CP problem with a batch

[apsuhos]

Hello there..

I am new to soap making. I have already tried 2-3 times to make soap and I really enjoy it. Yesterday, I tried to make a soap using:

Water: 12.710ounces or 360gr
Lye(NaOH: 5.007ounces or 142gr
Olive oil: 17.037ounces or 483gr
Coconut oil: 10.563ounces or 300gr
Palm oil: 6.474ounces or 184gr

I blended the water-NaOH solution with the oils at 31.8celcius or 89.24 Fahrenheit

The trace was good and everything looked great..

I poured the soap into the mold, used a blanket around the mold and waited..

(The weather where I live is quite warm during this period, 25-28 celcius (77-82 Fahrenheit). Did I do ok with the blanket?)

After 20 hours or so, I was anxious about the result so I took a peek. This was the result.







The problem is located at the middle of the mold. Can you explain to me what went wrong?

 

[Susie]

It overheated. That's all. The soap will be fine, just not the prettiest. If you trim off the top, no one will ever know(except all of us that saw the pics ). Go ahead and cut it. Remember that gel starts at the center and goes to the outside, so the center gets hotter than the outer edges that can shed heat.

Oh, and welcome to the addiction!

 

[navigator9]

My guess is that your soap may have over heated. Sometimes this can result in the top of the soap looking like "brains", giving it that ripply appearance. This is only an esthetic problem, there is nothing wrong with the soap. It looks like you have some soda ash, also, the white, dusty layer on top of the soap (at least it looks that way in the photo). This is also not a problem, and will wash away with the first use. If you dislike either of these, they can be cut away, but there is nothing at all wrong with the soap. Please post a pic when you unmold and cut it. It looks like you will have some lovely soap.

 

[seven]

i had a castile looking like that before. it's purely aesthetic. i insulated while using a silicone mold. a bit overkill me thinks, since i also live in a tropical climate. the rest of the soap is fine, only the top is a bit ugly.

 

[Obsidian]

I think the top is pretty cool looking and once its cut, will look like any other texturing.

 

[lsg]

I like the top too. I would just unmold it and cut it. It looks like it did overheat, but as others have stated, that won't hurt the quality of your soap.

 

[Seawolfe]

I think its pretty, and will add a nice bit of texture on top when you cut.

I've found that learning when to bundle the soap up and when to try to keep it cool is a bit of a moving target that depends on the recipe, the type of mold that I'm using, how hot or cool I soaped at, any additives (especially any with sugars), the room temperature etc... Its a bit of a zen thing trying to figure out what the soap wants

 

[Candybee]

I agree. When you cut your soap up you may find you like the textured tops. A good way to reduce ash is to keep the soap wrapped up for a day or two until it fully saponifies. Otherwise if you uncover it too early it can get oxidation which will cause ash on the outer layer.

Did you run your recipe through a soap calculator? Its on the high end of cleansing (21). You could get a milder soap by simply splitting the coconut oil and palm oil into equal amounts. You also have a 3% superfat. If you run your recipe through soapcalc it defaults to 5% superfat and that will also give you a milder soap. But if you like it just ignore my advice. Some folks like a more cleansing bar. I prefer a much milder bar.

 

[apsuhos]

Thank you for your feedback all! I truly appreciate it..

I cut my soap just minutes ago and the results disappointed me..







I tried the very same recipe a few months earlier and the visual result was quite different. If you say that I overheated it then probably that is the reason I got this soap. I will let it cure, and I will post any differences I may notice!

Tomorrow I plan on making another batch using the same recipe. What is your advise on bundling up the soap? The room temperature is approximately 28celcius(82.4Fahrenheit). Should I use a towel? A blanket? Should I just cover the top of the mold and leave it like that?

@Seawolfe

I've found that learning when to bundle the soap up and when to try to keep it cool is a bit of a moving target that depends on the recipe, the type of mold that I'm using, how hot or cool I soaped at, any additives (especially any with sugars), the room temperature etc... Its a bit of a zen thing trying to figure out what the soap wants

I guess that is why it is addictive.. So many parameters to think of while trying for the best result.

@Candybee

Did you run your recipe through a soap calculator?

Yes I did. I just forgot to mention it. It was superfatted by 3%

 

[Seawolfe]

Aw its pretty! Why dont you like it?

I would say just a light breathable cover over the top to keep the dust off, that's what I do when its warm anyways. My soap gels quite happily on its own in the summer. I tend to put the lid on my wooden mold sooner than on my silicone mold just because the wood breathes better.

I have basically embraced ash as evidence of my handcrafted shabby chic vibe, but if it bugs me I just haul the bars into the bathroom for a little wash up with a mesh bath scrubby.

 

[Obsidian]

I too have to wonder why you are disappointed? It looks like a nice soap that went through a complete gel.

 

[jules92207]

That is going to be a great bar, looks awesome!