Why did my soap curdle?

In most cases, the finished soap will be lye heavy and not skin safe. Mixture curdles, forming small pebbles at the bottom of the pan. Usually the result of oil, lye or both being too hot when mixed, or inconsistent stirring. You can try and correct with a stick blender or more vigorous stirring.

How do you fix curdled soap?

I boiled the soap mixture in the bag until it had completely melted, at this point the soap turned from a curdled mess into a nice smooth soap mix which I squeezed out of the bag back into the mold and allowed to set. I left the soap for two weeks to dry out, then it was ready to use.

How do you fix Ricing in soap?

Ricing. When an ingredient in the fragrance binds with some of the harder oil components in the recipe, it can form little rice-shaped lumps. Usually, you can stick blend the soap to smooth out the ricing. It will make it quite thick, so you may have to skip your planned design and get it into the mold with a spoon.

Why does my soap look grainy?

If adding cold lye to butters and oils that are solid at cooler temperatures, it can cause the oils/butters to cool and thicken on contact. False trace happens pretty quickly. As the lye is poured in, the soap will start to thicken immediately. You may also notice it looks grainy.

How do you fix crumbling soap?

Break Down the Soap

If your soap is crumbly, you can just crumble it all into a bowl. If it's soft, you may just need to cook it down, which is the next step. You can break down soap before or after the cure time is done, but I prefer to do it after.

COLD PROCESS SOAP SEIZING

How do you know if lye is out of soap?

If the bar “zaps” you, it's likely lye heavy. The feeling is hard to describe, but you'll definitely notice it. Don't do this test if the soap is seeping, as the liquid may be unsaponified lye that can burn your tongue. If the soap doesn't zap you, it's likely safe to use.

What happens if you put too much fragrance oil in soap?

While your homemade soap has the potential to carry more fragrance oil, you shouldn't add any more than the 1% amount. This scent can only be included up to 1% according to the IFRA's standards and anymore could irritate the skin.

Why did my homemade soap crumble?

Crumbly Soap

Soap with a dry, crumbly texture could be caused by too much lye in your recipe. If your soap has a crumbly texture, ensure it is not lye heavy. If the pH is safe to use, the crumbly texture could also be caused by soaping with cool temperatures.

What happens if I soap too hot?

Hot room temperatures can cause soap to go through gel phase, or even overheat.

Why does my homemade soap not lather?

Hard water minerals such as calcium and magnesium react negatively with the ingredients in your products. As a result, you don't get the rich lather you desire and may feel the need to use more product (which quickly becomes expensive).

How do you keep homemade hand soap from separating?

You may notice the Castile soap settles at the bottom of your soap dispenser, causing your DIY liquid hand soap to separate. If this happens, just give the dispenser a little swirl or a gentle shake to recombine everything.

Why is my soap soft and crumbly?

The good thing about soft soap is that it's very rarely lye heavy! Lye heavy soap usually has the opposite problem; it's extremely hard, brittle and crumbly. If your soap is too soft, chances are you added too much of something…but not lye. It's usually too much oil, fragrance, liquid or other additive.

Can you save seized soap?

Normally when I make soap, I use the cold process method. This means that once the oils and lye solution are combined, I do not heat up the soap batter. I simply pour it into the mold lined with freezer paper, cover with plastic wrap and some towels, and let it set up overnight.

How long does homemade soap need to cure?

It will usually take 3 or 4 weeks for soap to cure. I turn my bars over several times during curing, so that all four sides get air contact. Once you have your soaps on the shelf, lightly place a sheet over them to keep dust and dirt out.

Why does my soap have oil on top?

Overheating – Overheating in the mold can cause oils to separate out and cause an oily film on the top or sides of a soap. Usually if you let it sit…it will reabsorb in a few days.

How long does lye soap need to cure?

(Read more about lye in soap making here.) While soap will form bubbles within the first 24 hours, that doesn't mean it's done. Most soaps need 4 or more weeks to cure, or to complete the saponification process, during which fats, water, and lye turn into soap. The longer it sits, the harder and milder it will become.

Can you remelt soap?

Using a Baking or Oven Bag to Rebatch the Soap

The crock pot and oven processes work well, but our favorite way to rebatch is using a baking or "oven" bag. As with the crock pot method, add the grated soap and liquid/milk into a boiling bag.

How do you know when soap is cured?

A typical cure time is 4-6 weeks, but what determines when a soap is “done”? The most reliable factor is weight. Each week, I weigh each soap on the cure rack. When the soap goes a full two weeks (most soapers wait one week) without changing weight, I know that it's both safe to use, and will hold up when used.

Can you remelt melt and pour soap?

Yes, you can remelt Melt and Pour Soap Base

Melt and pour soap is a great way to start because it's ready to use without any additional curing time. You can purchase melt and pour soap bases from many online stores or local craft stores.

How many drops of essential oil are in a bar of soap?

Based on our guide above, that means we need roughly 22 drops of essential oil (1.1ml x 20 drops per ml) for each bar of soap.

How much fragrance should I add to soap?

Usage rates play a big role in scent retention. For a strong scent, you can add 0.7 ounces of fragrance or essential oil per pound of cold process soap. For melt and pour, you can add 0.3 ounces per pound.

How do you make homemade soap smell good?

The best essential oils for soap making are mixtures of top, middle and base notes. Try creating a strongly scented lavender essential oil soap by adding patchouli, sandalwood or cedarwood essential oil as a base note, and a touch of lemon or peppermint for the top note.

What pH should homemade soap be?

The pH of homemade soap is typically between pH level 8 and pH level 10. The average person's skin has a pH level of 5.5, so it is recommended to use soaps and other skincare products with similar pH levels to protect the skin's natural acidity.