Soap Makers Help!

[weaversfarm]

I use lard and olive oil in my soap for the fats and sometimes my goat milk soap turns out to be an orange color. I don't know why, but it's kinda pretty.

 

[pride&joy]

I use lard and olive oil in my soap for the fats and sometimes my goat milk soap turns out to be an orange color. I don't know why, but it's kinda pretty.

could be your milk lard solution is getting to hot and scorches the milk, it's not supposed to be a good thing I think?

 

[kat e wampus]

if it's orange, it's purely a cosmetic issue. indeed, you might have scorched your GM by not having it cold enough or pouring in the lye too quickly. i usually mix my lye with water, then add GM at the same time i add the lye water to the oils.

i apologize if this was posted already, but this is the best online information on making soap:

http://millersoap.com/

kathy's site is chock-full of THE BEST info!

 

[RockyToggRanch]

Where is everyone? Who's soaping?

 

[yinepu]

Where is everyone? Who's soaping?

I have several batches to make in a month or so (cold process) .. as soon as I hear back from my sister in law letting me know what kinds / fragrances she wants.

 

[Renee']

Which EOs, and where did you buy them, and which kind of olive oil? Also just to doublecheck as an aside - is your lye at least 97% sodium hydroxide?

I'm sorry for the slow response Swirler, I didn't get a notificaiton about your response. I made four different batches. One batch was a single scent, and I think the other three batches were combo's of different scents (a combo of two). I bought them at Michael's Crafts. My lye says 100%. My Olive Oil is the Costco brand Kirkland and the label says Pure Olive Oil.... Since I posted my first question, I spoke with a friend and she said maybe I should warm the EO's but that just doesn't seem correct because their volume is so small they shouldn't affect the temp enough to seize, correct?

 

[Renee']

Where is everyone? Who's soaping?

I'm knitting, reading and disgusted with soaping! My recipe keeps seizing when I add the EO's. Swirler is taking a look, hopefully he/she can solve my soap problem.

 

[swirler]

I'm sorry for the slow response Swirler, I didn't get a notificaiton about your response. I made four different batches. One batch was a single scent, and I think the other three batches were combo's of different scents (a combo of two). I bought them at Michael's Crafts. My lye says 100%. My Olive Oil is the Costco brand Kirkland and the label says Pure Olive Oil.... Since I posted my first question, I spoke with a friend and she said maybe I should warm the EO's but that just doesn't seem correct because their volume is so small they shouldn't affect the temp enough to seize, correct?

I'm sorry, but I still don't have an answer to the question which is by far the most likely thing behind your seizing: Which essential oils? I am very strongly suspicious that what you have there is not essential oils, but cheapo fragrance oils that have not been tested in cold process soap and are not suitable for your purpose.

 

[yinepu]

It's the EO's that are causing your soap to seize... some herbs / spices will cause it as well.. but 99% of the time it's the fragrance oils or EO's that are being used

Have you tried mixing a little oil (like olive oil) into the EO's before adding them to the traced mix? Occasionally that will slow the seizing a bit.. usually you have to be ready to mold it ASAP if you are using an oil that you know causes seizing.


Your best bet is to buy your fragrance from a company that tests it in soapmaking and then avoiding any that cause seizing.. but sometimes you have a request for one that leaves you no choice but to decline the order or go ahead and prepare for the mess that the oil is going to cause.

 

[bockbock2008]

Are you using essential oils (EO) or Fragrance oil (FO)? May sound silly, but I didn't know the difference at first. Anyway, I also had bought some fragrance oils at Michaels only to have both batches rice. THEN I found out that the oils they sell there are for melt and pour soaping, not cold process. I started ordering from Bramble Berry and have had no problems since. They have reviews for each of their fragrances to tell you if there is any type of reaction or acceleration of trace.