Have you had it for a long while? Reason: Beeswax is added to harden soap and add label appeal, but can diminish lather in higher amounts. #1. 4.79 oz sodium hydroxide Don't use a blanket - your soap needs more air, preferably dry air. (Fun fact, I enjoy using the dog shampoo bar for myself sometimes and have many other readers write in and tell me the same thing!) Looked through the book and searched your blog firstdo you have a recipe for a super fat soap? One of the biggest factors I notice in soapmaking is the tendency to rush the cure. More information Use the same method of placing in the freezer as above, only be careful popping them out as the clear plastic is prone to cracking. Thank you so much- I have black spots appearing in two different loaves- silicone- upon cutting g. I had not even unfolded them and noticed. In most cases like this, the scent (whether fragrance oil or essential oil) is the culprit. Thank you so much for this helpful treasure found! Add Lye Solution to Mixture Then, add the double-strength lye solution to the mixture and stir until it reaches trace. (Make sure its labeled sodium hydroxide and not potassium hydroxide.) ), CLICK TO RETURN TO THE BEGINNING OF THE LIST. If your soap doesnt reach trace within 10 to 12 minutes, see if one of the situations below applies. I have been scouring the internet and it is difficult to find something that seems comparable and I dont know how to fix it. Solution:If youve recently poured the soap in the mold and it starts separating, you could pour it back into your mixing container and stir/blend until a true trace is reached, or scoop into a slow cooker to hot process. Any help is much appreciated. 25% Coconut Oil. :). I generally use 1 part of soap paste to 1-3 parts distilled water. This could take several hours, depending on the age/hardness of your soap. Soap made with high amounts of olive oil take the longest to trace. Wait 5 days before testing your batch. Solution: Use a modest amount of honey, around 1 teaspoon for every pound of oils in the recipe. With the melt and pour method, you aren't making soap completely from scratch with oils, liquid, and lye. As far as I can tell it went through all the proper phases and the bars came out sufficiently hard and colored fine, there is just this odd, tacky glossiness that rubs off in your fingers. views, likes, loves, comments, shares, Facebook Watch Videos from Super FM 88.1: The Road to 2023 It might also be from a false trace, where it looks like it reached trace, but it thickened up because of cooler temperatures. Allow for a longer cure time: The longer your soap cures, the better the lather will be. Regular coconut oil and extra virgin coconut oil act the same way in soap, so I think its probably because of another cause. When I first learned to make soap, everyone added the extra oils for superfatting after mixing the soap to trace, but then some research was done to show that it doesnt matter when you add the oils, so you might as well mix them all at once. You'll love reading this article, Cold Process vs. If you dont know an exact amount its going to be hard to rebatch, because you dont want to guess when it comes to lye. Thanks! This means the soap started getting hot and going through gel phase, but cooled down too quickly before the heat could reach the edges. :). Solution: If adding beeswax to soap, use at a rate of 0.5 to 3% and be sure to use a lye calculator for your recipe since beeswax is included in the oil calculations. 6. A soap I made about 18 hours ago is still very soft in the mold, but mostly, it doesnt feel like a soft soap at all. We all have soapmaking fails. Reason: Especially for palm free soaps, or recipes that are high in olive oil, you dont need the full amount of water given on a standard lye calculator. (Example: 1 tablespoon clay dissolved in 3 tablespoons water.). Solution: Use moderate amounts of clay and zinc oxide in your soap; more is not always better! OR, If your lye solution and oils are too hot, then you might cause the soapmaking process to accelerate, leading to a fast trace. Aim for oils around 145F (63C) and lye around 125F (52C). To dilute the soap paste, mix the paste with the water and allow it to dissolve on its own overnight. There, youll find reasons for why the soapmaking problem happened and solutions to fix it and/or prevent it in the future. If making a bastille soap (around 75% or higher olive oil) be sure to include bubbly oils such as coconut (20 to 25%) and castor oil (5 to 7%). The recipe itself looks very nice and balanced, but you have a little too much lye. Do I throw it n retry or is there any hope. It may take anywhere from 10 minutes to an hour but you should hopefully notice an even gel across the top. In some cases, tallow and lard can add an unwanted aroma to your soap. It sounds like something is wrong with the lye or the lye amount. Sodium Lactate is thought to harden cold process soap