tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-43389426716707352232024-03-08T06:06:00.518-06:00Alaiyna B. Bath and BodyAlaiyna B. Bath and BodyFaith Orioldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07506867106085799485noreply@blogger.comBlogger63125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4338942671670735223.post-34792933882706692152017-06-24T11:45:00.001-05:002017-06-24T11:45:48.894-05:00Taking some time to learn how to make French MacaronsI love baking. Baking, like soapmaking, allows for so much creativity that results in such a useful end product that is easily shared too. My friends and family and even my mail carrier love when I start experimenting with baking.<br />
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If you have never savored a French Macaron, I encourage you to give one a try. There is nothing really like it. The combination of crisp shell that reveals a soft cookie expertly combined with a luscious sweet filling just cannot be beat. I could eat these little creatures all day long. The flavor combinations are not only creative but endless - you can use jams, curds, buttercream, ganaches, caramel and any combination of these plus more. They can be basic round shapes or formed into other designs like food or animals. I have seen so many creative ideas that I want to recreate.<br />
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BUT.... for a cookie with just a few basic ingredients that would seem like such a simple task - oh, not so. These are the most finicky cookies I have ever experienced making. If your egg whites aren't whipped just so, if your macaronage isn't folded just so and/or if your oven temperature/location of the baking tray in the oven isn't just so - then you will fail. You will not have fluffy feet, you will have hollow shells, they will be lopsided, burned on top or on the bottom, they will have wrinkled tops.... the list of issues that one encounters with baking macarons is extensive AND frustrating.<br />
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I have found that there are several variations of the basic shell recipe (egg whites, confectioners sugar, almond flour, granulated or castor sugar and optional lemon juice or cream of tarter to stabilize the egg whites) in which the ratios of liquid (egg whites) to dry ingredients are fairly consistent. For every gram of egg whites you will need 3 - 3.7 grams of dry ingredients and the makeup of those dry ingredients varies. However, there is no perfect or foolproof recipe. A recipe works for one in their kitchen does not work for another in their kitchen. There are too many factors that have nothing to do with the recipe that will determine or success or failure.<br />
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So, after about 50 attempts at making these little delicacies, I have finally figured it out and what works best in my kitchen. Here is a sampling of my successes! Enjoy!<br />
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~ FaithFaith Orioldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07506867106085799485noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4338942671670735223.post-41752909445555875622016-11-02T09:54:00.000-05:002016-11-02T09:55:30.289-05:00Winter Themed Felted SoapsJust a quick update on some new winter themed felted soap. Each underlying soap is a bar of my cold process handcrafted soaps created from scratch using a variety of vegetable, nut and fruit based oils and butters. Some soaps have added goat or coconut milk too. Each soap is themed to depict several various winter scenes. Enjoy!<br />
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You can find these soaps and more available for sale in the <a href="https://www.etsy.com/shop/AlaiynaBSoaps?ref=hdr_shop_menu&section_id=10889655" target="_blank">Etsy Shop</a><br />
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~ FaithFaith Orioldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07506867106085799485noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4338942671670735223.post-62115842656254714692016-06-15T07:00:00.000-05:002016-06-15T07:00:56.925-05:00More Mosaic Soaps<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Two new cold process mosaic soaps in several different designs. Love the creativity that is involved in creating these types of handcrafted soap. This technique allows me to create unique, nourishing and beautiful soaps that are still in a usable shape for sink, shower or bath. </div>
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Scented in Apple, Pear and Champagne with swirls of green, yellow and red blocks alternating with the natural ivory and black blocks and layers. </div>
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Scented in a very pretty, soft and feminine Lotus Blossom fragrance. The swirls of yellow, pink black and ivory nestled amongst the green and black. Four different designs were created from separate batches of green, swirled and black soap.</div>
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~ FaithFaith Orioldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07506867106085799485noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4338942671670735223.post-7341290854607263192016-05-23T08:06:00.000-05:002016-05-24T09:21:24.719-05:00More Themed Floral Garden Felted Soaps<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I really enjoy making felted soap and needle felting a variety of designs on them. These floral landscape soaps have been extremely popular as they are not only functional as soap and washcloth in one, they make wonderful, unique, one of a kind gifts. These soaps are created one at a time and any that are currently available will be listed <a href="https://www.etsy.com/shop/AlaiynaBSoaps?ref=hdr_shop_menu&section_id=10889655" target="_blank">here in the Etsy Shop</a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Photo of flowers in my garden - Image of flower felted on soap</span></div>
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~ Faith<br />
