Salt soaptastrophe!

[TashaBird]

Today was to remind me that soap will always keep me on my toes. I thought that I really had my salt soap making process DOWN! (HA!) I literally only changed two things (and we know that is plenty for trouble!) from my last 4 batches made the exact same way. I changed the EO blend, and I think it decelerated. I used equal parts frankincense, lavandin, and bergamot. And, I used that giant pitcher to pour, usually I use a smaller 2 quart mixing cup pitcher thingy. (But that had stuff in it and I didn’t want to mess with it.) This pitcher was way unwieldy and too heavy!

So, here’s what I think happened, I’d love other opinions. The EO blend slowed trace. I panicked that it would seize, and I poured in my salt too soon. Then instead of scooping out of my mix with a small pitcher, I attempted to pour into the tall pitcher, from the red tub. The salt was not suspended evenly throughout the mix! ( I don’t know what my brain was thinking! ) When I poured the red tub into the pitcher I got the liquid soap mix from the top with the salt on the bottom. I tried half filling each mold cavity and then coming around after and adding some of the salt sludge from the bottom to each cavity, and some of them I even stirred a bit. I’m afraid the whole batch is trash. The most expensive ing is the EO, and my time and sweat… lots of sweat! I’m trying not to add tears to the mix, but it’s too soon to tell.

Also added a pick of a successful batch of salt soap, same size, almost identical process.

 

[AliOop]

Awwww no tears! Your soap will be fine. You may end up with a scrubby side and a non-scrubby side - just tell 'em you planned it that way!

Not that I'm talking from experience with sludgy salt soaps. No, not me!

PS - a "friend" who had this problem used a chopstick to stir up each cavity after the soap thickened up a bit. "She" said that helped a bit, although it did make the tops messy. Squishing them down and smoothing them through a layer of plastic wrap apparently helped a bit with that.

 

[TashaBird]

Awwww no tears! Your soap will be fine. You may end up with a scrubby side and a non-scrubby side - just tell 'em you planned it that way!

Not that I'm talking from experience with sludgy salt soaps. No, not me!

PS - a "friend" who had this problem used a chopstick to stir up each cavity after the soap thickened up a bit. "She" said that helped a bit, although it did make the tops messy. Squishing them down and smoothing them through a layer of plastic wrap apparently helped a bit with that.

You really think they’re ok? It’s been a few hours and they’re still not hardened either. It’s more warm here than normal, but usually they harden in a few hours! I’m sick to my stomach at the thought of wasting that frankincense oil.
I am wondering if I even got it to emulsion! I stick blended for a solid 2-3 minutes. %100 CO. Could it be the EO that slowed trace so much? I assumed as I stirred the salt in it would thicken more. I even SB the mix with the salt in it! But it just didn’t.
I did cry.

 

[Mobjack Bay]

I think it looks like you didn’t reach emulsion. That happened to me about six months ago. The batter was starting to separate and I resorted to using a mini blender to mix the batter in the mold. That’s not going to work with cavity molds and salt, but what if you dumped it all into a bowl or pitcher and whisked the heck out of it for a few minutes? It might save the batch and those precious eos. Or, try it on part of it to see what happens?

 

[TashaBird]

I think it looks like you didn’t reach emulsion. That happened to me about six months ago. The batter was starting to separate and I resorted to using a mini blender to mix the batter in the mold. That’s not going to work with cavity molds and salt, but what if you dumped it all into a bowl or pitcher and whisked the heck out of it for a few minutes? It might save the batch and those precious eos. Or, try it on part of it to see what happens?

I tried to stir in each cavity but the settle salt is hardening.
What could cause it to separate like this? Did I really not SB enough? I thought it was thickening some when I added the salt. I had SB for so long I was nervous I wouldn’t have time once I added the salt. But the salt sunk to the bottom and the batter never thickened any more.
I’m kind of crushed about it.

 

[Mobjack Bay]

As far as I am aware, separation only happens when the emulsion is not stable. I’m really sorry about your soap. I totally know how it feels to mess up when you’re using special eos. I think I would still try to save it by hand blending, or possibly by hand blending on the stove with a tiny bit of heat. Or maybe someone who has saved salt soap will pop in to offer advice.

 

[TashaBird]

As far as I am aware, separation only happens when the emulsion is not stable. I’m really sorry about your soap. I totally know how it feels to mess up when you’re using special eos. I think I would still try to save it by hand blending, or possibly by hand blending on the stove with a tiny bit of heat. Or maybe someone who has saved salt soap will pop in to offer advice.

I have to throw in the towel for today. I feel like the whole thing has short circuited my brain and I’m exhausted. It’s 10 lbs of soap and it’s a mess.

 

[Mobjack Bay]

So sorry Tasha .

