Teach Soap

Hi all,
So I made this batch with my usual recipe, except that I used Plumeria FO and Titanium Dioxide. It was my first time for both of those. I read the FO can speed things up so I was trying to hurry.

(couldn't figure how to insert a pic, sorry) The part that was supposed to be white has clearer streaks. It almost looks like cracks all around the white part.

Did I not mix the FO enough or was it the titanium dioxide? Combination of both? This was a really oily batch too. I used .5 oz FO for a 1.5 lb batch. Too much? Thanks in advance.

Plumeria FO moves VERY fast, and also has a hard, fast, hot gel. The amount you used sounds just fine - a little on the light side, but with that FO, it's nice and strong so you should still have a good fragrance to the finished soap.

Titanium Dioxide will sometimes produce that "crackling" effect if you use too much, or if the soap overheats. You don't mention how much you used, but I find TD to be a tricky beast sometimes - it's tough to get it really evenly mixed. I have better luck with it when it's used sparingly.

So my guess is that it's a combination of the two - the TD plus the hot gel = crackled look.

It's a purely cosmetic issue - the soap should be fine to use.

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My guess would be both as well.

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Irena
Closed minds are like faulty parachutes; they refuse to open.

Bubble-icious!

I love your user name! Super cute!

Thanks so much guys! Everything you said makes sense. So should I just avoid TD and Plumeria together or can I mix the lye and oils at a cooler temp? I have to admit I don't really check the temperature of anything. Oils are usually at room temp and I just throw the lye in whenever I'm ready. Would it help if I stick it in the fridge after it's in the mold?

I would get a thermometer. I suggest to most people that they soap around 110 degrees for both oils and lye water. You can add your FO to the melted and cooled oils, but be prepared to work fast.

_________________
Irena
Closed minds are like faulty parachutes; they refuse to open.

Plumeria is actually an exception to the usual rule - it's easier to soap if you work hot. (There are notes to that effect on BB's listing for the FO, and my results have been very similar.) I might just avoid using TD in this one case.

_________________
http://www.magichandsworkshop.com
http://www.magichands.etsy.com
http://www.magichandsworkshop.blogspot.com

_________________
Irena
Closed minds are like faulty parachutes; they refuse to open.

_________________
http://www.magichandsworkshop.com
http://www.magichands.etsy.com
http://www.magichandsworkshop.blogspot.com

_________________
Irena
Closed minds are like faulty parachutes; they refuse to open.

^^^Exactly that. LOL!

It means that I'm afraid to blink and that hubby and the dog have both learned to hide upstairs as soon as they smell it....lol! The swearing scares the bejeebers out of both of them.

_________________
http://www.magichandsworkshop.com
http://www.magichands.etsy.com
http://www.magichandsworkshop.blogspot.com