Problem with heat tunnels

[anniet8777]

Twice now my newly made soap ended up with heat tunnels with oil oozing out of it. The first time, I believe I allowed it to get too hot by insulting. This time I didn’t insulate and the room was cool. I did add 1/3 of the liquid as coconut milk which I do with all my soaps but this time I added 1 Tbl ppo of buttermilk powder and 1 tsp ppo of honey. I added these same additives to another loaf of soap with a different recipe at the same time and that loaf had no heat tunnels. I’d really like to try this recipe again, but I fear the same result. Should I put it in the fridge the next time I make it? And I’m assuming this soap is unusable? The tunnel is small and it looks like a thick gel inside. Thanks for any advice!

 

[shunt2011]

You've actually got partial gel as well. If you post your entire recipe/procedure we can help you troubleshoot. I can say that adding not only coconut milk, then adding buttermilk powder and honey are most likely the problem. Also, what lye concentration are you using? If you are using full water that will cause it to heat pretty hot on it's own.

 

[anniet8777]

This recipe is 50% OO, 10% Coconut oil, 20% Lard, 5% Shea, 5% Cocoa butter, 10% Castor. 6% SF. My lye concentration is 30%. My temps of oils/lye mixture were at 115 degrees when I mixed. This is cold process.

 

[dixiedragon]

According to Google, the melting point of cocoa butter is 93-101F, so I'd drop my soaping temps to 105 or so.

 

[anniet8777]

You've actually got partial gel as well. If you post your entire recipe/procedure we can help you troubleshoot. I can say that adding not only coconut milk, then adding buttermilk powder and honey are most likely the problem. Also, what lye concentration are you using? If you are using full water that will cause it to heat pretty hot on it's own.

So do you think it’s overkill adding the buttermilk powder? I am absolutely loving my soaps with the added coconut milk. The creaminess is amazing. Since I don’t use full coconut milk, I thought adding a little buttermilk powder to the mix would make it even more luxurious.

 

[shunt2011]

I add powdered milk to my liquid milk so it equals using full milk. I mix my lye with water. But I soap cooler pretty much just warm enough to keep everything melted.

 

[dixiedragon]

If you love your soap with buttermilk and coconut milk, then keep on making it! Just be aware that the sugars in the milks and the honey are going to heat things up a bit. You can compensate by using less water (thus creating a lower-temp and less-intense gel phase), or by avoiding gel phase all together by soaping cooler and/or placing your soap in your fridge or freezer. Fridge or freezer isn't my personal choice - I don't want to spill soap all over my fridge. You could try something simpler like raising your mold off of your counter top (put a can at each corner) and putting a fan on it to keep it a bit cooler.

 

[anniet8777]

If you love your soap with buttermilk and coconut milk, then keep on making it! Just be aware that the sugars in the milks and the honey are going to heat things up a bit. You can compensate by using less water (thus creating a lower-temp and less-intense gel phase), or by avoiding gel phase all together by soaping cooler and/or placing your soap in your fridge or freezer. Fridge or freezer isn't my personal choice - I don't want to spill soap all over my fridge. You could try something simpler like raising your mold off of your counter top (put a can at each corner) and putting a fan on it to keep it a bit cooler.

I love my coconut milk soap but have never tried using buttermilk. I’m just experimenting. This is also my first time trying a 50% Olive oil recipe as my typical recipe is at least 40% lard. I’m wondering if rather then putting in my loaf mold to put in individual molds instead, because I put some of my leftover batter in 1 individual mold and that bar looks fine. I’ll try again at a lower temp and use a fan.

 

[amd]

I put my buttermilk soap in the fridge for 12-24 hours and then let it sit on the counter for another 12-24 hours. It always heats up more than my coconut milk soap. My coconut milk soap I insulate and let it gel on the counter with no problems. I suspect the different type of milk is affecting the soap, and then with added honey, it's going to get hotter.

 

[shunt2011]

I too find that buttermilk heats up more than coconut milk. I still gel it though. I just keep an eye on it for overheating.