How can I prevent gelling a soap?

[soapbar]

I made a batch yesterday and I was disappointed as it gelled. I used unscented recipe and added 2 ts of honey and put the soap in freezer but still when I unmould it today and cut it I found a partial gel. I put the soap in warm oven it didn't disappear I don't know why.

 

[artemis]

Try searching the forum for "prevent gel." This subject comes up often, so there is a lot of information already here.

 

[AliOop]

I made a batch yesterday and I was disappointed as it gelled. I used unscented recipe and added 2 ts of honey and put the soap in freezer but still when I unmould it today and cut it I found a partial gel. I put the soap in warm oven it didn't disappear I don't know why.

Honey is a "heater" and will often cause soap to gel.

Other factors that affect gel include which oils you used (CO is a heater), the temps of your oils and lye solution before combining them, and how much water you used (more water = gelling at lower temperatures).

 

[soapbar]

Honey is a "heater" and will often cause soap to gel.

Other factors that affect gel include which oils you used (CO is a heater), the temps of your oils and lye solution before combining them, and how much water you used (more water = gelling at lower temperatures).

Yes I found it is basically because of honey. I will not add it to my soaps again.

 

[ResolvableOwl]

Try small individual moulds. Loaf moulds are difficult to get cool throughout the inside, particularly thick-walled or those made from insulating material like wood. In small silicone moulds, the soap bars can't mutually heat up/keep warm each other.

 

[soapbar]

Try small individual moulds. Loaf moulds are difficult to get cool throughout the inside, particularly thick-walled or those made from insulating material like wood. In small silicone moulds, the soap bars can't mutually heat up/keep warm each other.

This is true. May be in future I will make honey soap in individual moulds.

 

[earlene]

It might be hard to prevent gel in Saudi Arabia unless you have a really cold place to make your soap. Small individual molds sitting on top of ice packs (such as this) would make it possible in a hot climate. If the ambient air inside your space is hot, add an inverted box of some sort over the top to enclose the soap molds and the ice pack. That will keep the warm air out and act as a form of refrigeration without having to use up refrigerator space.

Also, use less heat-producing ingredients if you can, as even in a freezer, some ingredients will heat up and gel soap in spite of being in a freezer.