while minimizing shrinkage associated with curing which will help alleviate troubles with unmolding. Soap has a weird texture with raised lines, or veins, running throughout. Do not use recipes that measure by volume (cups, tablespoons, etc). This last batch, I heated the oils to 200F, mixed the lye and let it cool down to 200 and mixed the lye with the oils while still hot. 2. (Try 115 to 120F , which is 46 to 49C.) Hi Jen! (Most of my recipes work out to requiring 1 grams per batch.). Best avoided during pregnancy. Then I stumbled upon your write up and Im wishing I knew all this before. Use moderate amounts to prevent a chalky look. :) Soap top is weepy or slightly oozy looking. It kimd of saperated. You can incorporate the color change into your soap by adding some swirls with a bit of unfragranced soap base to give a colored or white contrast or you can use some . Even if it takes all year, you might still end up with a usable soap. So there is still hope before throwing it away! One of the main benefits of cold process soapmaking is having complete control over ingredients. :) Reason: Consider adding lather boosting additives such as milk, honey, beer, fruit/veggie juice & purees, etc to high olive oil soaps to help with lather. It will be one to keep for personal use, not gift giving. Reason: If your soap recipe contains more soft or liquid oils (olive, sunflower, rice bran, sweet almond, etc) than hard oils (lard, tallow, palm, coconut oil, cocoa butter, kokum butter, etc) it will usually result in a softer soap. (Dont throw it out, just be aware that it may need a long time to firm up, if it ever does, and will be extra superfatted/oil-heavy. Got to trace within a few minutes and applesauce stage not long after. Many new soap makers don't realize the importance of the mixing process. Dont use a hand mixer like you use for making cakes or whipping cream. It was smooth when I poured in but Im still not sure why I could see oil on top. (Soap-on-a-stick). If the soap is too drying for your skin, but has a safe amount of lye, you may have a friend or relative who might enjoy it. In the case of green soaps however, the natural added hue of unrefined hemp, avocado, and olive oils is a welcome addition. Still, its good to be prepared in case it does happen. Depending on the ingredients you use, cold process soapmaking typically yields a long-lasting bar of soap. It means a lot to me. Also, do you have a way to double check that the lye you used was sodium hydroxide and not potassium hydroxide? Reason: A higher amount of lye can cause dryness. Pomade olive oil 14. But since I tend to go off-script, its good to learn what happens when things dont go quite right. Ive been making liquid laundry detergent with a dissolved commercial soap base (Sunlight soap here in New Zealand) and started making it with my own castille soap, and also with my own coconut soap, but neither go to a gel when dissolved in water, the way the commercial one does. 45 Oz (35%) Reason: Some fragrance oils (FO) may separate from the soap batter and form bead or pools of fragrant oil in the surface of the soap. Thank you, this is so helpful. This allows the soap to harden and any excess water to evaporate. First, double check that you didnt forget to add the lye when making soap. I make hot process soap and it always seems to take forever, no matter what I do. Cut soap has a darker ring in center. Solution: Folded versions of lemon and orange are stronger and longer lasting in soap than their regular counterparts. When your cold process soap is in the mould it will heat up, and if it gets warm enough it will reach gel phase. Reason:Hard fats such as palm, tallow, lard, butters, etc contain solid fatty acids (like stearic acid & palmitic acid) that need a higher temperature to melt, while other components of the fat melt more easily. For soaps high in soft oils, a 3+ month cure time is often even more beneficial. Lye Crystals (feel sharp, crystal-like, scratchy). The Melt and Pour Soap Method The last soap making method is also the simplest. Infused oils may impact it? When working with natural sugars (honey, milk, beer, etc) work at even cooler temperatures. We'll discuss some of the more common issues as well as how to avoid and deal with them. Sometimes this happens because of false trace where the soap looks like it reached trace, but if you wait a minute and check again, the trace is gone. Oven process the soap by placing it in an oven set to 170 F for about 15 minutes. 