For palm-free soaps, high olive oil soaps, and silicone molds, its often helpful to reduce the water from the default 38% Water as % of Oils given in lye calculators to something lower like 30 to 33%, but if you have a swirl or intricate design in mind, you should consider using the full water amount, or perhaps 35%. To speed things along, dont use the full amount of water given on a standard lye calculator. Yes i used actual items not scents and two my bars turned yellow and dont smell anything like the rest. Solution: Dont run the stick blender continuously, try alternating hand stirring for 15 to 20 seconds, then just a short burst of the blender, then hand stir some more. Solution: If youve insulated or covered the mold, remove the layers. Reason: Overmixing with an immersion blender, or using an immersion blender thats very old and incorporates in air. (This applies to hot process soap too.) For soap to sweat, water must be available in the surrounding air. Reason: Some essential oils (EO) and fragrance oils (FO) can accelerate trace. Over time, lye will absorb moisture and humidity from the air. Original recipe is just like you put it. Allow for a longer cure time: The longer your soap cures, the better the lather will be. (Try 115 to 120F , which is 46 to 49C.) Its just a cosmetic issue & the cured bars will be perfectly fine to use. https://www.facebook.com/pg/TheNerdyFarmWife/posts, Hi Jan. Pl suggest what to do ? Hi, just read your article on whats wrong with my soap. If you you just add extra oils randomly, then youll end up with a really soft and oily soap that doesnt lather well. Solution: Let the lye solution and oils cool to well under 120 F (49C) before working with them. (Possibly hours.). Solution: Dilute honey with an equal part of warm water before adding to the soap batter. Hi, Hi Sandi! Wear gloves since the soap is still caustic at this point. 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). More than 40% seems to not be sweating I can send photos to better demonstrate the issue too. Place the soap in front of a fan to help with air circulation. It also helps if your soap goes through gel phase as it will be harder upon un-molding. Hi Tara, Im so sorry to hear that! Reason: Too much honey can make a soap overly soft. Then try and remove. Reduced water amounts, longer cure time, and certain additives can help them be harder and longer lasting. Solution: For more information on natural colorants, Jo Haslauer has a highly recommendedseries of 4 articles filled with loads of information. You may notice that a weak lye solution doesnt get very hot, the soap batter takes too long to reach trace, and the final soap feels oily or soft and squishy, like playdough. (Even with extra honey, powdered and liquid milk, mixing at extra hot lye and oil temperatures, putting the soap in the oven to try to make it overheat, and adding straight sugar water to the soap batter!) If the soap has been in the mold several hours and then starts separating, scoop it into a crockpot and cook on low heat for around 1 hour (hot process), then spoon into a soap mold. Another quick and easy way to unmold your loaf is to pop it in the freezer for 15 minute spurts to allow for easier removal from the mold. If it still shows the trace after 30 seconds then its a true one. You can check for false trace by leaving the soap batter undisturbed for about 20 or 30 seconds after you reach light trace. Solution: Use 0.5 to 3% beeswax in a recipe. The soap will have a rougher rustic look to it, but it will be salvaged. Yes, you can grate or chop it, then melt it down in your crockpot with a tablespoon or two of water if needed. Allowing the soap to sit a couple extra days will ensure that process is complete and the results are accurate. Here are some of the common reasons why cold process soaps leak oil: Incorrect measurements. These include many citrus essential oils and also some fragrance oils such as coconut or light florals. Soap Making; Soap Troubleshooting; . (When youre more experienced, you can stop at emulsion stage.) :). Soap will not trace or is slow to trace. Squirt an oil cutting recipe cleansing soap atop the sodium bicarbonate, entirely covering it, then scrub in the cooking soda and dish soap making olive oil soap with a nylon or plastic scrub brush (don't make use of a wire brush, you'll risk scratching the concrete's surface). Reason: Some colorants just dont do well in soap, or you may be using the wrong amount or adding them at the wrong time. Do I need to rebatch my soap ? Many thanks, Hi Patricia! Please tell me if I used right recipe and what will become of my final product. I tried to make your recipe Lavender shampoo and bar soap the total of my oils is 750grams and i run it thru the soapcalc before making. 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. Holy shmolie! Sometimes the veins may have a translucent white look to them. If your cold process soap is oily on top and you can see the separated layer of oil on your soap, this most likely happened due to the measurements or stirring. Soap was gelled at too high of a temperature. :), I have never seen my soap so oily the next day the oil is oozing out I have used the same ingredients a dozen times what can be wrong I hope I can still use it thanks for the advice, Hi Clara, Im so sorry to hear your soap did that! Ive been making soap for my self and friends but find it slightly drying. If using a speciality water in your recipe (rainwater, snow, ocean water), be sure to follow the other tips in this section to reduce soda ash. If you want to send photos, just send an email to hello@thenerdyfarmwife.com and we will be happy to take a look! Can you tell me more about the soap and the recipe you used? https://www.eocalc.com/. 2. Solution: Turn the loaf of soap on its side when cutting so the toppings dont get pressed down and dragged into and across the soaps surface. I like using Soapee or Majestic Mountain Sages lye calculators, but there are several other good ones online. ( 70% tallow 10% coconut oil 10% castor oil and 10% olive oil). Want cut up. views, likes, loves, comments, shares, Facebook Watch Videos from Super FM 88.1: The Road to 2023 Thanks, Debbie, Hi Debbie! Hi Pennytoes! Soap has dark spots that are oozy and sticky. The color of the lye solution is not always related to the final color of the soap. Do they smell like old oil, or unpleasant? The website thenerdyfarmwife.