What happened here

[Jumeriah]

Hi dear people!
I am new to this soap making thing and I would be so grateful for little help.
This is my first colored soap in CP. And I dont know what happened ?????
You can see two different colors of white.
That batter wasn't colored at all. Upper part looks like it is gelled and down is not? I was making it in "after eight" steel long narrow mold. After pouring it in tin, I put it uncovered in cold oven. No insulation or anything. Few times just sprayed with alcohol. Now I really want to avoid that upper part next time. It doesn't look so nice. Just I really don't know what I should do different to avoid it. Thanks for any tip.

 

[Dana89]

That is really weird. Are you positive you used TD in both layers? Was the top layer mixed separately from the bottom layer?

ETA-I see you said the batter was not colored at all, so you only used the pink color? No Clay? This was all one pour?
What do you mean "after pouring it in TIN"? Was that a typo?

 

[Jumeriah]

That is really weird. Are you positive you used TD in both layers? Was the top layer mixed separately from the bottom layer?

I didn't use any color for white part. It is natural soap color.
And I mixed only once. On thin trace I separated only little for colors and remain batter was natural. Pour it same time.
I really don't understand

 

[Dana89]

I have never seen a partial gel like that. What kind of mold did you use? Don't worry the experts will show up shortly.

 

[Jumeriah]

I have never seen a partial gel like that. What kind of mold did you use? Don't worry the experts will show up shortly.

I would say that down part will gel cos it is "insulated" by the upper soap and temperature is higher down. But now I am not sure.
My soap mold is on it's way from China so I used SS candy box :/

 

[Dana89]

Is that mold made out of tin? You should not use a tin mold..If you used a tin mold that was lined it may have protected the soap but if you put the tin lid on that could have caused a reaction.

 

[Jumeriah]

Is that mold made out of tin? You should not use a tin mold..

No, it is stainless steel. I check before using it.
And the lid was open all the time. never had contact with the soap.

So now I am not sure which part is gelled? Upper? How I can stop that part from gelling? So I will get colors and soap like bottom part. Put it in the fridge immediately after pouring into the mold?

 

[Susie]

That is not partial gel. I don't know what it is, but it is not partial gel. The color and swirl experts should show up soon.

 

[houseofwool]

I'm thinking it has more to do with how well things were mixed in the bowl before pouring.

I've had issues before when scraping out the bottom of the bowl to get everything into the mold. Some of it wasn't mixed as well.

 

[Jumeriah]

That is not partial gel. I don't know what it is, but it is not partial gel. The color and swirl experts should show up soon.

I am also sure it is not partial gel cos I have been reading all morning about it on the net and partial gel is always in the middle where temp is the highest.

 

[pamielynn]

I've never seen that before either, but I would agree that maybe the bottom part of your mix (not the bottom part of your finished soap) was not mixed as well.

Is there fragrance in the whole uncolored part?

 

[lionprincess00]

Please post your entire recipe including oils, any additives, and lye and water amounts, colorants used and fragrance used so we can better troubleshoot. I think it looks kinda cool personally!

Edit to say the in mold pic looks like a flat or raised top, but cut its crescent moon shaped concave. Did they all collapse down on the tops from the time you poured til you cut?

 

[BrewerGeorge]

I'm thinking it has more to do with how well things were mixed in the bowl before pouring.

I've had issues before when scraping out the bottom of the bowl to get everything into the mold. Some of it wasn't mixed as well.

That would be my guess as well, as that has also happened to me.

 

[dixiedragon]

I think the top part gelled and the bottom didn't. I am guessing that first you poured the bottom layer of white and the colors, then you gave it a quick stir to swirl. Then you stirred the remaining white and poured it. I think that sometimes that extra stirring can be enough to make a big difference.

Also, if you separated out your soap to color it, it was probably significantly cooler than the white soap that remained in the large, warm soap pot. So the colored soap may have been cool enough to keep the bottom layer from gelling.

 

[Jumeriah]

Edit to say the in mold pic looks like a flat or raised top, but cut its crescent moon shaped concave. Did they all collapse down on the tops from the time you poured til you cut?

This is really good catch! I was so focused on separated layer that I didn't noticed that it did sink in the middle!!!!!

Anyway there was no fragrances at all because i was just testing using colors first time. I didn't want to use my expensive essential oils. Here in Europe is really difficult to find soap fragrances.
Recipe was simple
palm oil 500gr
canola 250 gr
olive oil 250gr
calculated water and Lye in soapcalc

I was so curious that i went and repeated same process and same recipe with new batch. Tomorrow I will know if this thing is repeating.
Guys thank you so much on your replays and suggestions, it is really nice from you all.
Happy New Year to all !!!!!

I think the top part gelled and the bottom didn't. I am guessing that first you poured the bottom layer of white and the colors, then you gave it a quick stir to swirl. Then you stirred the remaining white and poured it. I think that sometimes that extra stirring can be enough to make a big difference.

Also, if you separated out your soap to color it, it was probably significantly cooler than the white soap that remained in the large, warm soap pot. So the colored soap may have been cool enough to keep the bottom layer from gelling.

This really make sense! I think exactly this had happen!
So next time I should stop gelling process if I want colors like bottom part?
And it seems like the color of those two layers are equaling. So strange. I cut it like 8 hours ago , and now when I am looking at it , that difference is not as big as in the first posted picture.

 

[cmzaha]

I actually think it looks really neat even though it is not the look you wanted. The remaining batter which was sitting in the pot while you finished your swirling may have started to gel, then the extra stirring can, as stated above, change the temp although not much, unless you hit it again with a sb. You can usually tell a partial gel because it will start in the middle of the soap and work it way out. At least that is the normal way soap gels but there can be variances.

 

[Jumeriah]

Yesterday I wanted to check once again how it will go.
I used same recipe, different colors, just this time I wanted to avoid gel or that partial gel and after pouring into the mold I put it in the fridge.
Well today, after 24 hours I put it out of the fridge and my soap is crumbly, and I am not able to cut it at all.
Is it ruined or there is hope that with the time it will become better?
It is such a shame cos this time I really like the look and colors.

 

[lionprincess00]

What's your water lye concentration? Let it come to room temperature and see if it helps, or pop in the oven for 20 to 30 minutes to warm and soften it. Oven on lowest setting, when preheated then turn it off. Then put in. Did you add anything other than fats oils lye water fragrance and colors?

 

[Jumeriah]

What's your water lye concentration? Let it come to room temperature and see if it helps, or pop in the oven for 20 to 30 minutes to warm and soften it. Oven on lowest setting, when preheated then turn it off. Then put in. Did you add anything other than fats oils lye water fragrance and colors?

Water : Lye Ratio 2.9488:1
I will attach full recipe. I used it before and always was ok and successful!
Every batch was successful until I started to use colors
No fragrance at all.
I need to say that I put quite TD :/ It seemed never to be enough to color white.

View attachment View_Print Recipe.pdf

 

[kchaystack]

That is alot of water. By putting in the fridge you slowed the saponification down, so I think you cut too early.

Was your td mixed with water? If so and you added alot of it you decreased your lye concentration even more.

It will probably be ok once it warms up and you let it finish saponification