What went wrong? Avert your eyes....

[Zing]

Aack, people! Hoping some experts can weigh in here -- especially if this soap is safe to use. Yikes, this is truly my worst soap! And I'm not being my normal self-deprecating perfectionist self, this is going to give me nightmares.

The color combination (I hear the 70s calling demanding their design back) was not what I was going for. The green and black are fine. I also wanted brown & red but got orange and pink. For brown I should've used more cocoa and I've already ordered new red micas thanks to suggestions on a separate thread.

BUT where the heck did the yellow come from??! Is it too much essential oil and is it safe to use??

I used a tried and true recipe and colorants I've used before. I hand-stirred and conservatively stick blended to emulsion, then divided into separate colors for colorants and scent. Then I did more hand stirring for forever. I unmolded after 24 hours like usual. Only thing I can think of is it a scent issue?


I couldn't find usage rates for marjoram. Recipe is attached. Any feedback is much appreciated!

 

[Guspuppy]

Did you really use SEVEN OUNCES of fragrance in 60 oz oils? That seems like a huge amount to me. I made 42 oz oils with 1.7 oz EO last night, although of course different ones to you. I don't know that it is the problem but maybe??

 

[AliOop]

Ok, I'm going to be brutally honest here. Ready?

I really, REALLY like this soap. The swirls are awesome, the colors are fun, and the smell is no doubt fantastic. If someone gave me a bar of that soap as a gift, I'd be like, "Squeeeeeee!!!"

And I'm not just saying that to make you feel better. If I didn't like it, I wouldn't lie and say that I did.

Your total usage rate for the EOs was a bit high at about 8.4% of oils. @Guspuppy his 123g of fragrance = 4.3 oz, not 7oz., yes?

Probably the EO colors did affect the color of the batter a bit, and may have created that pretty (yes, pretty!) yellow that we are seeing. But as long as the EOs aren't oozing out, and the soap isn't irritating to the skin after a nice cure, then you have a fine soap there, sir.

 

[Mobjack Bay]

Yes, 70s, but I like it too.

What color is the marjoram EO out of the bottle?

 

[Zing]

@AliOop , LOL, I had steeled myself for some constructive feedback! Thank you, it helps. My wife is always reminding me that I'm the only one who had a different result in mind.

@Mobjack Bay , the marjoram and lavender essential oils are clear out of the bottle. Lemongrass essential oil is yellow out of the bottle.

 

[TheGecko]

I grew up in the 70s...I see shades of Tupperware and shag carpet. LOL

 

[Jersey Girl]

@Zing I agree with @AliOop that these are not ugly soaps! I personally think they turned out very cool! I don’t know a lot about essential oils as I only use a few common ones once in a while and usually in a blend with a FO, but I imagine that is what caused your color change.

 

[cmzaha]

@ Alioop it was 209g not 123 g fragrance so yes it was 7 oz. But if you use 6% or so of total batch weight you get away with a much higher percentage of fragrance. With some hard to stick fragrances I go with batch weight not Oil weight so I use a lot more fragrance in some soaps.

I really like the look of your soap and I agree if it does not cause irritation do not throw it away. It get diluted with a lot of water in the shower or bath and will smell awesome in the bathroom or kitchen.

 

[violets2217]

I love the colors and the design! The beautiful accident that is called soap!!! Hence my earlier posted pipe swirl where red became orange, I've used lemongrass in my soap before and it did tint my 100% CO a wee bit yellow, but it was just a dish soap bar and not really an issue.

 

[Mobjack Bay]

My latest bottle of lemongrass EO is fairly yellow and I can count on it to color the soap a bit, but not as much as you’re seeing, plus the other EOs were clear. I once had a confetti soap that developed yellow blotches on the top right away, and too quickly to be DOS. I don’t know what caused them and they eventually faded away. I hope you will keep us posted on if/how that color changes!

 

[GemstonePony]

@Zing what precisely were your colorants? The reason I ask, is because I know some green Micas have a small amount of very fine yellow in them, which can get separated/bleed out under the right (or wrong) conditions.

 

[dibbles]

I like them too! The 70s were all good times for me! What color were you intending the yellow to be?

 

[Jersey Girl]

@ Alioop it was 209g not 123 g fragrance so yes it was 7 oz. But if you use 6% or so of total batch weight you get away with a much higher percentage of fragrance. With some hard to stick fragrances I go with batch weight not Oil weight so I use a lot more fragrance in some soaps.

I really like the look of your soap and I agree if it does not cause irritation do not throw it away. It get diluted with a lot of water in the shower or bath and will smell awesome in the bathroom or kitchen.

@cmzaha I think @AliOop was looking in the lower left hand corner where @Zing listed the amount of eo he used under additives. He lists 41g each of three oils so that would add-up to 123g total. I’m not sure why the calc has a different amount listed.

 

[Guspuppy]

@ Alioop it was 209g not 123 g fragrance so yes it was 7 oz. But if you use 6% or so of total batch weight you get away with a much higher percentage of fragrance. With some hard to stick fragrances I go with batch weight not Oil weight so I use a lot more fragrance in some soaps.

I never thought of this but it makes sense! I won't worry so much if I over-pour my fragrances from now on. Thanks @cmzaha!

 

[Martha]

Sorry @Zing, it’s truly hideous. If it’s any consolation, I think I just made a batch with baby vomit colored confetti in it.

 

[Zing]

@ Alioop it was 209g not 123 g fragrance so yes it was 7 oz. But if you use 6% or so of total batch weight you get away with a much higher percentage of fragrance. With some hard to stick fragrances I go with batch weight not Oil weight so I use a lot more fragrance in some soaps.

I'm so glad to know this! Thanks!

@Zing what precisely were your colorants? The reason I ask, is because I know some green Micas have a small amount of very fine yellow in them, which can get separated/bleed out under the right (or wrong) conditions.

I used Bramble Berry kermit green mica, bubblegum and merlot micas; charcoal, and cocoa -- all have never bled for me in the past.

I like them too! The 70s were all good times for me! ☮ What color were you intending the yellow to be?

I WAS NOT INTENDING YELLOW AT ALL!!! WTH?! I was going for green/black/tan/red and got green/black/orange/pink/YELLOW!

@cmzaha I think @AliOop was looking in the lower left hand corner where @Zing listed the amount of eo he used under additives. He lists 41g each of three oils so that would add-up to 123g total. I’m not sure why the calc has a different amount listed.

I'm stupid with the soapcalc, don't look at the fragrance fields at the top -- I put the correct weights down at the bottom, 41 g each of essential oils of marjoram, lavender, lemongrass.

Sorry @Zing, it’s truly hideous. If it’s any consolation, I think I just made a batch with baby vomit colored confetti in it.

Martha, I am still laughing and crying and it's been 10 minutes and I can barely see to type!! I showed you mine, now you have to show me yours!!

 

[KiwiMoose]

I think lemongrass can discolour. Just call it 'Golden paradise' or something and go with it.

 

[msunnerstood]

Sorry @Zing, it’s truly hideous. If it’s any consolation, I think I just made a batch with baby vomit colored confetti in it.

I disagree. 70's colors are popular lately. Hardly "hideous"

@Zing Embrace it and name them something Retro 70's

 

[Misschief]

I don't think they're ugly at all. I kinda like the colours you got there.

 

[dibbles]

??? So the yellow wasn’t split from the batter at all and just randomly appeared? If that’s what happened it is so weird and my answer is gremlins. They are sneaky little devils and come and go at will.