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What is happening with this soap?


asr

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Hello All!

 

I made this soap last July. It looked fine until recently and it developed what looks like soda ash, but I don't think that is it. It does have a high % of butters (15% shea and 15% cocoa), so thinking that could be it (butter bloom?) But what is confusing me is I have a dozen other batches with the same exact recipe that don't have this issue. Any help would be appreciated!

 

Amy

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With heavy stearic ingredients like Shea and cocoa butter I find less is more. Hard to tell, but it looks like stearic spots. 
 

Another phenomenon I saw with high cocoa butter is a hazy “bloom”. I dropped the % of those in my formula and the problems disappeared. 

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I can wipe it off, almost like a soda ash, but I am thinking it is the bloom. I have a few test bars curing with less % or no cocoa butter. I like the feel it adds to the soap, but I don't want this happening months later! Thanks TallTayl!

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  • 1 month later...

I have been experimenting with cutting the amount down. I liked it to add to the bar hardness, but didn't like the bloom!

 

To me this is also a perfect example of why people need to test, test, test, and then wait a long time before they even think of selling. This showed up 6 months later. I would hate to think if I had sold it to someone! (Not sure I will ever sell soap myself but just a perfect example of how it takes years to master your craft!)

 

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Thank you! I do use sodium lactate to help me unmold faster. Though I can’t say it makes a difference. I really love a lot of olive oil in my recipes  (seems to work well for my very sensitive skin) and just takes forever to harden in the mold!

 

I have been using 1 tsp per lb of oils. Do you think more would be ok?

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