Gel Phase in Testers

I love testing new scents in cold process soap because I get to feel like a mad scientist. You never know what you're going to get-- some scents immediately seize or accelerate, others turn crazy colors, some over-heat and some go through gel phase, like the examples below.



What is Gel Phase anyway? According to Anne-Marie on the Teach Soap Forum, "Gel phase simply refers to a part of the saponification process where the soap gets extremely warm and gelatinous. Soap that has not gel-phased is still soap. There is nothing wrong if your soap does not gel phase. You will find slight color and shine variations in gelled versus ungelled soap. Some soapers prefer not to have their soap gel at all so do not insulate. Again, it is a personal preference."