Teach Soap

Thanks for the compliments!

The way I avoid red lather is to keep the red to a minimum - I never use it for more than a swirl or a vein. And it doesn't come off on the dish, really - the red I added on the top is a super thin layer, brushed on with a soft eyeshadow brush before I slice the log. It only takes a tiny bit, and it stays put where it is.

I know some people sprinkle theirs on, but I always end up with loose excess mica that way.

edited to confess my George obsession...

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So Magic, this is after you cpop your soap? Really, it stays on? I tried the sprinkle bit and was disappointed, looked like i glopped it on. Was thinking of using a sifter, but your way seems easier.

yep, after CPOP when the soap is still slightly warm and just a bit tacky, and I brush it on. Two issues - if the soap is very hard, it might not allow the mica to stick. For that, you can lightly spritz the top of the log with water, wait a few minutes, and then brush onto the slightly tacky surface. The other thing is that if the soap has any oil at all on top, it will make a clumpy mess of the brush - so blot gently with a paper towel until the soap is as oil-free as you can manage.

For the most part, I don't have to mess with it much, just brush and slice.

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I'll definitely try it. Thanks Magic!

It works. Magic_hands rocks! These are two batches I did with mica brushed on the still tacky logs before cutting them.

I was out of Cedar and Saffron but textured the top of a BB's Arabian Spice batch and used a mica that fits the color to dust the top. It's more shimmery than it looks in the picture but not as sparkling as gold mica. I still like it though.


And I frosted and textured the tops of another batch (different fo) and used BB's gold mica to dust the top of that log.



Cut bars. The base is going to darken while curing. Frosting has a different eo so will stay light.

I definitely second Magic_hands suggestion of a soft eyeshadow brush for dusting mica. It gets into the nooks and crannies better and you won't end up with excess mica that needs to be blown off with a blow dryer on the cool setting because your small soft blush-on brush was too large. Don't ask me how I know that!

Those are wonderful, Justkate. You and Magic have both demonstrated that your method(s) work, and I'm really encouraged to try. I have brown oxide, bordeaux mica and more Cedar and Saffron FO on the way this week. Hopefully, I'll be able to produce something 1/2 as nice as one of these soaps. Thanks for the pics. They're great.
Scents

Those look pretty justkate! Congrats!

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I was just looking again at the Cedar and Saffron description and there is no flashpoint listed.

Has anyone CPOP'd this?

CP'd it?

I do not like to do the non-gell way since I have no freezer space (and not going to give up my ice cream for soap), so please advise.

Thanks,

Lisa

By the way, beautiful bars, Kate. You got frosting down!

Thanks Scents, Soapbuddy, and Lisa! Appreciate it. Frosting is fun. Mica gives it an elegant touch, I think. Lisa, I cp'd Cedar & Saffron twice. I gel everything but goat milk soap. Magic_hands wrote in a previous post on this thread that she gelled her Cedar& Saffron bars- that she gels all of her soap. I thought she forced gel or CPOP'ed.

Excellent job, justkate! Those are beautiful!

Yes, I CPOP my Cedar & Saffron - it's an incredibly strong FO, you can go a little lighter and it doesn't lose any oomph during gel.

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Thank you magic_hands! I appreciate the compliment. I appreciate your generosity in sharing your knowledge, too.

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