<br />Faith Orioldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07506867106085799485noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4338942671670735223.post-23550958774446309122016-04-02T07:58:00.003-05:002016-08-04T08:23:16.943-05:00Mosaic Soap Tutorial<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Mosaic Soap - Scented in Blueberry Lemon</span></div>
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I really love the creativity that soapmaking can bring out and I have seen so many awesome soaps with a lot of piping, surface embeds and unique shapes (especially the food soaps - love making cupcakes). But..... I find people tend to not want to or are confused over using such beautiful soaps and I want my customers to use the soaps that I create. Because of this I am sticking to creating beautiful and unique soaps in usable shapes and sizes. These mosaic soaps perfectly fit this goal.<br />
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This tutorial is an experiment in action. Much of it is based on theory and experimentation - please keep this in mind as your results with this technique may very based on formulation, molds and oven temperatures. I consider this a starting point for others to experiment with in design and method.<br />
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My base soap is created with 38% hard oils (coconut, palm), 4% butters and 58% soft oils (olive, castor, avocado, etc.). I add sodium lactate at 5 grams per pound of oils and superfat at 5% with close to full water (35 - 38%). You need to fully gel your soap so that it is pliable after a full gel and cooled.<br />
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For this design, I alternated a solid yellow soap with an In The Pot Swirl of ivory, blues and purple (with a tiny hint of green). I also used a solid green to separate some of the layers. All pieces were created using the same formulation and created within a few days of the others (so that none of the soap has cured much and hardened).<br />
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Color Palette - Yellow Mica for the solid portion</div>
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Ivory, light blue mica, dark blue (ultramarine blue and black mica) and<br />
purple mica for the swirled portion</div>
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The start of the In The Pot Swirl</div>
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Both halves in the molds ready to force gel in a preheated<br />
170 F oven until gelled. </div>
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This is also referred to CPOP<br />
(Cold Process Oven Process) soaping.</div>
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This is the setup to slice and create the mosaic pieces that will be used to create the designs.<br />
The green in front was from a previous batch that I am incorporating into this one too.<br />
I use the same molds in order to get a snug fit for the layers. I use the <a href="https://www.brambleberry.com/Wire-Soap-Slicer-P6326.aspx" target="_blank">wire soap slicer from Brambleberry.</a> It has increments of 1/8" and you can also use cardboard or other thin<br />
materials to help build the height that you need.</div>
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First I slice slabs in different thicknesses based on the design I am looking to create. The slabs are then cut lengthwise to get smaller square or rectangle logs (apologies - don't have a pic of those).</div>
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After cutting the three colors into thin slabs and square/rectangular pieces they are arranged into a design that will fit right back into the same molds. I intentionally create them taller than I want the finished soap to be because I know I am going to have to trim the top and sides. You want as snug a fit as possible between the pieces to avoid little holes in the finished soap.</div>
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Placing the soap pieces into the molds piece by piece using either 91% rubbing alcohol or water spritzed on each piece very well. Not sure if the liquid is necessary to help the pieces adhere to each other and counter the water loss from the heat, but both methods have worked. Be careful with water as it can create bubbles as you proceed (it is soap....)<br />
Have not tried this dry.</div>
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Back into the oven with the temperature set at 170 F - 200 F for 2 - 3 hours. </div>
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The time and temperature for this will vary based on one's soap, molds and oven. </div>
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You want it hot enough and long enough to allow the layers to adhere to each other </div>
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without overheating and boiling. Experiment to see what works for you. </div>
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I keep it in the oven until the surface is very soft and looks like it is gelling.<br />
Allow the soap to cool completely before unmolding.</div>
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Using my wire slicing tool to trim the sides and top of completed logs. </div>
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I have yet to get a smooth surface from this technique and this tool from <a href="https://www.brambleberry.com/Wire-Soap-Slicer-P6326.aspx" target="_blank">Brambleberry </a></div>
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allows me to trim the surfaces of the entire log evenly.</div>
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The trimmed logs ready to be cut into individual soaps. I use the excess soap that was trimmed off as embeds in another batch (shreds or chopped into small pieces) - no soap goes to waste around here.</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Finished designs</span></div>
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This technique allows for a lot of creativity in design. Give it a try and let me know of any hints and tips you may come across in your own experimentation.<br />
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~ Faith<br />
