Teach Soap

Hi all,

I've been trying to perfect my bath bomb skills, and after the weekends 'way too wet' overkill, I decided to err on the dryer side last night. They seemed ok last night, however I've gotten up this morning and they seem 'wet'. The outside of the fizzy feels damn to touch, and when I lifted them up off the tea towel, they were stuck and I had to almost rip them off. A couple of them now have fuzz on the bottom side hehe.

Ingredients were:
- 4 Cups Bi-Carb
- 2 Cups Citric Acid
- 1/4 Cup Epsom Salts
- 1/4 Cup Corn Flour
- 3ml Brambleberry Watermelon Fragrance
- 10 or so drops Red Food Colouring.

Any insight would be so greatly appreciated.

_________________
The Soapinatrix! *whip-crack*
- Posting the trials and tribulations of my Soaping Journey!

Is it humid where you are?

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

No I wouldn't call it humid at the moment. I'm in Melbourne, Australia. Yesterday was definitely a dry heat.

_________________
The Soapinatrix! *whip-crack*
- Posting the trials and tribulations of my Soaping Journey!

Forgot to mention - they did air in front of a window last night (on the kitchen bench in front of the kitchen window), but the blind was pulled most of the way down...

_________________
The Soapinatrix! *whip-crack*
- Posting the trials and tribulations of my Soaping Journey!

Oops! I missed your post where you said that you used Epsom Salts. Those suck moisture out of the air and that's most likely why your fizzies are damp.

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

Oh ok. Weird as I've used Epsom salt in all my batches so far and these are the only damp ones.

_________________
The Soapinatrix! *whip-crack*
- Posting the trials and tribulations of my Soaping Journey!

Thought just hit me - although I've used the salts in all the batches I've made, last night was the first one where I really watched my water/Witch hazel adding. Previously I've always thought I made them too wet, so last night only gave two squirts as I was erring on the side of dry. I'm wondering now if previously the salts have drawn the moister from within the bomb, where as last night, without that extra water, it's drawn it from the air instead?

_________________
The Soapinatrix! *whip-crack*
- Posting the trials and tribulations of my Soaping Journey!

Make a small batch and try subbing the Epsom Salts with regular table salt.

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

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

_________________
The Soapinatrix! *whip-crack*
- Posting the trials and tribulations of my Soaping Journey!

Is your mixture like slightly damp sand? Are you using plastic molds? What about lightly wiping them with cornstarch for easier removal? You do need to pack them in tightly, otherwise they will separate. I've read somewhere that if you put a pice of cork over the top half, lightly whack it with a rubber mallet they come out easier.

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

So far I've had one mixture more like playdough - I ended up smooshing them into ice-cube trays and they actually came out ok in the end.
The other ones I've had like wet sand yeah. I'm still learning the right 'feel' though. I might need to make a trip down to the beach and go feeling some actual wet sand hehe.

Last night I used a silicone tray - previously I've used the plastic balls that look like Xmas baubles? Haven't tried wiping them with cornstarch yet, might try that next go - another lady recommended wiping with almond oil?

Packing tightly definitely wasn't the problem last night lol. I was reading another webpage on making them last week that had like a white cyclinder and these little wooden stopper things. He put one stopper in, filled the tube, put the other stopper in and then hammered it!! Then he pushed the whole lot up the tube and it was this little compact tablet looking bath bomb.

I sort of improvised last night. I put my mixture in the silicone mold (mini muffin tray), filled it up, took a plastic bottle who's bottom was the same size, and my little hammer... gave it a few good wacks lol.

_________________
The Soapinatrix! *whip-crack*
- Posting the trials and tribulations of my Soaping Journey!

Who says that fizzies have to be round? Make them square if it's easier.

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

Hehe yeah, that's why I've started working with the mini muffin trays lol. I figure I'll perfect the mixture then work on the balls. I've got my sights set high though... I want to make the bath fizzie cup cakes one day!!

I found a new recipe I want to try, picked up the missing ingredients this morning. The only thing I couldn't get was 'Vitamin E'. I assume that would be included for the moisturizing/nourishing qualities? Could I skip for that for?

_________________
The Soapinatrix! *whip-crack*
- Posting the trials and tribulations of my Soaping Journey!

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