Why did my soap turn brown?

[Sarah Seaton]

Hi! I am hoping someone can help me. I made cold process soap this week and for the first time some of the edges turned brown and I'm not sure why. It is not all throughout my soap and almost looks marbled as if I added it into the soap. Your insight is appreciated!

 

[Marilyn Norgart]

did the scent you use have vanilla in it?

 

[Obsidian]

What oils and additives did you use?

 

[DeeAnna]

It looks like some kind of contamination on the outside of the soap, next to the mold surfaces. What did you use as your mold, and what did you use to line it, if anything?

The brown is associated only with the white in the photos. What's different about the white portion?

 

[Sarah Seaton]

did the scent you use have vanilla in it?

I did not use any vanilla.

 

[Sarah Seaton]

What oils and additives did you use?

I used olive oil, canola oil, coconut oil, sweet almond oil, castor oil, and kokum butter. My fragrance oil was bramble berry's tabaco and bay leaf.

 

[Sarah Seaton]

It looks like some kind of contamination on the outside of the soap, next to the mold surfaces. What did you use as your mold, and what did you use to line it, if anything?

The brown is associated only with the white in the photos. What's different about the white portion?

I used a silicone mold and did not line it with anything. Should I have? I did not do anything different with the white portion than I did with the rest of it. It's so odd.

 

[Obsidian]

Brambleberry site says that FO discolors. Do you hand stir or stick blend it in? I'm betting that darker spot maybe a area where the FO isn't mixed really well.
I would expect the whole soap to eventual turn a light brown though.

 

[Sarah Seaton]

Brambleberry site says that FO discolors. Do you hand stir or stick blend it in? I'm betting that darker spot maybe a area where the FO isn't mixed really well.
I would expect the whole soap to eventual turn a light brown though.

I stick blended the FO in, but I feel like I could have blended it a little better than I did. I have used this FO before though and it never discolored my soaps. I hope the whole soap doesn't change color.

 

[Marilyn Norgart]

I used olive oil, canola oil, coconut oil, sweet almond oil, castor oil, and kokum butter. My fragrance oil was bramble berry's tabaco and bay leaf.

I have used this FO 3 times with different discolorations each time. I haven't used any colorant in any of the batches

 

[Sarah Seaton]

I have used this FO 3 times with different discolorations each time. I haven't used any colorant in any of the batches

Good to know! I guess it can be a little unpredictable. I guess my biggest fear was that the soap was contaminated in some way but that doesn't seem to be the case. The way it is swirled in looks like it may just be from the FO and is safe to use.

 

[kaysejean]

Here's the test soap from brambleberry's site. I'm guessing that's what's happening in your soap.

 

[DeeAnna]

...I did not do anything different with the white portion than I did with the rest of it....

I'd say it's pretty likely you did do something different with the white, if only by elimination rather than addition. I'd guess the white may have been mixed a bit less than the colored portions. If the brown is discoloration caused by the FO, incomplete mixing is one reason why the brown looks darker in some parts of the white soap and pale in other parts.

If you do not scrape the sides of your bowl with a spatula and mix that batter into the main batter, try doing that next time. Many people rely only on their stick blender to mix, and that's not the best idea. It's always wise to scrape the sides and mix with a spatula to ensure the whole amount of batter is well mixed before pouring it into the mold.

 

[Sarah Seaton]

I'd say it's pretty likely you did do something different with the white, if only by elimination rather than addition. I'd guess the white may have been mixed a bit less than the colored portions. If the brown is discoloration caused by the FO, incomplete mixing is one reason why the brown looks darker in some parts of the white soap and pale in other parts.

If you do not scrape the sides of your bowl with a spatula and mix that batter into the main batter, try doing that next time. Many people rely only on their stick blender to mix, and that's not the best idea. It's always wise to scrape the sides and mix with a spatula to ensure the whole amount of batter is well mixed before pouring it into the mold.

That's great advice. Thank you so much!

 

[Sarah Seaton]

I'd say it's pretty likely you did do something different with the white, if only by elimination rather than addition. I'd guess the white may have been mixed a bit less than the colored portions. If the brown is discoloration caused by the FO, incomplete mixing is one reason why the brown looks darker in some parts of the white soap and pale in other parts.

If you do not scrape the sides of your bowl with a spatula and mix that batter into the main batter, try doing that next time. Many people rely only on their stick blender to mix, and that's not the best idea. It's always wise to scrape the sides and mix with a spatula to ensure the whole amount of batter is well mixed before pouring it into the mold.

Do you usually mix in the FO at the same time you are mixing your other oils? Or do you do that last?

 

[DeeAnna]

If the scent behaves well with soap, I nearly always add the fragrance to my oils before I add the lye solution. I don't see that adding fragrance at trace/emulsion has any benefits compared with adding at the start, again assuming the scent is well behaved. Adding up front has two positive benefits -- it ensures the fragrance is well mixed into to the batter and reduces the chance I'll forget the fragrance entirely.

I will use a different tactic for fragrances that accelerate trace. I will add them after the batter is at emulsion and as close to when I need to pour the batter as is reasonable. But I don't use many fragrances like this -- most fragrances, even if they discolor later, behave nicely when I'm making the soap, so adding them to the oils is the best way to go.

 

[Sarah Seaton]

If the scent behaves well with soap, I nearly always add the fragrance to my oils before I add the lye solution. I don't see that adding fragrance at trace/emulsion has any benefits compared with adding at the start, again assuming the scent is well behaved. Adding up front has two positive benefits -- it ensures the fragrance is well mixed into to the batter and reduces the chance I'll forget the fragrance entirely.

I will use a different tactic for fragrances that accelerate trace. I will add them after the batter is at emulsion and as close to when I need to pour the batter as is reasonable. But I don't use many fragrances like this -- most fragrances, even if they discolor later, behave nicely when I'm making the soap, so adding them to the oils is the best way to go.

Thank you!