Teach Soap

What is the difference between ricing, seizing, and streaking, and what causes them? Which one(s) can fragrance oils sometimes cause? How do you save the batch when one of these happens, or can it be saved at all?

Thanks all.

_________________
Olivia :)

Ricing looks like curds and whey.
Seizing turns the soap into cement.
Streaking can be from not enough mixing.
The first two can be saved by putting it all into a crock pot and hot processing it.
Streaking can be fixed by stirring longer, or soaping at a lower temp and using a stainless steel whisk.

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

What causes ricing and seizing? Which one can FO cause?

Thanks!

_________________
Olivia :)

Ricing and seizing can both be caused by some F.O.s. I have had a few episodes of ricing. If it is not too bad it can be blended out with the stick blender.

MaryLou

If the soap rices and the stick blender is unable to incorporate it back in, it's best to hot process it to make sure there are no lye pockets or fragrance pockets.

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

Here is a post that talks about those! It also has pics of the misbehaving soap, which I find can be really helpful. http://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body- ... ing-badly/

Here is a post on Hot Process as well, if you need to do that.
http://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body- ... ing-badly/

FOs with cinnamon or clove are notorious for seizing/ricing. I actually have not found it it necessary to HP, because if you leave it in the pot, it will gel right there in the pot. Basically, it will HP all by itself! You can also put your soap pot back on the stove top and put it on low heat.

In my experience, the whole pot of soap will gel, then it will want to seperate. I use my stick blender to gently stir it back together, until it reaches the Vaseline stage, then I pour it in the mold.

I have a gorgeous smelling hot apple cider that I always HP, because it is a very bad seizer!

One way to deal with seizing is to use more water - I almost always use the full amount recommended by soapcalc, and sometimes I will raise the amount of water from 38% to 40%.

Another way is to soap at cooler temps.

A third way is to make a slower-tracing recipe. I soap with lard and I love it for that reason.

A fourth way is to keep aside a little oil, then mix your FO with that before adding it.

May I jump in here with an extended question ...
My soap reached a thin trace then after adding my clays and indigo powder it became a thicker trace. Then I added the FO and it riced immediately. I mixed it and dumped it into the mold and it's cured fine- not very pretty but seems ok.
My question is- when it rices post tracing is there still a chance of there being lye pockets? I'm still working my way through cp and don't want to experiment with HP just yet.
Is there any harm in using riced cp soap other than it looking bad?
Many thanks

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

Thanks everyone for your answers! So, dixiedragon, I have an Applejack Peel FO that I want to soap with; could this one cause seizing due to its spicy notes?

Thanks again!

_________________
Olivia :)

Yes, the Applejack & Peel could seize. For whatever reason, I don't have the same trouble with AJ&P as I do with that Hot Apple Cider I mentioned. In my experience, the AJ&P causes the soap to thicken up, but I don't get a full-on seize. I think that b/c I soap with lard and a high percentage of olive oil, as well as using full water, that I very rarely get full on seizing. I know that many soapers say that floral FOs are notorious for ricing and siezing, but I've never had that with a floral FO - only the spice ones.

Thanks for the heads-up dixiedragon. I know to be more careful now when I soap with this one.

_________________
Olivia :)