Teach Soap

I made my most recent batch of soap on Sunday, Nov 28th. The color of the soap is tan with brown dots (from cinnamon) throughout it. When I cut the soap, the inside was a mauve color. I didn't use any coloring in it and scented it only with EOs. The soap is made of coconut oil, olive oil, sunflower oil and the EOs used are mandarin, bergamot, and cinnamon. The recipe called for bay oil as well, but I didn't have any on hand, so I infused the water with bay leaves before mixing it with the lye. Note: I use filtered rainwater instead of distilled for a more natural soap. I figure that once it mixes with the lye and hits the 175 degree mark, anything alive and nasty in the water will be taken care of. Anyway...

The only other thing that I noticed, and please, be gentle as I'm still kind of a newb at this, is the pan I used might have been aluminum. When I took the loaf out of the pan, it looked like something in the soap may have reacted through the garbage bag liner with the pan. There was a large black spot in the pan that corresponded to a large purple spot on the loaf. So, is the mysterious purple color a reaction to the pan? EOs? or no one knows? The soap smells awesome and almost edible! My family loves the scent, but I'm concerned... and no, I won't be using that pan anymore.

I'd give it time to cure, it may change. I have a soap I make that is a bright and I mean bright yellow that cures out to a very dark brown, also no coloring.

As for the purple spot, sound like it's from the pan. Lesson learned.

Be very careful using cinnamon (you said spots from cinnamon and cinnamon EO). Cinnamon tends to cause issues with burning of southern regions. I also use filtered rainwater, you shouldn't have any issues there.

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April

Sometimes coconut can take on a pinkish hue which goes way after the cure and gets exposed to air. I bet your soap reacted with the aluminum. I would throw the aluminum pot out. It's no longer safe for soap or food.

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