Gosh, what happened here?

[Vitormgib]

I've done the same recipe I've been doing for two years, but two different batches came out with a white layer on it's upper corners. The layer looks like soda ash, but I don't think it's soda ash, as the soap cured for two days with no oxygen circulation and as the layer is not widespread, but it's concentrated just in the corners. When I took the soap out of it's mold the layer wasnt' there: it came after one or two days.

I did change the Olive Oil from extra virgin to just OO, as the prices went up so much, but it's a reliable brandt. Could this be it?

Here is the basic recipe:

OO 51,9%
Cocoa butter 16%
Palm oil 13,5%
Coconut oil 12,5%
Grape seed oil 6,0%

Thank you for any assistance! I'm quite puzzled.

 

[AliOop]

Did you zap-test the chalky areas? If they aren't zappy, then it probably is just soda ash. The fact that it showed up a few days after exposure to air is a tell-tale sign. That kind of focused chalkiness along the edges happens to me sometimes when I pour at thinner emulsions, especially when soaping at cooler temperatures (soap batter, room, or both), or if I don't gel the soap.

Without knowing more about your exact recipe, other possibilities that come to mind are a new fragrance oil, new mica, or new additive that you've not used before.

 

[lenarenee]

Yes, that's ash. I see that pattern often on many of my soaps; usually ones that were very fluid when I poured or are high in lard.

 

[Vitormgib]

Did you zap-test the chalky areas? If they aren't zappy, then it probably is just soda ash. The fact that it showed up a few days after exposure to air is a tell-tale sign. That kind of focused chalkiness along the edges happens to me sometimes when I pour at thinner emulsions, especially when soaping at cooler temperatures (soap batter, room, or both), or if I don't gel the soap.

Without knowing more about your exact recipe, other possibilities that come to mind are a new fragrance oil, new mica, or new additive that you've not used before.

Thank you! It isn't zappy. The emulsion was thinner and cooler than usual.

Besides having the emulsion thicker, if I leave the batter longer on the mold with no air exposure, let's say for 96 hours, would this help to prevent the ash from showing up again?

Yes, that's ash. I see that pattern often on many of my soaps; usually ones that were very fluid when I poured or are high in lard.

Thank you!

 

[AliOop]

Thank you! It isn't zappy. The emulsion was thinner and cooler than usual.

Besides having the emulsion thicker, if I leave the batter longer on the mold with no air exposure, let's say for 96 hours, would this help to prevent the ash from showing up again?

Possibly. The other thing that helps is gelling the soap. Some people use the oven for the CPOP method. I create an "oven" in my soap room by placing the filled molds on a heating pad, and covering them with an overturned box, towels or blankets to hold in the heat.

 

[lenarenee]

I agree with AliOop. Gelling usually helps. Soaping a little warmer, and blending to a thicker trace can help too, but none of these are a perfect solution.
Lots of people spray soap several times with rubbing alcohol, and cover with plastic film and think that helps. I didn't notice enough difference with that technique to continue using it (soap is usually too soft and the plastic can leave marks).
Ash can be steamed off, sprayed a couple times with alcohol after soap is good and solid, or even rinsed off. Since I soap with cool temperatures and use lard, I often get really thick layers of ash - like frosting!

 

[Zing]

They're still pretty! I got ash one time. Now I pour, spray with alcohol, cover with plastic wrap, then cardboard. I gel with a pile of towels. I have never gotten ash since. Good luck!

 

[AliOop]

Since I soap with cool temperatures and use lard, I often get really thick layers of ash - like frosting!

Same!

Besides what has been previously mentioned, what has almost eliminated ash for me has been the following:

1. Cut the soap as usual. For me, that's usually around 18 hours, but could be 24-36 if I used more water (rare but occasional).

2. After cutting, place the bars very close together on the curing rack, almost like they are back in loaf formation.

3. Loosely cover the entire set of cut bars with a single piece of plastic wrap, leaving no surfaces exposed.

4. Leave the wrap over the bars for one week.

5. Remove the wrap and cure as usual.

This process allows me to cut my bars before the loaf becomes too hard, while still eliminating almost all soda ash. Here is my theory about why this works so well for me:

My typical soaping method (cooler temps, pouring at very light trace), leaves a lot of active lye even after the soap becomes firm enough to cut - which is pretty early given my low water/high lye concentration. Protecting the cut bars from exposure to air for that first week allows for complete saponification, meaning there is no remaining lye available to react with the air to create soda ash. HTH, YMMV.

 

[KiwiMoose]

It's all been said - but i also find I get that type of ash when using cocoa butter in my recipe. I see you've used 16%.

 

[Vitormgib]

Thank you all for the thoughtful replies and sharings!