Creamy coloured liquid soap

[TrulyNatural]

Hi I'm new to soap making and have made a few successful batches of clear liquid soap. The liquid soap I have made has turned a rich silky, creamy colour about 48 hours after dilution. Does anybody know what the cause if this it? It's not separating and it's lovely to use, quite a soft, silky feel :smile: Does liquid soap have to be clear? Thanks in advance for any info.

 

[Jaccart789]

No it doesn't have to be clear, sometimes fragrances can discolor the soap and other additives. Did you add a fragrance?

 

[Susie]

If you would be so kind as to share the recipe, it would help.

There are a few usual suspects, though; One is animal fats as part of the recipe, another is EO/FO culprits, third is superfat amount.

And no, liquid soap does not have to be clear. I don't really care if mine is or not, but others do. It is a personal choice.

 

[TrulyNatural]

No it doesn't have to be clear, sometimes fragrances can discolor the soap and other additives. Did you add a fragrance?

Hi yes I have added fragrance but after it already changed to the creamy colour. It's a bit weird it just seems to change by itself after dilution but not immediately.

 

[TrulyNatural]

If you would be so kind as to share the recipe, it would help.

There are a few usual suspects, though; One is animal fats as part of the recipe, another is EO/FO culprits, third is superfat amount.

And no, liquid soap does not have to be clear. I don't really care if mine is or not, but others do. It is a personal choice.

Hi the recipe is made up of 500g rice bran oil, 250g coconut oil, 150g castor oil and 100g cocoa butter.
Would the cocoa butter have anything to do with it do you think? With the liquid soap being a creamy colour that make it have a shorter shelf life at all?

 

[Susie]

I have never used cocoa butter in liquid soap, so i can't answer for that one. And I think all your oils are shelf stable enough to not have to worry. If in doubt, though, only dilute half the paste, and store the rest in the fridge in a ziploc bag. Write on the outside how much water it took to dilute the first half, and you fast track the guessing how much water to dilute with.

How much superfat did you use?

 

[TrulyNatural]

Thanks Susie there is a 0% super fat/discount on the recipe. I'm still very new to this and trying to understand it all. I put the oils into the SoapCalc and made it from the recipe it calculated. 200g KOH to 380g water. It dilutes clear but by about 48 hours it turns a creamy colour. I have made it twice and have had the same outcome both times. Though the first time I made this I forgot to add the cocoa butter and it didn't creamy so I'm thinking somehow it's the cocoa butter or the fact that it would have had a higher amount of lye to oils without the cocoa butter in.
But I'm happy with the texture and the feel of the soap I just wasn't sure if it would turn bad quickly when it's not clear.
So does it mean if you have a creamy liquid soap that there are excess oils that haven't reacted with the lye?

 

[Susie]

Not at 0% superfat, which was why I asked. At 0% superfat, there are no excess oils.

It has to be the cocoa butter. And that will not spoil faster due to the cloudiness. It is fine. Enjoy your soap!

 

[TrulyNatural]

Thanks for your help Susie. It's appreciated

 

[IrishLass]

It's the cocoa butter. I make a liquid soap formula with cocoa butter (and shea butter and a little stearic acid), and it turns beautifully opaque/creamy/pearly. The little bit of steric acid that I add is what lends a pearly sheen to it.


IrishLass

 

[TrulyNatural]

Thanks IrishLass it's good to hear. I will definitely keep using cocoa butter.

 

[lady-of-4]

It sounds like it wasn't finished cooking prior to dilution. Or, a mistake in lye calculation or measurement. You used a decent amount of Coco Butter, which like any other Butter, can cause cloudiness. But if your soap is Creamy in the sense that it looks milky, I'm inclined to push forward my first guesses.

 

[herackonchiasa]

No it Does NOT have to be clear.

 

[herackonchiasa]

Fyi I've made pure potassium stearate soap with a minute amount of shea butter, and it came out a lovely cream color and lathered beautifully .

 

[Susie]

It's the cocoa butter. I make a liquid soap formula with cocoa butter (and shea butter and a little stearic acid), and it turns beautifully opaque/creamy/pearly. The little bit of steric acid that I add is what lends a pearly sheen to it.


IrishLass

Learned something new today, thanks! Going to try adding some of those.

 

[herackonchiasa]

Pearly semi diluted liquid soap base . Using only hard butters and acids

 

[herackonchiasa]

Its semi translucent from the cook which adds to the pearly look. 10.5oz stearic acid 5.5oz shea butter superfat with coconut oil.