Teach Soap

Is there an easy way to tell if oil floating on the top of a recently poured batch of soap is fragrance oil (that will reabsorb) or one of my base oils, in which case I'm thinking separation and this batch is DOA?

Thanks.

Anita

What was you recipe? How much did you superfat? Did the soap gel and possibly overheat? Which fragrance did you use?

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

Recipe:

Avocado - 10%
Sweet Almond - 10%
Babassu - 10%
Castor Oil - 5%
Cocoa Butter - 5%
Coconut - 10%
Olive - 20%
PKO - 10%
Palm - 20%

Calculated superfat was 5%. However, I used goatsmilk as my liquid, and 20% of that amount was cream.

Used MMS "Peach" FO (and I SO hope I can save this as it smells good enough to eat! The info about this FO is the only constructive thing I got out of that goofy lotion making class I took.) Added some meadowfoam oil to the FO and let it sit overnight. (I've heard MF has bonding characteristics for scent.)

Don't know if it gelled or not. I neither try to force nor stop gel - if it happens, it happens, is my philosophy on gelling.

A lot of it has reabsorbed. There's still a bit floating around.

I used this mold: http://www.wholesalesuppliesplus.com/Pr ... +Mold+1701

Funny thing is, the leftover soap, what wouldn't fit in the big mold, has no separation on it.

Thanks for the help, Irena.

Anita

Here are my thoughts...
Goat milk has fat and sugars
Cream has fat and sugars
You have a fairly high % of soft oils
You used an extra oil for your FO

Your soap is super duper superfated, more then 5%. That could make some of the oils come to the surface. Your bigger mold holds more heat, gelled and overheated. Your smaller mold didn't gel as there is less total volume. So that one came out fine.

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

So is there hope for the big mold? I haven't done anything to it other than look worriedly at it.

I may check in the morning and see if things have changed.

(Did I mention how good my house smells right now?)

Thanks again.

Anita

Give it a couple of days and see.

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

I just made an "emergency" order of more of the Peach FO. I'm going to go on the assumption that the soap will be fine, just not very pretty. As I can't sell ugly soap, I'll need to redo this batch. (It's for a show at a peach festival, believe it or not.)

So, I'm off to put more goatsmilk in the freezer and make a batch of something else in the mean time.

Thank you so much for your help, Irena. I really appreciate it.

Anita

The only peach that has worked for me is from TSW. I hope yours works out.

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