Soap doing weird stuff...??

[Lil Outlaws]

I made a 4lb batch last night, mostly peanut and corn oil with some coconut. Lye was in water with goat's milk added at very light trace (discounted water). I did a swirl with charcoal, scented with Midsummer's Night.

It looked great in the mold (clear plastic double loaf, it's great!) and I put it on a heating pad and wrapped it to force gel. Next time I checked on it, it was very "jiggly" and obvious the gel had made it all the way out. So I took it off the heating pad and moved it then covered it with a blanket.

It's now been 24hrs and I checked on it, and I'm perplexed.

Through the clear mold, you can see a 1/4" layer of orange at the bottom (looks like "pepperoni grease"?) and the soap is pretty set but if you press the middle it still has some "give". So I poked it with a knife and pressed and VERY CLEAR oil (lots of it) comes out of the cut.

??!?!?

It was at a good medium-thick trace when I poured so I know it wasn't false trace..

What the heck is wrong with my soap!??!

 

[jcandleattic]

It almost sounds as if it seperated due to overheating, but without seeing a pic of it it's hard to tell.
Also, I've never soaped with peanut oil, so I have no experience with that.

 

[carebear]

I'd also agree with the overheating. If you care to rebatch be sure to save it all (including the pepperoni grease...)

milk soaps are prone to overheating - I think the heating pad was probably overkill - especially with a 4# batch, that's pretty substantial.

 

[MikeInPdx]

I agree with the others, and don't have much to add except, I'm sorry it separated on you.

 

[Lil Outlaws]

Maaaaannnnn...

My last GM soap didn't overheat at all, it came out just divine.. I didn't do anything different this time, I have no idea what happened!!

Cry.

(seriously. I'm gonna cry.)

 

[Lil Outlaws]

Yeah, it's toast.
I got brave an unmolded it. It was pretty solid. The bottom (now top when unmolded) layer of pepperoni grease wasn't as greasy as it seemed. More like orangey colored Jell-O. BUT.. it instantly had that ammonia-like 'lye smell' you sometimes get when you first mix your lye into your oils..
I cut a piece just to check and there was a pocket inside, just under the top (now bottom) surface that is just a big gaping (clear) oily mess. Agh.

That was the last of that FO too

I feel sick. I'm so sad.

 

[topcat]

Please cheer up Lil.....it will make a wonderful rebatch and the FO will still smell great then too. Have you rebatched any soap as yet? It's pretty easy and Lindy has a great tutorial here. Also lots online to follow. I had an overheat job (too much pureed mango and yoghurt!) and I rebatched it two days later. It is nicer now I think and as I whipped it, I love how it floats!

Tanya

 

[surf girl]

Aw Lil Outlaws, bummer.

I can tell you that I'll be joining you in rebatch purgatory with my Evil Zap Blob soap. It sucks to have a batch go bad, but rebatching truly is your friend. And once you're done, you're back in happy soap heaven. That FO will still smell yummy in the new soap...

 

[Lil Outlaws]

Nahhhh I'm not rebatching it. The one time I did, I **hated** it And I only used just under 1oz FO for a 4lb batch so I don't think it would still come through after rebatching.. it was faint but very nice in this one...

Ahhh well. I'll go back to local soaps tomorrow
I had a baby photoshoot today so at least *something* went my way!

 

[ChrissyB]

I'm sorry that this batch didn't work out for you. Just chalk it up to experience and you'll know for next time. Every now and then everyone has a batch that doesn't do what it should!!
Believe me, I feel your pain!!!