Teach Soap

Greetings everyone, Having successfuly made a few, very few bars of various coloured and clear m and p soap I got carried away and tried making a layered loaf. I let each layer set and sprayed with alcohol before pouring the next. It looked so nice when I unmoulded it but far too big of course for practical purposes so I decided to slice it aaannnndddd I'm sure you've guessed it - it fell to bits. Where did I wrong and I'm really new to this so I really apreciate any help. Sorry if some of the terminology is incorrect.

I am in NO way an expert but I did something similar this weekend... I think I left my bottom layer to cool and harden too much and so there was nothing for the next layer to stick to. Could be something like that? Did you take pics? I love looking at soapy pics!

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Thanks for your imput. I don't know anyone else doing this so I eally appreciaye this forum and do yoi mean I am not the only one in the world this has happened to, So are you not meant to let it harden before you do another layer?

Whoop sorry no pic. But I will as soon ar I achieve something I'm pleased with.

I have had two problems with layering - one where the layers split (like yours) and one where I poured too hot and/or didn't leave the first layer to harden enough. From what I can see (and this is purely trial and error as I'm a newbie too!) is that there is an optimum time to layer - too soon and you'll melt the first layer when pouring the second, too late and they won't adhere (which is what happened to me at the weekend).

In my case, I had just left my base layer to harden a little too much I think - I added a layer that I'd already cut out shapes from and then added another layer on top. When I demoulded, second and third layer stuck but first layer hadn't - I'm think that I left the first layer a little too long.

One of the experts will advise you more - they are far more expert than me!!!

Is the soap retrievable at all?

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I have been practicing swirling with my M&P, but it comes out mostly as swirl and layer, I also have had the problem with loosing either a top or bottom layer, here are some pics,

If you look closely you can see that one of them is missing its orange head, also for that particular layer and the bottom layer I had chopped up loofah in it, I think I may not have put enough rubbing alcohol on the loofah. You can also see it looks more layered than swirled which was the effect I was going for.

TheGinger8

Pour your layers as soon as you can. If you wait too long they will have trouble adhering. Also spray with alcohol (which I think you said you did) and DO NOT put the soap in the fridge to cool it faster. That is a sure fire way to get the layers to separate.

Let me know if you are still having troubles!!

Interesting re the fridge, I was using it to make the soap harden faster. I won't now that I know!!! Thanks for that.

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Thanks folk - will try again tomorrow and let you know if its another dismal failure or not. Such a lot to learn. And yes I did rescue the bits and am using it myself. Its yummy.

Yours looks good enough to eat too theginger8 and Honey thanks for the support.

No worries hon, us newbie's have to help each other out huh?

Check out all the tutorials you can find on You Tube, google M & P soapmaking etc... there's a huge amount of info out there and one thing that recurs time and again is the amount of times people say "spritz, spritz and spritz some more".

I always use the leftovers - keep them all in a box and melt then down into a kitchen soap, doesn't have to be pretty really but the combo of colours and scents often works together really well!! I'm a no waste sort of girl!!!

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No worries hon, us newbie's have to help each other out huh?

Check out all the tutorials you can find on You Tube, google M & P soapmaking etc... there's a huge amount of info out there and one thing that recurs time and again is the amount of times people say "spritz, spritz and spritz some more".

I always use the leftovers - keep them all in a box and melt then down into a kitchen soap, doesn't have to be pretty really but the combo of colours and scents often works together really well!! I'm a no waste sort of girl!!!

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And switching brands of base in between layers is a sure fire way to have them split because they dry, harden and evaporate at different rates.

I'll do a layering episode for soapqueen.tv soon and cover everything that everyone said above, only in video and with examples =)

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Happy Soaping!

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

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Janet
The Studio a la Mode
www.thestudioalamode.blogspot.com

Thanks so much for the help. Tonight I bit the bullet and cut the layered soap I MADE LAST sUNDAY AND IT WORKED. Now I know it works I can get creative.
Bext question - What is soapqueen.tv? I'm so glad I found this forum.