Teach Soap

Hi everyone,

I’m Markou from Athens Greece a newbie in soap making and have been making cold process soap for one year and loving it!!

I have a question in regards to my last soap making session (which was two weeks ago)….i made two batches (same recipe) but fragranced one part with pine scent fragrance oil and the other part with lavender /tea tree essential oil.
Due to unforeseen circumstances by the time I poured my batch of lavender /tea tree soap into the mold the mixture had cooled considerably (less than 30 degrees Celsius). The mixture did not go through gel phase and after unmolding I saw that the top and sides have crystal pieces. I do not know how else to describe them – like snowflakes I guess. I rinsed a small piece with water over the weekend and this morning I see that the piece is still smooth with no white powder or crystals resurfacing.

Can anyone tell me what this could be?? Do I have to discard it?? Thanks in advance for any advice!!!

Hi Markou!
Could you post your recipe ingredients, please? That will help determine if it could have been from one of the oils you used. Also did you check to see if the soap zapped?
Do you think it could be ash from the lavender oil?

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Linda
I know the voices in my head aren't real, but they sure have some great ideas!

Hi Linda
Thanks for taking the time in replying...here is the recipe

Ingredients Grams
Water 760
Lye - NaOH 283.286
# √ Oil/Fat % Grams
1 Olive Oil pomace 800
2 Coconut Oil, 540
3 Palm Oil 400
4 Almond Oil, sweet. 120
5 Canola Oil 140

..by the way there is no zapping!

Maria

Do you have a bar that you didn't rinse off? If you do, I would check for zap. If it zaps, you can rebatch.

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

Hi Linda,
I just noticed i wrote canola oil by mistake..it should read castor ..
...i guess i will rebatch this weekend - there was a zap! thanks for your help

thanks Irena! got zapped - will rebatch..thanks for replying

Sorry to hear it zapped...I hope your rebatch turns out well.

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Linda
I know the voices in my head aren't real, but they sure have some great ideas!

Im learning so I find all these post helpfull. I was wondering what your superfat was . I put it thru two calculators and 6% superfat and the amount they said for lye was less by 3.545 on one and the other 4.914 then the amount you used. Like I said I am new so I dont know all that much but I like to run peoples recipies thru calcs to learn . What level superfat did you use. What lye calculator did you use ? Im so sorry if I am out of place commenting but I learn something new from every post. Thank you for posting.
Soapcalc shows it should be a nice recipie though nice and hard and cleanseing but conditioning and bubbly and creamy to.

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Linda
I know the voices in my head aren't real, but they sure have some great ideas!

Gabrielle, This is a 5% super fat by my calculations. It is always good to ask questions and calculate things. I commend you for trying to learn all you can!

Maria, sorry for the zap, but it happens to all of us once in a while, so no worries, Rebatch away!

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Remember, it's not just that we weather the storm, but how we dance in the rain.

Tammy

Morning to you all,
Yes it was at 5% superfat...will let you all know how the rebatching goes!!!
Have a great day!
Maria