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<br />Faith Orioldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07506867106085799485noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4338942671670735223.post-84755419400975989392016-03-21T13:48:00.000-05:002016-03-21T13:49:59.652-05:00Soda Ash - GONE!<br />
A quick and easy way to remove soda ash on fully cured cold process soap.<br />
91% Isopropyl Alcohol, a toothbrush, a bit of scrubbing - no more soda ash. Fully cured bars should be hard enough not to be misshapen by the use of the toothbrush.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">My Champagne and Roses Cold process </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">with a good amount of soda ash on the top.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">All you need is a small spritzer bottle filled wit</span><span style="font-size: large;">h </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">91% Isopropyl Alcohol </span><span style="font-size: large;">and a toothbrush</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Spritz the top with the Isopropyl Alcohol (about 5 or 6 spritz) </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Use the toothbrush to lightly scrub the surface to remove the ash. The toothbrush </span><span style="font-size: large;">allows you to get into all the little nooks in a textured surface. Rinse and dry the toothbrush after every few bars.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4k-Au9yxRzw6YxDNKWQIJCuhqoDsYPRuY_nxT1zUX0eZtauJEJlv4BYB9gllRPv3bSz3NTp8FQE1APrhQAgNy5qAjB8ppsPMED8_ZM9adhwYhDMJ3uGyN6uUoIBmTSRQRl-NBIh277OOm/s1600/Sash4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4k-Au9yxRzw6YxDNKWQIJCuhqoDsYPRuY_nxT1zUX0eZtauJEJlv4BYB9gllRPv3bSz3NTp8FQE1APrhQAgNy5qAjB8ppsPMED8_ZM9adhwYhDMJ3uGyN6uUoIBmTSRQRl-NBIh277OOm/s400/Sash4.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Wipe dry with a paper towel and no more soda ash!</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir4d-tQha_uaFPJnPATkJRrvexAxaSsZ5H07uVELRC_UlMqOFIF6stN168qXV7HLz0s3ad7EbpUtHW8MICqFLPGVjI3IR6y2hCUXPe4tWEfewwz0yUeqkDxS377LCFK1cwpDn1Ama4Ghyphenhypheng/s1600/Sash5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir4d-tQha_uaFPJnPATkJRrvexAxaSsZ5H07uVELRC_UlMqOFIF6stN168qXV7HLz0s3ad7EbpUtHW8MICqFLPGVjI3IR6y2hCUXPe4tWEfewwz0yUeqkDxS377LCFK1cwpDn1Ama4Ghyphenhypheng/s400/Sash5.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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~ Faith</div>
<br />Faith Orioldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07506867106085799485noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4338942671670735223.post-52259699540202458772016-02-20T11:12:00.000-06:002016-02-20T11:12:19.297-06:00Introducing New Bath Bomb Fizzies and Foaming Bath Bombs<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
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After spending time refining my bath bomb fizzy and foaming bath bomb formulations, they are now being introduced and available for sale. Bath bomb fizzies do not create bubbles, but instead release scent and skin loving ingredients into the bath. Foaming bath bombs also release scent and skin loving ingredients but also create a generous amount of long lasting bubbles into your bath. Both types are enriched with sunflower oil and mango butter in addition to sea salts, milks (goat and coconut), cornstarch and even oatmeal to create a luxurious bath experience (each formulation will vary in these ingredients). I use mostly clays and ground botanicals to color these (some colorants can remain on the surface of the tub) too. These new bath bombs are available in both the <a href="http://www.alaiynabsoaps.etsy.com/" target="_blank">Etsy</a> shop and the main <a href="http://www.alaiynab.com/" target="_blank">website</a>. Here is a sampling of what is available.</div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Lemongrass Calendula Bath Bomb Fizzy</span></b></div>
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Created with lemongrass essential oil, sea salt, coconut milk, and ground calendula petals</div>
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<a href="https://www.etsy.com/listing/268854527/lemongrass-calendula-bath-bomb-fizzy?ref=shop_home_active_3" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0wcBncOmE24CLxVxxPBcCqgFYTH4dvg6efdmZkdwG073MhzBDk01M2U2e_-tNAI6ar1m9OagEjPscGbeUGUXe7FO_A_gQi7nhjKFWGhqRaMDYQEJ9YnrWiVhgKpSFHh6wlpCL2n4H3wRj/s400/BB-Lemongrass.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Mango Kumquat Foaming Bath Bomb</span></b> (created lather/bubbles)</div>
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Created with sunflower oil and mango butter</div>
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<a href="https://www.etsy.com/listing/268880359/mango-kumquat-foaming-bath-bomb?ref=shop_home_active_1" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgpQdUbGK6P3xr5dYj0xio1UlZyNyQ6czcBFgM9hgfQfl8Dber2OR59SwOKNF9NPJaq27Wt6S0F0yXxm3QVHl0xmtWK81uzNcNrDRPoUbhdo_3G6MA36fcFhcPqEhH9kK0n44cfhJax9Hh/s400/BB-MangoKumquat2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Strawberry Champagne Foaming Bath Bomb</span></b></div>
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Created with Pink Himalayan Sea Salt</div>
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<a href="https://www.etsy.com/listing/269105474/strawberry-champagne-foaming-heart-bath?ref=shop_home_active_1" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdjwai3PZmxmrLgBRsPjN2DpVVtJh2WCdHgUhNQU0ZqfGM4c-wWeVw5OG0945iLffQLa8sGGpUnDcNKHlCZxLSnpv9hLH9SrJ7W5JNVGucnCymErCLprp1ENusJjpLczFiX0QdQYsCjggt/s400/BB-StrawChamp.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Lavender Goat Milk Bath Bomb Fizzy</span></b></div>
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Created with Lavender Essential Oil, Sea Salt and Goat Milk</div>
