Oily - Slick CPOP Soap After Unmolding

[thinkativeone]

I made a 85% OO, 25% CO with 8% SF recipe last night, temped at 120-130 degrees in both the lye solution and the oils. Read another member had better success soaping at higher temps to avoid partial gel so I thought I'd give it a shot - I'm in the cool PNW and have had all partial gel soap but my first batch (lucky one that was!) ages ago. Combined and brought it to a light to medium trace (probably closer to light, but I normally trace super thick and chunky pudding style - was trying to avoid the unattractive bubbles and sides that gets me). Molded in lined wooden molds, and put into an oven that had been preheated at 170 degrees. Left it at 170 for one hour, then turned the oven off and didn't unmold and slice until now.

The logs were very slick with oil - no separation though, just greasy and left lots of oil sheen on my hands. The middles were slightly darker but I would not say that there were rings - it looked more like full gel (have only done partial gels before, so yay). The other fault is that there were broken bubbles on the tops of the logs, HOWEVER, no cracking, unlike the attempted CPOP (turned out to have streaks through them) CO soap I made last time.

Is this greasiness normal? I didn't use any essential oils, this is unscented soap. I hope I didn't screw it up by not doing a thicker trace. Hope I don't have to rebatch! Should this go away? Is it just the olive oil? It washed off my hands just fine. Also, I had extra soap I put in plastic molds and didn't bother to insulate in any way that didn't turn all greasy looking, but it's still firming up. Thanks!

 

[lpstephy85]

If it is not separated, isn't oozing, and doesn't zap you should be ok. Usually the oils will re-absorb once they sit out and cure.

 

[thinkativeone]

It sliced very easily but that was because it was rather soft. Not quite mushy, but soft enough you could have pressed a fingerprint in it if you tried to... Didn't notice oozing. Thank you, I feel less worried now... I didn't do a zap test though as I usually wait a few days (maybe I'm a zap sissy - haven't been zapped yet and am a little afraid to after DH explained what a battery zap felt like).

Do you know what causes it to be all slick and oily? I'm curious!

 

[lpstephy85]

Overheating was probably the cause. That usually seems to be the pattern with most CPOP oily issues.

 

[thinkativeone]

Hmmmm. I wonder what the culprit was - the oven, or the temp range I soaped at? Any prevention tips? Thank you for your help!

 

[lpstephy85]

I have only done CPOP a couple of times because I don't care about gel or not as it doesn't bother me. That said from what I read the best thing to do to prevent gel are the following suggestions:

I have never soaped higher than 110F so I cannot say that being at the range you were plus CPOP contributed.

You can preheat your mold by putting it in the oven at 170F until it gets warmed up then pour the soap in and insulate with some towels.

Some suggest using a heating pad or a gardening warming mat (forget the actual name). Put that under the mold and insulate.

If CPOP'ing I have seen it suggested to heat your oven up to the 170F, stick your soap in and turn off the oven and leave it in overnight without opening the door. This works for some and some it doesn't depending on how old their oven is and how well it keep the heat in. This can help avoid overheating because it isn't a direct heat and slowly cools down.

I have recently seen on here somewhere mentioned where they have let the soap saponify for 24 hours and then do the CPOP.. Here: http://www.soapmakingforum.com/showthread.php?t=39457&highlight=CPOP+hours

Doesn't look like there was actual a confirmation if this works. I might do an unscented batch tomorrow and try to get a partial gel and try this. Hope I helped some and maybe one of the more experienced will come by and correct/confirm/expand on what I have mentioned. Happy New Year

 

[Obsidian]

I've found that if I let my soap sit and firm up quite a bit before CPOP, it won't get all oily. When ever I tried it right after pouring, it would always overheat and get some what oily.

 

[thinkativeone]

Thanks guys. I tried most of what lpstephy mentioned - at least the insulating with mats, towels, preheating the molds (didn't work) etc. types of things. I don't know what it is, but I suspect our climate here. It is very cool and wet here. (Washington.) Too many times I have fought with irritating partial gels... Blah.

The reason I like CPOP is because it makes the bars last longer, and while it can be bad for scents, I am doing all unscented right now due to cost... So CPOP is kinda thrifty for me. Sure wish I could do CPOP with some EO in a 4-lb batch though. This one was 8 lbs.

I also have a new, digital oven now (weird!) since we moved and that has seemed to help things along - I even got a partial gel when preheating my other oven where the lowest setting was around 200! Thinking next time I may try soaping at 110-115, then popping it in at 170 for an hour, turning it off, and letting it stay in for almost a full day or close. If that doesn't work I'll have to think on it some more.

The little broken bubbles on the top, is that pretty common?

 

[Obsidian]

What part of Washington are you in? I'm in the panhandle of Idaho.

 

[thinkativeone]

Awesome! Beautiful state, Idaho. Looking at that state and Montana as possible places to settle down permanently in several years...

We are in Vancouver, WA... It's basically the Portland, OR metro area (5 minutes away) so just on the border, really. Land of hipsters, haha.

About how long does it take for the oils to reabsorb? It's still oily today but not quite slick, and a little more firm thankfully.

 

[grayceworks]

About how long does it take for the oils to reabsorb? It's still oily today but not quite slick, and a little more firm thankfully.

I have had it take anywhere from a day to a week, on my oily cpop batches. When it's mostly re-sorbed, I go ahead and cut, and if there's oil on the parchment where I cut, I lay the bars in it so they absorb every last bit, turning them once a day. Then standing them on end for more airflow once they've soaked that up. But I found that cutting speeds up things when they're firm enough to do so, as there's more circulation and exposed surface area to help it absorb.

Just my own experience, which isn't a lot yet, although I have had a lot of oily cpop batches trying to figure it out until I just decided to go with it and let them be oily and be patient until it soaked back in. Lol -- they have made some of my nicest bars though!

 

[athallr]

I have also experienced this but it seems the oil is reabsorbed pretty quickly and after curing I don't notice any difference in the finished product.

 

[roseb]

I've also had this issue with CPOP and I soap at room temp. It wasn't a lot of oil and it did reabsorb in about 24 hrs. It did feel more oily than my unCPOP soaps, but it wasn't anything to worry about. The soap turned out great.

 

[thinkativeone]

Hmmmmmm that's super interesting. Mine are still oily, especially on the tops, but I'll give it a week and then maybe wipe them down (they're already cut) and put them on racks or something. Next time I'll just soap at the normal 100-110 degrees and see what happens, since it is a new oven after all. But you guys have given me confidence that these bars should turn out nicely. Thanks ever so much!

 

[thinkativeone]

Just time for a humorous update - last night I dreamt this soap kept zapping me! Of course you realize what the first thing I had to do was upon getting up for the day? Yep - test the soap! Tested FINE, thank goodness!!! What a relief that the soaping nightmare was wrong.

I cut off some of the tops of the bar that looked the most bubbly - the soap is still super easy to slice through after a week. Wiped them off and placed them on top of the closet wire racks to dry. Have tested an end piece and am so far quite pleased!