Coconut cream discolouring, or DOS?

[spenny92]

I made a batch of lemongrass/eucalyptus salt bars around a week ago. I've made this recipe plenty of times before, and this is the first time that this issue has occurred. I used just enough water to dissolve the lye, and the rest of the liquid was coconut cream added at trace. 33% salt, 33% lye concentration, 20% SF. 90% coconut, 10% castor.

When adding the coconut cream, the soap started to set up and I did have trouble thoroughly incorporating the cream. When the soap was cut, I could see patches which looked slightly different to the rest - almost translucent. But I figured since the soap was still super hot, it was because of that. I've just checked on the soaps now, and those patches that were almost translucent are now a peachy cream colour. I'll snap a photo and add to the next post.

What I'm wondering is, could these patches perhaps be where the coconut cream hasn't incorporated fully, and have discoloured (does coconut cream discolour? I haven't found that in my other batches, but I had time to really, thoroughly incorporate it in other batches) - or, are they the dreaded DOS? I haven't encountered DOS yet, so I'm truly hoping that isn't the case. My oils were all opened less than 2 weeks ago, no funny smells. The soap also smells the same as usual, no rancid smell or off smell.

 

[spenny92]

Hopefully you can see the difference. These bars are from the same batches. Some of the darker patches have turned peachy orange, others haven't.

 

[commoncenz]

I don't know what that is you have there, but it doesn't look like DOS to me. I've had a batch get DOS once before and the spots were rounder and smaller.

Edit: After looking on Google, I guess DOS isn't always smaller, rounder spots. Although your soap still doesn't look like it has DOS to me. Here's a link to some pics of DOS on Google.

https://www.google.com/search?q=soap+DOS+dreaded+Orange+spots&biw=1600&bih=775&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ved=0CBwQsARqFQoTCO2s94GpicgCFQGMDQod7VEEwQ&dpr=1

 

[Obsidian]

I agree, it doesn't look like DOS at all. Not sure what it is but I would guess its something that didn't get mixed in thoroughly. When I use coconut cream, I blend it into the oils before adding the lye.

 

[doriettefarm]

It doesn't look DOS-y to me either spenny. I think it's probably the coconut cream or your EOs that didn't get mixed in properly. I'd just use the bars with more orange first before they have a chance to get funky on you.

 

[Seawolfe]

To my mind, if it doesn't smell funky, it's not DOS.
And the discoloring is really quite pretty.

 

[spenny92]

Awesome - I was so worried it was DOS. My boyfriend said hey, that looks cool - how did you do that? And I was like NO IT'S NOT COOL, IT'S RUINED! But I'm glad it's hopefully not. I'll keep an eye on the bars over the next few weeks.

I tried mixing the coconut cream into the oils before adding the lye, but for some reason, it wouldn't play ball. I vaguely remember it just sinking to the bottom and not mixing in - so I found it easiest to add at trace along with my salt, both of which make me work extra hard and fast to get that batter in the mould before I have a pot full of solid soap! Hmm. Maybe I'll try the cream-in-oils again next time!