Teach Soap

(I figured since this was about "working with" a fragrance, sort of, it might be better off here than in the CP forum ;D)

I've found an egg nog FO (from Elements) that I'd like to soap for the winter holidays, but I'm a bit stumped on what to do with it, visually. The FO has a discoloration warning for "tan to brown" (I expect there's vanilla in it), so maybe some vanilla stabilizer is in order, but other than that... What does egg nog soap look like? I just think of off-white with dark flecks and that's all I've got. Any other ideas out there?

For that matter, what would make good dark specks? Cocoa powder seems too fine, and I think ground cinnamon would too, but maybe if I grate it fresh?...

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CP newbie who's turning into a soaping addict!

I would finely grind up some vanilla beans for specks. Add an uncolored top that won't discolor for a "whipped cream" look. How about adding a real egg to the soap batter?

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

Excellent, thanks soapbuddy! I'd never heard of putting eggs in soap until now, but glancing at a few recipes, it doesn't sound too bad... especially since I tend to soap on the cooler side. And vanilla bean! Duh! I wonder if the scent stays in the soap?

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CP newbie who's turning into a soaping addict!

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

For an eggnog FO, I'd use ground nutmeg for the specks.

Make sure your eggs (I just use the yolks) are tempered, and I'd have them at room temp to start. That will give your soap a kind of yellowish cast, although the discoloration will probably cover it.

Anita

Good idea Anita! I would sprinkle a little bit of nutmeg over the top of the white "whipped cream" layer.

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

Thanks panzerakc! :3 Nutmeg would be the most logical but one of my friends is allergic to mace, and while she's usually okay with nutmeg, I try to avoid it when I can, just in case. XD Maybe I can put some on top as soapbuddy suggests, that way it's easier to remove if need be.

Now here's hoping that some stabilizer will keep the FO-related discoloration to a minimum, at least until the bars are gifted out!

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CP newbie who's turning into a soaping addict!

Instead of nutmeg, you could use a sprinkling of cocoa powder or brown mica.

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