Oils/mica trouble shoot

[Val’s5]

Hello everyone, I added a mixture (oils/mica)to my mold before pouring my HP batch. Upon un molding my soap is still “oily” looking- wet to the touch.

Question, will it eventually dry out?

If anyone has any suggestions, Id greatly appreciate it!

Tysm

 

[AliOop]

Normally you would stir the oil-mica mix into the batter before pouring into the mold, so they are well-mixed.

By pouring it into the mold without mixing, you essentially put an oil layer on the bottom of the mold (top of the soap). Was there some reason for doing this?

Depending on how much oil you used, It may soak in over time - or it may not. Unsaponified oils - especially on the outside of the soap - will encourage rancidity. I’d rebatch it to get everything mixed well.

If you were hoping to get a touch of color on the detailed part of the soap only, a better option is to brush or dust the mold surface with dry mica before pouring in the batter. You could also paint on a bit of mica dispersed in a very little bit of oil - not much though.

If you are ok with a layer of color, you could also separate out some batter, mix in the mica, and pour that in first. Then pour the uncolored batter over it.

 

[earlene]

What I see is that you had an individual mold with an intricate design on the bottom surface of the mold. What happens when pouring oil into a design like that, is that the oil pools in the low spots. I think that is probably what happened here.

I have never done what you did (the mica oil added to the mold prior to putting HP batter into the mold), so cannot share personal experience on what can happen. But speaking as someone who uses a 'realease agent' (lanolin or Vaseline or mineral oil depending on what was handy at the time), I can say that the amount matters on whether or not the surface retains any of the release agent (oil, etc.) When used as a release agent, I simply rub a minimal amount onto the inner surface and it is such a light coating, that normally it is not even noticeable on the surface of the soap.

Because HP is already saponified prior to pouring into the mold, the pooled oil (with or without mica) has only two options of how to behave: 'Sit there indefinitely to attract dust & with time start to oxidize & become sticky' or 'Be absorbed into the soap.' Like AliOop said, how much of it can actually be absorbed into the soap really depends on the amount of oil, but also it depends on if the HP soap you made was already sufficiently superfatted to make absorption of additional oil less likely.

Questions: How many bars did you make like this? Is there any residual color on the surface of the soap? I cannot see the sides, so cannot tell if the surface color is different from the rest of the soap. All I really see is a shiny mustard-colored surface. What happens if you wash your hands with a bar of this soap? Does the color come away as the surface oil is washed away? And if so, does the surface retain any of the oiliness or does it go away easily with one or two washings? (If you have several bars, I suggest you use one to test for what happens with the oily surface.)

 

[TheGecko]

Question, will it eventually dry out?

Maybe. Depends on how much oil you used.

If anyone has any suggestions, Id greatly appreciate it!

Since I am assuming that the purpose of the oil/mica mixture was as a design element, my suggestion would be to simply brush on the mica (without the oil) after unmolding or mix the mica with a tiny amount of alcohol and then brush it on.

If you were making CP soap, then it would be a simple matter of making the amount of batter you need to fill in the design in the color you want, pour it in with squeeze bottle or dropper and then let it set while you make up the rest of your batter.

 

[Val’s5]

Maybe. Depends on how much oil you used.



Since I am assuming that the purpose of the oil/mica mixture was as a design element, my suggestion would be to simply brush on the mica (without the oil) after unmolding or mix the mica with a tiny amount of alcohol and then brush it on.

If you were making CP soap, then it would be a simple matter of making the amount of batter you need to fill in the design in the color you want, pour it in with squeeze bottle or dropper and then let it set while you make up the rest of your batter.

Tysm for the quick response
It certainly was to enhance the design- awesome, will definitely try to brush it on next time. Yup, it was a tiny amount- 1Tsp- which is why I was taken back a bit. It cane out “oily” looking- perhaps it needs to dry

Normally you would stir the oil-mica mix into the batter before pouring into the mold, so they are well-mixed.

