Curious is someone could help with this. About 10 minutes after I poured into mold, these cracks showed up. The only thing different I did was use powdered goat milk. I added the powder to oils as was suggested. View attachment IMG_2542.jpeg
Why the cracking?
- Thread starter brainonbrett38
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The soap was overheating. The long oval darker center is where the soap is warm enough to be in the gel phase. When soap gets hot enough, it will expand and crack like this.
It's pretty common for soap makers to protest, "But I did everything exactly the same!" except the soap is clearly showing something was indeed not the same. And when we dig into the matter in more detail, it's clear there was a significant trigger for the problem
I can't say the use of milk alone is a reason for overheating, but you didn't provide a recipe nor any info on temperatures, so it's anyone's guess what the difference is.
It's pretty common for soap makers to protest, "But I did everything exactly the same!" except the soap is clearly showing something was indeed not the same. And when we dig into the matter in more detail, it's clear there was a significant trigger for the problem
I can't say the use of milk alone is a reason for overheating, but you didn't provide a recipe nor any info on temperatures, so it's anyone's guess what the difference is.
I think cracking could mean the inside was heating up faster than the outside? I do get cracks now and then but usually smush them over when it's still soft. I had a honey soap that expanded in loaf moulds to become visibly rounded at the top and bottom but no cracks. I think these got hot slowly.
On the other hand, soaps that I didn't expect to crack did crack.
Your cavity bars look fine so maybe with this recipe you could do cavity moulds as they retain less heat compared to a loaf.
On the other hand, soaps that I didn't expect to crack did crack.
Your cavity bars look fine so maybe with this recipe you could do cavity moulds as they retain less heat compared to a loaf.
MelissaG
Well-Known Member
Overheated. Milk, honey, and sugar can all do that. It can also depend on the temperature in your house, and the temperature you mixed at. And sometimes it seems to happen "just because". Meaning, something that caused it but what it actually was *shrug*.
You will hear the term volcanoing sometimes among soap makers. It refers to something like this but much much worse. I think youtube has several videos of it. Think Holly from Missouri soaps had one recently? Maybe I have the wrong person but I did see it. I've never had one go that bad, but I have had it rise like bread before. What you have is a very mild form of it. I've seen video of it just rolling out of the molds and all over whatever that mold is sitting on and onto the floor.
You will hear the term volcanoing sometimes among soap makers. It refers to something like this but much much worse. I think youtube has several videos of it. Think Holly from Missouri soaps had one recently? Maybe I have the wrong person but I did see it. I've never had one go that bad, but I have had it rise like bread before. What you have is a very mild form of it. I've seen video of it just rolling out of the molds and all over whatever that mold is sitting on and onto the floor.
Hi, the added sugar, in the powdered goats milk. Caused a bit more heat. Which needs to be addressed. My gm recipe, will go into gell. With limited covering.
You technically have a new recipe. With its own temperament.
You technically have a new recipe. With its own temperament.
akseattle
Well-Known Member
@brainonbrett38 , I agree with everyone that your soap overheated. In addition to sugar, GM, and honey being contributors to heat, some fragrances can cause soap to overheat.
@DeeAnna wisely recommended to me that I make soaps that are more plain that not when starting out. I had already made about 4 different loaves using fragrances and micas, to the ship had already sailed to a small degree. But, I did pick one recipe, and used that one recipe 4X with only the most minor tweaks on the oil percentages or an oil replacement for very specific reasons.
I didn't use GM until my 14th batch (I've only made 16 batches.) It really helped take the stress out of making soap to move at a more moderate pace. I used the oven on my last batch and things got pretty crazy in there. But, since I hadn't really changed very much- little tweaks on superfat or water%- I knew that it was the heat from the oven and not anything else in my soap.
BTW, you said "the only thing different was the added GM." Did you also use the same fragrance? If so, maybe the combo of GM and the particular fragrance? If you used fragrance, let us know what you used- I'll definitely avoid that fragrance if I use GM!!!
@DeeAnna wisely recommended to me that I make soaps that are more plain that not when starting out. I had already made about 4 different loaves using fragrances and micas, to the ship had already sailed to a small degree. But, I did pick one recipe, and used that one recipe 4X with only the most minor tweaks on the oil percentages or an oil replacement for very specific reasons.
I didn't use GM until my 14th batch (I've only made 16 batches.) It really helped take the stress out of making soap to move at a more moderate pace. I used the oven on my last batch and things got pretty crazy in there. But, since I hadn't really changed very much- little tweaks on superfat or water%- I knew that it was the heat from the oven and not anything else in my soap.
BTW, you said "the only thing different was the added GM." Did you also use the same fragrance? If so, maybe the combo of GM and the particular fragrance? If you used fragrance, let us know what you used- I'll definitely avoid that fragrance if I use GM!!!
