My soap was riced caused by the fragrance oil, and now after I cut the soap, I realized there are some wet spots. Are these actually the lye pockets? Is this batch of soap still safe to use? What can I do to save this batch of soap?
Help! Possible lye pocket?
- Thread starter mimeowmoo
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KimW
Well-Known Member
Oh no! Well, I don't know what those spots are - I'm guessing you're talking about the two darker areas? Curious about the pink line...
I've had soap rice on me and I've not had pockets like these, but I have had pockets like these from additives not being fully emulsified. Perhaps these are pockets of your fragrance oil? Sorry I'm not more help! I'm sure someone will come along with a better guess.
Seems many soapers don't like salting out soap or rebatching, but both of those are always an option. Do a search here on SMF for lots more info on both options.
I've had soap rice on me and I've not had pockets like these, but I have had pockets like these from additives not being fully emulsified. Perhaps these are pockets of your fragrance oil? Sorry I'm not more help! I'm sure someone will come along with a better guess.
Seems many soapers don't like salting out soap or rebatching, but both of those are always an option. Do a search here on SMF for lots more info on both options.
I’m sorry for the confusion. The dark blueish spots and the red pink line are actually the colors from the embeds in my soap, I cut a small piece out to see what’s happening inside the soap. I’m actually concerning about the yellow wet spots.
KimW
Well-Known Member
Ah - those look more like glycerin or fragrance oil pockets to me. I'd give it 2-3 days and then do a careful zap test on those spots.
Thank you for the suggestion! But I’m pretty nervous about doing the zap test, I’m just afraid it might burn my tongue
KimW
Well-Known Member
I can sympathize with that! When I zap test, I wet my finger then rub my finger on the soap, then touch my finger lightly to my tongue. You'll know right away if there's a zap. Of course, you have to stick with your comfort level! There's always the option to salt it out or chunk it and try again. After all - it's just soap. 
Maybe also read up on that fragrance. Often reviewers or the seller will have tips for using an accelerating fragrance in soaping.
Maybe also read up on that fragrance. Often reviewers or the seller will have tips for using an accelerating fragrance in soaping.
Thank you so much Kim! I just did the zap test. I think it didn’t give me a “zap” feeling, instead, my tongue slowing feeling numb and very mild burning sensation. I guess those are not the lye pockets in this case?I can sympathize with that! When I zap test, I wet my finger then rub my finger on the soap, then touch my finger lightly to my tongue. You'll know right away if there's a zap. Of course, you have to stick with your comfort level! There's always the option to salt it out or chunk it and try again. After all - it's just soap.
Maybe also read up on that fragrance. Often reviewers or the seller will have tips for using an accelerating fragrance in soaping.
KimW
Well-Known Member
hmmmmm - well if it gives you a burning sensation, I'd say it was a bit lye heavy, but that could just be because it's fresh soap ( I think I'm thinking this is fresh soap, right?). If it were me, I'd do the test again in two days. A zap is pretty obvious, but your tongue shouldn't burn - even if only slowly.
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Don't panic just yet - I've had riced soap that cured out just fine. Wait a couple of days and try the zap test again.
Thanks! But there are some wet spots inside the soap, and when I rip the soap apart, the soap inside is just basically wet.
Listen to @KiwiMoose, and let the soap sit for a few days. The moisture will often reabsorb. But if you keep messing with it, you may interfere with the process.
I honestly don’t understand why everyone jumps on the lye heavy train. Nowadays we all use lye calculators - we also generally use a super fat, unlike back in my mothers time when the quality of lye was an unknown, and you could have either highly super fatted soap or lye heavy soap. Anyway, that’s not the case now. If you used a super fat, mixed your lye until it was completely clear, then stick blended your oils and lye solution, you should be good. Lye doesn’t settle out or precipitate out of the batter. What you have is FRAGRANCE pockets, not lye pockets. You can still have some irritation from this and you may still need to rebatch. Rant over.
KimW
Well-Known Member
Did not know this. Thanks, Linne!
Oh, and, I didn't think your were ranting, but your "Rant over" gave me a bit of a chuckle.
I agree with this and will just add that it is possible to end up with lye-heavy soap due to mis-measuring, leaving out an oil, or leaving unmixed chunks of lye in the solution.
My one experience with lye pockets (which were crystalized bits, not wet spots) happened due to a large chunk of undissolved lye at the bottom of my solution. Well, most of us know that lye must be dissolved in water before it will react with the oils, but I didn't know that at the time. I thought if I blended it into the oils, it would saponify.
And that's how I ended up with crystalized lye pockets in my soap. I tried straining and picking out those lye crystals, and even rebatching several times with vinegar (to neutralize the undissolved lye). Nothing worked. It is the only batch of soap I have ever tossed.
Absolutely agree - but these are things you learn with experience. But as I said if your lye is dissolved completely, and you mix it well into your oils, and then after you add fragrance it turns into soap on a stick, it's the fragrance - not lye heavy (this is of course assuming you didn't make a mistake measuring, or leave an oil out (which I am sure we all have done). It makes me crazy - because everyone always jumps on the wagon and says, It must be lye heavy! I hear this literally all the time - and lye doesn't just crystallize out of the soap batter after it has been well incorporated.
Peachy Clean Soap
Well-Known Member
A
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I think this is the key phrase, focusing on "well incorporated". Many newbies are nervous about lye to begin with, and some aren't sure what "well incorporated" looks like. I had soap in my early days that seized/accelerated before I could get where I would consider to be well incorporated, It's difficult to assume [as a newbie] that the soap is safe. Lye is the risky side of soap making, so of course it's going to be the risk we [meaning newbies] will ask about.
IMO I would rather have someone ask about lye heavy than not.
Peachy Clean Soap
Well-Known Member
We are totally agreed, @linne1gi - I was just trying to spell things out a little more for the OP, who is new and doesn't know which signs point to which problems. Or how the problem might have come about. Now she has a better idea of what the problem might be with her wet soap (fragrance pockets), as well as the solution (put it down and leave it alone for a few days).
i recently made some soap balls from an accelerated soap (from soap on a stick batter)
there was some caustic liquid that came out as i worked the fresh soap
it was riced and the lumpy mess barely held together
a couple of days later
and you would never know
the lumps join together and the water soaked back in
anything that is not total separation
can often be "cured" with patience and time
(if you make soap balls, wear gloves and dont be in a hurry to zap test)
there was some caustic liquid that came out as i worked the fresh soap
it was riced and the lumpy mess barely held together
a couple of days later
and you would never know
the lumps join together and the water soaked back in
anything that is not total separation
can often be "cured" with patience and time
(if you make soap balls, wear gloves and dont be in a hurry to zap test)