By pouring it into the mold without mixing, you essentially put an oil layer on the bottom of the mold (top of the soap). Was there some reason for doing this?

Depending on how much oil you used, It may soak in over time - or it may not. Unsaponified oils - especially on the outside of the soap - will encourage rancidity. I’d rebatch it to get everything mixed well.

If you were hoping to get a touch of color on the detailed part of the soap only, a better option is to brush or dust the mold surface with dry mica before pouring in the batter. You could also paint on a bit of mica dispersed in a very little bit of oil - not much though.

If you are ok with a layer of color, you could also separate out some batter, mix in the mica, and pour that in first. Then pour the uncolored batter over it.

Tysm! Wonderful suggestions . You are correct, I was going for a design enhancement on top only- rebatching sounds wise- thanks again !

 

[Val’s5]

What I see is that you had an individual mold with an intricate design on the bottom surface of the mold. What happens when pouring oil into a design like that, is that the oil pools in the low spots. I think that is probably what happened here.

I have never done what you did (the mica oil added to the mold prior to putting HP batter into the mold), so cannot share personal experience on what can happen. But speaking as someone who uses a 'realease agent' (lanolin or Vaseline or mineral oil depending on what was handy at the time), I can say that the amount matters on whether or not the surface retains any of the release agent (oil, etc.) When used as a release agent, I simply rub a minimal amount onto the inner surface and it is such a light coating, that normally it is not even noticeable on the surface of the soap.

Because HP is already saponified prior to pouring into the mold, the pooled oil (with or without mica) has only two options of how to behave: 'Sit there indefinitely to attract dust & with time start to oxidize & become sticky' or 'Be absorbed into the soap.' Like AliOop said, how much of it can actually be absorbed into the soap really depends on the amount of oil, but also it depends on if the HP soap you made was already sufficiently superfatted to make absorption of additional oil less likely.

Questions: How many bars did you make like this? Is there any residual color on the surface of the soap? I cannot see the sides, so cannot tell if the surface color is different from the rest of the soap. All I really see is a shiny mustard-colored surface. What happens if you wash your hands with a bar of this soap? Does the color come away as the surface oil is washed away? And if so, does the surface retain any of the oiliness or does it go away easily with one or two washings? (If you have several bars, I suggest you use one to test for what happens with the oily surface.)

Gm, thank you so very much for the help troubleshooting- greatly appreciated .

I have not tried a “releasing agent” interesting, would like to give it a try. My thinking was perhaps the HP batch would have absorbed it BUT #1 it couldn’t have (even though I used a small amt (tsp)) because sponification had already occurred. Unfortunately, I am not hm to update and answer your great questions. I will follow up tmmrw with some photos as well.

Thanks again

 

[dibbles]

That's a pretty mold! How many cavities did you coat with the tsp of oil you used? Because I hate rebatching, I'd try washing my hands with the soap until the oil was gone. It will destroy the design, but it will be usable soap. I don't sell, so the soap would be just for us to use.

You can also dry brush mica on soap after it comes out of the mold.

 

[Val’s5]

That's a pretty mold! How many cavities did you coat with the tsp of oil you used? Because I hate rebatching, I'd try washing my hands with the soap until the oil was gone. It will destroy the design, but it will be usable soap. I don't sell, so the soap would be just for us to use.

You can also dry brush mica on soap after it comes out of the mold.

Ty! The hubby gifted it to me (very pretty indeed)- I believe it holds 6 bars. Will definitely try washing first before rebatching-and brushing the mica. This batch was for the family and me.
TYSM

 

[Val’s5]

Ty everyone!
@dibbles this is the soap after 48hrs & rinsed only a couple of times- not too bad. Still not what I was hoping for-but happy no rebatching was necessary. Will definitely dust micas after unmolding or just do CP.

 

[dibbles]

Yay! I'm glad it worked for you. Anything is better than rebatching as far as I'm concerned. I'd take one of the soaps and use it as a practice for brushing on the mica.