, I discovered LARD and I have never looked back. I love lard in my soaps. I do use palm from time to time and even tallow but mostly I just love the feel of the lard soaps on my skin. If you melt it in the top of a double boiler over low heat and remove it immediately when melted you will not get the piggy smell, I get mine in a big blue tub at Sam's club or Cosco. I do CP.

 

[Guest]

I have found the "beige brown" syndrome with shortening too.I don't know why it does that though.Hopefully someone else knows and can enlighten us .

Kitn

 

[soapnmomx2]

Thanks for the replies. I have made 6 batches of soap using this soybean shortening I have and ALL have discolored the exact same way.
Made no difference what fragrance I used or did not use or what I added or did not add.So I guess it is just how soybean shortening soaps??? I am curious to know if there is anything else that can be done to stop this from happening?

Thanks

 

[SimplyE]

There are so many great oils that are out there, why don't you try using something different and revamp your recipe. I know that palm oil/shortening does not discolor, as well as a lot of others. Lard, as you mentioned, is one. That is the beauty of this soap habit. You can adjust to what you are searching for.

 

[soapnmomx2]

There are so many great oils that are out there, why don't you try using something different and revamp your recipe. I know that palm oil/shortening does not discolor, as well as a lot of others. Lard, as you mentioned, is one. That is the beauty of this soap habit. You can adjust to what you are searching for.

Well, I did buy a 50lb. block :x of the soybean shortening and so far I have only made 6 batches so I have ALOT left and must use it. I guess I will just simply have to keep changing my recipe and see if using different oils helps. So far the 6 recipes I have tried have been no-goes so off to try a new recipe.....Does anyone know exactly WHY this discoloration happens with soybean hsortening?

Thanks

 

[Dixie]

You could try using some titanium dioxide.

 

[soapnmomx2]

You could try using some titanium dioxide.

That was what I tried in my 3rd batch thinking maybe it would help but nope, I still got the discoloration. I did color the entire batch of soap for my 4rth batch a deep blue and it worked, well sort of, there are still areas you can tell is discolored and even though it helped I do not color entire batches like that so I cannot do all my soap that way. I have researched quite a bit and only find that the shortening could be rancid, no it is new so that is out of the question, or it is orange spots which I have seen pics and it is not that. Could it be just the way it reacts with the air, oxygen, while it cures?? :? Since it does not color all the way though the bar and when the sides are sliced off the inside is all nice and white UNTIL after a few days of sitting out to cure.

 

[Guest]

I think it is the reaction to the air , if I cut the edges off mine to reveal the white it turns color after awhile. It was a small batch and I like the soap , I have no problem using it. I have shredded it and added it to a different batch, no problems.

Do you use a water discount ? Just a thought maybe they are drying out to fast. It is one of life's little mysteries why soap does what it does, some days.

Kitn

 

[soapnmomx2]

Do you use a water discount ? Just a thought maybe they are drying out to fast. It is one of life's little mysteries why soap does what it does, some days.

No, I do not use a water discount. My bars are nice and hard and lather really well, just like all my other soaps there is nothing wrong with them just visually, the discoloration in areas makes it look hum... dirty. That is the best way to describe it. I have no problems in using the soap for my family and myself, and the soybean shortening makes a very nice bar of soap, but I do not care what it looks like either when I use it because I made it I know what the discoloration is, to everyone else it is going to apear dirty. Oh well, still working on different recipes to see if ANYTHING helps, I mean it is not like I do not have plenty of the shortening to get rid of now... :|