I have a batch of soap that has already cured for longer than 6 months. But When I went to get one to use I found out that half the soap looks white and the other half remained somehow translucent (not exactly) why dis this happen, does it affect the quality of my soap. Though it is for personal use only. What could have been my mistake? To prevent it on further batches.
a question about curing
- Thread starter elvira
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A picture would help, without a pic I would guess a heavy layer of ash on the soap that looks white
If you supply a picture we can help you all the better. But it does sound like it may have ash.
Here is a photo of my soap. I hope this can help you tell me what I did wrong
Thanks
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Did you use colorants or an EO/FO? It kind of looks like maybe it wasn't mixed in well. Also, did you gel your soap? The picture is really hard to tell. It does kind of look mottled.
Hi elvira, did you use a large amount of virgin olive oil in your recipe?
If so, it is the entirely normal colour transition that occurs in these traditional style castile soaps
Castiles turning white after the long cure:
Castiles made from a cold press olive oil tend to start out a yellow (sometimes green!) colour, and transition an almost pure white over time.
The white usually starts in small places around the soap at around 5 months and continues until the soap becomes white throughout, finishing somewhere around 9 to 12 months.
Where the colour change starts is about the only thing that varies (I've had everything from little spots that spread, to corners that join up, and one that just gradually shifted, as a whole soap, from almost florescent green-yellow to a beautifully soft cream colour!)
Once it starts, the entire bar of soap finishes turning white in a few months.
It's worth noting that all of the soaps in the same batch start going white within a few weeks of each other, so once one starts, expect the other soaps in the same batch to transition too ... it's quite normal for this to happen towards the end of the long cure.
Olive soaps that have been long cured tend to have better bubbles and a gentler action on the skin
Dawni
Well-Known Member
You are such a treasure trove of information @SaltedFig! I believe I haven't thanked you for all I've learned from posts not particularly addressed to me. I am so glad you're here to share that knowledge with is.. Thank you!
So now I really want to make myself castile, and watch it whiten..
So now I really want to make myself castile, and watch it whiten..
penelopejane
Well-Known Member
An important question: Was it cream/yellow and then turned white or was it white and then started to go yellow?
Did you spray the top with isopropyl alcohol?
Did you spray the top with isopropyl alcohol?
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The original poster mentioned that "... half the soap looks white and the other half remained somehow translucent ..." [my underline]
I took this as indicating the soap is yellow, turning white.
I'm keen to hear back on the recipe (and now the spray lol)
No, I did not spayed it with anything
.
I add beeswax to some of mine too
(I especially like the hint of honey scent that it leaves in soap)
elvira, if you wouldn't mind, could you post a follow-up photo of your soap, as it changes?
(It would be great to see it progress!)
Thanks you all It's been great help and also very conforting to see I am not alone in my experimenting with soap.
Not alone ... we like soap
