Does Fragrance Ruin Hot Process Soap?

Adding fragrance to hot process soap can cause it to crumble due to a phenomenon known as ricing. Ricing occurs when an ingredient in the fragrance oil binds with some of the harder oil components in the recipe to form little hard rice-shaped lumps. This can be avoided by using a fragrance oil that has been tested and approved for use in soap, and by adding the fragrance oil to the oils before adding the lye. Additionally, using lower temperatures and avoiding gel phase can help prevent crumbling.

Using too much lye can cause crumbling

Using too much lye can cause your soap to crumble. This is called 'lye-heavy soap' and is a common mistake that even experienced soapmakers make. Lye-heavy soap can be identified by its crumbly texture and yellow oily fluid oozing from the bars. It may also take longer than usual to begin to gel.

Lye-heavy soap is too harsh to use on the skin, but it can be used as laundry soap. To prevent making lye-heavy soap, it is important to accurately weigh your ingredients. If you are unsure what went wrong, it is best to throw the batch away rather than attempting to rebatch it.

Using too much oil or too little lye can cause the soap to be soft

If you have used too much oil, you can try to balance this out by adding more lye. However, it is important to be very careful when handling lye, as it is a corrosive substance that can cause chemical burns. You should always wear protective clothing and equipment when working with lye, and it should be kept away from children and animals.

If you have used too little lye, you may be able to rebatch your soap by shredding it and adding more lye and liquid. Again, it is important to be very careful when handling lye. You should also make sure that you have calculated the correct amount of lye to add.

It is also important to note that there are other factors that can cause soap to be soft. For example, if you have used a lot of soft oils, such as olive oil or avocado oil, your soap may take longer to harden. Additionally, if you live in a humid environment, your soap may take longer to cure and may develop a soft or sticky texture.

Inadequate mixing can cause the soap to not firm up

To avoid this, use your stick blender sparingly and pay attention to the thickness of your soap. First, pour the lye water down the shaft of the stick blender. Burp the blender on the bottom of the bowl to get rid of bubbles. Then, give the blender a few short bursts. Then, use the blender to stir. Give it a few more short bursts and stir. You can always stick blend more to make it thicker, but once soap reaches a thick texture, there is no going back! Using short bursts and stirring rather than turning your stick blender on for 10-20 continuous seconds will help you gradually build up to the correct trace. Check for trace often.

Using a fragrance oil or superfat can cause pockets of weeping oil

Using a fragrance oil or superfatting can cause pockets of weeping oil. This is called separation. It can happen if the fragrance oil can't be mixed into the soap batter, or if the soap batter isn't fully emulsified. This can be caused by not stick blending enough, or by adding the fragrance oil when the soap is too hot.

Using expired oils can cause dreaded orange spots

To prevent DOS, it's important to use fresh oils and butters when making soap. Store soap-making oils in a dark and cool place. If you will not use the butters or oils quickly, store them in the fridge or freezer to extend the shelf life.

Frequently asked questions