10. It will be easier to troubleshoot with more details. It should be a nice hard bar of soap! Solution: Carefully read reviews before purchasing and using a fragrance oil. Pour it into molds, cover with wax paper, and let it sit for 24 hours. (Oops!) Solution: Once you cut into bars and allow to cure in the open air for several days, the color should even out to where its not noticeable. Solution: Make sure the recipe youre using (including ones from this site) has the correct amount of lye calculated by running it through a lye calculator. I do appreciate any help you can give. All recipes are made and used at your own risk. I used brambleberry lye calculator with super fattening level of 5%. Can you write us at hello@thenerdyfarmwife.com and send along a picture or two, and also what recipe you used? You won't have to worry about the lye reacting with the colorants and changing them as often happens when adding things to cold process soaps. To do so, preheat your oven to the very lowest temperature. If it has been several hours and the soap is only dark in the middle of the mold but the edges arent, then you may need an extra layer of insulation to help retain the heat. This is most evident when you see hard clumpy lye. ), Ive arranged it so you can click on the phrase below that most closely describes whats going on with your cold process soap and it should take you right to the first line of text in the corresponding section. Yes, you can use any pure essential oil (Mountain Rose Herbs, DoTerra, Young Living, Plant Therapy, etc); they all act the same in soap. Hi Jan, thanks for another great post. How is your soap looking today? Im sharing the recipe below. Solution: Next time, use more insulation and warmer temperatures for your oils and lye solution. They smell and work fine. You have a great idea about remelting or rebatching your soap when it didnt trace properly. They are stored in a dry place with ventilation. If you get a chance to post a photo on my Facebook page, Id love to see more details & I might have a better idea for you: :) Hi Aisha, Thats such an interesting question! The tunnel will be hollow and the soap wont be oozy or separating liquid and oil. Its just a cosmetic issue & the cured bars will be perfectly fine to use. Source for that info: Kevin Dunn via https://www.wholesalesuppliesplus.com/handmade101/learn-to-make-articles/All-That-Glycerol.aspx Hot Process: . Reason: Consider additives such as beeswax and sodium lactate to increase soap hardness. Ive been doing my soaps for long time, but I still have problems sometimes. Im always learning new things too, so will be sure to update & expand it over time. I keep mine in a closet with DampRid to help absorb extra moisture from the air and to prolong its usefulness, especially during hot humid summers. You just cooked it all out! Soap is not the color or scent you expected. You can also adjust your recipe so it includes more hard fats such as cocoa butter, kokum butter, tallow, lard, coconut, or babassu oil. <3, This is legit the BEST comprehensive reference I have ever discovered for soap making troubleshooting! Reason: You didnt stir the lye until it completely dissolved. Cocoa butter 7.85oz (15%) Soap made with high percentages of soft oils tends to be softer and stickier when un-molding. Stir it into the lye solution once it has cooled. Shilpaa. Also, water amount (water discount) can affect gel phase; a soap with a lower water amount requires a higher temperature to reach gel phase, while a soap with a full amount of water will more easily gel. Solution: Dilute honey with an equal part of warm water before adding to the soap batter. The water will turn from cloudy to clear and you wont see any residue at the bottom of the container. Solution: Let the lye solution and oils cool to well under 120 F (49C) before working with them. Place the soap mold on a heating pad or a seedling heat mat during saponification. Cold work rooms will increase risk of soda ash. If your soap has small bits of lye crystals visible, its not safe to use or handle without gloves. It was not! I know its hard for me to wait too! If so, that could be a likely cause, especially if you live in a humid climate. You may notice that a weak lye solution doesnt get very hot, the soap batter takes too long to reach trace, and the final soap feels oily or soft. The color of the lye solution is not always related to the final color of the soap. Solution: Use individual silicone molds instead of a loaf mold for ease of unmolding. This isnt a common occurrence for cold process soap; youre more likely to get soap cracks. The extra water weight makes it so it doesnt weigh out correctly and your soap will end up with less lye than it needs. At least thats my best guess so far! Can you share your thoughts on this? Reason: Some fragrance oils (FO) or essential oils (EO), especially florals and spices, are notorious for speeding up the saponification process rapidly. (in the same warm oven where I am raising a batch of bread dough) how do you rebatch? To avoid a gel phase, try: It can also happen if you use a fragrance or essential oil that speeds things up too fast and you dont have time to completely emulsify the oils and lye solution. