Castile looking Chalky

[soapylondon]

Hello everyone, I have read this forum many times and I have learnt so much from all of you during my first year of soaping. I now have a formula I really like and sell my soaps to workmates and friends. I am not interested in making a business but selling some to people I know helps me subsidise my hobby.
Now, I just wanted to try making Castile in the summer to enjoy at Christmas, I followed advise on reducing water ratio, I used extra Virgin olive oil but I was not happy with the result, the little flowers look and feel very chalky, the bars are better but still not right. The ones i added peppermint e.o are absolutely fine though. I suspect this was due to mixing oils lye at too low temperature and not enough warmth created when saponification period?
Please help me to figure it out. Thanks


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[judymoody]

Individual cavity molds often don't gel. Ungelled soap is more prone to ash which is that chalky residue on the surface.

 

[namad]

My first couple of Castile batches turned out horrible, I nearly gave up.

I used SF 5%, Extra Virgin Olive Oil and they looked like junk (then I cured them on a top shelf, in the winter - DOS like mad )

I tried again, I seperated the batch and made one with EO, one without, the one with EO turned out great the one without turned out like junk (just didnt look good)

I have since made a few more batches (I am determined), same as above, SF5%, Extra virgin olive oil - and they are wonderful. I let them cure for 6 months minimum, they start out yellow, then slowly turn white - sometimes in random spots around the soap but it all turns white eventually

I do not take temps of oil or lye, and I make mine now, with no EO, just unscented.

Also, my Castile loaves never gel as I make small batches and it just doesn't seem to gel

 

[lsg]

You can force gel by doing setting the molds in a preheated oven at 170*F for a few minutes and then turn off the oven and leave in the oven until the soap has gone through full gel.

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Tmep-nTKx0[/ame]

 

[namad]

Im ok with no gel, or partial gel, or full gel - doesn't matter to me (actually I personally like the partial gel look, retro style

 

[Twiggy]

I do CPOP all the time, since my first batch. At first I attempted to try it, and then I was scared that if I’ll not place it in the oven my soap will be ruined, and I’m scared about it until today LOL
But the Castile I made few weeks ago for the first time. Used EVOO at 8% SF and the soap looks ok, but is yellow. Wonder if it will go white with the time.

 

[namad]

But the Castile I made few weeks ago for the first time. Used EVOO at 8% SF and the soap looks ok, but is yellow. Wonder if it will go white with the time.

It will I cure mine for 6 months minimum and it still has a tinge of yellow in the center, barely

 

[Twiggy]

I really hope for it I don’t know what is it all about white soap that we all love it so much!

And the soap on the picture looks so nice for me! Is there an ash problem?

 

[savonierre]

I use a large heating pad for single soap molds, it works very very well.

 

[soapylondon]

Thank you for all the replies, you are all so helpful. I am going to try the CPOP for the Castile soap to see how it goes I really want a soap I can say its for babies! i tried CPOP recently and the soap started to sweat and the lovely top layer separated from the rest (see picture of the ones that survived). It used green tea instead of water and a mint fragrance oil, not sure what i did wrong there, so I went back to placing my mold in the airing cupboard instead where it's nice and warm. I think I will place the single cavity molds in a preheated tray, that sounds like an excellent idea. And yes the white in the flower soap is all thick ash, not just where it was exposed to air but all around, I made it 2 months ago and still tingles my tongue a bit when I test it. I think this one is trouble. I wish I could buy those silicone crafters choice molds in the uk. Thanks again


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[lsg]

Pretty soap!