Partial gel?

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LisaAnne

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From reading I believe this is a partial gel, I've never had one. I soaped a little warmer so I wouldn't have stearic acid spots in my soap, I am trying to get a harder bar. From what I understand the middle stayed warm so it gelled and is going to stay a darker color.
Other than soaping a little warmer nothing has really changed in my method. Is there a way to avoid this?

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Was in in the silicone mold or wooden.
Silicone is much thinner and will allow for soap to stay cool.
Some FOs, such as florals will do that no matter what. I had so many partial gels with floral FOs I just gave up on ungelled soaps altogether.
 
Was in in the silicone mold or wooden.
Silicone is much thinner and will allow for soap to stay cool.
Some FOs, such as florals will do that no matter what. I had so many partial gels with floral FOs I just gave up on ungelled soaps altogether.

It was in a silicone mold and I didn't use any fragrance. It really wasn't too much warmer than I usually soap. I kept stick blending for a while after I added stearic hoping to incorporate it.
Was in in the silicone mold or wooden.
Silicone is much thinner and will allow for soap to stay cool.
Some FOs, such as florals will do that no matter what. I had so many partial gels with floral FOs I just gave up on ungelled soaps altogether.

Soapsavvy you gel all the time now? It will build up heat just by wrapping it and setting aside or so you put it in the oven?
 
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LisaAnne -- do you use "38% water as % of oils"? If you do, try using lye concentration instead when you calculate your next soap recipe, and set the lye concentration to 30%. This is going to slightly reduce the water in your recipe.

Soap made with less water is chemically a little different than soap made with more water. Soap with less water must reach a higher temperature before it is able to shift into that liquidy, vaseline-y gel state. If the soap can't get hot enough to go into gel, it can't make those interesting partial gel bullseyes. :think: There is nothing wrong with putting your soap into the fridge or freezer, but IMO the better bet to avoid gel is to reduce the water content.

If you like how this works for you, you may want to experiment with lye concentrations ranging from 30% up to 33%. This range of concentration seems to work pretty well for most people and most soaps a lot of the time, although every soaper needs to see what works best. You will also see less crackling ("glycerin" rivers) with lower water content as well.
 
If you made this soap within the last 24 hours, you can put it back together in the mold and pop it in the over an 170-190 decrees for an hour, maybe less but you'd have to watch it. It will heat and get soft in the oven but once it cools, you won't notice that ring much at all.
 
Soapsavvy you gel all the time now? It will build up heat just by wrapping it and setting aside or so you put it in the oven?

I just wrap them up well. I don't use oven to encourage gel.
I don't always help single soaps gel but they tend to, especially with certain FOs.
I usually test FOs in single molds and want to see how fast will soaps heat up.
 
High coconut and palm combos will also give partial gel - even with efforts to stop the heating process. At least that's what I have experienced in my limited experience.

Thank you, I usually use lard but wanted to empty the palm bucket and I used PKO. So that sounds about right. Thanks

LisaAnne -- do you use "38% water as % of oils"? If you do, try using lye concentration instead when you calculate your next soap recipe, and set the lye concentration to 30%. This is going to slightly reduce the water in your recipe.

Soap made with less water is chemically a little different than soap made with more water. Soap with less water must reach a higher temperature before it is able to shift into that liquidy, vaseline-y gel state. If the soap can't get hot enough to go into gel, it can't make those interesting partial gel bullseyes. :think: There is nothing wrong with putting your soap into the fridge or freezer, but IMO the better bet to avoid gel is to reduce the water content.

If you like how this works for you, you may want to experiment with lye concentrations ranging from 30% up to 33%. This range of concentration seems to work pretty well for most people and most soaps a lot of the time, although every soaper needs to see what works best. You will also see less crackling ("glycerin" rivers) with lower water content as well.

Using lye concentration is my next goal. I couldn't remember the number to use, so for that soap I lowered the water to 33. I will definitely try the lye concentration next. Thanks.

If you made this soap within the last 24 hours, you can put it back together in the mold and pop it in the over an 170-190 decrees for an hour, maybe less but you'd have to watch it. It will heat and get soft in the oven but once it cools, you won't notice that ring much at all.

Thank you, I've been meaning to try the oven method. I'm way too sleepy to babysit it now, but will try that in the morning.

I just wrap them up well. I don't use oven to encourage gel.
I don't always help single soaps gel but they tend to, especially with certain FOs.
I usually test FOs in single molds and want to see how fast will soaps heat up.

Thank you :)

I'm telling you the more I learn the more I learn what I don't know!
 
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The lazy oven method is to heat the oven to 100* F, wrap your soap in a towel or old blanket, turn off the oven as you put it in the oven, and leave it overnight.



I think I'm liking the sound of lazy oven method! Seriously! Thanls
 
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