Brainstorm with me ....

April 2, 2000

I admit total ignorance with some soap phenomenons. Period. SOme things, I

just can't grasp.

I made 24 3 pound batches on Saturday - each batch gets split into 3 1 pound

(and that 1 pound includes the water weight) and then, I test for new FO's.

Each test is done in individual molds and the individual molds are put in

the oven (which is warmed) and I check every few hours to make sure all the

batches are going through the gel phase etc...

Out of all of those tests, ONE little 1 pounder is a mystery. It's a lovely

Bergamont FO - it smells great in fact. When I added the FO to the base

(1/1/1Canola/Palm/Coconut - very basic and boring) the mixture got very

watery - really watery - and wouldn't trace, wouldn't do anything. That

whole " Ha! I'm gonna get watery and you can't stop me " problem happens a lot

but normally, if I just wait it out, the soap traces. This batch refused. I

waited 10 minutes, stirring sporadically (no stick blender though) and the

mix showed no signs of separation either ....

So, I poured the water-y mix into my molds and stuck them in the warm stove.

I can't be positive they hit gel phase - but I think they did.

This morning, all the other soap is hard, and in fact, I've popped all the

soap out of the molds - except for the 4 Bergamont molds. They are soft -

we're talking mega soft - crisco soft. Every other batch, including the two

that split off the main batch with the Bergamont, is great (they don't all

smell lovely but their consistency is grand)

I wouldn't be stressin' about this at all if I didn't actually realllly like

the smell! I'm planning on retesting tonight with a different mix but

figured I would see if anyone had any ideas?

Anne-Marie

Bramble Berry -- for all your fragrance needs

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