Palm oil grainy even when fully melted and mixed?

[cmzaha]

The container is the kind that can't be scooped but only poured from, unfortunately. The only way to get it out is to melt it. I really have no idea why it's so grainy. Imagine taking oil and then throwing sand into it and that's exactly what it looks and feels like. It happens in all recipes I've tried with it including unscented and uncolored soap with just olive oil, coconut oil, and palm oil. As soon as I remove the palm oil from a recipe the sandiness is gone. If it's not a stearic acid problem what would you think it is?

If you have remelted it several times it may be as others have mentioned that it has broken down the oil. I never melt my palm until ready to use it. I think you mentioned purchasing your palm for Natures Garden. I have never purchased oils other than fragrance from them. They only started supplying base oils a few years ago and they would not be my pick as a base oil supplier. I have had palm from a couple gals destashing from WSP and their palm is nice. What they gave me was packaged in HDPE buckets, and do not know how they packaged smaller amounts. I had 5 lb buckets I think. I see you are in the US. Depending on how much you have left you might have to give up and chuck it. If it if new and not much is used I would call NG and talk to them. It is possible it has frozen and thawed a few times before you received it during shipping. You just never know what happens during shipping to the supplier or you. In my beginning soap days, I have actually taken a hack saw to cut containers when I had one that I could not scoop from. Sorry, I am really not much help, but I really would not waste further supplies making soap with it.

 

[shunt2011]

NG is where I purchased my Palm from when I first started. It came in 1 lb bottles. It was a pain to deal with. I agree that re-heating may be the problem.

 

[aictopus]

If you have remelted it several times it may be as others have mentioned that it has broken down the oil. I never melt my palm until ready to use it. I think you mentioned purchasing your palm for Natures Garden. I have never purchased oils other than fragrance from them. They only started supplying base oils a few years ago and they would not be my pick as a base oil supplier. I have had palm from a couple gals destashing from WSP and their palm is nice. What they gave me was packaged in HDPE buckets, and do not know how they packaged smaller amounts. I had 5 lb buckets I think. I see you are in the US. Depending on how much you have left you might have to give up and chuck it. If it if new and not much is used I would call NG and talk to them. It is possible it has frozen and thawed a few times before you received it during shipping. You just never know what happens during shipping to the supplier or you. In my beginning soap days, I have actually taken a hack saw to cut containers when I had one that I could not scoop from. Sorry, I am really not much help, but I really would not waste further supplies making soap with it.

Thank you for your help. I've not ordered oils from WSP yet but I'm definitely going to have to try their palm oil. The container Natures Garden has their palm oil in looks sort of like an extra tall jug of water with a small opening. Why they decided to package it like that, I'm not sure, but it wasn't the best idea on their part lol.

NG is where I purchased my Palm from when I first started. It came in 1 lb bottles. It was a pain to deal with. I agree that re-heating may be the problem.

I'm definitely going to switch oil suppliers for the palm oil and get the no-stir kind so I don't run into any of that trouble again. It's a real shame though, I hate wasting materials. I wonder if I could try working with the texture and make some salt bars or some other exfoliating bar to finish off what I have and get away with it.

 

[shunt2011]

I'm definitely going to switch oil suppliers for the palm oil and get the no-stir kind so I don't run into any of that trouble again. It's a real shame though, I hate wasting materials. I wonder if I could try working with the texture and make some salt bars or some other exfoliating bar to finish off what I have and get away with it.

Salt bars are made with high CO not palm. Most places that carry no stir you will likely have to buy 50 lbs. I get mine from Soaper's Choice.

 

[aictopus]

Salt bars are made with high CO not palm. Most places that carry no stir you will likely have to buy 50 lbs. I get mine from Soaper's Choice.

Ah that's true, I forgot about that sigh.

 

[cmzaha]

Thank you for your help. I've not ordered oils from WSP yet but I'm definitely going to have to try their palm oil. The container Natures Garden has their palm oil in looks sort of like an extra tall jug of water with a small opening. Why they decided to package it like that, I'm not sure, but it wasn't the best idea on their part lol.

It also means you do not know for sure what temp they heated the palm up to since they had to heat it up for pouring, depending on how they purchase their palm oil. It could have been overheated then cooled down since they are not really an oil supplier. I was purchasing my palm from Cibaria Soap Supply that is actually an International Olive Oil Supplier which has the soap oil supply division for supplying soapers. It is local enough for me to will call and do a couple runs a year for some of my oils. The drawback is their shipping is pricy.

 

[Shannybell]

Where did you get it from? Possibly you got a bad batch that was poured from the bottom of the barrel “so to speak.” Just speculating as I know unless you buy the no stir palm (which I love btw) it should be melted and stirred before using as it can separate out. Would just make sense that a supplier would have to do the same when portioning out for sale. I’m sure someone with more experience will chime in.

I needed this thread! I was so excited to get my no-stir palm oil from WSP but when I opened it up to use it the first time, I was confused because it didn't look like the picture.... It was separated, oil on top, semi-solid on the bottom. I was expecting it to look like coconut oil below 76 degrees like the picture on the website looks. I managed to stir it all together before measuring some out but, is it supposed to be separating like that?

ETA: When I opened the container tonight, it was only slightly separated from where I had stirred it together last night, so it's not as bad, but still doesn't look like the pic. It's very runny looking not congealed like the pic makes it look. It's definitely not "scoopable".

