I started using goat milk powder and white kaolin clay in my CP soaps lately and it seems as if I’m getting these strange brown specks in my soaps. Sometimes there are more than others. This one is pretty bad. Could this be from the goat milk or the clay? I make a goat milk slurry and add that it my oils, stick blending until smooth so I’m not sure how else I can get rid of these specks...? I don’t think they’re DOS but heck I might be wrong.
Brown specks in soaps
- Thread starter ntt817
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Dawni
Well-Known Member
They look like how most botanicals look when the lye monster has gotten to them.. Any other additives used?
Could also be the milk I guess.. I've burnt coconut milk but those turned specks were a lighter brown and slightly more translucent.
Let's see what the others have to say..
Could also be the milk I guess.. I've burnt coconut milk but those turned specks were a lighter brown and slightly more translucent.
Let's see what the others have to say..
What are your oils, additives, and liquids?
I dont know, but its a very pretty swirl though!!
I also used citric acid and silk fibers but I can’t imagine those being the culprit...
Palm, tallow, olive, avocado, castor and Shea butter. The additives I used are citric acid, goat milk, white kaolin clay, tussah silk and sodium lactate. Citric, silk, and clay dissolved in lye solution. I discounted some water to make a slurry with the goat milk powder, added this to the melted oils and stick blended into I didn’t see any lumps.
Did you strain out the silk with a strainer fine enough to catch any undissolved strands?
The only thing it may be is the milk, though I've never had that happen when I've used powdered milk. No with undissolved silk. I never strain mine.
Thank you!
No I didn’t. I’m too lazy at times.
but I’ve used silk before without straining and it’s never been this bad.I used 1tbsp of goat milk powder ppo. Do you think this is too much and the rest is not dissolving? How much do you usually use?
I always have to strain my silk, I might be using too much, but that's off-topic.
Another thought was maybe try a different brand of powdered milk, and see if that helps. It might just be something in that brand that isn't dissolving well.
Another thought was maybe try a different brand of powdered milk, and see if that helps. It might just be something in that brand that isn't dissolving well.
Todd Ziegler
Circle Z soaps
I use 1 tbsp ppo of goat milk powder but I add it directly to the oils. I then SB as the oils cool down. I do a minimum of 3 separate SB's but sometimes as many as 5 or 6 blends and I give the powder at least 30 minutes to absorb the oil so that I don't have any dry powder left.
If you don't give the powder enough time to absorb the liquid to where it is fully hydrated, then you can get brown specks.
If you don't give the powder enough time to absorb the liquid to where it is fully hydrated, then you can get brown specks.
I bought the Meyenberg brand. I wonder if they have additives that are clumping? Seems to say folic acid and vitamin d3 are added. I was getting it from WSP but it’s more expensive and they take too long to ship. I’ll try to strain it and see what happens.
Ahh, I see!! I only sb once. Maybe I’m not getting all my clumps out.
