Teach Soap

Ok, did my 1st batch and I thinnk I might have messed up. It's been 15 hours into the insulation period. When I checked on the soap, I noticed that the top feels powdery. Is this normal? Is it supposed to be damp? When do I cut it? Also, I swirled after the trace and I think I might have done that wrong. I took some ultramarine blue and added it to some separated soap after the trace began and then swirled it into the soap after i poured it into the mold. Now, as I run my fingers along the top of the soap, I get a powdery blue residue on my fingers. Is this normal? Did I do something wrong? Did I ruin this batch? When do I cut it? thanks in advance!!

what was the recipe? which oils did you use? is there any way you could post a picture?

i generally insulate for 24 hours and then if its hard all the way through i cut it, but if its soft i let it sit for a day or two longer.

you shouldnt really touch the soap with bare hands after only 15 hours... should probably use gloves.

I used the recipe in the soapmakers companion:
201 g of lye
19 OZ of distilled water
21 OZ of Olive oil
16 oz of Coconut oil
14 oz of Palm oil
1 oz of an FO

I just finished cutting the bars, the blue doesn't come off, nothing does, the bars were kind of soft but she said in the book to cut after insulation period was over, 18 to 24 hours, i waited the 18 and she also said to store them in a temperature controlled room. Everything came out great, I think, it smells lovely, don't know if it'll stick, but....
So I posted a pic in the CP showoff section!!

Next time go for light trace. Take out the soap that you need for swirling, add your color, then pour and swirl back into your soap. You'll get more feathery swirls that way. It's easier if you don't swirl at full trace. The powdery stuff at the top of the soap could be ash. If you got a full gel, it's safe to cut as soon as it cools off.

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