Suspending exfoliants

[ThePopeOfSoap]

I like to use exfoliants in my soap recipes such as different types of seeds and oatmeal. Normally I just blend the oils, exfoliants and lye solution until thick trace so as to make sure the exfoliants don’t sink to the bottom of the bar when poured into the mold. The problem is that sometimes the soap gets so thick that when I pour it into the mold pockets of air get trapped that don’t get released even by repeatedly tapping the mold down on the table. These air pockets are very unsightly in the finished bar. Does anyone have any tips or tricks for identifying when the soap will suspend the exfoliants but still pour smoothly? Or is this more of a skill that one learns through practice?

 

[Obsidian]

Try adding your exfoliants and thin trace, they should stay suspended just fine.

 

[shunt2011]

I add mine to my oils before my lye and then blend to thin trace. I don’t use a lot of them in my soaps but do use oatmeal, pumice, poppy seeds and sometimes raspberry or strawberry seeds. They seem to stay suspended just fine.

 

[amd]

Oatmeal I do as Shari (shunt2011) does and just add it to my oils before adding lye. Side note: I blitz my oatmeal in a coffee grinder before using it. Not the same as colloidal oatmeal, but I do like it better than leaving the oatmeal whole.

Other things such as apricot seed powder, poppy seeds, jojoba beads, etc. I take it to light trace before adding.

 

[shunt2011]

I run mine through a coffee grinder also.

 

[penelopejane]

I run mine through a coffee grinder also.

Lucky you. DH won't let me use the coffee grinder.
I use a food processor then sift the oatmeal and do it again and again. It gets pretty fine but not coffee grinder fine.

 

[amd]

I have a cheapie that lives in the soap dungeon. Hubby has a fancy grinder upstairs that we use for our daily brew. I don't know if rummage sales are a thing in Australia, but I picked up mine for 50 cents at one. Thrift stores are a good place to occasionally find them too.

 

[MGM]

I have had the problem of exfoliants sinking in M&P (they do sell a special M&P variety to help with that), but not yet in CP. I used ground oatmeal and hops in my very first (supervised) soap and they were very nicely suspended throughout. I did it at some point at trace (it was all a blur, but I remember this, as we separated out 1/4 of the batter to colour and that part did not have the additives).