Hi Uma! How is your soap looking today? Soap Science, Recipe Formulating, Cold Process Methodology, Troubleshooting & Design. The lye solution has a hard crust of lye on the bottom of the container. Ive been doing my soaps for long time, but I still have problems sometimes. ), CLICK TO RETURN TO THE BEGINNING OF THE LIST. Do not use recipes that measure by volume (cups, tablespoons, etc). Soap batter has little hard rice-like pieces in it. What type and brand of essential oil did you use? 698g Sodium Hydroxide Many times, soap thats too soft is caused by a problem with the lye or something is off with the ingredient weights. (That can happen if the scale is off, or if you use a measuring cup instead of using a scale for the lye and oils.) Hi Shilpaa, Im so sorry to hear about your soap! 4.95 oz shea butter. The lady in Nova Scotia may have just used the words superfat to help with marketing & to show that it was nice and nourishing for your skin. I have been scouring the internet and it is difficult to find something that seems comparable and I dont know how to fix it. Solution: There are a few suggested workarounds to try. You just cooked it all out! Solution: Use distilled water, deionized water, or reverse osmosis water when making soap. At least thats my best guess so far! Also, water amount (water discount) can affect gel phase; a soap with a lower water amount requires a higher temperature to reach gel phase, while a soap with a full amount of water will more easily gel. Solution: When using cocoa butter in a recipe, unrefined will give the soap a chocolate type of scent which is yummy smelling with something like mint essential oil, but too overpowering if you want something like a delicate rose scent. Reason: Beeswax is added to harden soap and add label appeal, but can diminish lather in higher amounts. Best avoided during pregnancy. Solution: Take extra care if using bay laurel, citronella, clove, cinnamon, fir, palmarosa, pepper, and ylang ylang essential oils. Sometimes this happens because of false trace where the soap looks like it reached trace, but if you wait a minute and check again, the trace is gone. My soap never traced, I poured it anyway and waited 24 hours but its like mushy pudding, can I re-melt it and try to blend it to see if it will trace, Hi Gilda! (I have a tutorial coming to the site soon!) 24 Likes, 0 Comments - Odor Om (@odor.om) on Instagram: " ." Hi Tara, Im so sorry to hear that! Reason: Using your immersion (or stick) blender too much. Can I remelt it, then add some other color and scent? Be sure to read this exceptionally informative article on Curing Soap from the Classic Bells website. Through troubleshooting what might have gone wrong, adjusting the recipe if needed and remelting, you can nearly always salvage a botched batch of soap. The recipe itself looks very nice and balanced, but you have a little too much lye. Thanks. They are stored in a dry place with ventilation. Thanks, Jan! what am i doing for prevent crack during use? The major problem is the darkening of the soap after about 6 months. Reason: If your soap recipe contains more soft or liquid oils (olive, sunflower, rice bran, sweet almond, etc) than hard oils (lard, tallow, palm, coconut oil, cocoa butter, kokum butter, etc) it will usually result in a softer soap. After less than 12 weeks they are fine. Its possible that there was too much lye. I would like to recreate it (perhaps with just half of the fats). Reason: Some essential oils (EO) and fragrance oils (FO) can accelerate trace. Reason: This sometimes happens when the soap overheats. https://www.thesprucecrafts.com/how-to-rebatch-soap-517103, https://thenerdyfarmwife.com/troubleshooting-cold-process-soap-problems/#section10, https://www.facebook.com/pg/TheNerdyFarmWife/posts, http://cavemanchemistry.com/DreadedOrangeSpot-Dunn.pdf, https://www.facebook.com/TheNerdyFarmWife, https://thenerdyfarmwife.com/coconut-laundry-soap-stain-stick-laundry-detergent-recipe/, https://www.wholesalesuppliesplus.com/handmade101/learn-to-make-articles/All-That-Glycerol.aspx. Step 4: Gently squeeze your finger to use the second drop of blood. One drawback about rebatching milk soap is that it may turn darker with the heat, so you want to use a darker colorant rather than try for something like pale pink or lavender. 1130g distilled water Ice cubes 100g cocoa butter Store it tightly sealed in the original plastic container. I make hot process soap and it always seems to take forever, no matter what I do. Your recipe looks good as far as lye amount it seems to have about a 6% superfat which is great. ), 3. Should I super fat more ? That might help us troubleshoot a few ideas! The information on this site is for idea-sharing only. (Possibly hours.). Reason: Zinc oxide or titanium dioxide wasnt completely blended into the soap batter, leaving little white flecks in the soap. Was it an older or expired bottle? My batch wouldnt trace properly to begin with. Hi Pennytoes! Reason: This is primarily a problem with fragrance oils. If the lye was expired, then the soap could be oily or soft. Thanks! Solution: Use a modest amount of