It’s a relatively soft soap with high castor oil content (lesson learned)ground oatmeal in it. It’s 5 weeks old. Zap test performed.
Any ideas what this is?
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It’s a relatively soft soap with high castor oil content (lesson learned)ground oatmeal in it. It’s 5 weeks old. Zap test performed.
BattleGnome
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Looks like partial gel to me. The center of your soap likely got a bit warmer than the rest. If you had no rings on the outside then I’d imagine it will cure out with time. Gel won’t effect your soap negatively but there are arguments/observations on it changing how a soap cures (mostly hardening faster and making colors pop)
penelopejane
Well-Known Member
It looks like partial gel to me too.
Even in the heat of summer I have to encourage gel by putting my silicone mold ina timber box with a lid and then in a polystyrene box covered by a doona.
Partial gel happens to me if I don’t do those things. It was easier when I had a stand alone silicone mold which I put in a cardboard box, wrapped in a blanket and put in an oven which had been pre-heated to 43*C (110*F) and then turned off before I put the soap in. Then I left it I disturbed (without peaking) for 12-18 hours.
In both these methods you aren’t cooking the soap. You are maintaining the temp the soap itself gets to as it saponifies for a little longer until the reaction is complete.
As Battlegnome said attaining gel means brighter colours and means the soap gets a bit harder a bit quicker.
Even in the heat of summer I have to encourage gel by putting my silicone mold ina timber box with a lid and then in a polystyrene box covered by a doona.
Partial gel happens to me if I don’t do those things. It was easier when I had a stand alone silicone mold which I put in a cardboard box, wrapped in a blanket and put in an oven which had been pre-heated to 43*C (110*F) and then turned off before I put the soap in. Then I left it I disturbed (without peaking) for 12-18 hours.
In both these methods you aren’t cooking the soap. You are maintaining the temp the soap itself gets to as it saponifies for a little longer until the reaction is complete.
As Battlegnome said attaining gel means brighter colours and means the soap gets a bit harder a bit quicker.
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I third partial gel. Just a cosmetic thing, won't affect the soap itself.
Hendejm
Well-Known Member
Yup! I say partial gel too. Only cause it happens to me too often 
I also agree with the partial gel. I force gel mine by putting them in the oven (not on and totally cool) to prevent partial gel from happening. It is just cosmetic and may cause the middle portion of the bar the wear unevenly, but totally fine to use.
To me it looks like the soap gelled very close to a full gel but overheated in the middle getting close to volcano stage or alligator teeth where you end up with caverns in the center with leaking oils. Using full water, approx 27% lye concentration, can cause a hotter gel. I use a 32-35% lye concentration, depending on my recipe, and I always have to force gel.
Loralei
Well-Known Member
Yup, looks like partial gel.. I made red wine soap for Christmas that did that... I've also tried to force gel, and ended up with having to fix cracked soap... of all the things, that is one that I'm having the most trouble figuring out for consistent results, lol!
penelopejane
Well-Known Member
What did you do to force gel?
Loralei
Well-Known Member
I put my soap on a heating pad for 30 mins, after covering it with a box and blanket.. but my heating pad is professional grade, and got too hot.. I may try only 15 mins another time..
penelopejane
Well-Known Member
You actually might not need a heating pad at all. Depending on what temp you soap at and what lye concentration you use (33% and higher you need to force gel) you might just have to cover it with a box and blanket.
If that doesn’t work warm the heat pad to no higher than 43* C (110*F) and turn it off before putting your wrapped soap on it. You might need to buy an infrared thermometer they cost about &10 on amazon.
You are not cooking or heating the soap. You are keeping it in a cozy environment which holds in the heat the soap itself makes as it sapponifies.
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Loralei
Well-Known Member
Thank you for that suggestion! When I just used a box/blanket, I got partial gel.. when I used the heat pad, I got cracked soap.. I'm looking for the sweet spot, and you may have given me the answer that I need. Cheers!
What lies on your bed and sings? Madoona.
Only Aussies would get that joke because they call duvets - doonas
Good heavens! That would have been awfully scary for a newbie like me! I did use only 28% lye concentration for this recipe and it's the first time I experienced gel in soap (and it gave me an awful fright!) These days I use mostly 30% lye concentration and I tend not to get gel in my bars, but I did get it in my loaf mold which I was very happy about.
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penelopejane
Well-Known Member
Gel starts in the middle and radiates out. Think of the soap heating at the centre and keeping warm enough to complete the process all the way to the edge without overheating.
What you probably experience at 30% Lye concentration is gel. It seems counter intuitive when you see partial gel and don’t want the ring in the middle (which tends to be softer in a partial gel soap for some weird reason) But full gel means you get gel all the way through and then the soap is harder than non gelled soap and of a good bright colour.
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Paperbackstash
Active Member
I agree it looks like gelling or being underdone. If I unmold or move my soaps a little too quickly sometimes I see this.
Mah doona!
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Took yer long enuff!!Mah doona!
