Troubleshooting: Clear Streaks

[justinwp]

I have had a couple batches now where I am getting clear streaks in the soap(see picture below).

- These streaks are slightly softer.
- Passes zap test, so its not lye.

- Always use an immersion blender and pour around medium trace.
- Its in a wooden log mold that I sometimes insulate.
- About .5 oz eo per ppo. Not specific to any eo. Tried adding these to warm oils prior to lye an at trace. There does seem to be a bit more of these streaks in bars with eo...

Is it temperature related? Essential oils?

 

[LadyM]

I hear ya, so frustrating!!

Here is my latest alligator skin crackle effect that wasn't meant to happen!
I used purple ultramarine and FO vs essential oils so I don't think those are the causes ...
I wish I could figure it out too.

 

[newbie]

Justin, what did you use as the colorant? Are you willing to post your recipe? Also temps?

The crackle I've seen with TD too. I assumed I had used a bit too much or it got too hot, but don't know that for certain. I have gotten with a couple times with other colorants. The swirls are actually kind of nice! nice pattern although I know it's not what you want. Is the top of the picture the top of the loaf? If it were the bottom, I would say the pattern looks like it's related to the pour, going by how ITP swirls come out, but otherwise, I'm stumped. ARe you soaping cool? Could you have a false trace?

 

[justinwp]

colorants can vary from clay to oxides with no change or trend i can discern.

it definitely seems related to the pour as if there is a layer similar to ITP swirls, but what is that layer?

 

[eleraine]

I got that but it was from my Panax recipe where I had pseudo trace (from using mango butter). No zap either so I just lived with it - figured that it adds character to my soaps.

 

[opalgirl]

I get this too sometimes when I use powdered colorants vs. liquid. I think it's 1. not enough color and 2. not blended well enough. I always put my color in my oils and blend the heck out of it before adding lye. Just a thought.

It does look kind of cool!

 

[AmyW]

I love the look and I've gotten it in unscented, uncoloured soap. It seems like a streaky version of stearic spots, but honestly I am not sure. Love the pictures!

 

[judymoody]

I love the look and I've gotten it in unscented, uncoloured soap. It seems like a streaky version of stearic spots, but honestly I am not sure. Love the pictures!

My best guess would be stearic streaks. Do a search for "worm tails" and see what pops up.

I had this happen in one of my early batches and was told to soap hotter. Also, the stearic can accumulate at the bottom of your palm container if you don't melt and stir each time.

 

[azalea.air]

Soft, clear streaks throughout soap bar

It may look kind of neat sometimes, but it is frustrating when it is not the effect that you want, especially in every bar. The first several batches were completely fine. It has only started to happen recently and we cannot figure out why.

It's a big problem too, as it ruins the integrity of the bar. We had a vanilla/sandalwood soap that was colored with 2 different color clays, a white on the top and a brown on the bottom. In between the two colors was a clear line that stayed softer than the rest of the bar. The top fell away from the bottom with extreme ease, a clean cut. (can upload photo later) This is a huge problem!

 

[azalea.air]

My best guess would be stearic streaks. Do a search for "worm tails" and see what pops up.

I had this happen in one of my early batches and was told to soap hotter. Also, the stearic can accumulate at the bottom of your palm container if you don't melt and stir each time.

Thanks Judy, we will look into that.

Hmm, but this effect has also happened in soaps that have been made without palm.

 

[LadyM]

Right, I've never used Palm and I get it. I couldn't find much on 'worm trails' but I did find someone posting about 'crackling' who thinks its from over insulation. I use different combinations from my collection of blankets so I'm wondering if this could really be the issue.

 

[LisaNY]

I love the look and I've gotten it in unscented, uncoloured soap. It seems like a streaky version of stearic spots, but honestly I am not sure. Love the pictures!

My best guess would be stearic streaks. Do a search for "worm tails" and see what pops up.

I had this happen in one of my early batches and was told to soap hotter. Also, the stearic can accumulate at the bottom of your palm container if you don't melt and stir each time.

This!

 

[LisaNY]

Right, I've never used Palm and I get it. I couldn't find much on 'worm trails' but I did find someone posting about 'crackling' who thinks its from over insulation. I use different combinations from my collection of blankets so I'm wondering if this could really be the issue.

I don't think so. I've got my money on stearic streaks.

 

[frmartin]

I'm having the same problem. At first I noticed it with red sandalwood as a colorant (1/2 teas. ppo, i think). but now I'm noticing it in my soap colored with ultramarine violet. I probably tend to over-insulate rather than under insulate and it only happens on me when I do a water discount (33%)

 

[Shar]

The soap in the first pic looks loke stearic streaks..are you soaping room temp? What is your hard vs. Soft oil percentages. If you have more solid fats, and butters than liquid oils then I would suggest you soap hotter. I tend to soap at around 125 degrees or i get the same problem with these streaks in my finished soap. Seems that some of t he fats resolidify before the lye can react and saponify if you soap on the cool side and leave these little streaky trails, as long as the there's no zap the soap should be okay, just test it.the second photo may be a result of an overheating issue. Jmo..