Teach Soap

Getting ready to make another batch of CP. I'm new to CP and this is only my 2nd day of soapmaking . . . ever.

I was wondering what I can do to decorate the top of my soap. It'll be in a 1 lb wooden log mold. Should I not smooth the top of the soap? Should I swoop it up with a spatula or something so it looks like it has ocean waves on top? Should I sprinkle something on top?

Although I've read several books on soapmaking in preparation for making CP soaps, I don't recall reading anything in those books about decorating the soap and making it into the more 'artisan' type of soap. I don't have enough experience to try swirls yet but there are soaps I see on Google that have stuff on top that makes them look prettier. I just never seem to see instructions or ideas for what to put on the soap so they will look like some of the soaps here:

P.S. - Is it hard to do layers? Is it possible to add melt & pour soap to the CP to make interesting, decorative results?

Oooo... how exciting! Personally, when you are first beginning, I think it is a fun challenge to try to get a smooth top, because you have to get the trace just right to achieve this. Too thick and it will be gloppy, too thin and it may not be sufficiently mixed. It might be boring, but (at least for me) it was more of a challenge than a textured top.

Once you know you can successfully make a smooth top, making peaks or waves on top can be fun too. People use different methods to achieve this look. Personally, I like to bring the soap to a very thick trace (like pudding) then pour it evenly into the log mold. I tap it a few times on the counter to get any big air bubbles out then use a rubber spatula to make peaks. The thicker it is, the firmer your peaks will be.

If your soap is too thick for a smooth top, but too thin for peaks, you can create other types of textured tops by dipping a wisk in then pulling it out and repeating this along the whole length of the mold. You can make swirls on top with a chop stick (not multi-colored... just textured)... really the possibilities are endless. Have fun playing!

Layers are "easy", but adding color can be tricky and it is a good idea to make sure you really have the soap making process down before attempting it. However, when I first began, I used infused oils to add color... it makes it really easy because you simply replace regular oil with oil that has been infused with something (turmeric, paprika, calendula, alkanet, etc.). You don't have to worry about making sure your color is fully dissolved or evenly mixed... it just is. So if you really want to try layering, that is what I would suggest. As for layering itself, there are lots of different ways to do it. I like to bring the bottom layer to a slightly thicker trace so that it will be stiff enough to support the top layers when I pour those. I make each layer immediately after I finish the previous one... so there is only about 30-40 minutes between layers. Other people wait longer.

There are lots of great ideas on this forum too if you poke around a little bit. Have fun experimenting!

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Excellent ideas and tips! I had just pured my first layer then came back to check this forum.

My bottom layer was a thick pudding-like texture with a lavender scent. I believe I have royally messed up the color though. I was aiming for a blue/purple color but I got at pale gray/blue. It is not a pretty shade.

Do colors ever change as the soap is curing? If not, I will have another putrid shade of soap to deal with. I used Bramble Berry Hyacinth High pH color and I thought I had followed all the directions on their web site for diluting it. I added it to my oils right before I poured the lye water into the oils. I started mixing everything and I could tell I did not have nearly enough color. So I started adding more and more color to the lye/oil mixture while I was using the stick blender, but it never got much of a color and the trace was starting to get thicker.

I finally just added the fragrance, mixed a little more, and then poured into my mold. It was already thick, gloppy and hard to pour. I'm afraid I ended up messing up the water ratio by adding more and more color (which was diluted with water).

I guess I really need to go back to my books and internet and start reading up on color. It's much harder than it looks!

I'm off to do the top layer. Hopefully it won't be as hard because I will not be adding color to it; just a chamomile fragrance.

Uh oh... hopefully you won't end up looking like a smurf when you use this soap! If you didn't get to thoroughly mix your FO, you may have some problems with that as well. I usually add my scent to the oils before adding the lye. Some will accelerate trace, but you can usually find out from your supplier (especially if it is Brambleberry!) if it will.

I don't personally use lab colors, so soapbuddy and some of the others can probably give you more accurate info, but yes, some colors do morph in CP soap. This color is specifically for soaps that go through gel phase, so my guess is that it will look different after it gels.

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Ahhhhh . . . interesting. What temp is your oil when you add the fragrance oil?

By the way . . . it's been 24 hours since I made my first layered soap. I had thought the color didn't 'take' but when I unmolded the soap today it was a very pretty color! I didn't realize the color would continue to develop like that. It was a very ugly color yesterday. So now the big question is . . . did I add too much color and will the suds turn blue/purple when I use it. I sure hope not.

Would I be able to tell now if I lather up with a small piece of the soap? Or do I have to wait until it's cured to determine if the lather will turn colors?

Also, I bought pH strips to test my soap to make sure I did everything right. When is the right time to test the pH?

Thanks!

Since the soap has been made 24 hours ago and if you gelled, you can take a sliver of soap and wash your hands with it now. If you get colored suds, you have most likely used too much color.

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Irena
Closed minds are like faulty parachutes; they refuse to open.

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