HP Stearic Spots? Ash?

[Kcryss]

Does anyone know what this white stuff is on my soap?
HP and the white layer appears several weeks after cutting. It wipes off easily, but it's extremely annoying. Photo 1 is before wiping with terrycloth, photo 2 is after wiping.

 

[AliOop]

My first guess would be soda ash. Do you use citric acid? I've had it crystalize like that on some of my soaps.

 

[Kcryss]

My first guess would be soda ash. Do you use citric acid? I've had it crystalize like that on some of my soaps.

No citric acid, I use sodium lactate, yogurt, coconut cream, and sorbitol. Would any of these cause that?

 

[lsg]

It looks like soda ash to me.

 

[kaygrrl]

Yep, soda ash. Using 2% beeswax and not letting air touch it while it saponifies (I.e. cover with plastic wrap) seems to help.

 

[Kcryss]

Does anyone know if the vinegar test is accurate? I found a link posted by @earlene on how to test for soda ash and tried it this morning. It didn't bubble, but not sure if it's accurate.
Soda Ash is not Soda Ash • Snegovick

 

[AliOop]

No citric acid, I use sodium lactate, yogurt, coconut cream, and sorbitol. Would any of these cause that?

I wouldn't think any of those would do that. I have not had crystals with anything except citric acid.

Like the others, it really does look like a form of soda ash to me. I'll be interested to hear if anyone knows about the accuracy of that test.

 

[Kcryss]

I wouldn't think any of those would do that. I have not had crystals with anything except citric acid.

I agree. I wouldn't think so either. I have seen a few mentions about soda ash or white powder on milk soaps. But again, I have no clue. The strange thing is that it doesn't happen until after cure. Maybe starting at about 6 weeks.

 

[DeeAnna]

Ash of one form or another can be found on many kinds of soap. Some is soda ash (sodium carbonate), some ash is made up of soap crystals, etc. If ash hasn't happened on a particular type of soap you make, that doesn't mean it won't ever happen. Just that it hasn't happened so far. Some things that seem to contribute to sodium carbonate ash --

Pouring soap batter into the mold at emulsion or very thin trace.
Batter isn't well mixed enough so the water content varies, even slightly, throughout the soap.
Recipe is higher in water -- I'd say lye concentrations of 30% or less make ash more likely.
Soap doesn't get warm enough to go into gel.

 

[AliOop]

@Kcryss as you no doubt know, one of the benefits of HP is that soda ash is so rare because it resolves most of the issues listed in DeeAnna's email, other than higher water content.

That being said, I always get ash on my HP soaps that include activated charcoal in any amount. But it doesn't look like you used any AC.

 

[Kcryss]

Ash of one form or another can be found on many kinds of soap. Some is soda ash (sodium carbonate), some ash is made up of soap crystals, etc. If ash hasn't happened on a particular type of soap you make, that doesn't mean it won't ever happen.

Yes, it looks like little crystals. Almost like mini snowflakes.

That being said, I always get ash on my HP soaps that include activated charcoal in any amount. But it doesn't look like you used any AC.

Nope, no AC at all. The really strange thing is that it doesn't happen for at least 6 weeks.