Buttermilk Soap Question

[salli]

I made some buttermilk soap fragranced with lemon eo. So far (almost 2 hours) it has turned a deep dusty peach color. How can I prevent that. I would love to be able to have it white.

Here is the recipe I used. Would love any feedback I can get

Castor 10%

Coconut 76 20%

Rice Bran 10%

Palm 10%

Shea 20%

Sweet Almond Oil 5%

Mango Butter 25%

16 oz butter milk frozen

11.3 oz water

Lye 9.75 oz

Butter milk was frozen slushy, lye water was cool.

Added powdered buttermilk at trace

Thanks

Salli

[asheebeans]

I am thinking it was buttermilk overload. You had frozen buttermilk and then added powdered buttermilk too? That is probably why it went orange on you. I don't do milk soaps (well, I cheat and add powdered milk :embarasse ) but I have heard that happens alot with them. When I did a buttermilk soap I stickblended some powdered buttermilk in with my warm oils. I didn't use a whole lot, but my soap didn't go any crazy colors on me either. I wish I could remember how much I did use! Ugh, that's what happens when you get older....the memory is the first to go! (Already lost my mind years ago) I would say to try that, though. Maybe some others will chime in here too.

[CareBear]

Even when I freeze my milks I get a lovely orangy color. I know some can keep it cream-colored but I cannot. Maybe I'm just not patient enough.

[Crimson]

The longer they cure, the lighter they will turn. If you keep the temps as cool as possible, the color will be lighter...ice bath, prevent gel.

I have never tried to keep milk soaps white but I wonder if TD would positively affect color.

[salli]

I definitely did something very wrong. It traced and then a few hours later turned into a very gooshy mess. Not sure what to do.

[singleyellowrose]

IMHO, it sounds like you had a false trace.

As far as milk soaps, freeze the milk into cubes. Put the cubes in a container in a bowl or sink filled with ice water. SLOWLY add your lye stirring often.

The reason it turns orange is that it is too hot and is "frying" the fat in the milk.

It can be done and it can be gelled and it won't be white.. but will be light beige in color.

As for TD, be careful how much you add as it can make your soap chalky.

[jbren]

I do mine the way Lori described, and it works beautifully.

I noticed by the amount of liquid and lye in your recipe that it is a pretty large batch to be trying something new. I find that experimenting with a small batch to get the 'feel' for something new always works to my advantage, and no wasted oils or ingredients.

[Meridith]

Another way to add buttermilk or any milks to your soap other than adding them directly to the lye solution is to hold back part of your liquid when making your lye solution. You can substitute a milk for that liquid part held back and add it at trace. I prefer to use fresh GM but when using powders, I like to reconstitute the powder milks in water and add them this way to make sure all lumps are mixed out.

When making soaps with milks, I try to never let it gel so it won't get too hot. I use the refrigerator for this. It sounds like your soap either got a false trace or it got too hot and the oils separated. Most milk soaps will lighten up as they cure and any funky smells you get will also cure out.

Don't give up and try again. It just takes a little practice and really isn't that hard. If I can do it, you can too.

[salli]

Is there anything I can do to save this? Rebatch?

[Meridith]

Give the rebatch a try. you never know until you try. Let us know how it goes.

[salli]

I figured out the problem. I accidentially ordered and used potassium hydroxide instead of sodium hydroxide. Now, for a new question, can this mess be saved for anything? FYI, I ordered in a hurry and obviously wasn't paying attention.

[SOAPFREAK]

Leave out the powdered milk, I think that was the culprit

[CareBear]

I figured out the problem. I accidentially ordered and used potassium hydroxide instead of sodium hydroxide. Now, for a new question, can this mess be saved for anything? FYI, I ordered in a hurry and obviously wasn't paying attention.

Won't harden. Not sure if you can convert it to a liquid or cream soap - you would have to look at the calculator (try Summer Bee Meadows - it's very accurate) for how much KOH you should have had for your recipe and adjust up or down. But I don't know what you would end up with.

[salli]

Thanks. Is it safe to put this in the trash or how do I dispose of it? I think it's a lost cause.

[CareBear]

Salli, if it's lye heavy then double bag it in plastic and it'll be safe. If you don't have excess caustic then just toss it in the trash however.

[salli]

Thanks