 

[AliOop]

I'm so sorry. It so hard when the soap doesn't behave, esp when we've used an ingredient that is costly or meaningful to us.

It does sound like you didn't reach emulsion, or that the EOs broke the emulsion, or that you overmeasured oil or undermeasured the lye. It's no comfort, but that has happened to all of us so we do feel your pain.

If it is still separated after all this time, I would do as Linda suggested: dump it all back in a bowl, and keep hand-stirring it off and on until it thickens. You can also hot process it to speed up the saponification. Even just a little heat can really move things along.

 

[TashaBird]

I'm so sorry. It so hard when the soap doesn't behave, esp when we've used an ingredient that is costly or meaningful to us.

It does sound like you didn't reach emulsion, or that the EOs broke the emulsion, or that you overmeasured oil or undermeasured the lye. It's no comfort, but that has happened to all of us so we do feel your pain.

If it is still separated after all this time, I would do as Linda suggested: dump it all back in a bowl, and keep hand-stirring it off and on until it thickens. You can also hot process it to speed up the saponification. Even just a little heat can really move things along.

I don’t think I’d be able to physically stir it enough to reach emulsion with %100 salt PPO for that much soap. I can try with a small amount. But I’m not sure I have the stamina for it. It’s really thick.
I keep playing over and over again in my mind. I had one of those weird time warp moments. I felt like I’d been mixing forever, but I lose track of time a lot when I make soap. I should have just kept going. I panicked and dumped the salt. I think did not SB long enough for that volume of oils.
I took a pic earlier and everything seems to be hardening except a thin layer on a few. the EOs seem to be resting on top too, like I didn’t even mix them in well. If that was un saponification CO it would be white by now. It’s 58F in the space.

 

[AliOop]

It does look quite separated. I'm so sorry. If you are up for it, toss the whole batch into a crockpot, or a pot on the stove, wait for it to soften, and try to hot process it all back together. Tomorrow, not tonight! Sending comforting hugs

 

[Marcia Thorne]

Maybe u did not use enough lye I don't know. But I had that problem once and I had to rebatch it can't afford wasted ingredients

 

[cmzaha]

Coming from someone that has made hundreds and hundreds of salt bars and I do not know your recipe I am also guessing you did not get a stable emulsion before adding in your salt. It totally sucks but does happen at times. That being, your best save would be to shred them up and make a new batch of soap and make up some heavy salt confetti bars. You will still want to make up a heavy CO soap if you want to add in a large amount of the salt-based confetti bars. These used to sell better for me than straight salt bars because I could make them up as light med or heavy salt confetti bars.

 

[TashaBird]

Coming from someone that has made hundreds and hundreds of salt bars and I do not know your recipe I am also guessing you did not get a stable emulsion before adding in your salt. It totally sucks but does happen at times. That being, your best save would be to shred them up and make a new batch of soap and make up some heavy salt confetti bars. You will still want to make up a heavy CO soap if you want to add in a large amount of the salt-based confetti bars. These used to sell better for me than straight salt bars because I could make them up as light med or heavy salt confetti bars.

That seems like the most likely option. The EO is just sitting on top! It’s really crazy looking!! If it was just CO it would be solid by now.
The salt part of them is already hardened. I think I”ll throw them on a tray and forget about them for now, maybe. I bought some more CO yesterday, so I’m ready to try again. (Costco was such a nightmare yesterday it totally wore me out.)
How on earth would I grate %100 salt PPO salt soap? It’s hard as a rock! I hear my kitchen aid food processor scowling at me from the cupboard!

 

[TashaBird]

Every bar is a disaster in its own special way. I guess I’m coming to terms with it a little. Maybe I can grate them at some point. But for now I’ve put them away. On a positive note, I used the dishwasher for the first time. (With soap molds and dishes) it worked great! Helped take the sting out of it a little. Tomorrow I get back on the old soap horse. This is by far my most spectacular failure. It is grand in both scale, and effect.
Oye!
Thanks again to all y’all for your empathy, ideas, and support!

 

[AliOop]

Great attitude! Glad you are getting back on the horse to keep riding!

 

[dibbles]

I’m sorry this happened. Maybe one bright spot is the color is very pretty.

 

[KiwiMoose]

Tasha - well done for taking it with such good humour. As my mother would say - nobody died. When you've faced a lot of tragedy in your life, dealing with naughty soap (while disappointing) is not the end of the world. And you've had so many fantastic wins that a soaptastrophe such as this shows that you don't do things by halves :-D

 

[user 56151]

I have nothing to add in the way of a solution, there are plenty of great suggestions already. Just wanted to say I feel your disappointment and hope you can save the batch one way or another x

 

[TheGecko]

I am also guessing you did not get a stable emulsion before adding in your salt.

That's what I'm seeing with the pick of the single soap.