How to you prevent gel??

[Hendejm]

I made my first batch of soap with 40% tallow, 25% CO, 25% olive oil, 5% castor, 5% Shea butter, 33% water/lye.

After mixing I put it in the freezer to prevent gel phase because I wanted a creamy white soap. No cover, no towel wrap. Pine box mold.

It still partially gelled. Any thoughts? No TD, oil/lye water temp 115. Maybe soap at room temp? Tallow was the new ingredient....everything else is familiar to me

Edit - forgot to mention 2 tbls of Kaolin Clay (40 oz/1220ish oil total) to help hold fragrance.

 

[Chris_S]

I made my first batch of soap with 40% tallow, 25% CO, 25% olive oil, 5% castor, 5% Shea butter, 33% water/lye.

After mixing I put it in the freezer to prevent gel phase because I wanted a creamy white soap. No cover, no towel wrap. Pine box mold.

It still partially gelled. Any thoughts? No TD, oil/lye water temp 115. Maybe soap at room temp? Tallow was the new ingredient....everything else is familiar to me

I find chanting gel gel gel at mine works for me iv had nieghbours complain and try to get me sectioned. Maybe some kind of witchs spell would help? Sorry not sure that will be of much help unless you know a witch

 

[Hendejm]

I find chanting gel gel gel at mine works for me iv had nieghbours complain and try to get me sectioned. Maybe some kind of witchs spell would help? Sorry not sure that will be of much help unless you know a witch

Haha! I’m good at getting gel...but not at preventing it. I want to prevent it

 

[Chris_S]

Haha! I’m good at getting gel...but not at preventing it. I want to prevent it

I know thats why i suggested a witches spell because chanting gel isnt going to work. I was just being silly iv not even got the excuse of being drunk its been about 3 months since i had an alcoholic drink

 

[Complexions]

https://www.lovinsoap.com/2016/10/gel-phase-soap-making-preventing-forcing-gel-phase/

This might be helpful for you

 

[Relle]

I don't gel any of mine. They all go in the frig, overnight and taken out the next day. I've NEVER measured temps after the first batch and soap at RT. Rarely I get partial gel, about twice in 5 yrs and that was with a milk soap.

So soap at RT, I can't help with tallow ( don't soap with it), cover the top before putting in the frig, I use styrofoam and leave it in the frig overnight. Your FO could have contributed to it heating as well, sometimes this happens with florals.

 

[penelopejane]

The pine box will encourage gel as it keeps the heat in.

I love gelling my soaps because it is a quick turn around.
I don't think preventing gel will make a soap whiter.

 

[BattleGnome]

smaller batch sizes or at least smaller molds. 40oz is a lot of soap in a log and the center will hold heat in. Breaking down to 1-2# logs will allow for more surface area to cool faster

 

[lsg]

I have gotten partial gel with milk soaps in a log mold, even though I put them in the freezer. I think the secret is individual cavity molds and the freezer or refrigerator.

 

[DeeAnna]

When you say "33% water/lye" what specifically do you mean? Are you referring to "water as % of oils" or lye concentration or water:lye ratio?

 

[Hendejm]

When you say "33% water/lye" what specifically do you mean? Are you referring to "water as % of oils" or lye concentration or water:lye ratio?

Sorry- water as a percent to oil weight. Water/lye ration: 2.3792:1
Superfatted at 6%

 

[cmzaha]

Instead of using 33% water to weight which gives you a 30% lye concentration, try putting 33% in the Lye Concentration box. Many here work with Lye Concentration not water to weight of oil. This will give you less liquid which results in less heat with less chance of gel. I have to actually force gel in my soaps unless I have a naughty fo.

The higher the liquid amount the hotter gel, so first course of action is to cut liquid.

You do want to soap cooler, but not to cool with the 40% tallow. I soap with 40% tallow and warm my oils to just clear and use masterbatched NaOH at room temp. When you first mix in your lye it may thicken a bit, similar to false trace, but be patient, it will start to warm up and thin out.

I do not use as much CO as you and I think that contributes to mine not readily gelling. You can then put it in the freezer if you wish.

 

[Hendejm]

That’s great insight, Cmzaha! I’ll try that on my next batch!

I don't gel any of mine. They all go in the frig, overnight and taken out the next day. I've NEVER measured temps after the first batch and soap at RT. Rarely I get partial gel, about twice in 5 yrs and that was with a milk soap.

So soap at RT, I can't help with tallow ( don't soap with it), cover the top before putting in the frig, I use styrofoam and leave it in the frig overnight. Your FO could have contributed to it heating as well, sometimes this happens with florals.

I used Nurture Soaps - Ocean and 8th. It says no acceleration, ricing,discoloration. I think what Cmzaha said about lye concentration and soaping a slightly lower temps may solve the problem. And maybe I’ll mix fragrance oil into oils instead of at trace.

 

[shunt2011]

8th & Ocean just about seizes the two times I used it. I soap cool even tried a bit warmer the second time. Won’t use it again. Plus it doesn’t sell.

 

[Hendejm]

8th & Ocean just about seizes the two times I used it. I soap cool even tried a bit warmer the second time. Won’t use it again. Plus it doesn’t sell.

Good to know! I’m going to give it a shot since it get good reviews and I am looking for an ocean type fragrance.

 

[cmzaha]

I find most ocean air fo's accelerate, but I have never used any Nurture fragrances so I did not say anything

 

[DeeAnna]

I agree with Carolyn (cmzaha). Less water in proportion to the alkali will be helpful. I recommend using either lye concentration or water:lye ratio for best results -- they mean the same thing even though they look different. Pick the one that makes most sense to you and stick with it. I strongly advise against using "water as % of oils" setting. It is not the same as the other two and it works against you if you want consistent, controllable results in your soap recipes.

 

[Hendejm]

I agree with Carolyn (cmzaha). Less water in proportion to the alkali will be helpful. I recommend using either lye concentration or water:lye ratio for best results -- they mean the same thing even though they look different. Pick the one that makes most sense to you and stick with it. I strongly advise against using "water as % of oils" setting. It is not the same as the other two and it works against you if you want consistent, controllable results in your soap recipes.

Fantastic advice!!!! I’ll make the change to my main recipe! Thanks all!!

 

[amd]

I find most ocean air fo's accelerate, but I have never used any Nurture fragrances so I did not say anything

Just going to throw this out there, not to contradict Carolyn, but in case you are looking for an ocean scent that doesn't accelerate. Crafter's Choice Sea Salt and Driftwood slows trace down quite a bit. Like... a lot a bit. I usually only stick blend for two minutes (pulsing my blender and hand stirring between pulses a total of two minutes) but with that FO I have to stick blend for at least five. I add the FO to the oils before adding lye, btw, so I don't know what it will do if added at trace.

 

[Hendejm]

but in case you are looking for an ocean scent that doesn't accelerate

I will try that! 8th and ocean smells nice and I think if I follow advice on water/lye...I should be ok. After all - FO are expensive