Ahhh- What Happened to My Soap???

This is the phase that soap goes through that will scare the bajeebers out of every first time soaper!

I remember it well! I was making my very first batch of basic soap. I was SO proud that everything went just perfect. Although I was shaking like a leaf and so nervous, every step promised the perfect bar of soap.

Then it happened........about 30 minutes after I poured the soap into the mold, covered the top, and then covered with a towel to insulate it - I went and took a peek!

Eeekkkkk! What happened to my beautiful creamy-looking soap I made??
GEL - PHASE!!!

While I didn't know it at the time, a quick look on Google calmed my worst fears - that my soap was not going to fail.

Gel phase is the phase that occurs about 30 minutes after cold process soap is poured. The soap begins to REALLY heat up and is an early phase of the saponification process, the soap batter temporarily becomes a very warm transparent gel and slowly returns to being opaque, more solid, and cooler. 

So, while a completely normal phase of the soap-making process, it is sure to fire up every first-time soaper!