White Streaks!

[christellita]

I have had multiple batches of soap come out with white streaks. I found out late that my first recipe was a bit lye heavy so I changed it for the 2nd one, but i still got the streaks. What are these streaks?! When i break my bar in half, some parts of it are slightly crumbly, while the rest looks fine. Help!
1 streaky batch (Lemongrass/Patchouli):
9.6 oz lye, 1 lb 8 oz distilled H20, 2 lb 4 oz olive oil, 1 lb coconut oil, 12 oz palm oil, 4 TBl castor oil. 1.5 oz each essential oil. Combined at 105 degrees.

other batch: 9.5 oz coconut oil, 9.5 oz palm oil, 12.7 oz olive oil, 4.45 oz lye, 10.5 oz H20.

 

[AshleyR]

Can you post a picture?

I get streaks in my CP soap sometimes and I think it's because I'm not blending enough. Everything looks well blended in the pot when I pour, but then I get the white-ish/clear streaks in my soap.

I wonder if it's the same thing?

 

[christellita]

hmmm- do you mean you don't think you blend enough after you've added your essential oils? i'm always afraid to blend too much because i've heard that an ruin the batch. However, i've also heard that not blending enough can also be bad! i read somewhere that you should only mix for 20-30 seconds after adding your essential oil.
i tried posting a picture but it didn't work. i'll try to find someone who's computer savy to help....
thanks for the reply!

 

[christellita]

white streaks- photo

Here's a photo of the white streaks. Any thoughts?

 

[christellita]

white streaks and chalk

And also some chalkiness... but once I use it the chalkiness seems to go away. i am afraid to give this away to other people though...thoughts?

 

[christellita]

some more white streaks

on white soap...

 

[heartsong]

x

thisis only my opinion, but i dont think you're mixing enough. are you stirring by hand or stick blender? if you are getting crumbly spots it doesnt sound like it all mixed. maybe get to a thicker trace before pouring.

the best way to tell is make a single color batch. its usually easier to see the problem. are the oils completely melted and blended before lye is added?

 

[christellita]

i use a stick blender. i could try blending longer. the last photo i posted was a plain batch, without any color or EOs.
Do you think these are ok to use?
Thanks for your opinion

 

[Lindy]

Is there any zap in the white streak areas?

 

[kellistarr]

That looks like you need to blend more. It is rather ironic that it's happening to all of your batches. My soap looked like that when my batches were seizing on me and I couldn't stir. Are your batches seizing or really quick to trace?

 

[christellita]

i don't think any batches have ever seized- i would know, right? they trace within 5 minutes. i blend for 3-5 seconds with the blender and then hand stir for 5-10 seconds. it probably traces in 3-5 minutes.
i've noticed with soaps i've made that have herbs in them, this does not happen.
i am afraid to overmix because i've heard that can be bad....especially after mixing in your EO. is this correct?
Thanks!
Christelle

 

[kellistarr]

Trace in 5 minutes sounds fast to me. But it really deends on a lot of things like the size of your batches, temperature etc... I just meant that my batches were looking like yours when I was unable to stir, due to seizing (which in my case, was an immediate trace).

To me, it doesn't souound like you are stirring much if you are reaching trace in 5 minutes and pouring into the mold. That, IMHO, could be just one of many reasons why your soap has those streaks.

 

[christellita]

i make 4 pound batches, between 95-110 degrees. Does that sound about right, for using a stick blender? What do you think the other reasons could be, if it's not the stirring?

 

[Etelka]

I have had multiple batches of soap come out with white streaks. I found out late that my first recipe was a bit lye heavy so I changed it for the 2nd one, but i still got the streaks. What are these streaks?! When i break my bar in half, some parts of it are slightly crumbly, while the rest looks fine. Help!
1 streaky batch (Lemongrass/Patchouli):
9.6 oz lye, 1 lb 8 oz distilled H20, 2 lb 4 oz olive oil, 1 lb coconut oil, 12 oz palm oil, 4 TBl castor oil. 1.5 oz each essential oil. Combined at 105 degrees.

other batch: 9.5 oz coconut oil, 9.5 oz palm oil, 12.7 oz olive oil, 4.45 oz lye, 10.5 oz H20.

Christellita, do you have good scales? Running your recipe through MMS and assuming your castor was 2 oz your lye discount is "1", that's dangerous territory, a little weighing mistake on a not so accurate scale could mean lye heavy soap. In fact IMHO those streaks are just that. What kind of lye calculator do you use? Oils and lye should be weighed very carefully and not by the spoonful, especially with small batches like the above because there is no room for error like there would be in a large batch.
Etelka

 

[christellita]

yes, i have a really nice scale. My problem with the first batch was I got the recipe from a book and didn't check it in the lye calculator. Argh. But the second, smaller batch I checked with the lye calculator and the amt. of lye is fine. ???!

 

[nettles]

Hi! Just for the record, I wanted to say that I used to stir my soaps for 25 to 45 minutes to achieve trace. THEN I got a stick blender. I use the spatula to make sure the lye and oils are homogenous, then I use the stick blender, and trace is almost immediate! Like, one or two minutes. Then, I use the spatula for another two minutes or so before I add the EO. I thought the stick blender was marvelous, but I also have trouble with white streaks. But then, I did before the stick blender too. That is why I have always favored marbled soap, it seems to disguise this problem. But I wish I could consistently make great soap and have nothing to disguise. :? Thanks for helping me learn, Nettles

 

[Dahila]

I got it too but mine are really thin, I mix at 40Celsius. I think next time I will try to mix the oils well before the lye. I could be not mixed well stearic acid in palm oil....What do u think people?

 

[grayceworks]

You're using palm. Did you melt the entire container and stir well each time you used it? Some of that could be stearic streaks, and improperly melted-mixed palm can also wreak havoc on your recipe. Could be part of the issue.

Agree also with triple-checking all measurements as weight measures, not volume - no tablespoons of oils... oz or grams are best. And especially when starting out, at least 3-5% SF or more. Gives you a safety margin, and also makes a nicer bar usually, unless you're making laundry soap.

Might also be getting some ash, which is the white stuff on the surface that washes away when you use it.

 

[Lynnz]

I tend to think this is an steric issue I have seen this in my soaps and had a soapy friend that bought her supplies from the same company have the same issue. This was resolved by melting down the palm and stirring the jebbies out of it then allowing it to reset.

 

[Dahila]

Thanks will melt down palm and steer the jebbies out of it)