Teach Soap

Palm oil causes spots. I bought some soap at the Farmer's Market a couple weeks ago, to see the competitor's product, and it has spots that I immediately identified as Palm oil. I threw out 18 lbs of soap the first time I mixed up a batch w/ a lot of Palm. It looks speckled like when the lye doesn't dissolve properly. I do not think there is anything wrong w/ the soap. I have some speckled Palm-heavy soap curing at the moment and I expect it to to be just fine. The spots are kind of nice. The BB customer service person told me to mix the lye water and oils 10-15 degrees higher when using Palm oil.

Johnnyusa, I agree with you because that is the only soap I have been able to produce lately. I will try a palm free recipe next time, and I will try mixing my TD with distilled water instead of oil. If I still have specks, so be it. As long as I perform a zap test and everything is good on that end, I am going to stop fretting about those darn specks, haha!

The spots are from stearic acid in the palm oil. Not all soaps made with palm will have the spots. Thorough melting and mixing of the palm oil before each use and soaping at warmer temps can help eliminate the spots. They're not harmful in any way.

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

I've never done the zap test. I use a bar from each batch first before I give it away or sell it. Hmmm. I'm supposed to stick my tongue on the soap and wait for a zap. Ok, i will start trying that. I'm pretty careful about not leaving an ingredient out, after I did it the first time and thankfully remembered so i had to put it in the trash.

Stearic acid, eh. That's good to know.

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

I use a mini mixer with my TD. (I disperse in oil...didn't realize BB's was water soluable!) and when I'm doing something I want a very delicate appearance with, I strain the liquid TD through a tea strainer as I add it. That seems to do away with the speckles.

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Logansama aka Belinda
Nor Cal