Soap snail trails

[Hazel]

My thought (and I could be completely wrong) is that the TD and the sugar help to heat the soap to a higher temp, which spurs the separation/streaks (provided there is enough stearic). So far I haven't gotten any of my batches to streak without TD.

I think the only way to know for sure that it doesn't also have something to do with the stearic acid is to do some experimenting on that front. But I have had some soaps that only had part of the batch have TD added and that was the only part that had the rivers in it.

I had the opposite problem. My problems with stearic were not the ones I had used TD in and I was using a cooler temp than normal. I can't experiment with it since I have homogenized palm now. I've never had a problem with streaks or crackling when I've used TD but maybe I've just been lucky. I haven't used it for a long time. This has been a really informative thread. I should plan something with TD and experiment with it.

I thought DeeAnna's post was very interesting, too. Oddly, I had just read the other day about speckled soap and wondered about giving it a try. Long story. I won't go into it.

I also think I'm totally wrong about stearic affecting the soap. I think everyone's correct about the TD. I thought about it and I vaguely recalled someone posted a pic which showed a similar effect and people said it was from TD. So, I searched and found this topic. Just follow the link and look at marghewitt's pic.

http://www.soapmakingforum.com/f11/titanium-dioxide-question-33568/index2.html#post320112

 

[DeeAnna]

Been looking at other info about this issue. Some reasons offered by others include:

using palm oil that is not homogenized (ie: some batches would get an unusually high stearic fatty acid content)
using a higher water content in the soap batter than is necessary
the recipe has an unusually high amount of palm oil -- a recipe with palm at 70% didn't work, but worked fine at 40%
Source: http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/Bath_and_Body/message/17199

soap gets warm and fluid enough during gel so it can move around and form veins or mottles
soap was taken to a full, thick trace and the "stir lines" created in the soap from your spoon/spatula can create areas of clear soap
soap was taken to a full, thick trace, and then colorant or FO was added, but the colorant or FO did not fully mix into the thick soap batter, even with vigorous mixing
Source: http://www.millersoap.com/botched2.html Search for "mottled soap"

"...When [soap] is permitted to cool rapidly the colouring matter remains uniformly disseminated throughout the mass; but when means are taken to cause the soap to cool and solidify slowly a segregation takes place: the stearate and palmitate form a semi-crystalline solid, while the oleate, solidifying more slowly, comes by itself into translucent veins, in which the greater part of the coloured matter is drawn. In this way curd, mottled or marbled soap is formed..."
Source: http://www.1911encyclopedia.org/Soap

stearic soap streaks from non-homogenized palm
too much titanium dioxide
soaping under 100 deg F using a recipe that has a high stearic content -- soap at 110-115 F when using palm
Source: http://www.soapmakingforum.com/f22/crackle-mottled-cold-process-soap-27681/


Do any of these ideas seem to make sense in regards to your soap?

 

[AngelMomma]

Makes total sense!

 

[DeeAnna]

Ruthie's link was helpful to me.

In that thread, one person suggested letting a mixture of TD sit for awhile before adding it to the soap as a way to minimize crackle. I do know that it can be difficult for oil or water to thoroughly wet a fine powder. Warmth, time, and a drop of soap (if you're using water) may help.

Several others mentioned that they get crackle or mottle in gelled soaps, but they don't in soap that doesn't gel. So temperature and fluidity of the soap as it saponifies in the mold are also factors.

 

[danahuff]

I am not sure what kind of TD everyone else is using, but this is mine: http://www.soapgoods.com/Titanium-Dioxide-p-670.html. It's supposed to disperse in either water or oil.

I have only seen this happen when using TD, at least in my soaps. I think it has to do with the heat, as others have said. It might be interesting to try leaving out high-stearic oils and see if the same thing happens when I use TD and gel. I have a hunch it's a perfect storm kind of thing.

 

[Hazel]

Ruthie's link was helpful to me.

I didn't see a link in Ruthie's post. Was it deleted?

 

[Wendy.B]

DeeAnna, awesome info thank you.

 

[DeeAnna]

"...I didn't see a link in Ruthie's post. Was it deleted? ..."

Hi, Hazel -- No, I was writing from memory and confused your name with Ruthie's. It was your post #21 that I was talking about. Sorry for causing confusion.

 

[Hazel]

Sorry for causing confusion.

No problem. Confused is my natural state so it's not like it made a difference. I just didn't want to miss a helpful link - not that I'm going to be experimenting any time soon. :roll: