Orange EO soap issues

sweetbean · Apr 24, 2017

Can someone please "diagnose" my soap? I soaped at a lower temp this time (around 100 degrees), and stuck the soap in the fridge to try to prevent gel.

I have soda ash that's formed on the top and sides of the soap. I've read soda ash can form within soap, but not entirely sure that's what this is.

Any help or guidance would be great. Passes the zap test.

ImageUploadedBySoap Making1493051624.729555.jpg

Saponomancer · Apr 24, 2017

It looks like partial gel to me!

sweetbean · Apr 24, 2017

Yeah, I think it partially gelled too, but I wasn't sure about the white "streaks." Could that be soda ash? Or just a product from partial gel?

kchaystack · Apr 24, 2017

That looks like ash forming on the cut face of the soap.

Since you soaped cool and put it in the refrigerator, you slowed down the saponification. So there was still small amounts of unreacted lye present when you unmolded and cut the soap. This has reacted to the CO2 in the air and formed ash.

sweetbean · Apr 24, 2017

Thank you! Would you recommend leaving it in the fridge longer? Or still taking it out but waiting to cut it? I'd like to try and prevent the partial gel and so much ash from forming.

I didn't think of it behaving slower since it was refrigerated, so I really appreciate it!

lsg · Apr 24, 2017

I put my milk/cream-based soap or soap that tend to heat up in the freezer for a few days. This usually prevents partial gel or full gel. I have had partial gel after using just the refrigerator.

kchaystack · Apr 24, 2017

Well I do not see partial gel myself. preventing ash... that is one of the unicorns of soap making. Gelling soap will help prevent it. Covering tightly to prevent air from getting to it until the soap finished saponification... most of us have just learned to live with it and wash it off before we wrap/gift the soap.

Orange EO soap issues

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