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<a href="https://www.etsy.com/listing/268785827/lavender-goat-milk-bath-bomb-fizzy?ref=shop_home_active_10" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN5NVX1yiTSzqLVCwnsrvv-ZkQiExGhMywSTR62-M5XJeD4-kOM368LMZu3dEZ0JtzneUdgU_Dcq1vNGvEXQpU7OxP_BHhmH75gtrapMGUqqKNUN9-H7Gd1gWAdIwhU0V0LDFvs_o8AhPN/s400/BB-LavenderGM.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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~ FaithFaith Orioldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07506867106085799485noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4338942671670735223.post-19977778328523460822015-12-26T08:36:00.003-06:002015-12-26T08:37:52.901-06:00New Felted Soaps<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I really love to make felted soaps. It is a great way to do something unique and creative with extra bars of soap from a larger batch or to give a new life to wonderful smelling soaps that just are not as visually attractive as I had hoped - it is like a makeover for soap. Below are some of my most recent creations. The felted soaps have been extremely popular - especially the garden and floral themed ones.</div>
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Each cold process soap (you can felt over melt and pour too) is first wet felted using carded merino top wool, Romney wool or a wonderful merino and silk blend - some soaps use several wool varieties. Then the designs are needle felted on using the same types of wool for the wet felting. It takes very little wool (about .25 - .3 ounces) to encase an entire 4 ounce bar and even less to create the needle felted designs. </div>
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The design possibilities are endless with these and are a wonderful creative and relaxing outlet. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB6BPC9AKB4PVm0nNgeAWOcCUupFzcvzd2NB-jzDydfelQahhPGU3gCGjwsxNhdMH5si0HKeZc1lfhd2uDijAUq9wz8h9hWUjF3r0MnEYNz9_VY2y2PIUSDpHPvpUMaZPccBK4I1FF9KH8/s1600/FS-FlGarden1215.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="435" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB6BPC9AKB4PVm0nNgeAWOcCUupFzcvzd2NB-jzDydfelQahhPGU3gCGjwsxNhdMH5si0HKeZc1lfhd2uDijAUq9wz8h9hWUjF3r0MnEYNz9_VY2y2PIUSDpHPvpUMaZPccBK4I1FF9KH8/s640/FS-FlGarden1215.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJTtBZBNTVHjZLR_YZAwOP5-fWd_Xuy4BCQOBVhASo9PhTx6W5Ig8s-3-S3RtfIFIWnOpdi6vjkC-GhiZoQe0aCVyM07xCwMYWIFO4aB7V9g9nuACar2EFUJr2PWiV1R0TBEhT4hKsVDvF/s1600/FS-ApricotFreesia.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJTtBZBNTVHjZLR_YZAwOP5-fWd_Xuy4BCQOBVhASo9PhTx6W5Ig8s-3-S3RtfIFIWnOpdi6vjkC-GhiZoQe0aCVyM07xCwMYWIFO4aB7V9g9nuACar2EFUJr2PWiV1R0TBEhT4hKsVDvF/s640/FS-ApricotFreesia.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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~ FaithFaith Orioldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07506867106085799485noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4338942671670735223.post-24616221456915083552015-10-26T13:16:00.000-05:002015-10-26T13:16:57.512-05:00Gahhh - failed rimmed soaps and what to do with all those failed attempts.......Since I spent quite some time trying to figure out how to create a rimmed soap so that it could be reproduced again and again with good results, needless to say, there have been many failed attempts. But, as someone who does not like to waste good soap, there are many ways you can still use the soap from these failed attempts. My most recent failure was just last week when I added too much sodium lactate to the rim soap and it wanted to crack on me. It was till flexible/moldable, but not enough to roll nicely without cracking. Knowing what was coming, I immediately stopped trying to roll it as I knew from past experience not to try to continue on with rolling and forming into the PVC pipe - it just leads to a mess.<br />
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Instead, I chose to use individual square silicone molds to create a square rimmed soap. While this can be quite a bit more laborious, the results are great. I take the slab and cut individual edges for each length and height of the mold (mine is 3" x 3" x 1 1/4"). This works for rectangular individual molds too. Each piece is mitered at the corners or you could just cut them to fit and overlap at each corner. You can even just place rimmed pieces on two opposite sides instead of using all 4. Create a new batch of soap for the inner portion and proceed as usual filling each individual mold with new soap.<br />
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Allow to gel and unmold when hardened enough to do so. These will need some cleaning and trimming to look good, but the finished soap is really unique and beautiful.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">My original slab (the colors muted a bit after gelling this part)</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Square molds with rims cut and formed from the slab.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">New soap batch poured into each mold</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbmpf8LwxJWAy00gIicaYckiRKElqvpI26B2TsSVt82TYtmdEA6cBjtbJ811v3McQ9EzTOJtg8eFUcDR1ppMu_lfeUFTfkYHVZW9qg9jl7kr2ehRTg7Ooy1GNTtLAgGrdJhP-RHCieV6Y_/s1600/pumpkinsquare.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="440" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbmpf8LwxJWAy00gIicaYckiRKElqvpI26B2TsSVt82TYtmdEA6cBjtbJ811v3McQ9EzTOJtg8eFUcDR1ppMu_lfeUFTfkYHVZW9qg9jl7kr2ehRTg7Ooy1GNTtLAgGrdJhP-RHCieV6Y_/s640/pumpkinsquare.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Finished Soap Cleaned Up and Edges Beveled</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Both a full rim (left) and a 2 sided rim (right)</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVK_EkvoM3BzOTUxbhK8hxoss_qhVbu-3DY_vcxwDhXAVp5ejnyY4U7RgthJWKrFOZ3igOiH33n9kf5A5F8rYol47BXhCTZHeB7JbZIBVQfHjh1XVDU-cr5vcwmv53IWjCjpyXUQvkhDnI/s1600/pumpkinsquareC.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="322" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVK_EkvoM3BzOTUxbhK8hxoss_qhVbu-3DY_vcxwDhXAVp5ejnyY4U7RgthJWKrFOZ3igOiH33n9kf5A5F8rYol47BXhCTZHeB7JbZIBVQfHjh1XVDU-cr5vcwmv53IWjCjpyXUQvkhDnI/s640/pumpkinsquareC.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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These bars were scented with a pumpkin spice fragrance that I know will turn a bit darker orange than the color shown here as the soap cures. </div>
