Teach Soap

I made a sort of embedded soap (I guess that's what you call it?) today and had to rebatch one of them because I put too much alcohol on the embeds and it just smelt of too strongly of it. How much are you supposed to use? Is one spray enough?

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Hm, strange? It smelled too strongly of alcohol? I don't think I've had that happen to me. Typically, the alcohol tends to waft and evaporate off fairly quickly.

It was just regular rubbing alcohol, right? Sometimes, the freezer can help take away the smell of alcohol if letting the soap sit out for a few days doesn't do the trick.

That's a head scratcher. The base smelled neutral before you started crafting with it, right?

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Happy Soaping!

Anne-Marie
blog: www.soap-queen.blogspot.com
supplies: www.brambleberry.com

The smell of alcohol dissipates quickly for me too. Depending on the size of the soap, a couple of quick spritzes is all it takes for me. Then I'm good to go.

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

The base was neutral yep - the rubbing alcohol (here called surgical spirits) smells VERY strongly of alcohol though - I think I possibly used too much or didn't let it waft off before pouring... I should have left it and see if the smell went off but I really couldn't smell the scent of the FO I'd put in at all.

I might try witch hazel instead in the future - not sure what that smells of but it's got to be better than the surgicial spirits smell which only smells of hospitals to me! Or maybe I should use vodka?

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Witch hazel has mostly water. I don't think it will work. Vodka has water in it too.
Rubbing alcohol is the best way if you can find it. I wonder if isopropyl alcohol would work?

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

I asked for that and everyone looked at me like this and a bit of ! I may have just put far too much on, and just drenched it. I'll do one squirt next time and see how it goes.

Thanks for all your comments, and bearing with this complete newb!!

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Interestingly, I got the Marie Browning book "300 handcrafted soaps - Great Melt & Pour projects! today and she specifically says that she never uses alcohol in her soapmaking.

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Don't keep us in suspense - how did it go? Did you try alcohol again?

My experience with witch hazel for dispersing bubbles has not been positive. It didn't seem to work. So, have some alcohol on backup. =)

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Happy Soaping!

Anne-Marie
blog: www.soap-queen.blogspot.com
supplies: www.brambleberry.com

I didn't use it on the black and white soaps I made (mostly cos I forgot, d'oh!) and it sure look secure to me. I do have a small bottle of alcohol just in case though!

Marie Browning says she doesn't like using alcohol - she just takes the very thin skin off with sharp knife - has anyone tried this?

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

Could be, especially if you were making big batches.

I do think I over sprayed my other ones (am sure it was more than one spray anyway) and I probably should have left it a few days to see if it'd wear off but I suppose I have newbie impatience!

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