 

[shunt2011]

I needed this thread! I was so excited to get my no-stir palm oil from WSP but when I opened it up to use it the first time, I was confused because it didn't look like the picture.... It was separated, oil on top, semi-solid on the bottom. I was expecting it to look like coconut oil below 76 degrees like the picture on the website looks. I managed to stir it all together before measuring some out but, is it supposed to be separating like that?

ETA: When I opened the container tonight, it was only slightly separated from where I had stirred it together last night, so it's not as bad, but still doesn't look like the pic. It's very runny looking not congealed like the pic makes it look. It's definitely not "scoopable".

If it's hot outside and was shipped while hot it's going to melt. I order my Palm & butters when it's cool out to keep it from melting in shipping and while sitting outside till I get home from work. It's in the high 80's-90 this time of year here and not worth the risk of melting.

 

[Jersey Girl]

It probably partially melted during shipping. That can happen in the warmer months. Store it in a cooler spot. It will solidify again.

 

[Arimara]

Palm oil doesn't need tempering. I've used regular palm and now use no stir palm. Like cmzaha, I never melted the entire bucket, just went from different spots and went as deep as I could. The only time I had to melt it was getting it in 1lb bottles which was the dumbest thing ever to package it in .

I perfectly agree 1000%.

 

[Shannybell]

It probably partially melted during shipping. That can happen in the warmer months. Store it in a cooler spot. It will solidify again.

If it's hot outside and was shipped while hot it's going to melt. I order my Palm & butters when it's cool out to keep it from melting in shipping and while sitting outside till I get home from work. It's in the high 80's-90 this time of year here and not worth the risk of melting.

Thank y'all! I feel better about it now and that's a great idea to stock up in the cooler months. I will be doing that too!

 

[DeeAnna]

"...The container is the kind that can't be scooped but only poured from, unfortunately. ..."

I sometimes order fats from Soapers Choice, and the 7 lb containers are jugs with a narrow mouth. I finally realized I can cut the top off and scoop out the fat that way. I divide the fat into smaller, more convenient portions for storage in plastic bags or smaller containers with large lids.

 

[penelopejane]

^^^Great idea, DeeAnna.
In summer the coconut oil I use gets delivered (or is available for pick up) in bottles but in winter it is in buckets. I just asked for buckets regardless of the season and they are happy to do it.

 

[DeeAnna]

PJ -- It was kind of one of those "Duh, how dumb have I been!" moments when I finally realized it.

Cutting off the top and scooping sure beats the aggravation of melting the fat so it can be poured out.

 

[Carmin]

I wish we had a Smart and Final around here. That’s a terrific price!

I‘ve just bought palm oil to make charcoal soap and could find the no stir version, no under that name here in UK they call it differently. Anyway, I bought the regular one and the idea of scooping from different parts of the container seems really good. I’ll try that. Thank you!

 

[MommaSoaper]

When I ordered 5-gallon buckets of palm oil I never melted it down. I would scoop from different areas of the bucket when measuring for my soap batch. I only melted my palm when ready to soap and never had a problem with my palm using it this way. I switched to Palm Shortening when I found it at Smart & Final in 50lb cubes for $38 approx. It is the no-stir type palm. Some restaurant supply stores carry palm shortening.

I just bought this palm shortening and used it for the first time. Same recipe I always use, just subbed the palm oil with the shortening. It's the strangest thing, but there are little brown dots all over the soap. I suspected that it was the lilac fragrance oil but was told that it might be the shortening. Did you ever encounter this issue? Was told that shortenings contain additives and chemicals but the box says 100% palm oil. ??? Stumped over here.

 

[linne1gi]

I just bought this palm shortening and used it for the first time. Same recipe I always use, just subbed the palm oil with the shortening. It's the strangest thing, but there are little brown dots all over the soap. I suspected that it was the lilac fragrance oil but was told that it might be the shortening. Did you ever encounter this issue? Was told that shortenings contain additives and chemicals but the box says 100% palm oil. ??? Stumped over here.

Probably the lilac fragrance oil.

 

[AliOop]

I just bought this palm shortening and used it for the first time. Same recipe I always use, just subbed the palm oil with the shortening. It's the strangest thing, but there are little brown dots all over the soap. I suspected that it was the lilac fragrance oil but was told that it might be the shortening. Did you ever encounter this issue? Was told that shortenings contain additives and chemicals but the box says 100% palm oil. ??? Stumped over here.

I replied to your post on the other thread. I agree with @linne1gi that it's either the fragrance oil, or honey spots. I don't usually CPOP anything with honey since the soap gets hot enough to gel on its own, and adding extra heat often creates those spots.

 

[linne1gi]

I replied to your post on the other thread. I agree with @linne1gi that it's either the fragrance oil, or honey spots. I don't usually CPOP anything with honey since the soap gets hot enough to gel on its own, and adding extra heat often creates those spots.

I CPOP every soap. Never have any problems. I soap cool, use sugar or honey plus milk in every soap.

 

[AliOop]

I CPOP every soap. Never have any problems. I soap cool, use sugar or honey plus milk in every soap.

I think the difference is that she soaped at 80 degrees AND using an accelerating fragrance AND said she over-stick-blended. Lots going on there.