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. 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. Soap batter has expanded out of the mold (soap volcano). Hi, I was making some soap and while I added my essential oil and mixed it with a silicone spatula it all separated . Solution: Before adding to soap, mix thoroughly with vegetable glycerin, oil, or water, depending on vendors instructions and your recipe directions. Im thinking its based on ages of oils, but maybe there are other factors? If its still soft after rebatching, then you could still let it sit and cure for many months. That might help us troubleshoot a few ideas! Add to the lye solution once it has cooled. If your soap is overly soft because of weak lye, dont give up on it quite yet. I do appreciate any help you can give. Heres a great article that tells how! For the recipes that arent high in coconut oil, are they higher in soft oils (such as olive) instead? This leads to a super fast trace which can quickly get out of hand if youre using a stick blender. You won't have to worry about the lye reacting with the colorants and changing them as often happens when adding things to cold process soaps. Im not sure if you will be able to help me . Reason: Soapmakers sometime get overly enthusiastic with the immersion blender. Try dipping in water, as instructed by this. How to test soap. It is a plastic mold (16 bar) I love the size and quantity in one batch but they are always uneven! Keep soap in a cool location with plenty of airflow. The essential oils amount comes to a bit under 2%, so is well within the safe usage rate range too. If they happen soon after making your soap, it could be something like spots of scorched milk or honey, or a fragrance oil, or bit of colorant/clay not mixed in. When to cut cold process soap. book, T-shirt, history, merchandising | 742 views, 34 likes, 2 loves, 0 comments, 2 shares, Facebook Watch Videos from Simple History: Check out our. About Soap has a dark ring or rind around the outside and the middle is lighter. (An exception to this is beeswax soap.) Sodium hydroxide 4.79 +2.9 = 7.69 Soap has a dark ring or rind around the outside and the middle is lighter. This is a super book, simple, East and the photos are very helpful and beautiful. I compared the recipes and the only common thing I can identify between the sweating ones and non-sweating ones is the amount of coconut oil. 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. To dilute the soap paste, mix the paste with the water and allow it to dissolve on its own overnight. ), put your soap in the fridge if it will fit or simply leave it un-insulated in a cool place with plenty of air circulation. Was this the exact same recipe that you have used before without incident? If working in a warm room, or with ingredients containing natural sugars such as honey, milk, beer, etc, you may not need to insulate your soap. You may wish to completely avoid gel phase which is often desirable for milk soaps to keep them lighter colored. :). Please guide me I do want to get into soap making. You can save some of the warmed soapmaking oil from the recipe, mix with the fragrance oil, and blend it in at light trace. Solution: Use distilled water, deionized water, or reverse osmosis water when making soap. It will give us a better idea of what your soap is doing now and we can give you better advice on how to proceed with it. What will make cold process soaps freeze or set up too soon? (Try 115 to 120F , which is 46 to 49C.) Thank you very much for all the information from your article. , Here is the recipe: Read reviews before purchasing a fragrance oil to see if its known to do so, especially if its a floral or spice scent. Try placing the mold on a baking rack so cool air can circulate underneath. Working with warmer temperatures can help in that case. 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%. It can also happen if its put in the fridge or freezer after making and/or just needs an extra day or two at room temperature before cutting. ), CLICK TO RETURN TO THE BEGINNING OF THE LIST. 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 I remelt it, then add some other color and scent? Rebatching the soap is recommended. Youve been a great help. Soap has a tunnel inside when you cut into it. It could be that an ingredient didnt get mixed in well and it got more heavily distributed in that part of the mold. Was heavy blending the cause of it? Glycerin rivers in soap is often caused by overheating/uneven cooling, and can be encouraged by certain colorants, like titanium dioxide (you may have heard of titanium dioxide crackles!). Today's cold process soap makers have resolved many troubling issues involved with the process of making soaps. This ultimate troubleshooting guide breaks down the reasons and solutions for 30+ common cold process soap problems. Thanks. I dont know that you need to dissolve the lye in ice water though, since you are then heating the soap in the oven. Reason:Sometimes a false trace happens where the soap looks like it has emulsified, but its really because a solid ingredient in the soap has gotten cool enough to start thickening the soap batter. 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. Let me know if you have any more questions or need more help! Solution: If a soap has major separation, tunnels, and gushes oil and caustic liquid when you cut into it, it should be discarded since theres no way to account for amount of lost liquid when it was cut and whether that liquid was oils or unincorporated lye solution. It sounds like something is wrong with the lye or the lye amount. Warm Regards Hi Amber! *For CPOP, place in preheated oven at 170 degrees Fahrenheit for 45 to 60 minutes. But dont give up on it until then! 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. Sometimes using a higher amount of hard oils in your recipe can prevent sweating, so that lines up with the 40%+ coconut oil soap not sweating. Is this the right recipe at all or did I goof up in beginning itself? Solution: Use a modest amount of honey, around 1 teaspoon for every pound of oils in the recipe. Got to trace within a few minutes and applesauce stage not long after. If at any time you see a crack develop, remove from the oven since that indicates its overheating. 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