Are you a geller??

[Muller's Lane Farm]

For new soapers:  
The chemical transformation of oils and lye solution into soap is called saponification.  
It is an exothermic reaction, meaning it creates heat.  
'Gel' is when the soap mixture heats up enough that it becomes translucent.


Some folks let their soaps gel ... others avoid it like the plague.

Which are you and why?

[Muller's Lane Farm]

I'm a geller, even though I make nothing but milk soaps (100% milk for the lye solution).

Why?

• I mainly work with large slab molds too large to put any where cold.
  
• I'd rather have a full gel than a partial gel.
• Soaps that go through the gel stage completes the saponification process sooner (as soon as it cools, it is soap).
• As long as I keep my milk/lye solution cold (75*F or under), my soaps remain a nice light color.

[Deleted]

I don't gell my soaps. I just prefer the look of non gelled. I use smaller molds and I put them in the spare fridge overnight.

[Deleted]

I've done both, but prefer to gel (so far). When I started a few months ago, it was very cold out and I put the molds in the trunk of my car outside.

[Deleted]

I don't gel.. Was told by a more experienced soaper when I was starting that gelling would burn up more of the fragrance oil, especially those with a lower flash point and would need to use more to get the same level of scent in my soaps. So that is how I do it and I do get a lot of scent with a little FO. I soap at room temp and put my molds in the fridge or outside if it's cold enough to prevent gelling.

[Muller's Lane Farm]

That's a good point, @gunsmithgirl. When gelling, the temp of your soap will be about 170°F.

[Deleted]

As I mentioned above, I don't gell. And I do soap at room temp.

[Deleted]

Gel because I cphp and it isn't done until it hits that Vaseline stage that is basically gel.

[Deleted]

I usually gel, but when I want something with a nice fragrance, I will make hot process soap so that the gel is done before I put in my oils. I like to do my bay Rum this way, and the scent lasts a long time.

[jamiecatheryn]

I think mine gels in the middle, but I don't care one way or the other. I make mine in slabs about 1.5 lbs each in a wooden mold with a lid. Mostly olive oil and coconut oil, sometimes EO's.