Teach Soap

Hi Everyone,
My soap turned reddish brown, but I used the vanilla stabilizer!
I used 1 lb clear glycerin base, and I added a chunk of white to it as a color chip. The white only made it look like an opaque, watered down white.
Did I not add enough white?

I also added a chunk of yellow - did nothing (I think!)

I also added Calendula petals & 1 tsp of tumeric to give it a natural yellow color (I thought!). Too much, maybe?

I added a small amount of Jojoba oil infused w/ Calendula and Vitamin E - 1 TBL total, and 1/2 tsp pumice.

I added a fragrance with vanilla. I poured the FO in first & then added an equal amount of vanilla stabilizer after. Are they suppose to be added together, mixed together first? I have never mixed them first before & I have had no problems.

The soap is a dark reddish brown color! Any ideas why? Can I remelt it and add more clear or solid white?
Will it always be this reddish brown color?

It gives new meaning to the word earthy!

This was an expensive soap to make!

Is there anyway I can salvage this?

Sorry about the fuzziness. I'm having problems getting clear pics!

HELP!
einnoc

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"Soap is to the body what laughter is to the soul!"

My understanding is that if you're going for an actual opaque look from clear glycerin base, you'll have to add titanium dioxide. What were you going for when you used the white?

I've never used the color stabilizer so can't be of much use there. But I might suggest melting these bars down if you don't like the color, and "diluting" them with fragranced, stabilized, uncolored clear or white base. As much as it takes for you to be happy with the color.

All the directions I've ever seen on using vanilla stabilizer was to measure out equal amounts of fo and stabilizer in a container. Mix thoroughly, let sit a minute or two and then add that to the soap.

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Hi Wintermoon,
Do you think this was caused by not mixing the vanilla stabilizer w/ the FO beforehand & then adding it?

Is there anyway I can salvage this & make the color more agreeable?

Was this reddish brown caused by the vanilla FO not being mixed with the stabilizer before (just poured in separately) or too much tumeric or the Jojoba oil infused w/ Calendula and Vitamin E, or maybe all 3?

I hate to toss this...
einnoc

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"Soap is to the body what laughter is to the soul!"

It does really sound like it was from not mixing the fo and stabilizer separately. The stabilizer has to be completely mixed with the fo before putting it in the soap. Plus, giving the mix a couple minutes to sit before adding to the soap really helps, too.
The reddish part of the brown most likely came from the yellow in the tumeric and calendula. So had it not turned brown from the fo, it probably would have been a nice yellow.

You could try lightening it by adding more white base, buy you won't be able to get rid of the brown

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Thank you, Wintermoon,

This is what I wanted to know.
I guess this is the time to cut my losses & start over with this soap!

I really don't like the brown at all. Maybe, it would be all right in another soap, but not this one.

I think of it turning brown, like burning dinner! I can't get that out of my mind that the soap is no good now!

I know ... I will hang them from my Aspen to keep the deer from peeling the bark off!

einnoc

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"Soap is to the body what laughter is to the soul!"

Well, it's still usable. Just kind of an ugly color. If you have a lot of it, you could always donate it to a shelter.

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Hi Wintermoon,
That's a GREAT idea! Thank you,
einnoc

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"Soap is to the body what laughter is to the soul!"

Hi, einnoc! Hmm, I'm thinking maybe the calendula-infused oil and/or tumeric could have caused the reddish color. Or maybe even the Vit E?

When I use VCS, I measure out my FO and an equal amount of VCS into a little cup or bowl and mix them together before adding it to my base. As others have said, not mixing the two beforehand could have caused a problem for you. Even with the VCS I've found that certain FOs may still discolor beige or tan if they contain a lot of vanilla.

Not sure if it was one thing that caused the reddish-brown color or if it is a combo of things, but I think the soap is still pretty even if it isn't quite what you intended. The great thing about M&P soap is that even if it doesn't turn out quite right, it's still perfectly usable soap!

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Hi jrose,
I just finished remaking the soap. I mixed the stabilizer & fragrance together first. I did not add the tumeric or the calendula-infused oil. I did add some vitamin E tho. It looks great - no discoloring at all!

My reddidh brown soaps are hanging from my Aspen to protect them from the deer! I read that this is suppose to work to stop the deer from peeling the bark off and poosibly killing the Aspen. They have very sensitive noses, like most animals. They may not like the scent of the FO's!

Let's see if this works!

Thank you for your reply.
einnoc

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"Soap is to the body what laughter is to the soul!"

einnoc, I got about that same color from just using too much tumeric, so it could have just been that. Either way though, sounds like you got it covered and even found a good use for your less than pretty soap! Way to think out of the box!

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Glad to hear that your second batch turned out well, einnoc!

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Thank you, LavenderLady & jrose,
I thought tumeric was suppose to make soap a nice yellow color

I do think I added too much tumeric & the Caledula infused oil was very dark.

I really learned a lot doing this! If what ever color I'm using, I don't like it after I mix it with with a small amount of base, then I'm not going to use it!

Thanks everyone,
einnoc

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"Soap is to the body what laughter is to the soul!"

i use calendual infused jojoba in everything i make. i love the stuff. it's never hindered my colors. my guess would be too much tumeric, and not enough color stabalizer for the FO.

as a few people here have said, too much tumeric will turn.

as far as the "bad" soap, you could always cut it up in to pieces and add them to another project. i've done that plenty of times..

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~Shell

Sorry I wanted to post this under soap photos!

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"Soap is to the body what laughter is to the soul!"