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Not round, but still a unique rimmed soap.</div>
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Other things you can do to reclaim your failed soap rims.</div>
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- Create soap shreds to used in a new batch of soap</div>
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- Cut the rim into long strips to use as embeds</div>
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- If your slab is thick enough, use small cookie cutters to make mini guest soaps</div>
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- Create Soap curls to add to a new batch of soap</div>
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- Create soap balls to use as embeds in a new batch</div>
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Some of the above ideas have been used in these soaps below. The two soaps to the right (the embedded soap balls and flower shaped guest soaps) were from the same failed rimmed soap attempt too.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-7E6MXX-kd_3ivssQ7ucPIaZGV6T11iuKyfA3vTy6hB1AQL3COKqhNjNGhtdpHiPUfvkVE6g4vCcCNBgpU-IGf_s3InfKSy1gTbbwigMiwhZbWk-dsID92rFhBPuuJ0wp6ajE7nYq6FTt/s1600/Failled-rims2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="628" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-7E6MXX-kd_3ivssQ7ucPIaZGV6T11iuKyfA3vTy6hB1AQL3COKqhNjNGhtdpHiPUfvkVE6g4vCcCNBgpU-IGf_s3InfKSy1gTbbwigMiwhZbWk-dsID92rFhBPuuJ0wp6ajE7nYq6FTt/s640/Failled-rims2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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~ FaithFaith Orioldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07506867106085799485noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4338942671670735223.post-39625358859840838522015-10-09T11:36:00.000-05:002015-10-25T08:24:55.842-05:00Rimmed Soap Tutorial<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnuqWzXX3QGWRs3gFqng4TTGuUjoTT8HzK-c9_qPpVLrNg7YFPtgPtIHuPwxsqoDhx6uY-_0L8XHSs4RZPJpBPH8Kgy7FSKyYi6yXCu-J-ofTu5He0pvy9dWPmydgBfGwGrgzwvIP2sJM5/s1600/CP-ChampARose.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnuqWzXX3QGWRs3gFqng4TTGuUjoTT8HzK-c9_qPpVLrNg7YFPtgPtIHuPwxsqoDhx6uY-_0L8XHSs4RZPJpBPH8Kgy7FSKyYi6yXCu-J-ofTu5He0pvy9dWPmydgBfGwGrgzwvIP2sJM5/s640/CP-ChampARose.jpg" width="561" /></a></div>
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It has taken me quite some time to figure out and be able to recreate a rimmed soap design - both in cold process and a combination of melt and pour and cold process. Now that I feel confident in being able to recreate this in a variety of designs with consistent results, I will share how I put this together. For cold process soap, it takes two days to complete. Day 1 to create the rim and allow it to set to be firm enough yet still flexible to manipulate. Day 2 to create the inner core soap. Depending on your formulation, you may be able to do this in a shorter amount of time, but I find the 2 day process works for me. Melt and pour/cold process can be done in 1 day as it takes only an hour or so for the melt and pour rim to set up.<br />
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Please note that are at least two ways to create rimmed soaps. The way shown here and to make a thick slab of soap and then shear off a thin layer to use to formulate the rim. You need a custom wire soap cutter to shear the slab into the thin slices. This is a great method for high volume production but does not allow as much creativity in surface design (like the flowers.)<br />
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This is an advanced technique so it is assumed that you have formulations that you are comfortable with based on the design you may want to use (slow moving for example.) It is also assumed that one knows how to calculate amount of soap needed for the end result and the size of your molds which will be unique to each individual. Since these are soaps that I do sell, I do not provide the formula I used. If you want to do a complex design, use a slow moving formula.<br />
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Things to keep in mind - hints for my success:<br />
- I do not add fragrance to the outer rim - I keep it as simple as possible to avoid issues that fragrances can bring to the soap. You are working with a thin layer so control is important.<br />
- The rim soap needs to gel completely. If not, it will crack when you try to manipulate it.<br />
- I use a variety of formulations but they mostly are 45% hard oils/butters and 55% soft oils.<br />
- I have removed the slab and cut and rolled anywhere from 12 - 24 hours after pouring. The soap is not warm but room temperature. No heat is used to roll and place the rim into the PVC.<br />
- Rim thickness. I find that 4 - 5mm is a good thickness - not too thin that it will crack, not to thick that the outside will stretch too much as you roll it (and create small stretch cracks). This is personal choice, your results and issues may vary.<br />
- I use the same or almost the same formulation for the rim and the inner core soap.<br />
- I soap these at approximately 110 degrees F.<br />
- I use 3" PVC pipe cut to 6 1/2" to 7" lengths. This size works for me because I have short fingers and need to be able to reach into the pipe to manipulate the rim to align the seams for a tight fit.<br />
- Measurements are important if you do not want to waste soap (and who wants to waste good soap.) Decide on the height of your mold first, then determine the size slab you need to make and find or make a mold to accommodate your size so that you do not have to do too much trimming to fit the mold. I use a wooden breakaway slab mold that is just over 14" by 10" lined with freezer paper. For this size mold to get 4 to 5mm thick slab I use 15 ounces oils and allows me to fit 2 PVC molds.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhbRHY0iF8Z9CjK3d7ROzigLw_v4YJHg9op3kCDv4JduT8zXyADHszSNYVnKozNucAIzowkROqFvQmAaC6qnZr6REE0j9aLet34g9NQ6T6fbDaN2K8N4RdLjhPbRMDQh7dvnlgctEdow9l/s1600/Rsoap1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="288" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhbRHY0iF8Z9CjK3d7ROzigLw_v4YJHg9op3kCDv4JduT8zXyADHszSNYVnKozNucAIzowkROqFvQmAaC6qnZr6REE0j9aLet34g9NQ6T6fbDaN2K8N4RdLjhPbRMDQh7dvnlgctEdow9l/s400/Rsoap1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Slab mold lined with freezer paper</span></b></div>
