thecandlespastore Posted June 16, 2006 Share Posted June 16, 2006 I got this off os soapcrafters:"Overheated soap has a bit of a rind appearance around the edges. You probably wouldn't notice it unless you cut into the soap. Overheating is also the main cause of a soap's scent disappearing. The soap can sour up to 200 degrees in the mold due to insulating it and this will cook your fragrance or essential oils. Many people who have instructions on the internet mistakenly think this 'gel stage' is a disirable event, it is not. Originally it was talked about in Liquid Soapmaking by Catherine Failor. She was discussing a HOT process of soap making. Cold process soap making should not go through this stage. If your soap overheats, then remove whatever insulation you have on it and move it to a cooler spot. The soap is still great to use, it just has lost it's scent typically and has a rind appearance in the soap."This paragraph made me second guess my decision to put my lovely soap I made in the oven to insulate. But it just does not sound right. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thecandlespastore Posted June 16, 2006 Author Share Posted June 16, 2006 Then it says:"Gone Cold.: If your soap goes cold during the first 24 hours or turns to mush, you probably lost the saponification process. There can be a lot of reasons for this. Your weights of oils, or lye may have been off causing a bad batch and Mother Nature shut down your operation. Or your temperature was not high enough with the fats and it just lost temperature. Or it just caught a chill. After thinking long and hard about what you did during weighing, and if you're sure your weighing was correct, then pour it into your soap pot, put it on the stove. Heat it while stirring constantly. When it reaches 130, remove from heat, pour back into a fresh mold. This is what I call 'kick starting' it."Kind of confusing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lindsaycb Posted June 16, 2006 Share Posted June 16, 2006 :undecided Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jcandleattic Posted June 16, 2006 Share Posted June 16, 2006 I would not come right out and say it was "false" but I wouldn't exactly say that statement was accurate either.:undecided "Gel stage" is not something just talked about on the internet. It's also talked about in many reputable books by professional soapmakers.I had a batch of soap that SEVERELY over heated (I got the alien brain thing going and everything) and it still - a year later - smells DIVINE! The scent did NOT cook out or evaporate or any of that. My gelled soaps smell just as great as my non gelled soaps, so I don't get where that's coming from. Both statements are very confusing, but there is my .02 on the matter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crafty1_AJ Posted June 16, 2006 Share Posted June 16, 2006 Sounds like what comes out of a horse's hiney to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crafty1_AJ Posted June 16, 2006 Share Posted June 16, 2006 My gelled soaps smell just as great as my non gelled soaps, so I don't get where that's coming from. Both statements are very confusing, but there is my .02 on the matter. I agree w/ J. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobinInOR Posted June 16, 2006 Share Posted June 16, 2006 Sounds like they're trying to rationalize/justify why they can never get a full gel and lose their scent. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thecandlespastore Posted June 16, 2006 Author Share Posted June 16, 2006 they can never get a full gel and lose their scent.Exactly! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cnsaitch Posted June 16, 2006 Share Posted June 16, 2006 If what they're saying is true then I must be luckier than I ever imagined because I put ALL of my soaps through gel and have never once lost scent or experienced the *rind* on any of mine. I even put a batch of GM soap through gel (not intentionally - it just happened) and it's just as *smelly* as any others I've made. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hibiscus Posted June 16, 2006 Share Posted June 16, 2006 My very first two batches never gelled and I was wondering if I had done something wrong or if I should force it to gel. I forced a partial gel and decided to take it off the heating pad after I read that it doesn't have to gel. Anyway, I don't concern myself with it gelling now because all of my soap has been fine without it. Yep, all 4 batches!..LOL:D and I guess I've got soap angels too because I've not run into any major issues while soaping but I am prepared thanks to all of you experts! oh and about. com has lots of info on everything. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mountainmadness Posted June 16, 2006 Share Posted June 16, 2006 The 'gel issue' can be a big one among soapers. I used to force all of mine to gel but now do not. The consistancy is different. Then there are a lot of different issues that come with allowing your soap to gel or not... soap ash, difficulty getting soap out of individual molds, color, etc.To me it is personal preference. I prefer to not gel but that is a personal preference. It really doesn't matter, it is still soap regardless.Like Robin said, it sounds to me like they are trying to sell an crappy FO and then when the soap has no scent they can blame your temps.I would not purchase from a company like that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thecandlespastore Posted June 16, 2006 Author Share Posted June 16, 2006 I liked the way my soap looked before it gelled last night. So basically with CP can I just leave it sitting without towels or insulation, and should I still cover the top with a film of plastic wrap? Making another batch tonight with Et Une Rose by Lancome! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mountainmadness Posted June 16, 2006 Share Posted June 16, 2006 If you do not want to force it to gel then leave it on the counter in the mold with no towels or saran wrap.Be aware though that soap will sometimes gel even if you don't want it to. There are some FO and EO that will accelerate heat and honey is know to do it also. I have heard of some placing it in a cool garage or in the fridge. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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