soapgirl10 Posted January 28, 2011 Share Posted January 28, 2011 Can someone tell me why some soapers want the soap to gel and some don't? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IwantItgreen Posted January 28, 2011 Share Posted January 28, 2011 I don't gel my goatmilk soap so they stay a nice light creamy color. Otherwise they turn a darker tan. If I don't use goatmilk, I go for gel, especially if I'm doing embeds, etc. There really is no difference in the end product, IMO. I use both. The gelled soap is harder initially, tho, but the goatmilk hardens as it cures. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soapgirl10 Posted January 28, 2011 Author Share Posted January 28, 2011 Thanks for your help Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chuck_35550 Posted January 28, 2011 Share Posted January 28, 2011 Wow, this one drives me crazy. There are several ingredients that accelerate saponification and as a result people don't insulate or encourage the process by adding more heat. Milk soaps are especially vulnerable to overheating IMHO. I don't place mine in the freezer but I do soap colder and never cpop or insulate. I do love a full gel on a regular soap because the colors seem more vivid and I fell like the soap is fully saponified. I know there is no real scientific foundation for that belief but it still gives me a feeling of safety. I get ash either way. HTH Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scented Posted January 29, 2011 Share Posted January 29, 2011 I gel when not using milks too. I just always learned to do it that way and I don't like to keep my soap in its bed longer than I have to keep it there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonsie Posted January 29, 2011 Share Posted January 29, 2011 I would love to study this... the affect of gelling on pH, curing, ROC. I'll just add it to the huge list of other stuff I want to learn about soaps.But just like what IWantItGreen said, I like ungelled Goats Milk soaps... much prettier results than a gelled GM. But other soaps I go ahead and completely gel them since, IMO, it is easier to accomplish a full gel than to accomplish a full non-gel (if that makes sense). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DONNAMAC Posted January 30, 2011 Share Posted January 30, 2011 I don't gel any of my soaps, except for salt bars. I just like the way they look. I guess it is apersonal preference. I like them to look the way the do when I am finished with the swirl. Sometimes if it gels, the colors are different. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pp2625 Posted February 2, 2011 Share Posted February 2, 2011 I always gel...ever since i heard the term ZAPPING not gelling just worries me....crazy i know Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chuck_35550 Posted February 2, 2011 Share Posted February 2, 2011 This issue is well addressed in "Scientific Soapmaking". The outside of the soap doesn't always indicate what is happening within the soap during the saponification process. Good book. Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tomara Posted February 2, 2011 Share Posted February 2, 2011 I don't gel any of my soaps, except for salt bars. I just like the way they look. I guess it is apersonal preference. I like them to look the way the do when I am finished with the swirl. Sometimes if it gels, the colors are different.I am the same way Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IwantItgreen Posted February 2, 2011 Share Posted February 2, 2011 This issue is well addressed in "Scientific Soapmaking". The outside of the soap doesn't always indicate what is happening within the soap during the saponification process. Good book.SteveSteve, I don't have that book, and was wondering what the author's recommendation is. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonsie Posted February 2, 2011 Share Posted February 2, 2011 This issue is well addressed in "Scientific Soapmaking". The outside of the soap doesn't always indicate what is happening within the soap during the saponification process. Good book.SteveThanks for the reminder, Steve. I had been meaning to order that book but kept forgetting. It is now officially on its way. I can't wait! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chuck_35550 Posted February 5, 2011 Share Posted February 5, 2011 Sorry to take so long to get back but this has been a bad week. My parked car was creamed and totaled and I am trying to pass a kidney stone. He suggests that if you have a delicate fragrance to soap at a cool temp with a higher water content and in a cooler environment to help disperse the heat from saponification. He points out that these soaps that have remained in a mostly curd state may have pockets of neat soap (gelled). It is important to use a mold that quickly disperses the heat and that you do nothing to insulate or encourage increased heating. The only differences in the soap are that the neat soap maintains its shape in the soap dish better than the curd soap. He states that superfatting and adding your expensive oils at trace is mostly a waste of time. HTHSteve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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