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So - lets go.........<br />
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<b>1.</b> Mix up your rimmed soap batter and separate out into your colors of choice. For this design I am using pink, dark pink (almost red) and green micas along with my ivory uncolored base. I am also going to accent with some gold mica mixed with oil for the final surface design. I am scenting the inner core soap with a combination of 2 of my absolute favorite fragrances that I know do not discolor or accelerate trace and hold well in cold process soap. Champagne and Crisp Apple Rose - both from Brambleberry. The colors were chosen to match the fragrance combination<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwLnteAtsuQ1QEy2UgzZVVAg3YQquKEI7Du7oXUXUwvO4fc9G1vupyN0WdH_mcP-Hf43T5AxaaVFrqrf43CNq5mwaGTauaZX0y5Qrd-ANx3U3RNmc7mbtN3xajddKi4HH9-loy0SCxqGVC/s1600/Rsoap2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="245" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwLnteAtsuQ1QEy2UgzZVVAg3YQquKEI7Du7oXUXUwvO4fc9G1vupyN0WdH_mcP-Hf43T5AxaaVFrqrf43CNq5mwaGTauaZX0y5Qrd-ANx3U3RNmc7mbtN3xajddKi4HH9-loy0SCxqGVC/s320/Rsoap2.jpg" width="320" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgchRS4PxsEDsCy6pW4saOFv_5JcCXgKSDWRF1y2I-CYKKBgN2FLDDPUw6VceeVMrrYk2a7PfZacvI0_rCB4u3_FPYO26tw8UflmCRMJKl_X2STqtStlVPs_ZOug5FjW09rPRwBD9wYySK-/s1600/Rsoap2-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="190" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgchRS4PxsEDsCy6pW4saOFv_5JcCXgKSDWRF1y2I-CYKKBgN2FLDDPUw6VceeVMrrYk2a7PfZacvI0_rCB4u3_FPYO26tw8UflmCRMJKl_X2STqtStlVPs_ZOug5FjW09rPRwBD9wYySK-/s200/Rsoap2-2.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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<b>2.</b> Pour this soap into the mold in the manner you prefer to create your outer rim design. You may have to lift the mold and maneuver it by tipping it slightly in various directions so that the thin layer of soap spreads evenly to all areas of the mold.<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Just poured soap</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">After manipulating the soap with a thin dowel rod to create the waves of color. The gold mica was added after the swirls were completed.</span></b></div>
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<b>3.</b> Allow this soap to gel. To insure a full gel on this layer I use the oven set to 170 degrees F. If doing this, make sure your mold is oven safe. Set the oven to 170, then once you place the soap (I cover the mold too) into the oven, turn it off and let it sit for a day to gel and then cool slowly. If your soap is not gelling by turning off the oven, keep it on for 5 - 10 minutes or so. Do not cook the soap as it will wrinkle on the surface. The time and temp can vary and you will need to figure out what works best for you based on the size of your slab, the thickness and your oven. You can also try to use a heating pad under your mold to force gel.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzapdWbtiOzhrebklr-dOcoQFri8O0NCni_pE61Bmuh3oamensOkOOJA-kOqXTNZETrDAZOdOkbeNoCu1v56JMWR35eeU7EwKyclZh8fMeh5engpJzpnCyd191BuaSScbzMP3ZGYg75g5l/s1600/RsoapG5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="323" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzapdWbtiOzhrebklr-dOcoQFri8O0NCni_pE61Bmuh3oamensOkOOJA-kOqXTNZETrDAZOdOkbeNoCu1v56JMWR35eeU7EwKyclZh8fMeh5engpJzpnCyd191BuaSScbzMP3ZGYg75g5l/s400/RsoapG5.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">The fully gelled slab</span></b></div>
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<b>4. </b>Carefully remove the slab from the mold and peel away the freezer paper. This is where the breakaway slab is really handy as it makes it very easy to remove the soap from the mold as you take the mold apart by removing the sides - the slab just slides off the bottom base. This is the slab mold that I use: <a href="https://www.etsy.com/listing/184857443/18-bar-5-lb-collapsable-tray-slab-soap" target="_blank">Collapsable Slab Mold</a></div>
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<b>5. </b>Trim the slab to fit your PVC pipe mold. These measurements will be based on the height, inner diameter of the mold and the thickness of your slab. I trim mine to 6.5" or 7" x 9 3/8". Too short and the seam will not meet, too large and it will overlap too much. The thicker the slab, the shorter the width you will need. You want the ends to overlap slightly so that when you press the soap into the molds to align the seam, it is a tight fit. My slab size allows me to form two rims that fit my PVC molds.</div>
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<b>6. </b>This is the PVC pipe I use with the flat bottom end cap. It creates a pretty good seal so that the soap does not leak out the bottom. Thin walled charlotte drain pipe purchased at Lowes Home Improvement in the United States. End caps too. This pipe comes in 10' sections that are cut to size.<br />
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<b>7. </b>Now that your slab is trimmed to fit your mold, place it design side face down and roll it so that you can then insert it into the PVC mold. I use a rolling pin but you can also use the curvature of your PVC pipe. This makes it easier to form without breaking it.<br />
