What did I do wrong?? (lots of pics) :(

[cthylla]

Grrrr. The gremlins made their way to PA.

I'm sort of kerflummoxed as to what went wrong here. The recipe:
17.7 oz Grade A Olive Oil
7.1 oz Coconut Oil
6.5 oz Shea Butter
1.1 oz Castor Oil
1 tbsp sugar & 1 tsp salt (dissolved in the water prior to adding lye)
8.5 oz Distilled Water
4.2 oz Lye
(8-10% lye discount and 20% water discount)
0.5 oz Lavender EO
0.5 oz Eucalyptus EO
0.5 oz Lemon EO (EOs added to oils just before adding lye)
2 "dash" of Chromium Green Oxide (dissolved in 1 tbsp of the water before lye)
3 "dash" Black Oxide (dissolved in 1 tbsp of the water before lye)

I soaped at 105 degrees. It SEEMED to emulsify, but didn't reach a heavy trace. I guess it was still pretty thin when added it to the color cups and then the mold. I immediately put it in the freezer and left it there for 12 hours. When I moved it to the closet yesterday morning, it looked fine.

THIS morning, however:

(Yes, I put it in crooked!)

WTH? Why would it all collect on the top like that? I pH tested the middle... and it's an 8-9. I finally brought myself to do the zap test on the top (I was trying to convince myself it was really bad ash or freezer burn) and OW. So it's lye. :evil:

In addition, is this also a partial gel? Or just heavy lye topping?

Is this total rebatch material? Haven't had to do that yet. :cry:

 

[lsg]

It looks like soda ash and if so is harmless. Just wipe it off with a alcohol or a damp cloth.

 

[cthylla]

It looks like soda ash and if so is harmless. Just wipe it off with a alcohol or a damp cloth.

It DID wipe right off. But how can I be sure? I guess I can try the zap test again after it dries?

 

[honor435]

it looks fine, that just ash, and rezap test in a few days, not right away!

 

[MizzBee]

Nothing wrong with that soap, it looks like ash, just wipe it away, it looks great...love the colors...what scent is it?

 

[cthylla]

Nothing wrong with that soap, it looks like ash, just wipe it away, it looks great...love the colors...what scent is it?

I'm not entirely sure. I had some EO's from a very brief "make your own cleaning products" phase, and figured I'd use them up. I can't smell the lemon at all, but the lavender and eucalyptus are both pretty strong.

 

[MizzBee]

Lavender, lemon and eucalyptus, that would be uplifting, if only we could smell it too

I just noticed that you posted up the EO's I shouldn't just look at the pictures

 

[cthylla]

And thank you, everybody... so glad I don't need to rebatch!!

 

[missmelis]

That looks like ash to me. When you don't gell your soaps can zap for a couple days. Just wait it out and it should be fine.

 

[Jezzy]

I agree with the others. It is ash

When I put a soap in the freezer it will still zap for about 3 days.

 

[Dragonkaz]

Love the colours ... really beautiful!

Hopefully it is just ash and your soap will be divine to look at, smell and use!