Soap doesn't seem fully cured in the center

[misfities]

I made a pretty basic tallow/olive oil/coconut oil soap that I was really happy with, especially with the hardness of the bar. I tried then making the same recipe, but substituted some green tea for the distilled water. Below is a picture after one month of cure. You can see the outside has firmed up fine, but inside is discolored and softer than the firmer, outter layer. Any idea what this means I did wrong?

The piece on the bottom is how the soap looks from the outside. the piece on top is a broken-in half piece showing the inner goo (still after 1 month cure time)

 

[LBussy]

Zappy?

May just need more drying time. The seasons are changing, a small difference in humidity or airflow around the soap could be all it is.

 

[Susie]

I've only had that happen once to a non-shampoo bar. My issue was humidity and air flow. Once I solved the airflow issue, I have not seen it since. It only happened to the shampoo bar due to high castor oil percentage.

 

[DeeAnna]

Your soap just needs more drying time. The "rind" is where the soap is drier and denser and the softer interior is where the soap is wetter and more translucent. If I use cocoa as a colorant, the color difference between rind and interior is even more marked.

 

[AnnaMarie]

I wonder if there isn't a partial gel issue here....? I've had similar experiences when my soap gelling experience wasn't as controlled as it should be. Just a thought
Best,
Anna Marie

 

[Susie]

You can see the outside has firmed up fine, but inside is discolored and softer than the firmer, outer layer.

The piece on the bottom is how the soap looks from the outside. the piece on top is a broken-in half piece showing the inner goo (still after 1 month cure time)

I would agree about partial gel, except for the above statements. The "inner goo" description is especially helpful. I have held bars that fit that exact description. It just means that there needs to be more drying time. However, with them already having had a month, there needs to have been more airflow.

 

[misfities]

'Gooey' is better term than 'Goo'. the outside is firm, but i could probably push a finger through the inside without much effort. I appreciate the comments on partial gel. I am just learning about gel phase and don't know anything about partial gel... why it happens or how to prevent it.

This same lard recipe went perfect when i used water. Firmed up in two weeks and performed handsomely. When I replicated the recipe with chilled green tea that I brewed, it did not go as well. Just trying to make sense as to why one recipe worked and not my alteration of the recipe.

Thanks for all of your insights!

 

[AnnaMarie]

Your picture looks similar to a soap I had go funky on me that had coffee- maybe it's the caffeine? Or drying time, or another issue altogether. That being said, it wasn't soft in the middle like yours. The fact that you have made this recipe before with no problems seems to potentially point at the green tea as a possible culprit. Hmmmm....
Best,
Anna Marie

 

[fuzz-juzz]

I had it happen few times as well. Your bars are not dried all the way through, that's all.
4-6 weeks cure time is just a guide. They are "cured" but not 100% dried and at their best.
Many of my soaps are best after 3 months mark.
We care currently using soaps made 6 months ago and they are perfect. I learnt not to expect much from a 4 week old soap.

 

[DeeAnna]

It might be the green tea itself that's keeping the soap softer than previous batches, but I think that's a long shot. A lot of people use tea in their soaps and don't seem to have trouble -- but there's always a first time!

I'd also consider the possibility of a measurement error -- I'm wondering if there is more water (including tea, etc.) in this batch than you realize. I've learned a change of only a few percent of water in the lye solution can make a big difference in how the soap turns out. What might seem like a minor over-pour could realistically cause results like this.

Just something to think about.