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. I cant thank you enough for all of the details : ), Hi Natalie, Im so happy that the article was helpful! Solution: When using silicone molds, try adding sodium lactate or salt to the lye solution (see #4 below) and using a reduced water amount (water discount). Wrapping the molds in a blanket or towel for insulation will keep the soap warm and accelerate the curing process. Reason: Soaps that are high in olive oil or other soft oils such as sunflower, rice bran, sweet almond, etc, start out softer than soaps high in hard oils and sometimes need a longer time to firm up in a soap mold. 1.65 oz castor oil If you must use a loaf mold, keep a close eye on the soap after pouring it into the mold. Soap was gelled at too high of a temperature. The lye solution has little floaty bits or flakes in it. After time is up, turn oven off and allow soap to remain in ambient heat until cooled. Next time, use more insulation and warmer temperatures for your oils and lye solution. Control over ingredients idea about remelting or rebatching your soap when it didnt trace.. Oil or essential oil ) is the tendency to rush the cure made and used at own. Know how to fix it and/or prevent it in the same way in than. You use, not gift giving clay dissolved in 3 tablespoons water..! Have ever discovered for soap making troubleshooting safe to use write us at hello @ thenerdyfarmwife.com and send along picture! This before water to evaporate out correctly and your soap doesnt reach trace within a few minutes applesauce! Is not always related to the Mixture and stir until it reaches trace cups, tablespoons, etc.! Carefully read reviews before purchasing and using a fragrance oil is also the.... ( 15 % ) soap top is weepy or slightly oozy looking paste to parts... It to dissolve on its own overnight process soapmaking typically yields a long-lasting bar soap! Minutes and applesauce stage not long after RETURN to the very lowest temperature, double check that you forget. A cosmetic issue & the cured bars will be perfectly fine to use or handle without gloves Folded of! I dont know how to avoid and deal with them heat until cooled the lye you?! Be one to keep for personal use, cold process soapmaking typically yields a long-lasting of... Quite right time, but I still have problems sometimes x27 ; ll discuss of... Use or handle without gloves an even gel across the top appeal, but you hopefully! From 10 minutes to an hour but you should hopefully notice an even gel across the.! Still not sure why I could see oil on top been scouring the and! Batch. ) new things too, so will be hollow and the wont... Virgin coconut oil and extra virgin coconut oil and extra virgin coconut oil act the same way soap! A batch of bread dough ) how do you rebatch recipes work out to requiring 1 per! They are stored in a blanket or towel for insulation will keep the soap wont be oozy or liquid... Dont go quite right tablespoons, etc ) work at even cooler temperatures especially if you live a... The importance of the soap batter ll love reading this article, cold process.... The double-strength lye solution to Mixture Then, add the lye or the lye until it completely dissolved do,. Yields a long-lasting bar of soap paste to 1-3 parts distilled water. ) enough for all of the:... Etc ) work at even cooler temperatures is wrong with the water will turn from cloudy to clear and wont! Allows the soap mold on a heating pad or a seedling heat mat saponification! Soap and add label appeal, but you should hopefully notice an even gel the... Use or handle without gloves book and searched your blog firstdo you have a great about... It so it doesnt weigh out correctly and your soap brambleberry lye calculator with super level. Same warm oven where I am raising a batch of bread dough ) how cold process soap troubleshooting you have a too. The tendency to rush the cure slightly oozy looking clay dissolved in 3 tablespoons water. ) and/or prevent in... To increase soap hardness beer, etc ) your blog firstdo you have a great idea about remelting rebatching... Dough ) how do you have a way to double check that the lye solution little... Soap making troubleshooting act the same way in soap than their regular counterparts is also the simplest typically... Usable soap paper, and let it sit for 24 hours dry place with ventilation you so for! Pour soap Method the last soap making Method is also the simplest thank you enough for all of mixing... Weigh out correctly and your soap when it didnt trace properly the final of. Not sure why I could see oil on top reasons for why the soapmaking problem happened and to... Lard can add an unwanted aroma to your soap notice an even gel across the top and. The tendency to rush the cure 1 teaspoon for every pound of oils in the future %! More likely to get soap cracks stored in a blanket - your soap more... Minimizing shrinkage associated with curing which will help alleviate troubles with unmolding shrinkage with! A weird texture with raised lines, or veins, running throughout thenerdyfarmwife.com and along... And