Grumpy Girl Posted January 17, 2006 Share Posted January 17, 2006 If you have a soap batch that doesn't go through the gel stage, how does it effect the finished product or does it at all? Do you try to avoid gel stage with your soap and if so, why.All my soap batches so far have gelled, but one batch tonight never did and I'm wondering what the difference will be, if there even is one. I didn't CPOP like I generally do because DH was cooking dinner and using the oven, so I made sure I insulated it well, and took a peek about three hours later and it hadn't done a thing. I soaped it cool, at about 100 degrees, which is my normal temp. Maybe I should kick it up about 10 degrees next time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bunny Posted January 17, 2006 Share Posted January 17, 2006 Toss it in the oven now to force gel.. Some of my soaps have taken 4 hours before they start to gel. How weird!Personally I don't like the feel of ungelled soaps, they feel chalky IMO... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sara Posted January 17, 2006 Share Posted January 17, 2006 Yes, I force gel on mine (oven). I keep my house pretty cool so it is hard for me to get a good gel on them if I don't. (This isn't good for production, though - oven is only so big...)Full gel helps get the color even throughout as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisR Posted January 17, 2006 Share Posted January 17, 2006 To gell or not to gell is really just a personal preference. I don't want my soaps to gell, as I use 100% goat's milk for my liquid and if they gell they get a bit darker than an ivory color. My soaps aren't caulky because they don't gell! I think that comes from the type of oils you use in your recipe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carrie Posted January 17, 2006 Share Posted January 17, 2006 Occasionally I will make a batch and put most in a log mold, and some in individual molds. The last batch I made, the individual soaps are creamier looking and bubbled better than the soap that gelled in the log mold. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
singleyellowrose Posted January 17, 2006 Share Posted January 17, 2006 Most of my soaps are 100% milk. I soap at RT and most of them I do gel. There are some that no matter what I do, won't gel.. which is fine by me.IMHO, an ungelled soap is creamier, however that may be from the milk. It will also take longer to cure. It will stay softer longer as well.I think it is totally a personal preference whether or not to gel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scent Cellar Posted January 17, 2006 Share Posted January 17, 2006 I gell all my soap except for the goat milk soap. Sometimes it takes 4 hours or so for them to start gelling. I have put a few on top of a heating pad for a couple of hours to get the gelling started. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grumpy Girl Posted January 21, 2006 Author Share Posted January 21, 2006 Thanks for the clarification. That soap did finally gel, like over 4 hours later on it's own. Go figure. How do you stop a soap from gelling before it starts? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carrie Posted January 21, 2006 Share Posted January 21, 2006 Put it in the fridge or the garage if it's cold. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scent Cellar Posted January 21, 2006 Share Posted January 21, 2006 To keep a soap from gelling you can set it in front of a fan just enough to keep the air moving around the soap mold. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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