# Ok, bad batch number 2



## Cannon_farms (Nov 17, 2009)

So, are you not supposed to get better instead of worse at making soap? First batch I made, perfect, no so much there after.
My plain soap is too soft and crumbles. I made lavender scented soap last night, its the worst so far. It came out of the mold really oily feeling with a jelly like top and little hard somethings around the top and side, the inside of the logs feels and looks fine except an occasional pocket of loose oils I used some this morning and well, even if I dont get to sell it, it left my skin feeling wonderful so Im ok with that, didnt need 5lbs of soap for myself but.... Was this the scent or did something else cause this? This was the first time I also used ice water under my milk and lye, it never got over 100 degrees. I read that lavender isnt good in cold press soaps, of course after i made it.

I have used the same basic recipe from day one, the lavender one is the only one I didnt use oatmeal and honey in or tea tree oil. 
The plain soap was an attempt to make vanilla scented but I didnt use enough scenting (ground beans) so its pain to us, it had the same basic recipe but omitting the tea tree oil. It had a bad perm smell to it for a little while.

If any of that gives yall a clue on what went wrong please lmk.


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## NubianSoaps.com (Oct 26, 2007)

As the weather gets colder, you need to make sure your butters and oils are melted. My soap room isn't really warm, so during the winter I have to melt my butters and make sure there is some heat left in my lye/water solution, or I won't get to a real emulsion or trace. 

Check out the oil slick, especially the golden orangy gel slick on your tongue for zap, that's lye. Which means nothing got mixed together well enough before you poured. Vicki


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## Cannon_farms (Nov 17, 2009)

because i iced the milk maybe thats what went wrong. the oils where at 120 when I mixed everything together and I stirred and trace came more quickly than normal.

I defiantly got the orange gel, thankfully the soap didnt burn or irritate my skin, it actually lathered and felt really good.

Is there any thing I can do to salvage it?


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## hsmomof4 (Oct 31, 2008)

It probably didn't really trace, but just looked like that because it was cold. You can rebatch it. Shred it all or chop it up really fine and put it in the crock pot with a little water or milk (or on the stove, but the crock pot is easier) and melt it all (and by all, I mean all, including those oil pockets you had) down. Once it's all melted, mix it up REALLY well. You can add more fragrance if you need/want to. Then put it in the mold and when it's firm (like the next day) turn it out and cut it. It will not be very pretty, but it will be better than what you've got now.


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## Kalne (Oct 25, 2007)

Oh yeah.....I dislike soaping this time of year esp. since we keep our house on the cool side. My coconut oil is hard as a brick.


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## Faye Farms (Sep 14, 2009)

We keep our house on the cool side too. When I melted some oils for soaping yesterday I didn't get to adding the lye quick enough and they had started to solidify on me! I didn't have any pre-made solution on hand so I just dumped in the hot lye so it worked out fine but it's still a bit of a pain.


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## Cannon_farms (Nov 17, 2009)

that makes sence. I dont know if it can get any uglier at this point but it sure smells good
One way or another maybe Ill make it so I can call myself a soaper, I can see I cant do it without great folks like yall.


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## NubianSoaps.com (Oct 26, 2007)

Geeze, we are great aren't we  :rofl


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## Cannon_farms (Nov 17, 2009)

Ive known your great Vicky for a year and half D) but its nice to meet some other great people as well.
About to go dump it out of the mold, how it came out of two and took four to hold it after the melt is kinda beyond me but....


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## Anita Martin (Dec 26, 2007)

a lot of us, myself included, use milk that has been frozen in an ice cube tray. No need to put in a sink of ice water. Just need to make sure oils are melted, everything is ready, weigh out the milk cubes, and add lye over the top. Use a spatula to gently mix, and keep mixing until most cubes are melted. Don't wait too long before pouring into oils or it will turn yellow or orange. Do not add lye if cubes have started to melt or they WILL turn orange immediately. If your cubes have started to melt, put the container back in the freezer until they refreeze, then add lye.


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## Aja-Sammati (Oct 26, 2007)

> lavender isnt good in cold press soaps


Unless this is different than any lavender I have ever met, this is not true. Lavender was one of the first soaps I ever made. I think you had a false trace. GM soap frequently has a bad perm smell for a while.


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## NubianSoaps.com (Oct 26, 2007)

a bad perm smell 
.......................

That is the perfect discription! Vicki


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