Batter turns orange

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MommaSoaper

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The last two soaps I made, I had the same batter issue- it's turning orangish tan when mixed with lye solution. I use olive oil (yellow), coconut oil (clear or light tan), palm shortening (white), castor oil (clear), and Shea butter (tan). Never had this happen before. All oils and butters purchased within last 4 months. West coast summer has been really hot though ... First thought was that it might be that an oil/butter has turned. But there's no odd smells at all. No noticeable changes in texture to any of them... Soap seems perfectly fine other than the tan outcome. My second thought and the only other thing I've done differently with these two batches is use regular store bought honey (mixed with water really well) to the batter instead of using honey from my local supplier. It was all I had so I figured why not try it. Higher sugars/processed differently in store bought honey causing scorching leading to discoloration? This is my theory and will test tomorrow but thought to throw this out there. Curious and always learning, testing etc.
 
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Yep - reckon you're right about the honey. How about FO?
Either the honey or I'm wondering if the Shea butter oxidized. If that was the issue, would the orange color mellow back out to tan though? No FO had been added yet when the batter discolored.

Yep - reckon you're right about the honey. How about FO?
I'm wondering if the Shea butter oxidized. If that was the issue, would the orange color mellow back out to tan though? I'm so confused by this. No FO had been added yet when the batter discolored.
 
I'd expect it's the honey. Different sugar content in the honey, different flowers the bees drank nectar from, and also the different heat during the soapmaking process all contributed to the darker color of these two batches. In my experience, natural color (such as the orange that can happen as sugar heats up) fades to a lighter shade over time, and yes, tan is a lighter shade of orange.
 
Honey turns orange every time for me. It always lightens up during saponification though. It never stays orange.
 

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