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<b>8. </b>Carefully slide the rim into your mold with the seems overlapped. This is where you will then need to manipulate the rim for a tight fit and press the edges so that you end up with a tight fitting seem. This takes two hands so I cannot get a picture of the inside manipulation. If you cannot align the edges due to too large an overlap, you may have to remove it and trim a bit more off the edge - be careful as trimming too much will leave a gap in your rim. I do not line the molds as the rim as already formed and will not stick to the sides of the pipe. Adding a liner, will also create an indent in the soap that will look like another seam.<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Slab rolled and placed into the mold and pressed from the inside to the sides to align the edges and create a tight seam.</span></b></div>
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<b>9. </b>Cap the end of the PVC pipe molds and create your inner core soap. For two 6.5" to 7" tall molds and a 4 - 5mm thick rim, I use 34 ounces oils for the inner soap. You can color this soap and fragrance however you like. I find a solid core and a designed rim coordinate nicely and allow the rim design to pop. You could also do the reverse and create a solid color rim and an "In the Pot Swirl" for the inner soap. Lots of possibilities.<br />
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<b>10. </b>Pour at light to medium trace into your molds.<br />
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<b>11.</b> Cover with plastic wrap and wrap in towels to allow the soap to gel (I always gel my soap, not sure how these come out not gelled.) Be careful lifting your molds - if your end cap is at all loose, it can slip off and your soap will spill out. Lift from the bottom to transport.<br />
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<b>12.</b> Allow to set 24 - 48 hours. The longer you keep it in the mold the easier it is to get out. It can be tricky to unmold soap in a PVC pipe though. I tend to place it in the freezer for an hour or so as it helps remove the soap from the pipe.<br />
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<b>13</b>. Cut your soap to your preferred size.<br />
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Using melt and pour for the rim. The process is the same but you do not need to wait for the soap to gel, just to set up. I used clear SFIC base. Once set, the thin layer is quite pliable and easy to form into the mold. Below are two soaps using melt and pour as the rim and cold process for the inner soap. Because cold process can and will shrink as the water evaporates out, I did a large water discount (1:1.5 lye to water ratio) to create the cold process to reduce shrinking. Not sure how these will hold up after a full 6 week or longer cure but we shall see.<br />
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Dark blue has iridescent glitter to add some sparkle and scented with Sparkling Snowflake from Wholesale Supplies Plus. The teal blue has poppy seeds to add interest in the rim and is scented with Shave and a Haircut from Brambleberry. Even though these soaps have a glycerin melt and pour rim, I was still able to slice them with my wire soap cutter (typically you cannot slice melt and pour with a wire cutter)</div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Collection of finished rimmed soaps. The melt and pour are on the bottom right.</span></b></div>
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~ Faith</div>
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Alaiyna B. Bath and Body</div>
<br />Faith Orioldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07506867106085799485noreply@blogger.com68tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4338942671670735223.post-42882844989700426162015-09-19T07:54:00.001-05:002016-01-04T17:41:34.169-06:00Collection of Rimmed Cold Process Soaps<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I have spent the past 2 months trying to perfect and be able to easily recreate a rimmed soap design and finally have a technique down that works pretty consistently. A rimmed soap is a soap that has a band of soap surrounding an inner soap core. The design potential for the rim is endless - from a solid color, to a swirl and even being able to add more decorative elements on the surface. </div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Tutorial coming soon!</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://alaiynab.blogspot.com/2015/10/rimmed-soap-tutorial.html" target="_blank">Tutorial Here</a></span></b></div>
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These soaps are a two day process. Day 1 to make the soap for the rim and day two to cut and mold the rim and make the soap for the inner core. I do not scent the outer rim to keep it easy to work with without have to deal with issues that some fragrance oils can bring to your soap. These are all cold process soaps but can also be done with melt and pour or a combination of the two - I have not tried those yet.</div>
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Below is a collection of the rimmed soaps I have been successful in making. Some were part of the trial and error process and others from successful recreations of the technique I used.</div>
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Faith Orioldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07506867106085799485noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4338942671670735223.post-58526797722562687442015-07-07T10:43:00.000-05:002015-07-07T11:11:41.617-05:00Back to my first love - creating decorative artisan cold process soaps.After spending several months formulating and standardizing some new products (liquid shampoos, liquid body wash) I was finally able to get back to my my first love - creating artisan cold process soap. Soap cleans, soap can be gentle or harsh but soap can also be beautiful - and I love creating beautiful and artistic soap. The artistic design is the icing on the cake, the finishing touch to a useful product and what sets it apart from.... well... just soap.<br />
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Here are some new designs that have either been recently listed for sale or are still curing to be available in a few weeks. Functional, yet beautiful - what is not to love about that?<br />
