soap separating

[mhjw]

Hello,
We have been using the same recipe with different results. The issue always happens when we add our pure Orange EO to our liquid soap.
We have been getting very clear soap but all of a sudden we are now getting a cloudy layer on top. We cooked 2 pots. Both turned out clear. Once we added the orange one pot got cloudy the other remained clear.
We thought maybe we measured something wrong so we cooked 2 more batches and they are both cloudy after adding the orange EO.
Any ideas on why we are all of a sudden having this issue?
Thanks!

 

[DeeAnna]

There's no black-and-white answer for you.

Fragrances, whether EO or FO, can thicken liquid soap, thin it out, make it cloudy or even separate, or have no effect at all. If the effect varies from batch to batch, the differences can be related to variations in the soap itself, in the fragrance, or inconsistency in measuring.

It could be the EO itself that is not staying solubilized in the soap. The more fragrance you add, the more likely you'll get this kind of separation. The use of a solubilizer such as polysorbate 80 can be helpful.

Also check the superfat and KOH purity in your recipe and verify your actual superfat is sufficiently low. If the diluted soap has more superfat than it can actually hold, the inconsistent separation after you add the EO may be due to slight variations in superfat content.

It's important to test new fragrances first in a sample of liquid soap to understand what effect they may have before adding fragrance to the entire batch. Any change in texture or clarity may be temporary or it may be permanent, so it's good to let the soap rest for several days to a week if it doesn't perform well initially.

 

[Zany_in_CO]

we are now getting a cloudy layer on top.

In my experience that's an indicator of unsaponified oils. Although it's out of favor these days, I always sequester the diluted LS for 2 weeks to allow enough time to correct something like that or if something settles on the bottom.

For additives like fragrance, solvents (glycerin, alcohol, simple sugar syrup), and chelators or pH adjusters (Borax, citric acid), are added to the batch after the Sequester. The batch should be warmed to about 140°F or so to make it easier to fully incorporate.

If the cloudy layer on top occurred after addiing the Orange EO you may be able to correct it by scooping the top layer off and adding one or more of the solvents to clear the soap. For example, you can try spritzing it with ethyl alcohol to see if that dissolves it. I've found that 1-2 tablespoons PP LS of 80 Proof Vodka not only clears the soap but boosts lather. Caution: Don't add too much -- that has the opposite effect.

Polysorbate 20 or 80 can also help if added to the fragrance before adding it to the batch.

ETA: The unsaponied oils on top issue generally occur when the batch is diluted too soon, i.e., before it's "done" enough to dilute.