What is going on in these bars?

[Saltwater Scented]

Are the lighter sort of horizontal lines glycerin rivers?

Recipe is 50% lard, 25% RBO, 20 CO, 5% Caster. 5% superfat, 1 tsp of salt PPO as a hardener.

FO is Vanilla Lavender from Bulk Apothecary.

Black Oyster and Snow White from Mad Micas.

The gold pencil lines didn't turn out worth a darn. I used mica in alcohol and sprayed it into each layer. First time I've done any layering with anything at all. Also should've cut back the black mica in the middle layer.

 

[DeeAnna]

Your picture isn't in focus and isn't close-up enough to really see what's going on. It would be better to shoot one bar and fill the frame with the image.

To give you my best guess, I'd say this looks more like the batter is almost, but not quite mixed enough. Do you scrape down the sides of your soap pot with a spatula and mix that into the main batter before pouring?

 

[jcandleattic]

Looks like glycerin rivers in each of the layers. I get them when using black micas and AC more so than I do when using TD.
As for the mica lines, it wasn't enough mica to show, and I've never mixed my mica with rubbing alcohol for the mica lines. I use it dry. That could be part of the problem as well.

 

[Megan]

It looks like stearic spots to me... from this picture it's hard to tell.

 

[Saltwater Scented]

I'll get a good close up tonight.

I did scrape the sides of the bowl I use, but I had a medium and then pretty heavy trace at the middle and top layer. The lightest actually had to be spooned into the mold.

 

[Megan]

From this picture, I say stearic spots. I find that they look a little snowflake-y... After all they are crystals.

 

[Saltwater Scented]

From this picture, I say stearic spots. I find that they look a little snowflake-y... After all they are crystals.

I believe you're right. I looked at them closer and what I've seen online in photos it sure looks the same. If I make the recipe again, I'll up the temperature. Palmitic shows as 21 and Stearic at 7 via soapmakingfriend.com.

 

[DeeAnna]

Thanks for the closeup photo. I agree -- this looks less like the soap is not fully mixed and more like a crystallization thing -- stearic spots or mottling (aka "glycerin rivers"). They're related phenomena.

 

[DeeAnna]

Thanks for the closeup photo. I agree -- this looks less like the soap is not fully mixed and more like a crystallization thing -- stearic spots or mottling (aka "glycerin rivers"). They're related phenomena.