Bubbles? Silicone Rash? What are these white spots?

[TF3000]

Hello! I am new to CP soap making but have been lurking here for awhile. This is my 3rd CP batch, first time working with lard and shea butter. It looked fine when I finished it but when I went to cut it this morning the top is covered in white spots, they look like bubbles? I hit the mold on the counter several times to remove bubbles. It was hard when I unmolded it but it feels kind of greasy on the sides and insides even though the top and bottom both are hard and kind of crusty. I used lemon and sweet orange EO so it took a really long time to reach trace but I think it did? I CPOP'd it so I'm assuming the outside is silicone rash? Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Megan]

So I do see a few obvious bubbles in the top...not bad really, the sides do look like silicone rash (which you can prevent by not CPOPing). As for the white dots on top, those look like stearic spots. I can't see clearly in the bar, but they are probably throughout.

As a note: citrus EOs tend to not last very long in soap. Especially if you do not use folded varieties.

 

[Zing]

Very pretty soap there!
I am a geller but don't like the silicone rash when I CPOP. I have good luck with burying the mold under towels. Sometimes I add a heating pad underneath, the pad auto shuts off after 2 hours.

I have good luck with citrus essential oils that are 5X or 10X, also mixed with litsea cubeba eo.

 

[TF3000]

Thank you for the advice! I think they are stearic spots because it passed the zap test and I've been soaping with my window open in Colorado in winter. Just tried a new batch at a higher temperature. I'm going to CPOP for less time.

I used the orange and lemon EOs because I don't want to use me "good" fragrances till I get a little better and I had those two lying around.