Teach Soap

Hi there

I am eagerly awaiting my first M+P supplies and have a few more rather random questions!

- everyone mentions Saran wrap to wrap the soaps. I'm in Australia and we don't have that here - is it just a heavy duty plastic wrap (cling film) or is there something special about saran wrap?
- I'm not going to be able to justify buying a heat gun until I am sure I will get into soap making. In the meantime can I just wrap soap tightly in plastic wrap and secure with say a sticker

And on layers....
- I have been reading up on layering and I realise that the temperature of both the 'set' layer and the pouring layer are important however would you melt, colour etc both layers at the same time or do you do one, wait for a bit then do the other? I imagine there is an art to the timing of it!

Thank you!

ps this is a great forum, I've learned so much already and the pics of soap are really inspirational!

Welcome!!! Saran and cling film are the same thing, Saran is just the brand name. Yes, you can certainly just wrap tightly and sticker your soap. I've had luck with using a hair dryer instead of a heat gun. Those darn things get too hot for me and I've melted more soap than I can to admit
I tend to melt my second layer after my first has set a bit, that way I don't have to reheat it if it cools down too much.

Best of luck!!!

Brandy

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~Shell

Thanks!

Don't forget to spray the first layer with rubbing alcohol before pouring the next layer, or they won't stick together.

Saran Wrap = Glad Wrap. Get the cheap kind though...it sticks to itself better! (I'm Aussie, but live in the US.)

I've waited for the soap to harden and cool before doing the second layer. I haven't had any problems with separating as long as I spray spray spray with alcohol. I live in the desert - Phoenix, Arizona - though, so I'm sure the dry climate has anything to do with that. I find myself modifying quite a lot of recipes because they often come from more humid areas. Being on the Gold Coast you'll have hiiiiigh humidity. Keep that in mind when you're experimenting. Have fun!!

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Rachel
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Thanks FairyCute!

You never know if there is something 'special' about things that people recommend or if good old cling film will do. To complicate matters I'm from the UK so things that are obvious to an Aussie or an American are sometimes different things to me lol.

LOL sassyk! You poor thing!

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Rachel
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I use clear plastic wrap, which I bought in Rymans at the moment. That seems to work pretty well.

Soap Kitchen do both clear cellophane wrap and some funky coloured versions.
https://www.soapkitchenonline.co.uk/aca ... plies.html I have used their transparent gold dots wrap before, which looked pretty when I was wrapping things at Christmas time. Soap Basics do shiny clear wrap too. http://www.soapbasics.com/contents/en-uk/d54.html Soap Basics have a minimum order of £20, though for most things I find them to be slightly cheaper (though bear in mind the prices you see are before VAT, which they add at the end, so you can end up spending more than you expect!) Both companies have been pretty prompt with delivery when I've ordered from them.

The cellophane wrap I use is a bit more substantial than cling film. Cling film will probably work, but probably is harder work and doesn't look as pretty.

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"The question is: does it work on stage? If it works on stage, does it fit the theory? If it works on stage, but doesn't fit the theory; throw out the theory." Bertolt Brecht