Recipes seizing

[Vickyn]

Hey all. I'm really confused as I thought I had figured out why my soap started to seize when I added the EOs, but with more research there are mixed reports about Lemongrass. So here is the recipe. Hopefully someone can help.

29% Coconut 44% Pomace Olive 13% High Oleic Sunflower 14% Cocoa Butter.
1% Sodium Lactate 2% Citric Acid.
EO Litsea Cubeba, Lemongrass, Sweet Orange, Tangerine

The mix was really good until I added the EOs so I'm assuming it's one of them.... Any ideas?

 

[dibbles]

I've never used tangerine EO, but I've never had a problem with any of the others in your blend. When you say seize, do you mean accelerating and getting thick, or do you mean solidifying? And when you say your batter was good, do you mean at light or medium trace?

I found that pomace will accelerate. Once it starts to trace, it progresses quickly in comparison to olive oil (not pomace). That might be adding to your problem as well.

 

[TheGecko]

29% Coconut 44% Pomace Olive 13% High Oleic Sunflower 14% Cocoa Butter

Pomace Olive Oil is well known to accelerate/thicken as opposed to regular Olive Oil...added to that, you have Coconut Oil and Cocoa Butter (hard oils/butters) so you have looking at a recipe that is real short on time. My recipe is 35% Olive, 20% each Coconut and Palm and 5% Castor Oils, and 10% each Cocoa and Shea Butters. For a recipe that is 40% Soft and 60% Hard...I have an amazing amount of time to play with my batter. An example of this is making an 16 lb batch in a tub, then splitting it off and making seven different soaps with different scents and colorants with swirls and layers. From the time I poured my lye solution into my oils/butters to wiping down the last mold...it was about an hour and just slightly over a medium trace.

I recommend replacing the Pomace Olive with regular Olive, run it back through you lye calculator and then making a 1 lb batch. And learn to blend to somewhere between emulsion and a light trace.

 

[Vickyn]

Thanks for the help. @dibbles I mean that it's fine with the lye. I get it to a thin trace, then the minute I add the EOs, it suddenly gets thick really quickly. I thought it was seizing as I couldn't find any info on the EOs causing acceleration, bit a few people have suggested the Lemongrass.

I appreciate the advice on the Pomace OO. I've used it since I started and never had a problem, but maybe I'll give that a try next time and see if it helps.

@thegeckthanks for the tips on the coco parts of the recipe. I thought the same as you, with the high concentration, but actually it doesn't trace that quickly. Quicker than normal, but not as fast as you would think. Its literally the point when I add my EOs that suddenly it goes from a thin trace to super thick in 3 minutes. I might try the EO combo with your recipe above and see if the same thing happens.

 

[dibbles]

If you have been using this recipe without problems, maybe it does have something to do with the lemongrass. I’ve bought it from several different suppliers and never had any problems, but maybe what you have is different somehow than what I have in the US. Maybe try a small batch with your EO blend but without the lemongrass in it. That might give you some insight as well.

Edit to add: I would replace or reduce the pomace as another experiment as well. Although again, if you have used this recipe without problems before, I’m not sure that is the cause. Another thought, is the temperature warmer in Hong Kong now?

 

[Obsidian]

Are your EOs pure? Some have additives that could cause trouble.

 

[Vickyn]

If you have been using this recipe without problems, maybe it does have something to do with the lemongrass. I’ve bought it from several different suppliers and never had any problems, but maybe what you have is different somehow than what I have in the US. Maybe try a small batch with your EO blend but without the lemongrass in it. That might give you some insight as well.

Edit to add: I would replace or reduce the pomace as another experiment as well. Although again, if you have used this recipe without problems before, I’m not sure that is the cause. Another thought, is the temperature warmer in Hong Kong now?

You're definitely right on the weather issue. Its summer now so 95% humidity some days and either baking sun or pouring rain. But I usually soap in the kitchen, with air con and dehumidifier going, so I think that would sort the problem? Inside the humidity goes to 50% max, do you think that's ok?

For testing I have a couple of 33/33/34 and 30/30/30/10 recipes that work great. So I might test the EOs with them. @thegeckgave me a suggested one above also, so maybe I'll just have to do a trial and error approach, removing or changing one ingredient at a time.

Are your EOs pure? Some have additives that could cause trouble.

Hmmm good point. As far as I know they are. They are all from NowFoods, which is an American brand I think and all say 100% pure, but you never know. Unfortunately there aren't many options over here.

 

[dibbles]

You're definitely right on the weather issue. Its summer now so 95% humidity some days and either baking sun or pouring rain. But I usually soap in the kitchen, with air con and dehumidifier going, so I think that would sort the problem? Inside the humidity goes to 50% max, do you think that's ok?

For testing I have a couple of 33/33/34 and 30/30/30/10 recipes that work great. So I might test the EOs with them. @thegeckgave me a suggested one above also, so maybe I'll just have to do a trial and error approach, removing or changing one ingredient at a time.

I have to run a dehumidifier and I think 50% is fine. Probably not a temperature issue either. So time to start testing I guess. Good luck.

 

[cmzaha]

I use a lot of lemongrass from different suppliers with 0 acceleration issues and also have never had problems with Tangerine. Only issue with tangerine eo is the fact it fades pretty quickly in cp soap.

 

[KiwiMoose]

I also use lemongrass with no problems. You might want to try adding it to your warm oils before adding the lye solution. I swear i have had a few issues in the past with the temperature difference of my FOs/EOs when adding them cold to warm soap batter. Adding them to the oils first makes sure that everything is the same temperature.

 

[Vickyn]

I also use lemongrass with no problems. You might want to try adding it to your warm oils before adding the lye solution. I swear i have had a few issues in the past with the temperature difference of my FOs/EOs when adding them cold to warm soap batter. Adding them to the oils first makes sure that everything is the same temperature.

Oooh. I haven't heard of that before. Thanks, @KiwiMoose I'll try that in my next run.

 

[KiwiMoose]

Oooh. I haven't heard of that before. Thanks, @KiwiMoose I'll try that in my next run.

I accept no responsibility

 

[Vickyn]

I accept no responsibility

indeed.