Using oat milk and forgetting to add it till after trace 😖

[Janiewoo]

So, today I made my 4th batch ever of soap; and thought I'd try something new; soaping at a cooler (room) temperature and adding oat milk to the recipe.
I followed a recipe* I found online and dutifully split the liquid weight between the oat milk and infused (chamomile) water. But, in my enthusiasm, I forgot to add the milk at emulsion and only remembered to add it after trace. Blending the batter at this point (it needed more blending than I would have liked) resulted in a thick gloopy batter I had to virtually press into the moulds.
Here's my question: does adding liquid after reaching trace affect the ability of the soap to go through saponification properly?
Will the oat milk be properly amalgamated into the batter?

* I used 85% olive (pomace) oil, 10% Shea butter and 5% castor oil. 33% lye concentration, 6% superfat.

Any advice would be most welcome.

 

[AliOop]

Adding more liquid after trace shouldn't affect the final result, as long as you mixed it in thoroughly - which it sounds like you did.

How did it turn out?

 

[akseattle]

@Janiewoo , I'm pretty new to CP soap, too. Because I forgot the fragrance in my first 3 batches -- tried to stir it in to the mold and remaining unpoured batter upon remembering--- I have made myself a checklist that includes each step.

I keep my checklist next to me and check off each step as I go. One of the steps is to pin post-it notes on the cupboards doors above where I'm working to remind me of what I'm going to do.

I can still get on auto pilot and leave something out-- like an exfoliant I will put into only one of the colors -- even though it's premeasured and sitting in line on the counter in the order it will be used....

So, you're not alone!! Sounds like @AliOop thought it would be fine. Let us know how your soap turns out!

 

[Janiewoo]

Adding more liquid after trace shouldn't affect the final result, as long as you mixed it in thoroughly - which it sounds like you did.

How did it turn out?

Hi, and thanks for asking.
They don't look very pretty (you can see how much I struggled to get the batter into the moulds} but they seem to be curing properly.
I only made a small batch, enough for 6 bars, (the tiny flower was an unexpected bonus, probably due to the air pockets in the other 6 bars) but I am really happy with the result.
I didn't scent them as I wanted a very gentle soap, but they smell wonderful, just as unscented soap should.

 

[Janiewoo]

@akseattle thank you for the encouraging words.
I think the post-it note a brilliant idea, they can be moved after each step. I'm going to give this a try.
I made some little posters on my cupboards, but I forget to look at them

 

[AliOop]

Honestly, those look great. I love an unscented white or cream-colored soap bar!

 

[akseattle]

Honestly, those look great. I love an unscented white or cream-colored soap bar!

@Janiewoo I agree with @AliOop , your bars look great!!
and, yeah, the idea of the post it notes is to move the post it note once the step is done, but i STILL sometimes forget something!
Anyway, glad your soap worked out!

 

[VikingChick]

Hi, and thanks for asking.
They don't look very pretty (you can see how much I struggled to get the batter into the moulds} but they seem to be curing properly.
I only made a small batch, enough for 6 bars, (the tiny flower was an unexpected bonus, probably due to the air pockets in the other 6 bars) but I am really happy with the result.
I didn't scent them as I wanted a very gentle soap, but they smell wonderful, just as unscented soap should.

Your soap looks so creamy and lovely!

 

[2lilboots]

My soap recipe is the same for almost every single batch I make (except for special additives like beer or pureed pumpkin...etc.) I still write it up in my notebook beforehand. I check everything off my list as I weigh, measure, add...etc. This way I know I didn't miss anything.