Super fast trace

[konglishkiller]

When adding EO or FO I get super fast trace, sometimes almost instant, then glop. I dont need to use a stick blender, and I have become well aquainted with re-batching.

Here is what I have done:

I came up with a recipe that worked fine. This is easy I thought ( :roll: ) and went for the mother load and piled in the additives (beesewax, milk powder....) colours and EO's and FO's. And the problems began. After re-batching / just molding the soaps have all come out fine after 6 weeks of curing.

I slowly cut out the extras until I was back to the original recipe which lets me color and swirl etc.

All this leads me to think the problem is with the scents. I am missing some info or technique I think. I tried adding fragrance water, but if anything trace was quicker.

My recipe is:

CO 27.5%
Rice Bran oil 50%
Shea butter 12.5%
Castor oil 10%

Sugar at 1 teaspoon PPO
water 38%
Super fat 7%

lye calculated with Soapcalc.
I have been adding the scents at 50~100% of the calc's suggestion (at 31g/kg)

Edit... I have added the scents before the lye and at very light trace but the problem persists.

The scents (in batches):
Jasmine FO
peppermint / lemon EOs
lavender EO
Lavender / rosemary EOs

Fragrance waters:
ylang ylang
calendula
peppermint.

Help / suggestions / advice / links please.

Thanks

 

[Obsidian]

First thing that jumps out to me is you are using some FO's/EO's that are prone to seizing. Many florals are tricky, as is peppermint and some herbal EO's. Its very possible you have just had really bad luck. You might try finding a different supplier for your scents, lavender especially is generally well behaved. You might try lemongrass EO, it too it well behaved.

Did the fragrance waters contain any alcohol? I'm not familiar with those kinds of scent but alcohol can seize your soap.

You said you used beeswax as a additive, how did you do this and when was it added? Beeswax should be added into your total oil amount and it too can really speed trace.

 

[konglishkiller]

Hi Obsidian.

Thanks for your comments. The beeswax I ran through the lye calc and melted in with the oils before adding the lye water.

The Jasmine FO was from a supplier that may have been a bit dodgey.

Is there a good guide to EO/FO's easy of use?
Do you add the scents drop by drop or dump it all in at once (as I have been doing)?

To be honest I dont know about the fragrance water and alcohol....I will have to investigate it. It did have the consistency of glycerin tho.

 

[newbie]

This may seem a bit overwhelming at first, but this spreadsheet has lots of FO's on it, whether they discolor or accelerate and some comments. There are many supplier's tabs at the bottom. It is almost entirely FO's but it is a good resource. I don't use EO's much so I can't comment on those, really.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet...UVFTXY5M2o4MVRMZm4wdFE&authkey=CMTEtswL#gid=0

 

[Obsidian]

I would stay away from the fragrance water and any other scent doesn't specify it being safe in CP soap. I don't know any list of EO's but the ones I know that can seize are florals, especially rose, most spices like cinnamon and clove, peppermint, thyme, maybe rosemary. Water or ocean type FO's are naughty too.

 

[coffeetime]

Who is your supplier on the EO's? I use EO's exclusively and have never had acceleration with any of the ones you have listed. I use New Directions Aromatics.

 

[konglishkiller]

@ newbie.....thats awesome! I will have to spend a bit of time studying it.

@Obsidian thanks. They are some good general rules to think about

@Coffeetime. Its a supplier here in Korea called Koreasimilac. I havent ordered anything from outside of korea. Its a freight cost/time thing really. The Jasmine I mentioned originally was from a store that wholesales 20kg bags of TD, citric acid, glycerine etc. Who for I have no idea. He swore the Jasmine was skin safe. These kinds of shops are quite common here. The beeswax , NaOH and glycerin I bought from him seemed a fair quality.

 

[Obsidian]

Just because its skin safe, doesn't mean its appropriate for soap. You need soap specific scents.

 

[not_ally]

Not sure if the amt of RBO may be contributing? I like it but have decreased amts when doing anything tricky, it seems to speed trace for me.

 

[konglishkiller]

Obsidian....I have been assured the scents were for soap by one of the suppliers. The supplier of the jasmine hasn't answered. However the Jasmine that I have left over has separated into two layers. Your opinion on that would be appreciated.

Not_ally.... Possibly. I am looking at reducing the amount for something else. Maybe soybean which is cheap and readily available.

 

[Obsidian]

I have no idea about the separating FO, thats not something I've came across before. I wouldn't use much if any soy oil in your soaps. Not only is it prone to going rancid, it just doesn't make a very good soap. Olive oil the best sub for rice bran.