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My Reward PointsAre you wondering why did my soap turn brown? The soap discoloration can be frustrating for both soap manufacturers and users, as it can occur in batches of soap. This post will discuss what causes the soap to turn brown and how to work with it.
What Happens When Soap Turns Brown?
When soap turning brown, it typically appears uniformly tan to dark brown, with occasional mottled or grainy textures. Chemical reactions and storage conditions influence unwanted browning and normal ageing in soap, with unwanted browning indicating quality issues and regular ageing improving soap's quality.
Is Brown Soap Still Safe to Use?
Slight browning is normal and doesn't affect the soap's quality. A rancid odor, oily surface, and orange patches indicate poor soap. A well-smelling, lathering brown soap is safe to use.
Common Causes of Homemade Soap Turning Brown
If you are asking why my soap is turning brown, then you should know that it browns due to natural oils and ingredients, oxidation, overheating, vanillin content, additives, and contaminants, as well as the presence of older or lower-quality oils.
1. Natural Oils and Ingredients
DIY soap made from natural materials like oils and botanicals can turn brown due to oxidation or chemical breakdown, it can be worsened by extreme heat during the making of soap.
2. Vanillin content
Vanilla discoloration in soap is a natural phenomenon triggered by vanillin, a flavor molecule. It ranges from off-white to dark brown, appearing first on exposed surfaces.
3. Oxidation of Oils
Dreaded Orange Spots or (DOS) are dark spots on homemade soap due to the oxidation of unsaponified oils due to heat, light, or air exposure, causing the soap to deteriorate.
4. Overheating During the Soap-Making Process
Overheating, oxidation, lye shortages, vanilla additions, and certain smells can cause homemade hot or cold process soap turning brown, affecting the soap's color.
5. Contaminants and Additives
Contaminants and additives can cause handmade soap turned brown through chemical mechanisms like botanical compounds, oxidation, sugar burning, and vanillin-containing aroma oils.
How to Prevent Soap From Turning Brown?
Soap should be appropriately stored and cured. Choose the proper additives and avoid excess heat. Using stable oils and proper packaging, and protecting the soap can also prevent discoloration.
1. Use Stable Oils
Stable oils prevent soap from browning due to oxidation, resulting in a more stable product by using low polyunsaturated fats and high saturated and monounsaturated fatty acids.
2. Avoid Excess Heat
You can stop soap from turning brown by managing the "gel phase" and avoiding heat-sensitive chemicals scorching, as saponification in soap making is an exothermic process that can cause discoloration due to excessive heat.
3. Proper Storage and Curing
Store by paper and properly cure to prevent soap from turning brown, known as "Dreaded Orange Spots," and ensure a longer shelf life by regulating oxidation caused by light, heat, moisture, and chemicals.
4. Choosing the Right Additives
You can prevent soap from browning by using titanium dioxide, antioxidants, or vanilla color stabilizers. However, it depends on the cause of discoloration like soap oil oxidation or vanilla content in fragrance oil.
5. Packaging and Protecting Soap
Packaging and protecting soap from discoloration causes, such as oxidation, moisture, and sunlight, is crucial. The types of soap determines the best packaging technique.
When Should You Be Concerned About Soap Turning Brown?
Some indications of homemade soap turning brown are as follows:
- Rancid or strange smells or "dreaded orange spots" may indicate spoilage or formulation error.
- Minor discoloration from oxidation, like vanilla, is usually unaffected and can occur naturally over time.
- Sticky, irritating, or sudden discoloration with an odor should be discarded.
Conclusion
We hope you find the answer to your query: Why is my soap turning brown? Distinguishing between spoiling and normal ageing is crucial, as browning in soap can occur due to natural components, oxidation, and overheating. Manufacturers of soap can maintain its quality and safety by undertaking these causes, and implementing appropriate formulation and storage methods.
