What’s with the spots?

[Nanna]

Made this wine soap last night. Started great. Had some yellow dock infused oil so threw that as part of the olive oil mix with red clay and eos. The recipe doesn’t show but I used a T of ground orange peel because I find that lasts longer and stronger than orange eo. Also died some cedar eo. It smells amazing .
I stirred with a spoon because I read about fast acceleration. First one poured good then I scooped the second just in time. Tried to fancy up the top but the second one was too hard already. It would be beautiful without the spots.

 

[AliOop]

Those are so pretty! I'm guessing the spots are from the beeswax or shea getting cooler, and not being emulsified well with a stick blender. The scent sounds terrific!

 

[Nanna]

Those are so pretty! I'm guessing the spots are from the beeswax or shea getting cooler, and not being emulsified well with a stick blender. The scent sounds terrific!

That’s probably it. I did stick blend the oils before the lye was added. Thinking about it again I did stick blend until I felt it get hard at the bottom then stirred as much as I could. Next time I’ll try hp.
Would the same recipe work for hp?

 

[AliOop]

The good news is that you can HP any recipe; the only typical adaptation is to use a higher water-to-lye ratio.

The bad news is that I just took a closer look at your recipe and saw that you added a LOT of clove and cinnamon EOs. Your post only mentioned orange and cedar, so I didn't realize you included the other two.

Clove and cinnamon EO are both known skin sensitizers, and I am pretty sure the amounts you used exceeded the skin-safe usage rates. Best to double-check that on EOCalc.com, and don't give the soap to anyone unless you are within the safe usage rates.

Both of those EOs will also accelerate trace, which could also have been the cause of the spots. In other words, the EO caused some parts of the soap to saponify more quickly than others, especially if you didn't stick-blend it after adding the lye.

 

[Nanna]

Thanks for the help AliOop. I mixed the oils with the clay and stick blended well into the melted oils. I did manage to stick blend a bit after the lye but not enough I guess, it was turning solid. I didn’t use very much cinnamon and clove but I will check eo safety for sure. Thanks for the advice

 

[earlene]

It's hard to keep the oils at a temperature that will keep beeswax fully melted, before it starts to re-solidify, but my experience with spicy essential oils is that they can seize soap, so that surely interfered with the smoothness of your batter as well.

I'd suggest trying again with a smaller batch, and don't use those accelerating essentail oils. Soap hotter, and use only one colorant if at all, and see how it goes. Even if you don't make this soap HP, I'd still pre-heat everything (except the lye solution, as it will heat up on its own when you make it) to try and keep the batter at about 140° F/ 60° C up until you pour your batter.

 

[Nanna]

It's hard to keep the oils at a temperature that will keep beeswax fully melted, before it starts to re-solidify, but my experience with spicy essential oils is that they can seize soap, so that surely interfered with the smoothness of your batter as well.

I'd suggest trying again with a smaller batch, and don't use those accelerating essentail oils. Soap hotter, and use only one colorant if at all, and see how it goes. Even if you don't make this soap HP, I'd still pre-heat everything (except the lye solution, as it will heat up on its own when you make it) to try and keep the batter at about 140° F/ 60° C up until you pour your batter.

I did mix at around 80F because I didn’t want a volcano.
They are looking okay and fairly hard already so I’m happy

 

[AliOop]

Definitely check the EOCalc.com - it may not seem like a lot to you, but a tablespoon of each in a batch that size is almost certainly far beyond the safe usage rate.

 

[Nanna]

Definitely check the EOCalc.com - it may not seem like a lot to you, but a tablespoon of each in a batch that size is almost certainly far beyond the safe usage rate.

I’m pretty sure it wasn’t a tbsp cause I used it out of a 15ml bottle and there’s still over 3/4 of the bottle left that I previously use.
Big lesson learned and will definitely keep it in mind for next time.
Thanks again AliOop

 

[AliOop]

You are right - I misread your recipe - says TEAspoon.

 

[Susie]

If you drop your water % to less than 33%, you can soap hotter without seizing. Add your EOs right at the end to avoid seizing. I love spice EOs, so I have learned to plan a single color, low water~30-31%, use silicon molds, and have a sink of ice water waiting. I only do one mold size at the time so I don't have to pour a second time.

If I just really want to be fancy, I make 2-3 small batches that add up to one full mold, that way I can pour and texture the top of the bottom batch. Mix and pour the second batch, then texture that top, same with the third. It means a lot of work, so my family has come to expect one color spice soaps. Usually I use coffee (liquid not grounds) or cocoa powder to color as some of the recipients have ...odd... ideas about the safety of certain ingredients. Mind you, their alternative is store bought syndet bars.

 

[AliOop]

@Susie when you say "low water 30-31%" -- I am assuming you mean "water as percent of oils" and probably for HP?

Just clarifying for the OP and anyone reading, since those of us who use the lye concentration setting instead of water as % of oils would use something like 38-40% for "low water."