Dark Dew on Soap

[Megan]

So we're nearing the end of summer here and we've had a pretty humid month. I've noticed on one batch only, that I'm getting a dark dew on top. Very little, pinprick dots on top of my soap, never on the sides. Maybe about a dozen a bar. The soap is fragranced with Sweet Pumpkin Spice by WSP (the fragrance has a max usage of 9.4% and I used at 7%).

The recipe is tried and true, superfatted at 5%, and my only additives are kaolin clay, colloidal oatmeal, sodium lactate, and mica.

I'm thinking it may be very mild FO separation, even though the fragrance specs and the reviews say there is no separation.

I'm wondering however, if it could be glycerin dew because of the weather. Can glycerin dew discolor with the fragrance? I don't see it on my other soaps, so I don't think this is the answer...and I also run a dehumidifier off and on in my soap room.

I've licked it and no zap.

The issue is so minimal, I'm not worried...just curious as to what could be going on.

 

[shunt2011]

I’m thinking it’s the FO seeping out. I’ve never used a fragrance over 6%. Just because you can doesn’t mean it will work.

 

[IrishLass]

My best guess is the humidity, combined mixed with a rather high % of FO. Fragrance oils have the tendency to seep out if used at too high of a percentage. The absolute highest I ever go with FO in my soap is 6%, and that's a rare occurrence for me. Mostly I use 5% or less.

The high usage rate for this FO on WSP is IFRA-based, which to me is irrelevant and dare I say irrational when it comes to soap-making because IFRA doesn't know much about how FOs behave in soap. If they did, they would not have a listed 100% usage rate in soap for other FO's (which they do, by the way). Makes no sense.


IrishLass

 

[Megan]

My best guess is the humidity, combined mixed with a rather high % of FO. Fragrance oils have the tendency to seep out if used at too high of a percentage. The absolute highest I ever go with FO in my soap is 6%, and that's a rare occurrence for me. Mostly I use 5% or less.

The high usage rate for this FO on WSP is IFRA-based, which to me is irrelevant and dare I say irrational when it comes to soap-making because IFRA doesn't know much about how FOs behave in soap. If they did, they would not have a listed 100% usage rate in soap for other FO's (which they do, by the way). Makes no sense.


IrishLass

While I don't believe that 7% is a high enough percentage to cause seeping with well behaving fragrances, I think maybe it is the case here as well. WSPs fragrance calculator does percentage of the entire batch weight, which at their recommendation of 6% is waaaaay over what I added. (I don't use their calculator, I'm just saying). Looks like I'm in the market for a new pumpkin fragrance for next time.

 

[cmzaha]

I have tried many pumpkin fo's and this is the one I have used for years. It smells just like a baking pumpkin pie and only discolors to a pumpkin pie color. Paige also has flat rate shipping. http://www.soapsupplies.net/fragrance2.html

 

[Megan]

I have tried many pumpkin fo's and this is the one I have used for years. It smells just like a baking pumpkin pie and only discolors to a pumpkin pie color. Paige also has flat rate shipping. http://www.soapsupplies.net/fragrance2.html

Thanks for the recommendation. I see a few more on that page I want as well hehe!