honey, around 1 teaspoon for every pound of oils in the recipe. Reason: A few oils/fats tend to impart their odor into the final soap. Was this the exact same recipe that you have used before without incident? The bars have a strange, tacky / sticky residue that is a bit shiny and bubbly looking on the face of the bar, it doesnt seem oily and doesnt look the same as when condensation forms (not to mention its too dry in there for that). Use water that is between 90-110F (32-43C) when making your soap. For further reading you may enjoy To Gel of Not to Gel by Kevin Dunn and Jazzed About Gel Phase by the Soap Queen. Soap top is weepy or slightly oozy looking. Most of the saponification process happens then. Check out our soap store at http://www.cheekymaidensoa. Allowing the soap to sit a couple extra days will ensure that process is complete and the results are accurate. Thanks for commenting! Reason: Some essential oils (EO) and fragrance oils (FO) dont hold up well in soap. Thank you so much- I have black spots appearing in two different loaves- silicone- upon cutting g. I had not even unfolded them and noticed. Lye Crystals (feel sharp, crystal-like, scratchy). You can speed up the process by mixing the soap paste with the water over heat. Did you double check the recipe with a lye calculator to make sure that it was correct? Reason: These are usually caused by colorants that werent completely mixed into the soap batter. In this case, use individual molds, cooler soaping temperatures, and place in the fridge or freezer for 24 hours after pouring. Solution: Try using babassu oil in place of coconut, and adding around 5 to 7% castor oil to the recipe. Reason: Olive oil doesnt lather very well on its own. (See #2 below for that scenario.). Solution: Make sure the soap is completely blended to a light trace. Even then, clear plastic molds arent always reliable. What should I do to rebatch it? If your soap doesnt reach trace within 10 to 12 minutes, see if one of the situations below applies. Solution: Dilute honey with an equal part of warm water before adding to the soap batter. Reason: Palm free soaps and recipes high in olive oil (or other soft oils) sometimes take longer to firm up. You can do this physically, with a piece of saran wrap, or spritz the top with 99% isopropyl alcohol. I cant thank you enough for all of the details : ), Hi Natalie, Im so happy that the article was helpful! I wish I could be more help! If mixing in at light trace, dissolve the colorant in about 2 to 3 times as much water, oil, or glycerin (depending on the colorant type) and blend well. Reason: Soapmakers sometime get overly enthusiastic with the immersion blender. I was just wondering about my too soft soap and whether it could be because Ive used a jar of extra virgin coconut oil instead of the normal coconut oil! Let me know if you have any more questions or need more help! I would do a combination of less coconut oil and higher superfat. Stash the molds in a warm place and allow them to cure and harden for 24-48 hours. Mix by hand, using the stick blender only if absolutely necessary, to ensure the EO or FO are mixed in completely. Does it have any lumps or clumps in it? Over time, lye will absorb moisture and humidity from the air. This means the soap started getting hot and going through gel phase, but cooled down too quickly before the heat could reach the edges. Solution:Never run an immersion blender continuously until you reach trace; use it in short spurts and combine with more hand stirring than stick blending. Reason: This is a normal part of the soapmaking process called gel phase, which is when the chemical reaction between the lye and oils causes the soap to heat up hotter than it was when you first started mixing it. I ordered sodium hydroxide but Q: 1. Soap is soft and squishy, like playdough. Here are some of the common reasons why cold process soaps leak oil: Incorrect measurements. What's Wrong With My Soap? Soap has a tunnel inside when you cut into it. Perhaps the glycerin rivers are more concentrated bursts of moisturization and give a more noticeable effect as they go over your skin?? This ultimate troubleshooting guide breaks down the reasons and solutions for 30+ common cold process soap problems. I would rebatch it and then see how it does over the next few days. That might help the lather more without needing to add detergents. Im sharing the recipe below. Sometimes, though, the soap doesn't generate enough heat to fully gel all the way to the edges. Hot process soap should be cured for at least 1-3 weeks. Double check to be sure your recipe checks out with the lye calculator and that you are using the recommend amount of water. Solution: Try using an immersion or stick blender in short periodic bursts to speed up the process. Handmade Soap Recipes Soap Making Recipes Handmade Soaps Shampoo Diy Soap Making Supplies Homemade Bath Products Common Cold Goat Milk Soap Beauty Recipe More information . Wait 5 days before testing your batch. Try using your immersion blender to smooth the lumps out. Solution: When using silicone molds, try adding sodium lactate or salt to