White spots on soap

[CPADRIAN]

Hey guys this is about 6th batch of soap I've made . I decided to make a activated charcoal batch with a mix of almond milk and coconut milk . Halfway through my blending of oils and lye my hand blender gave out so I had to mix by hand for about 2 hours which sucked but it finally traced about an hour prior I put in some essential oils in the hopes of it tracing faster but it didn't work. It was also mostly olive oil so I expected a slower trace to occur . I know the white spots aren't lye I've taken a piece out of the soap and licked it and the soap as well and I didn't get a zap what so ever. What do you guys think it could be?

 

[The Efficacious Gentleman]

You'll need to give your full and complete recipe with process for some definite advice

 

[shunt2011]

I agree, we would need your complete recipe and process to help troubleshoot.

 

[navigator9]

I've had spots like that when using coconut milk, when the solids haven't blended in completely. You know that layer of creamy solids at the top of the can when you open it? The soap is just fine, though.

 

[CPADRIAN]

60% olive oil
36% canola
3% avocado
31 ounces of liquid and 10 oz of lye . This was the only oils I had left lol so don't laugh at
My recipe

 

[Saipan]

31 ounces of liquid what?

 

[CPADRIAN]

31 ounces of liquid what?

Top of post says everything (coconut milk and almond milk)

 

[shunt2011]

I have to agree with the possibility of solids not blended well enough from the Coconut Milk. You are still making to big of a batch for beginning. This soap is going to take 6-8 months to cure or longer.

 

[CPADRIAN]

I have to agree with the possibility of solids not blended well enough from the Coconut Milk. You are still making to big of a batch for beginning. This soap is going to take 6-8 months to cure or longer.

6-8 Months? never heard that before, ive used my soaps a week after waiting 48 initially to un mold and cut. then let them sit for 3 weeks before theyre rock hard. but 6-8 months hmmmm

 

[CPADRIAN]

I was thinking 4 months max

 

[The Efficacious Gentleman]

You said that you used the milks, but there was nothing to say that it was only those two liquids and nothing else - one reason why a concise list of ingredients and process really helps people to ignore the red herrings and get straight to the points.

I agree that this is likely to be milk solids not mixing with the charcoal in places. Did you strain the milk/lye solution before putting it in the oils? Many people who add lye to milks do that to keep the solid lumps out.

This recipe is fairly high in olive with no solid oils - that's why it will take a long time to cure. Sure, you can use it before then but it will be sub-par. If your normal recipes have some hard oils and/or less olive, then they would be fine earlier. But this particular one would need some more time before many of us would consider it ready for use.

 

[Saipan]

Top of post says everything (coconut milk and almond milk)

Sure, but you might want to say how much of each.

If one is chunky, you could blender it with the other until it's smooth, that way you reduce chunks before you soap.

Or as The Efficacious Gentleman suggest, straining.

 

[CPADRIAN]

You said that you used the milks, but there was nothing to say that it was only those two liquids and nothing else - one reason why a concise list of ingredients and process really helps people to ignore the red herrings and get straight to the points.

I agree that this is likely to be milk solids not mixing with the charcoal in places. Did you strain the milk/lye solution before putting it in the oils? Many people who add lye to milks do that to keep the solid lumps out.

This recipe is fairly high in olive with no solid oils - that's why it will take a long time to cure. Sure, you can use it before then but it will be sub-par. If your normal recipes have some hard oils and/or less olive, then they would be fine earlier. But this particular one would need some more time before many of us would consider it ready for use.

It was 30 oz of liquid I used 15oz of each and no I didn't strain, but im glad I made this post because I learned a good amount just from some of the replies I've received thanks again I really appreciate it.

 

[Nevada]

Hey as well and I didn't get a zap what so ever. What do you guys think it could be?

Spots like that are common in freshly poured Pine Tar soap.
I bet these spots will eventually disappear or become less noticeable.

 

[TeresaT]

It's really beautiful soap. I actually like the white spots in it. It gives it a "space" kind of vibe to me. (Just don't use a light colored wash cloth. :wink

 

[Arimara]

I agree with Teresa about the spacey look of the soap. Do you cook your soap or is this cold process? Were your milks cold to the point of being slushy? Please don't take this the wrong way but how long have you been making soap?

 

[CPADRIAN]

I agree with Teresa about the spacey look of the soap. Do you cook your soap or is this cold process? Were your milks cold to the point of being slushy? Please don't take this the wrong way but how long have you been making soap?

It's cold process . Milks where room temperature when I poured lye into it except for the ice cubes that where frozen coconut cubes. This is my
Like 6th batch and I'm working on another today .

 

[Arimara]

It's cold process . Milks where room temperature when I poured lye into it except for the ice cubes that where frozen coconut cubes. This is my
Like 6th batch and I'm working on another today .

So it's safe to assume you started within at least the year or so? Next month, I will have been a soaper for a year. I won't act like I know all the ins and outs and such but I have learned quite a bit.

1. For a cold process soap, you're using a lot of liquid. Unless you are aiming for gel or are aiming to do a HP batch, you can always cut some of that liquid to cut your cure time down.

2. It's really a good idea to use a thermometer (an infrared type is great for this) when adding lye to opaque liquids. In this case, you would want to make sure both milks are super cold, slushy so that you don't burn the sugars in them. With a thermometer, all you have to do is watch for a drop in your lye's temperature as you're stirring it. It's when your temps start to drop that will clue you in as to the lye being dissolved. You may also want to use a stainless steel strainer if you don't want to make your space soap again.

3. Try to familiarize yourself with Water:Lye ratios or even Lye concentrations. It offers you more control over general soapy behavior once you get the hang of it.

4. Perhaps a smaller batch at a time would help you work out the kinks to your technique. As with cooking, technique and application matters when you want a certain end result and until you fine tune yours to your tastes, smaller batches would make it so that you use less ingredients and you won't have as much soap you're not crazy about sitting around.

I'm sure there's more I could add but right now, I lost my train of thought. Happy Soaping. :mrgreen:

 

[penelopejane]

You can use your soap after a week but it will go mushy quickly.

After a month it will be harder and start to have a smoother feel on your skin.

After two months it will be longer lasting again.

After a year, especially with high olive oil soaps, it will be really hard and last much, much longer in moist conditions (not go mushy). It will also be silky on your skin.

Keep parts of each of your batches to see how they go and test them at regular intervals. I think you will be amazed at the difference a little extra time gives to all homemade soap.

 

[Arimara]

You can use your soap after a week but it will go mushy quickly.

After a month it will be harder and start to have a smoother feel on your skin.

After two months it will be longer lasting again.

After a year, especially with high olive oil soaps, it will be really hard and last much, much longer in moist conditions (not go mushy). It will also be silky on your skin.

Keep parts of each of your batches to see how they go and test them at regular intervals. I think you will be amazed at the difference a little extra time gives to all homemade soap.

With this, I agree. After almost a year of testing recipes I've come up with, high olive oil soaps seems to be a winner as long as at least avocado oil is mixed in (rice bran oil is also nice).