Can anyone please HELP identify what is going wrong with my soap?

[Guy_Ndy]

Hi everyone!
So I am new to the forum and relatively new to soap making. I dabble at cold process soap making as a hobby with generally positive results but for some reason it seems like the more soaps I make, the more often something goes awry with my batches. Maybe my beginner's luck has worn off. Anyways, my most recent problem (as seen in the attached picture) is that after mixing, pouring, unmolding, and cutting my soaps, I discover little ragged holes in them that look terrible and take away from any design I tried to make. At first I was afraid they were the lye pockets that I have read about, but I know I thoroughly mixed my soap with the hand mixer and I also tested them after cure and there was no sign of any residual lye crystals or irritation. I don't know what is causing this. I am hopeful that those of you with more experience have seen this before and can help me correct whatever it is I am doing wrong, be it a physical or chemical error. Oh, and yes, before putting the molds in the freezer for 24 hours after pouring to set before cutting, I whack the crap out of them on the counter to get out air bubbles. I forgot to mention that. Thank you in advance for your help! Matt in FL.
Also, the last soap pictures started out a nice creamy color like the color on the swirl on top but the center changed to a darker not so great color even though I put it in the freezer to try and prevent the gel stage from happening. Any suggestions on that? Thanks again!!!

 

[shunt2011]

The first one looks like it overheated. The second one looks like it riced hard to tell for sure on the second. Have you zap tested them for free lye? If you post your recipe we would be better able to help you troubleshoot. Include any additives, temps etc....

 

[Guy_Ndy]

When you say the first one are you talking about them multi color one? And do you have any suggestions on how to prevent that? I already put them in the freezer for the first 24 hours after pouring in the mold? Also, what do you mean riced? I am not at home right now but I will post my recipe when I am able to. Maybe that will help us figure this out. What is a zap test?

Oh, and I mix the lye/milk mixture with the fats when their temps are within 10 degrees of each other, usually somewhere in the 80s or low 90s.

 

[DeeAnna]

Lots of possibilities, but without a full recipe with all ingredients in weights ... it's pretty much a guessing game.

Another thing I'm wondering about -- do you make any soap without putting it into the freezer? Like more of a normal soap? How do those turn out?

 

[AliOop]

I would second the ricing on the second bar, plus a partial gel in the middle. Could also be some additives like oatmeal.

The first bar (multi-colored) - maybe overheating + ricing? Or some butters or hard fats re-solidifying due to low temps? But that wouldn't make sense with the overheating.

Those are just wild guesses with knowing the recipe.

 

[Guy_Ndy]

Hey everyone,
Sorry for the delay in getting back on here. The weekend was hectic. I appreciate everyone's trying to help, so here it recipe.

20 oz milk
8.5 oz lye
15 oz olive oil
18 oz coconut oil
6 oz shortening
6 oz lard
9 oz castor oil
6 oz grapeseed oil
3 oz fragrance oil

How I normally mix my CP soap is I freeze the milk solid and then thaw it by adding the lye. This keeps the milk from turning brown and keeps the top temp in the 70s to 80s. While the milk and lye mixture is thawing (and I occasionally stir it) I zap the solid oils/fats in the microwave to liquefy them and then I add the rest of the liquid oils at room temp. By the time all this is done, both the oil mix and the lye mix are generally within 10-15 degrees of each other so I pour the lye mix into the oil mix and stick blend. It usually false traces then liquefies again and then will get to a thin to med trace after about 5-7 minutes of stick blending. That's usually when I add in my fragrances and stir them in by hand. From this point I will divide any out for coloring with micas if I want (if I'm doing a design) depending on the batch. But this is the basic recipe. Then after the pour into the mold it goes into the freezer for at least 24 hours to help prevent a gel phase (hopefully) so it doesn't scorch and discolor the milk solids. Then I take it out of the freezer, unmold it, and let it set at room temp for a day or two to allow any condensation to evaporate before cutting it with my wire cutter.

I really hope some of you with more experience can look at my recipe and process and help me identify where I am going wrong!!! I mean, the soap turns out pretty good. I use it and it feels nice and lathers well, but I just don't think it looks as good as it could. Please HELP!!! Thank you again!

 

[DeeAnna]

I'm not sure I have definite explanations for the troubles you're having, but some thoughts come to mind --

If you are using full fat milk, the milk fat will turn into soap when you're making your lye solution. That will create tiny flecks of lighter colored soap mixed in with the base soap (the soap made with the other fats). That may explain some of the dotted texture in your soaps.

You are soaping really cool for a recipe that has a fair bit of shortening, lard, and coconut oil, all of which will solidify when temps are in the 70s and 80s. I realize you're successfully getting through false trace and getting the batter to a stable emulsion, but I'm thinking that by the time the batter gets to that point, you've lost all the benefits from freezing the milk and freezing the soap. You should be getting an ivory to light beige colored soap as the reward for all your extra effort.

The dark tan colors of both soap bars suggests the soap (1) may have gotten warm enough to gel despite the freeze treatment and/or (2) the soap may have gotten warm enough to caramelize the milk even if it didn't gel and/or (3) you're using a discoloring fragrance oil.

The cavities in the swirled soap suggest overheating. The lighter corners in the plain soap that surround the slightly darker center may indicate the center got hot enough to gel.