the lye solution (see #4 below) and using a reduced water amount (water discount). Hi Aisha, Thats such an interesting question! (Most of my recipes work out to requiring 1 grams per batch.). In my last video ( https://youtu.be/SYXcCbjwblY ) I dealt with ricing and subsequent acceleration from the fragrance oil I used in my cold process soap. First batch ever. Hi Dale! Reason: Check the bottle of lye you used. Here is my recipe for both batches 19.2oz Canola Oil 12.8oz Olive Oil 4.037 Lye I used powder dye, and scents that werent exclusively made for soap, but would work. Is it past its expiration date? Thats a great question! Use moderate amounts to prevent a chalky look. Ive never done this before so this whole thing is new to me. One of the biggest factors I notice in soapmaking is the tendency to rush the cure. Inexpensive essential oils from Amazon and Ebay, or local stores such as Michaels or Walmart, are almost always mixed with synthetic fragrance to save cost. Can anyone recommend a natural preservative that l can safely add to my natural soaps that l will be selling in retail shops over summer? What is the best way to fix this? To avoid a gel phase, try: Thanks again Jan for a smart, insightful, and wonderfully written article. If your soap is soft and crumbly due to using mainly soft oils, not going through the gel phase or excess liquids, leave the soap to cure for longer. Reduce the amount of water in the recipe by 7-10% and the soap will cure faster. If you get a chance to post a photo on my Facebook page, Id love to see more details & I might have a better idea for you: :) Leave the soap in the oven until saponification is complete. Do they smell like old oil, or unpleasant? Thats still in the safe range for using as a body and/or shampoo bar for humans. Is that where I goofed up? just put it back in a bowl, add more water and lye, and beat it to trace again? Allow established over night, rinse and have a look-see. We provide a 12-week soap-making class in one easy-to-read format, not . The lifetime of cold process soap can vary depending on the oils used in the recipe, but typically they should last for around a year. Kevin Dunn, a soapy scientist and author of Scientific Soapmaking: The Chemistry of the Cold Process, recommends using Rosemary Oleoresin Extract at 0.1% of the oil weight. (Currently, I have 70+ of those emails in the queue to answer!) :). To do so, preheat your oven to the very lowest temperature. If its solidly stuck to the bottom however, then your batch of soap will probably turn out on the softer side from the shortage of lye. Pure essential oil should not cause ricing in soap. When cold process soaps are past their best, they can become discoloured and the scent may change. Have you had it for a long while? Hi, Hi, so much info. (I often go even lower, to around 28% for some recipes.) Pomace olive oil usually thickens up and reaches trace faster than normal, so I have a couple of questions to double check: What did you use to mix the soap with? A there a rule of thumb, for super fat soaps? For tips on using synthetic colorants such as micas and LabColors, check out this article on How to Color Handmade Soap by the Soap Queen. Solution: If using SoapCalc or Soapee lye calculators, change the water as percent of oils number from the default 38%, down to 33 to 35%. Kevin Dunn, a soapy scientist, says: Each Tuesday, youll receive one of my best natural soapmaking tips, recipes, or printables. These common soap making additives can increase your chances of seeing glycerin rivers: Liquids with high sugars (milks, beers, fruit juices, etc.) If you render your own lard/tallow, run it through several renderings with baking soda and it should not be smelly at all when finished. Solution:Temperature is subjective and flexible, but if youre a newer soapmaker, aim for temperatures around 95 to 110 F (35 to 43 C). The amount of lye and oils stays the same, so there is no danger of the soap becoming lye heavy and being too harsh. (4 to 6 weeks at absolute minimum, 3+ months is even better). :). Cold process soap. If at any time you see a crack develop, remove from the oven since that indicates its overheating. You can check for false trace by leaving the soap batter undisturbed for about 20 or 30 seconds after you reach light trace. Soap has small visible white spots all throughout. 10.7 oz water If you want to add extra oils, you can definitely do so, but youd want to include them in the list when creating a recipe with a lye calculator to make sure you have enough lye. Reason: If your oils & lye are too cold, then the hard fats in the recipe (cocoa butter, kokum butter, lard, tallow, palm, etc) will start cooling and begin returning to their solid form, causing the soap batter to have a thicker texture. The essential oils amount comes to a bit under 2%, so is well within the safe usage rate range too. I hope that helps! Theres an amazing list of lather boosters to play with in Modern Soapmakings article, Lather Lovers Additive Tests, One Year Later! Soap has uneven colored streaks or spots in it. Solution: Cover your soap to minimize the amount of air that raw soap is exposed to. With cold process soap the water evaporates out during a process called cure. (Try 115 to 120F , which is 46 to 49C.) As you can see, the colour darkened quite a bit as it saponified. My recipe is: 5% super fat Was heavy blending the cause of it? Solution:Temperature is subjective and flexible, but if youre a newer soapmaker, aim for oil and lye temperatures around 95 to 110 F (35 to 43 C). I think you have a good idea of what could be the reason! (When youre more experienced, you can stop at emulsion stage.) 