Idiot move adding fragrance

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bathgeek

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I have a bar-height table I use, but because I have issues with stick blending at bar height, I've recently (last week) added a lower regular-height table. They are on opposite sides of the room, because that's how the traffic flow in the room works, so when I work at one table the other one is at my back. (Can you see where this is going?)

So there I am making an 8-lb batch (Trying to pump up inventory ahead of Christmas). It's a simple two-color layer with a fragrance that accelerates but not a lot. I've got four 2-lb loaf molds in front of me ready to go. My fragrance has been pre-separated into two little containers, one of which also contains the mica I will use. The mica is pre-mixed, and I leave the two containers on the bar height counter like I've always done.

My lye was pre-batched, so I weigh out my oil on the low table, put in lye mixture, SB to light trace. I pour my uncolored bit out into my separate pitcher and SB it a bit more, then pour it into the molds. I turn to the remaining half, reach for my mica, and freeze, because DAMMIT I DIDN'T FRAGRANCE THE UNCOLORED BIT.

What I should have done was pour the soap out of all four molds into a container, whisk in the fragrance, and then re-pour. (I should have!!! I know better!!!)

What I did was pour the fragrance into the soap in the molds, whisk them by running the whisk up and down the mold a bit, and then proceed, because acceleration waits for no one.

Well, yesterday I unmolded and cursed. The colored portion was fine, but the uncolored portion... experienced soapers can guess what happened. Now I have 8 lbs of soap sitting in my rebatch pail. I'm not a happy camper right now. Just wanted to vent, this is what happens when I take shortcuts I KNOW I shouldn't take. >_<

I'm forcing myself to hand grate the rebatch soap to teach myself a lesson. And of course, the fragrance oils are now on the LOW table before I start pouring lye mixtures.
 
For us inexperienced soapers, what happens?


It was weirdly oily in parts, and glycerin rivers abounded. It was NOT pretty and I know that if I used the soap I'd probably get fragrance concentrations in spots. Not a good idea as it would well exceed INCI/MSDS safety guidelines/standards.

I often wonder what you're supposed to do if you forget fragrance.:think:

For me, either live with it being unfragranced, or try to pour it all back into a container to stick blend or whisk with the fragrance. I should have just left it unfragranced as hypoallergenic soap is my thing and the lack of fragrance is actually a selling point for my "more sensitive" soap. (I have unfragranced AND uncolored soap for the really allergic.)
 
Cellador, I would think that IF you did not use the max percentage of fragrance in the total weight of the batch, having a part without it, just would have an area unscented, and not much damage done. But as long as the uncolored is not huge part of it.

Bathgeek, you can always rebatch! And pictures please!
 
I had to chuckle, Bathgeek, as I could picture it perfectly! It's these kinds of goof ups that make us remember more clearly next time. I bet you think of this episode every time you make that particular scent from now to eternity! (and you probably won't smell it with fond memories, lol).
 
Bathgeek, you can always rebatch! And pictures please!


Ack, I was so ashamed of it that I chopped it all up immediately so that the evidence was destroyed. >_< I started rebatching it and have only gotten through three rebatched loaves so far. Even though it was 8lbs of CP soap, it's working out to be a lot more when rebatched, go figure. Pretty sure I'm adding too much water. There is still so much to grate. >_<

I had to chuckle, Bathgeek, as I could picture it perfectly! It's these kinds of goof ups that make us remember more clearly next time. I bet you think of this episode every time you make that particular scent from now to eternity! (and you probably won't smell it with fond memories, lol).


LOL! It's one of my favorites, warm vanilla sugar. (I accept the discoloration and incorporate it into the bar design.) The 4-lb batch I made the day before this disaster turned out perfectly, so no horrible association, thank goodness. I'm usually very methodical and make sure everything is in place before I begin, but the change in my workflow has discombobulated me for sure. Lesson learned, and hey, no injuries sustained except to my pride! ^_^
 
LOL! It's one of my favorites, warm vanilla sugar. (I accept the discoloration and incorporate it into the bar design.) The 4-lb batch I made the day before this disaster turned out perfectly, so no horrible association, thank goodness. I'm usually very methodical and make sure everything is in place before I begin, but the change in my workflow has discombobulated me for sure. Lesson learned, and hey, no injuries sustained except to my pride! ^_^

I totally understand about the workflow! A couple of years ago my hubby remodeled my daughter's old bedroom into my soap kitchen when she permanently moved away from home. It's exactly the opposite (right to left and front to back) from the way I was working in my food kitchen. Boy was that hard to adapt to! For the first couple of months I had to think hard about what I needed and where it was. Probably took me twice the time to make a batch of soap than it did before. Now I don't have to plan set up, soaping, clean up, and removal between meals so it was a good trade!
 
I have to ask why you did not pour the fragrance into the remaining batter and pour. Many times, usually due to color issues, I do not fragrance an entire batch of soap batter and many times I only fragrance half of it with my full amount of fragrance.
 
I have to ask why you did not pour the fragrance into the remaining batter and pour. Many times, usually due to color issues, I do not fragrance an entire batch of soap batter and many times I only fragrance half of it with my full amount of fragrance.


It would have exceeded safety, I was already at 3% and the remaining soap was a smaller portion than the uncolored base. I also admit that I thought I could get the better of the soap... but of course, it never works that way... XD
 
It would have exceeded safety, I was already at 3% and the remaining soap was a smaller portion than the uncolored base. I also admit that I thought I could get the better of the soap... but of course, it never works that way... XD
It would be fine if you were pouring onto the uncolored batter. Soap mixes with water which dilutes it and mixes it all together. So if all four molds received the colored batter with fo you would have been fine. Many times I fragrance only half my batter with full fragrance
 
It would be fine if you were pouring onto the uncolored batter. Soap mixes with water which dilutes it and mixes it all together. So if all four molds received the colored batter with fo you would have been fine. Many times I fragrance only half my batter with full fragrance



Even if it is a layered soap, not swirled? Somehow it's hard for me to wrap my head around that. I'll have to try this if I make this mistake again!
 
I agree with Carolyn. It's the overall fragrance dosage in the whole soap that you want to keep below the safety level. You bathe with the whole bar, not just the swirly bits (or whatever part has the scent).

My trouble is that when I put all of the fragrance in just part of the soap, that much scent can be too much for the soap to handle. With the one discoloring FO I use, for example, I've found if I go over 6% in any part of the soap, some of that FO will weep out later. It's unattractive. So if you're using a high dosage, you may have to experiment a bit to see how much fragrance you can put in the soap before it causes problems.

If I'm adding 6% FO to half of the soap and the other half is unscented, then the total scent dosage in the ENTIRE soap is half of that -- or 3%. That's well within the safety guidelines for my particular FO.

I hope I"m making sense -- I'm only halfway through my first cuppa coffee and I'm feeling rather hazy headed. ;)
 
You both make sense, and thank you! I'd never thought to try that. Now I might have to do this on purpose!

So I accidentally forgot my fragrance in my base again (sigh, I have to get a system down or move the darned table to stop forgetting). This time I poured it all into the remaining half. Whoa, acceleration... at least it was somewhat pliable, so I could still squish it into molds. Looked fine when I cut it. Thanks for the help!
 
Several people have mentioned that they set their FO right in the empty mold so they will see it before pouring. That might help :)



Hah! You know what, I will try that. Anything to stop doing this. XD Thanks!
 
It's a nice thought, but it's an accelerator, I want as much time as possible and it starts solidifying as soon as the fragrance hits.
 
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