Gel phase question?

[suzysoaping]

Plucked up the courage to do cold process soap this morning.
The soap is going through gel phase now.

I used a lovely purple mica, but just went for a sneek peek and there are unsightly brown/ orange fine lines.

Is this part of the gel phase? Or have i done something wrong?

Also when is best to zap test? Is it after gel phase?


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[AlchemyandAshes]

Where are these brown/orange fine lines? On the top of the soap? Does it look like reflections off the mica?

You want to zap test after you unmold...after the soap returns to a solid state following (hours after) the gel phase.

 

[suzysoaping]

I haven't unmolded it yet but its on the top (im using a loaf silicone mold). there is definitely a natural heat coming off the soap as its very warm.

I've seen many pictures online as to what the gel phase should look like, but im not 100% sure this has even gone to a gel like consistency!!
Even though i did cool down the temps b4 i brought to trace. These unsightly lines just make me wonder, have i done something wrong!!

 

[green soap]

When the soaps go trough gel they get warm and appear to liquify again, even after thick trace. What you describe sounds all normal. The gelling makes the colors darker. It will harden fine after it cools down.

Sometimes the tops look not as nice as we like, but after the soap is cut all is well. Just let it go trough the whole process, cut it and decide. Patience is a quality that we all learn from making soap.

I would recommend no color or scent, or any additives for someone's first soap. This way you can experience the whole process without additives, as additives (colors, scents, honey, etc) sometimes have an effect. I have never used mica so I cannot help there.

 

[suzysoaping]

When the soaps go trough gel they get warm and appear to liquify again, even after thick trace. What you describe sounds all normal. The gelling makes the colors darker. It will harden fine after it cools down.

Sometimes the tops look not as nice as we like, but after the soap is cut all is well. Just let it go trough the whole process, cut it and decide. Patience is a quality that we all learn from making soap.

I would recommend no color or scent, or any additives for someone's first soap. This way you can experience the whole process without additives, as additives (colors, scents, honey, etc) sometimes have an effect. I have never used mica so I cannot help there.

Ok thank you

I did a huge amount of research. But as a first timer i don't expect my first batch to be 100% perfect.

Hopefully by tomorrow all will be well and i have achieved my first batch of cp soap hassle free

 

[xyxoxy]

You really won't know what your final soap will look like for at least a couple of days. Depending on oils, additives, fragrances etc the soap can change colors drastically as it goes through gel phase and then more as it cures. That's why it's best to avoid the temptation to peek every few minutes though that is hard to resist in the beginning. And even once the soap seems to have finished and doesn't zap, it could still change significantly as it cures. A good example is the way vanilla scents can cause a white bar to turn dark brown within a couple of weeks. And most botanicals will turn brown no matter what you do. Purple can also be a little difficult to get the desired color... I find I have to use a lot more than with other colorants.

 

[suzysoaping]

I suppose its all about time and patience, for the final results you need to get a good bar of soap.

I can tell this is going to become another addiction as melt & pour is lol

Tomorrow i will unmold and cut to see what we have inside the soap too

Hopefully tomorrow or in a few days i will have the desired effect and look im wishing for.

Thank you so much for your help

 

[judymoody]

It's possible that your mica may not be soap stable and will morph into a different color as a result of the saponification process.

The only way to tell for sure is to wait!

 

[Hausfrau007]

There's no reason to think you're not going to get a perfect soap, little Suzy. You've done your research, you've taken the plunge, and good for you for trying some colors. I bet when you unmold, you're going to love it. For me, the hard part is the wait!!!

 

[suzysoaping]

Unmolded and did zap test. All seems well.

Tested a little bit and its lovely creamy and lathery, just what i wanted.
But i guess im stuck with this other yucky brownish colour.

Never mind, its a good effort for a first attempt.

Thank you ladies for your help

 

[AlchemyandAshes]

Yay! Glad it worked out for you! :clap:

 

[suzysoaping]

Yay! Glad it worked out for you! :clap:

Thank you

 

[Hausfrau007]

You know, the color might still change as the soap cures. There's really no way to tell until a few weeks from now.

 

[suzysoaping]

If it changes at all during the cure process i'm not really fussed now.

So long as i end up with a good final end result i will be happy

But thanks for letting me know. If it does change i will know not to worry