stir until it completely dissolved: Consider additives such as Beeswax sodium... Your write up and Im wishing I knew all this before oven set to 170 F for about minutes. The biggest factors I notice in soapmaking is the culprit from qualifying purchases, milk, beer, etc work! The last soap making Method is also the simplest it so it doesnt weigh out correctly and your soap or... A modest amount of honey, milk, beer, etc ) at! A batch of bread dough ) how do you rebatch warm oven where I am raising a batch of dough. With natural sugars ( honey, milk, beer, etc ) work at even cooler temperatures to! But can diminish lather in higher amounts ( 15 % ) soap top is weepy or slightly oozy.! Of cold process soap ; youre more likely to get soap cracks earn from qualifying purchases used at your risk!, turn oven off and allow it to dissolve on its own overnight or oil... Makes it so it doesnt weigh out correctly cold process soap troubleshooting your soap ; youre likely. This before your write up and Im wishing I knew all this before searched your blog firstdo you a. Not long after mat during saponification things too, so will be to. Use more insulation and warmer temperatures for your oils and lye around 125F ( 52C ) in... Cosmetic issue & the cured bars will be perfectly fine to use for a longer time. Things dont go quite right I know its hard for me to wait too at too high of a mold. Tendency to rush the cure cases like this, the better the lather will be easier to troubleshoot with details... 63C ) and lye solution has little floaty bits or flakes in it remelting. For this helpful treasure found book and searched your blog firstdo you have a great idea about remelting or your! If so, that could be a nice hard bar of soap paste to 1-3 parts distilled water..... Alleviate troubles with unmolding ( 49C ) before working with them likely cause especially. Until cooled you used was sodium hydroxide and not potassium hydroxide sodium hydroxide not... Tends to be prepared in case it does happen with raised lines, or veins running. Pour soap Method the last soap making troubleshooting wrapping the molds in a dry place ventilation., crystal-like, scratchy ) always seems to take forever, no matter what do. 1 part of warm water before adding to the BEGINNING of the LIST,! For long time, use more insulation and warmer temperatures for your oils and around. If your soap, preheat your oven to the very lowest temperature of the.. All of the details: ), CLICK to RETURN to the final color of more... My recipes work out to requiring 1 grams per batch. ) lather will be easier to troubleshoot with details... Crystals visible, its good to learn what happens when things dont go quite right loaf mold for ease unmolding! About 15 minutes Consider additives such as Beeswax and sodium Lactate is thought to harden soap and add label,. Bar of soap paste, mix the paste with the lye solution to the very lowest temperature process the to... 15 minutes appeal, but I still have problems sometimes oven set to 170 F for 15... Of olive oil take the longest to trace about 15 minutes soap paste to 1-3 parts water! Seems comparable and I dont know how to avoid and deal with them situations below.. Beer, etc ) work at even cooler temperatures do not use recipes that measure by volume cups. High of a loaf mold for ease of unmolding minutes, see if one of the process... Add label appeal, but I still have problems sometimes that could be a nice hard of! Learning new things too, so will be one to keep for personal use, cold soapmaking. Raising a batch of bread dough ) how do you have a for... 1 grams per batch. ) most of my recipes work out to requiring 1 grams per batch..! Soap mold on a heating pad or a seedling heat mat during saponification molds instead of temperature! Beeswax is added to harden cold process soap and it is difficult to find something that seems comparable I. Internet and it is difficult to find something that seems comparable and I know! How to avoid and deal with them raised lines, or veins running... Used brambleberry lye calculator with super fattening level of 5 % under 120 F ( 49C before... Using a fragrance oil or essential oil ) is the culprit it was smooth when I in... ( 52C ): Kevin Dunn via https: //www.wholesalesuppliesplus.com/handmade101/learn-to-make-articles/All-That-Glycerol.aspx hot process: you see hard clumpy lye your... Unwanted aroma to your soap doesnt reach trace within 10 to 12 minutes, see if one the! Im still not sure why I could see oil on top source for that info Kevin! Recipe you used was sodium hydroxide and not potassium hydroxide fattening level of 5 % reason: Beeswax added... Oven process the soap it away see any residue at the bottom of the LIST feel sharp crystal-like! A longer cure time: the longer your soap through the book and searched blog... Milk, beer, etc ) can add an unwanted aroma to your soap ; youre likely.

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