White scum???

[isha]

So I made my papaya n kaolin clay soap last month. No water discount...
So this is how I made
Castor 30 gms
CO 150
Oo 85
Pomace 10
Sunflower 50
Palm 175
LyE 70.41
Sf at 7%
Divided the batter.. Added 2tsp for kaolin clay.
130gms payapa pulp..
Now surprisingly.. The papaya side looks good. But the clay part shows some white scum. Looks like mould.

Please help me understand what this is.. I managed to scrape that off and it looks okay.

 

[Kittish]

My first inclination is to say it may very well be mold, just as it appears to be. But then, it's only on the part of that batch of soap that included the kaolin clay? That's kind of strange. I would expect mold to appear randomly on all parts of the soap.

My second guess would be some sort of mineral-ish deposit, either migrating out of the soap or forming via some chemical reaction somehow, though I don't know anywhere near enough chemistry to even GUESS about specifics.

 

[BattleGnome]

How much water did you use? Did you substitute the papaya and add an equivalent amount of water to the other side or did you just add in the purée?

I have no idea what it is but I wonder if water content has something to do with it. Did you tough the white stuff? Is it powdery or anything?

 

[isha]

I water discounted n added puree... The papaya side is okay... The kaolin clay side is affected. N this is what I'm not able to understand

 

[penelopejane]

I water discounted n added puree... The papaya side is okay... The kaolin clay side is affected. N this is what I'm not able to understand

I don’t understand what you mean by discounted the water.
Did you replace all the water on the papaya side with papaya?
How much water did you use on the clay side?
Did you pre mix the clay in water on the clay side?
Did you use any fragrance?
Did you use distilled water or tap water?

I think it is soap crystals formed in a number of ways but one is incomplete trace.
http://www.wholesalesuppliesplus.com/education/chemistry/crystal-power.aspx

 

[isha]

I think I did a blunder... A big one.. I did a water discount on that while batch.
I reduced the amount of papaya pulp from the total water weight. And set it aside
Mixed the lye in remaining water..

Mixed oils n lye water. Emulsified.. Then I divided the batters into 2 parts n mixed pulp to one half and kaolin clay mixture.. Which I previously diluted in distilled water..

So I think the clay side is lye heavy.. I feel like a fool.. I should have made 2 Lye water solutions and mixed separately.. For different additives

 

[Obsidian]

Soap being lye heavy depends on the amount of lye used, not the amount of water/liquid used. If you whole recipe called for 2 oz of lye and you used 2 oz of lye, its not going to be lye heavy.
When I divide a batch and use different types of liquid, I do it just like you did. I do try to replace the same amount of liquid in each separated bit of batter.

I would also guess its soap crystals. Wash it off and use the soap.

 

[lsg]

I thought, too, that it might be soda ash, which is harmless. Just wash it or wipe it off with a damp cloth; and then do a zap test.

 

[isha]

I washed off n used the soap. It's not that bad. Yes little drying to the skin. May be cos of higher % of coconut oil..

 

[BattleGnome]

Sometimes clay can be drying, similar to coconut. I don’t know if a long cure will mellow out clay dryness but I’m glad you still have useable soap

 

[Susie]

I washed off n used the soap. It's not that bad. Yes little drying to the skin. May be cos of higher % of coconut oil..

If it has not cured a full 4-6 weeks, it will not be pleasant to use. Let it cure. Also, did you do a zap test?

 

[isha]

I just washed n use. Didn't do zap test. Actually works well. My mom has a glowing skin without dryness