Why does the top of my soap look like this?

Rahil · Jul 5, 2020

My soap contains sugar that I tried to melt into oils. I think I put too much because it didn't dissolve all the way. It also contains black seeds and activated charcoal. I've used the soap and there wasn't any bad reactions so I don't think it's lye, but what is it? Or is it lye?

jcandleattic · Jul 5, 2020

Looks like ash to me. You can do a search on ash and get a lot of information on what it is exactly

Arimara · Jul 5, 2020

Sugar doesn't really melts onto oils. You needed water to dissolve sugar.

cmzaha · Jul 5, 2020

As I answered in another one of your posts, sugar is water-soluble not oil-soluble. Dissolve it in water before adding to your batter.

dibbles · Jul 6, 2020

Yep - sugar won't dissolve in the oils. I take some of my batch water and dissolve the sugar in that, then add the water with dissolved sugar back in before adding the lye. I agree it looks like a bit of ash on the top.