# Gel or no gel?



## Kalne (Oct 25, 2007)

Do you gel all your soaps? I use to not worry about it. But then sometimes I got partial gel and didn't like the look of it. Then I started gelling everything. But now I'm getting ready to work with color more and am thinking of proactively trying not to gel. If I oven process them they are definitely darker. I know some of it is my oils....RBO, OO, and palm I'm told tend to darken. BUt I can see a definite difference in the ones that gel from those with the same recipe that didn't gel.


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## lynpea (Oct 26, 2007)

I gel. I use a heating pad set on high. I just did two loaves one with chrome green ultramarine with TD and the other with pink UM and TD. Both came out great and didn't darken. I also used to get the partial gel and now I don't. I did oven gel some OMH and boy did it get dark, I don't use the oven anymore. When I get to the point where I am doing alot, I will stack them and wrap them. Right now I am doing 6 # at a time and it fits perfectly on my heating pad.


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## Kalne (Oct 25, 2007)

Hmmm, maybe it's the oven thing then. I think I'll try to gel another test batch and not put it in the oven. I was amazed at how light the ones that didn't gel were. How long do you let yours sit on the heating pad?


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## lynpea (Oct 26, 2007)

Mine automatically turns off after 1 1/2 hours. so I turn it on high, lay a towel over it, put the molds on a cookie sheet, cover with another cookie sheet and cover that with more towels. It'll stay that way for 12 hours.


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## Becky-DixieDoesAlpines (Oct 26, 2007)

I gel all of my soap. I hate partial gel. I have plenty of light colored soaps too that turn out fine.
Becky


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## GallopingGoats (Oct 28, 2007)

I don't like to gel. I like my GM Soap to stay cold. Shannon


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## NubianSoaps.com (Oct 26, 2007)

I gell some, like Watermellon because mine will partial gel and it's ugly with a darker rim around the outside and white in the middle. Others I don't gel because they are soo much prettier light, especially those with herbs in them. So I keep notes, have started laminating my recipe and exact instructions for each soap I make, so I follow the exact thing each time. Vicki


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## Sondra (Oct 25, 2007)

Ok so if you OP then you gel right??


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## kidsngarden (Oct 28, 2007)

Yes, OP is definetely gelling.

I have some that gel and some that I don't just like everyone else. Mostly due to my colors morphing.

Bethany


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## beaglady (Jan 16, 2008)

I always gel my honey recipe, sometimes not the other one. Like everyone else, it depends on the finished color I want.

Diane W


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