Pics. Instant Ashing

[Lakee]

Okay. This is the 2nd batch. Only difference between the batches was the addition of some mica in this one (to make it easier to see the difference between the 2).

There is still some slight a shingles on the flower molded soaps but 90% better this time.

I read the previous conversations and did watch to see if there was any gelling. Yes in the silicone but no sign of any in the plastic molds.

What I found interesting was that little mushroom was not sprayed. No ashing, no gelling either. Maybe it really does have something to do with the silicone.

Remember when wiping hard/plastic molds with mineral oil was being tossed around? That's going to be my next effort for the two flower molds.

Thanks to everyone for their input and suggestions.

 

[SaltedFig]

It is weird because I got those hard white edges to my soap and I worked it out as being overheating. I was trying to work out a CPOP method that didn't use the oven.
When I put my soap in an esky (not individual molds) they got too hot as the heat didn't escape and formed that stuff.
I also got it later in individual molds that I had poured at too light a trace.

So now I insulate in a polystyrene box that lets heat out over time and I don't pour at really light trace. I poured soap in a 12 x individual cavity mold. When I poured two cavities I thought the batter was close to emulsion so I mixed the batter further and poured the rest.
The two bars poured at emulsion or very light trace got that hard, crumbly white stuff that penetrated the bar.
The rest of the bars were perfect. All were sprayed with IPA and all covered with plastic and insulated.

The silicone that is used to make the mold apparently makes a difference. You need to buy platinum silicone molds for them to last a long time without doing weird things.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silicone_rubber

There has to be a solution to your problem.
You said above that you didn't have that problem with the soaps for 5 years when you refrigerated them but now you get it even if you refrigerate them?
Are you still using the same molds?

@penelopejane Overheating will result in gas being released from your batter. If you have something (like a silicone mold) that is also generating gas, then you can get a lot of ash/bubbles in the soap. My individual mold silicone experiments left bubble indents on the outside of the soaps, and little bubble marks thoughout, and these soaps ashed up pretty readily.

Yes, I had a blissfully happy time from the moment I started soapmaking till about two years ago when nothing ever went wrong. Now I almost never get a completely perfect batch. I am using the same moulds so one at least is about 5 or 6 years old. It probably isn't spectacularly good quality. Maybe I need to try buying a new, good quality one. The trouble is, now I will probably do the CPOPing and covering anyway because I don't want to risk the batch failing. Experimenting takes so long and failures mean wasted money and lots of awful soap which I then have to use my self. I'm getting quite a collection of that! There's only so often you can wash! But I will give a new mould some thought.

@JuliaNegusuk - I have noticed that now that I've overheated my silicone mold for this test, every test after will get the bubbles a lot more than before, so once a mold does that, there's no going back to perfect smoothness (if you gel, I've found I can get a smooth, ungelled soap still). I haven't tested my mold to destruction quite yet, but it's not as old as your molds. I would agree with you - it's time to buy new molds.

Okay. This is the 2nd batch. Only difference between the batches was the addition of some mica in this one (to make it easier to see the difference between the 2).

There is still some slight a shingles on the flower molded soaps but 90% better this time.

I read the previous conversations and did watch to see if there was any gelling. Yes in the silicone but no sign of any in the plastic molds.

What I found interesting was that little mushroom was not sprayed. No ashing, no gelling either. Maybe it really does have something to do with the silicone.

Remember when wiping hard/plastic molds with mineral oil was being tossed around? That's going to be my next effort for the two flower molds.

Thanks to everyone for their input and suggestions.

Yes, it was either going to be the mold, or the sequence of your pour. From your reply, it's the mold.
I would suggest following @penelopejane's advice and look at the quality of the silicone (it shouldn't have reacted so strongly on the first use, which supports the suggestion that the quality of silicone is causing the problem, rather than deterioration of the silicone).

 

[Lakee]

Update:

I had 4 of the silicone peony molds (@ $12.00 each + shipping) and quite disappointed that I wouldn't be using them. Today I bought a hand held garment steamer (to take up to the cottage). When I got home, the thought occurred to me to try steaming those soaps. VERY happy to report they cleaned up perfectly and now also have a lovely shine.
Hooray.

 

[SaltedFig]

I'm so pleased for you that you have a solution (and thankyou for posting the followup )

It sounds like you have the perfect outcome - you know what causes the ash for this recipe/mould combination and also how to get rid of it ... very nice!

(I would love to see some happy snaps of your shiny soap )