Glycerine Rivers!

[Courtney]

Hi, I made some soaps the other day using black oxide and neon pigments. I've only used the black oxide before with no trouble. But I got it from a different supplier this time. Is there any particular reason I may have gotten them? Are pigments and oxides more prone to them? Like titanium dioxide is? Or are they even glycerine rivers? I'm not too mad about it because it works with this soap since it's The Hulk inspired for my 4 yo stepson. Kind of looks like veins to me.

[Candybee]

Those are pretty. Don't know the answer to your black oxide question but I found I quit getting glycerin rivers when I lowered the amount of TD I used. For a 5 lb batch I use about 2 tsp for an overall whitener. For a batch I am doing multiple colors and one is white I use no more than 1 tsp per lb.

 

PS-- I like the lines too, think they add character to your finished soap.

[Shari]

I think they are very pretty.   I quit getting glycerin rivers when I lowered my water amount/lye concentration.  I soap at 30-33% and still encourage gel but haven't had rivers since I started using less water.   I find the more liquid, the hotter the gel, the more likely to get rivers.

[Jcandleattic]

I agree with Shari. The more liquid I use, I get rivers, regardless of colorant. I also soap at about 33% and very rarely get rivers. However, I honestly don't care if I get them or not. To me, it's like candles and wet spots - it's just a part of the process I have to embrace. 

[Candybee]

Awwww.... maybe that's why I quit getting glycerin rivers. I do a 33% too. Haven't seen glycerin rivers in my soaps in years. Not since I first started making soap and was using a higher water %.