Now don't yell...

[ResolvableOwl]

Mmmh, tiramisù!

If she was still in business, I would ask her what her intention was.

Have you tried to contact her? Just because she isn't in business any more doesn't mean the E-mail address doesn't work any more. Maybe she is flattered to learn that, after so many years, her products still have a fan base.

 

[cmzaha]

I do not know if BB still makes it but they did have a non-discoloring Vanilla. I really never liked it, but it was not bad smelling, just not the type of vanilla I like which is Vanilla Bean but it does not discolor and it did sell well for me. Sorry, I do not remember the name of it. I had to embrace the brown since most of my best selling fo's were discoloring ones.

 

[TheGecko]

I wonder why the EO/FO seller would call it WHITE Vanilla.

Scent profile.

Two FOs sitting on my desk are Honeysuckle and Eucalyptus Mint...doesn't mean my soap will turn yellow or green...it's just the scent.

 

[Here To Learn]

So much for "White" Vanilla...

This is about 5 days from making it. As you can see, it is quite BROWN, with a heavy coat of soda ash. The scent is great though. Maybe if I called it "Vanilla Bean" it would be ok. I wonder why the EO/FO seller would call it WHITE Vanilla. She could have just as well called it GREEN Vanilla and it would make as much sense. If she was still in business, I would ask her what her intention was.

Can we talk about your wonderful mold? It’s great! Did you make it or did you buy it?

 

[dibbles]

The fragrance oil is 20 years old IIRC. While it still smells great, that doesn’t mean the component used to prevent discoloring is still still stable, or effective, or whatever the correct word here is. My favorite vanilla turns nearly black, so what you have might be significantly weakened, but still working to some extent.

 

[John Harris]

Can we talk about your wonderful mold? It’s great! Did you make it or did you buy it?

Here are a few pics of the mold and accessories. A carpenter friend made it for me. And a sheet metal worker friend of mine made the 4 foot long soap knife.




This is a mitre box saw I use as a divider. I can put it at any point in the box to make less than the full 40 bars capacity. It just has to be a multiple of four. (i.e. 4, 8, 12, 16, etc.)



with the cover on


With the heat cover on


And this is the (very sharp) stainless steel knife.


I have another soap box about twice as big as this one. That was for back in the days when I REALLY made soap. (But it was kinda boring stuff. I have learned and do so much more since joining this group!)

 

[lucycat]

If that is as dark as it gets I would consider it a "white" vanilla since most of the time I have dark brown soaps with vanilla.

If the fragrance is old then maybe it has morphed and now the discoloration is worse. I used to have a lilac that would discolor when the fragrance was a couple of years old.

 

[ResolvableOwl]

So much for "White" Vanilla...

This is about 5 days from making it. As you can see, it is quite BROWN, with a heavy coat of soda ash. The scent is great though. Maybe if I called it "Vanilla Bean" it would be ok. I wonder why the EO/FO seller would call it WHITE Vanilla. She could have just as well called it GREEN Vanilla and it would make as much sense. If she was still in business, I would ask her what her intention was.

So, what EXACTLY are we seeing here? How old are the free and the cut surfaces? The top of the bars has been the act (free) surface of the bar in the mould? Is the soda ash the cocoa-brown stuff on the top, and/or the cappuccino-coloured sides? Do you have an explanation for the ITP-swirl-ish patterns in the bulk?

And does it stay that way, or is the colour morph still going on?

 

[Purple heather natural sk]

So much for "White" Vanilla...

This is about 5 days from making it. As you can see, it is quite BROWN, with a heavy coat of soda ash. The scent is great though. Maybe if I called it "Vanilla Bean" it would be ok. I wonder why the EO/FO seller would call it WHITE Vanilla. She could have just as well called it GREEN Vanilla and it would make as much sense. If she was still in business, I would ask her what her intention was.

I like the name Vanille Bean

 

[John Harris]

So, what EXACTLY are we seeing here? How old are the free and the cut surfaces? The top of the bars has been the act (free) surface of the bar in the mould? Is the soda ash the cocoa-brown stuff on the top, and/or the cappuccino-coloured sides? Do you have an explanation for the ITP-swirl-ish patterns in the bulk?

And does it stay that way, or is the colour morph still going on?

The bars are 11 days old now and the brown (seen on the tops) is darker than the last time I photographed them. The faces of the bars have what I think is soda ash (cappuccino-coloured). It isn't a dry, white powder like soda ash usually is. This is more of a thick, moist powder, if that makes any sense.
The variations in color on the faces are partly due to manipulations I have subjected them to and partly due to ... heaven knows. These bars seem to have a mind of their own.
The scent is divine, by the way!

 

[ResolvableOwl]

The faces of the bars have what I think is soda ash (cappuccino-coloured).

So, the bars would turn uniformly dark brown when used?

 

[John Harris]

Yes

So, the bars would turn uniformly dark brown when used?

Yes, the cappuccino-coloured powder will wash off and the whole bar will be dark brown.