White layer formed on top of soap

[DrewsSoaps]

Hey! I am newer to bar soap making and have been getting good consistent results. But I needed to change my recipe, which had too many additives and also had pure fatty acids (i am a liquid soap maker, so I learned that bar soap doesn’t need as many additives, the hard way). I have a white layer that has been forming on my soaps with this new recipe. It forms on the surface exposed to the air. I use circular chocolate molds for the mold. I’ll attach my recipe and pictures, but I am trying to find a way to avoid this. I am using more citric acid (up from 1%to 1.25% currently), and maybe that could be an issue, but part of me says it looks like soda ash. Is there anyway to avoid this or do I need to remove more additives and/or change my recipe?

Thanks so so much for any help!
Drew

 

[AliOop]

That definitely looks like soda ash. There are several ways to combat that:

Soap at warmer temps.
Use less water (higher lye concentration).
Spray the soap tops with alcohol after pouring.
Cover the soap once it is in the mold.
Gel the soap by insulating, CPOP, or on a heating pad.
For cavity molds, leave the soaps tightly covered in the molds for 4-5 days before uncovering/unmolding.
For loaves of soap, cut when ready but then recover the cut bars for 4-5 days before uncovering for the rest of the cure.

 

[Ekuzo]

Looks like soda ash. I've also read that using more than 1% citric acid of oil weight can cause white crystals on the surface, but I can't confirm it from experience.

To remove the soda ash after the fact, you can spray the surface of the bars with 70% alcohol solution, or similar.

What's the reason you've included both sorbitol and sugar?

 

[DrewsSoaps]

That definitely looks like soda ash. There are several ways to combat that:

Soap at warmer temps.
Use less water (higher lye concentration).
Spray the soap tops with alcohol after pouring.
Cover the soap once it is in the mold.
Gel the soap by insulating, CPOP, or on a heating pad.
For cavity molds, leave the soaps tightly covered in the molds for 4-5 days before uncovering/unmolding.
For loaves of soap, cut when ready but then recover the cut bars for 4-5 days before uncovering for the rest of the cure.

You’re the best! Thanks for that info!

 

[Zing]

You'll go far doing everything @AliOop says....

 

[melinda48]

It does look like soda ash. When I get it on my loaves, I steam the tops immediately after unmolding but before cutting. I just stand the loaves on end and steam away. So much easier that cutting and then trying to steam individual bars.