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My Reward PointsCold process soap making involves mixing oils or fats with sodium hydroxide lye, triggering saponification—a chemical reaction that transforms these ingredients into solid soap made completely from scratch. Understanding the gel phase in soap making is critical to getting the desired texture, color, and quality.
What is Gel Phase in Cold Process Soap?
The cold process soap gel phase occurs only after the soap is poured into the mold. A natural step in the saponification process, it starts when the internal temperature of the soap rises to a point where a translucent gel forms.
Is Gel Phase Safe in Soap Making ?
The gel phase of soap making is safe because it doesn't affect the quality of the soap, it only affects its appearance or look. You can encourage or hinder the gel phase depending on the final outcome.
Benefits of Gel Phase in Soap Making
Gel phase soapmaking produces richer colors in soap with a smoother, glossier finish. It also increases saponification, making the bar harder and unmolding faster. Here are its benefits in brief:
1. Brighter, More Vibrant Colors
The gel phase brightens whatever colorants you employ, which is especially handy if you're utilizing natural colorants like clays, which are often subdued.
2. Even Curing and Smooth Texture
The gel phase is a safe, natural step in the saponification process that smoothes texture, evens out curing, and only affects appearance and hardening time—not the quality of the soap.
3. Improved Hardness and Longevity
The gel phase is a common and safe step in the soap-making process. The hardness and longevity of the soap are largely determined by the oil combination used in the original recipe, but it can also help.
Science Behind Gel Phase in Soap Making
Saponification forms soap and glycerol by combining fats with alkali, and heat accelerates the reaction, creating a brief gel-like, semi-translucent phase. The phases of cold process soap making include mixing lye and oils, reaching trace, optional gel phase, and cooling and hardening the bars. The gel phase affects soap bars' texture, color vibrancy, and clarity, but not quality, lather, or washing.
Signs Your Soap Has Entered Gel Phase
After knowing what is gel phase in soap making, you should also know its signs. Cold process soap enters the gel phase when it darkens and becomes transparent or gelatinous in the mold. Heat from saponification causes this.
Translucent or Glossy Appearance
A translucent and glossy appearance indicates soap in the gel phase. The soap gets heated and changes appearance during saponification.
Noticeable Heat in the Mold
A hot mold indicates that your soap is gelling. When the mold retains exothermic saponification heat, soap gels.
Sunken or Raised Surface Edges
Sunken or raised margins signal an accidental temperature problem during saponification, not a complete gel phase. It may not look good, but the soap is safe to use.
How to Control or Avoid Gel Phase in Soap Making
Use additives that influence the gel phase, modify mold insulation, and regulate temperature to avoid the gel phase. Here, we will explain these ways in brief on how to avoid gel phase in soap making.
Use Temperature Control
To avoid the gel phase in soap making, keep the mixture cool by soaping at lower temperatures (70–100 degrees Fahrenheit), employing a water discount, and using smaller, non-insulating molds or wire racks.
Adjust Mold Insulation
To prevent the gel phase in soap making, use non-insulating molds, soap at lower temperatures, and cool the soap with a rack, fan, refrigerator, or freezer for 24–48 hours.
Additives that Affect Gel Phase
The gel phase is mostly affected by additives' effects on the gelling system's temperature, solubility, or molecular interactions. The additive and system (e.g., soap manufacture, polymer hydrogels) determine the effect.
Troubleshooting Common Gel Phase Issues
- Overheated soap can crack due to uneven gel phases, often caused by high temperatures, excess insulation, or heat-producing ingredients. Cooling the soap, removing insulation, or refrigerating can help prevent and fix this issue.
- Uneven gel phases in cold process soap generate streaky, spotty, or dark, translucent circles (halos) in the bar. You can repair the look of a new batch of soap or avoid it in future batches, but it's still safe to use.
- To avoid partial gel (uneven color/texture), cracking/volcanoes (overheating), and soda ash (cooling too slowly), cold process soap makers must control ingredient and environment temperatures to encourage or prohibit full gel.
Conclusion
The gel phase occurs when cold process soap heats up and becomes transparent and jelly-like. This natural saponification process is important because it produces tougher bars, brighter colors, and faster soap unmolding. Lastly, for the best results, you should carefully experiment while controlling the gel phase.
FAQs
Now you would probably know what is gel phase in cold process soap. Additionally, consider the below FAQs.
Q. Does gel phase affect scent retention?
Ans. The gel phase may affect aroma retention since high temperatures (up to 82 degrees Celsius) can fade or burn fragrance oils with low flash points.
Q. Is gel phase necessary for quality soap?
Ans. High-quality soap doesn't need the gel phase because it just affects the soap's appearance. Because of the final appearance, soapmakers have a preference.
Q. Can I skip gel phase entirely in cold process soap?
Ans. You can fully eliminate gel phase in cold process soap. The resulting soap will still be safe and functional, albeit with a different appearance.