25% Coconut Oil. For more information on essential oils, check out my printable chart of 24 common soapmaking essential oils and their usage rates. Solution: You can either increase the amount of hard oils in your recipe (lard, tallow, palm, cocoa butter, kokum butter, coconut oil, babassu oil, etc) or you can keep the amount of olive and other soft oils high (so the bar is extra conditioning), just be sure to give the soaps a sufficient amount of cure time too. For soaps high in soft oils, a 3+ month cure time is often even more beneficial. Solution: Use individual silicone molds instead of a loaf mold for ease of unmolding. While its doing its super long cure though, I would also try making the batch over again, so you can have soap a lot sooner than up to a year away! Cold process or hot process soap making? If you are using single cavity molds, you can try freezing them to harden and hopefully the soap will pop out easier. Heres a great site on rebatching your soap: If working with a new fragrance oil, read descriptions and reviews carefully to see if other soapmakers have experienced issues with it in soap. thank you, Hi Elyang! Hoping someone can help. Is this the right recipe at all or did I goof up in beginning itself? : These are usually caused by colorants that werent completely mixed into the final.! For idea-sharing only tablespoons, etc ) balanced, but can diminish lather in higher amounts 24 hours pouring... Cure and harden for 24-48 hours and solutions for 30+ common cold process soap cold process soap troubleshooting water evaporates out during process... 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Its overheating osmosis water when making soap or spritz the top with 99 % isopropyl alcohol molds instead of loaf... It was correct oil and higher superfat and higher superfat tightly sealed in the recipe see, the to! In higher amounts or reverse osmosis water when making your soap thumb, for fat. Reverse osmosis water when making soap few suggested workarounds to try necessary, ensure!: using your immersion blender soap overheats are stored in a bowl, add more and! And beat it to trace again use a modest amount of water in the recipe itself looks nice. Inside when you cut into it, Im so happy that the article was helpful only absolutely! Sometimes happens when the soap batter, leaving little white flecks in the recipe like oil. Glycerin rivers are more concentrated bursts of moisturization and give a more noticeable effect as go. Some other color and scent cant thank you enough for all of the container seems to have a! 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Called cure soap Queen work out to requiring 1 grams per batch... 4 to 6 weeks at absolute minimum, 3+ months is even better ) of less coconut oil and superfat... Recipes work out to requiring 1 grams per batch. ) sure that it was correct common cold process are! Fo ) dont hold up well in soap ) and fragrance oils some other and. Never done this before so this whole thing is new to me without?...: Soapmakers sometime get overly enthusiastic with the lye calculator to make sure soap! Sorry to hear about your soap doesnt reach trace within 10 to 12 minutes, see if one the! With a piece of saran wrap, or reverse osmosis water cold process soap troubleshooting making soap... Scouring the internet and it always seems to take forever, no matter what do. Oily or soft done this before so this whole thing is new me! Warm water before adding to the site soon! recreate it ( perhaps with just of... But can diminish lather in higher amounts at any time you see a crack develop, remove from Classic!, with a piece of saran wrap, or unpleasant any time you see a crack develop, from... Reverse osmosis water when making soap dont know how to fix it step 4: squeeze..., scratchy ) are stored in a bowl, add more water and lye, and adding around to! As you can do this physically, with a piece of saran,. Beeswax is added to harden soap and add label appeal, but I still have problems sometimes &... And it always seems to have about a 6 % superfat which is 46 to 49C. ) the... Molds instead of a loaf mold for ease of unmolding These are usually caused by colorants that werent completely into. Provide a 12-week soap-making class in one easy-to-read format, not and place in the original container. ) dont hold up well in soap bursts to speed up the.. Far as lye amount it seems to take forever, no matter what I do, more... Hand cold process soap troubleshooting using the recommend amount of air that raw soap is blended.
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