Stearic Spots

Paddyfrances · Oct 19, 2015

I'm having loads of problems with Stearic spots in my soaps no matter what I do.
I use shea at 18% and having trawled through everything I can read on the internet I feel that this is the culprit.
My recipe is 18% Coconut oil, 45% olive pomace, 12% sunflower, 18% shea and 5% castor oil.
I am trying to come up with a recipe that doesn't include sunflower (dos issues)
and shea and have been thinking about cocoa butter instead.
Can anyone tell me if cocoa butter will cause stearic spots just the same as shea?
The soap gremlins have moved in with me and I just wish they'd find somewhere else to live.
Thanks x

Lion Of Judah · Oct 19, 2015

what temperature do you soap at ? just be sure your butters are melted properly and you soap at a warm enough temp. you can use sunflower oil without a DOS issue , just reduce the amount that you use in your soap

shunt2011 · Oct 19, 2015

It would depend on what temp you are soaping at. With shea you will need to soap a bit warmer and that should help. Cocoa butter is harder so same thing. Soap a bit warmer.

DeeAnna · Oct 19, 2015

IrishLass · Oct 19, 2015

Yep- it helps to soap warm when working with butters if you don't want to end up with stearic spots. When I make such batches, I make sure that both my lye and melted oils/fats are no lower than 110 when I commence soaping.

IrishLass

Paddyfrances · Oct 19, 2015

DeeAnna - the first link on your reply is the one that looks the same as my soaps.
I have been soaping at 100 degrees then upped it to 105 but will try 110-115 tomorrow.

A very big "thank you" to everyone for your responses - as usual you are all amazing. xx