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If you are interested in soapmaking and looking for supplies, here are a few of my favorite suppliers:</div>
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<a href="http://www.brambleberry.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">Bramble Berry</span> </a>- Base oils, fragrance oils, molds, colorants, containers, lye, Melt and Pour Bases and great educational resource</div>
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<a href="http://www.soaperschoice.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">Soapers Choice</span></a> - Base Oils and Butters</div>
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<a href="http://www.elementsbathandbody.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">Elements Bath and Body</span> </a>- Fragrance Oils, Melt and Pour Bases</div>
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<a href="http://www.naturesgardencandles.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">Natures Garden</span></a> - Fragrances</div>
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<a href="http://www.wholesalesuppliesplus.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">Wholesale Supplies Plus</span></a> - Fragrance Oils, Containers, Molds</div>
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<a href="http://www.madoils.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">Mad Oils</span></a> - Colorants</div>
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<a href="http://www.thelyeguy.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">The Lye Guy</span></a> - Sodium Hydroxide, Potassium Hydroxide</div>
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~ Faith<br />
<br />Faith Orioldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07506867106085799485noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4338942671670735223.post-42903039139395188292015-05-21T19:21:00.003-05:002015-05-24T07:48:18.263-05:00Brush Embroidery Decorated Cold Process SoapAfter spending quite some time decorating sugar cookies use brush embroidering decorating techniques with royal icing (see this <a href="http://alaiynab.blogspot.com/2015/03/hobbies-everyone-should-have-one-or-two.html" target="_blank">post</a>) , it occurred to me that I could use that same technique to embellish some of my cold process soap bars. Since I am always drawn to beach scenes, that is was the perfect place to start.<br />
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This is a quick picture tutorial of how I accomplish this. For more detailed instructions, there are several cookie websites that have tutorials on the brush embroidery decorating technique.<br />
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Here are some of my beach themed royal icing sugar cookies to the left and the finished soap to the right.<br />
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I am going to recreate this type of design with cold process soap. Both in circular and square soap bars.</div>
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<a name='more'></a>Soap after a 24 hour cure. I created one batch in a 3" PVC pipe mold with a contact paper strip separating it into to sides. After both sides were poured and tapped to release air bubbles and settle the soap, the contact paper strip was pulled out. For the square bars, the soap was just layered at an angle at a medium to thick trace to give a rippled look between the layers. Dried and finely ground chamomile flowers were used in the brown colored soap to look like sand.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Sliced and ready to decorate</span></div>
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To make the "icing" to decorate I use the same formulation as the bars and allow it to settle into a fairly thick trace. Much like frosting. Too thin and it will spread too much and not hold its shape, too thick and you will not be able to squeeze it through the #2 decorating tip. I do not add scent to this soap in order to have as much control over the consistency without having to deal with ingredients that can accelerate trace.</div>
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To decorate you will need an icing bag with a #2 round tip, a small flat paintbrush and small cup of water. Fill the icing bag with some of the soap. </div>
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Squeeze the icing soap into the bars along the separation line in a wavelike pattern.</div>
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Dip the paintbrush in water and blot any excess onto a paper towel. If it is too wet, the soap will not spread as easily. Using the paintbrush, pull down some of the soap towards you all along the wavelike line as shown. This is to make whitecaps that appear as the ocean waves hit the surface air.</div>
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Add more waves if desired. I also added a melt and pour white seashell using the soap "icing" to glue them onto the sand portion.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiU6gxaIdOoE2sYhuLKLCDouuKXUWA1uBNt-wXI5rJ9VzpC-da_1Vfc7PcXCEyw0jnSLWo_Cyr2Tl775rArwysD_nFsBnWxqGMv9LHTifXjcu1JtdEy-VS287jdQvMvrXs0aC1dAVZqBMH/s1600/CP-BrushEOB.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiU6gxaIdOoE2sYhuLKLCDouuKXUWA1uBNt-wXI5rJ9VzpC-da_1Vfc7PcXCEyw0jnSLWo_Cyr2Tl775rArwysD_nFsBnWxqGMv9LHTifXjcu1JtdEy-VS287jdQvMvrXs0aC1dAVZqBMH/s640/CP-BrushEOB.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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You can use this technique to make flowers and leaves on your soap too. </div>
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~ Faith</div>
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<br />Faith Orioldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07506867106085799485noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4338942671670735223.post-73925146113841597152015-05-03T07:08:00.000-05:002015-05-24T07:49:31.676-05:00pH testing of liquid soap and lowering pH<div class="p1">
<span class="s1">One of the most confusing aspects of liquid soapmaking is pH. What should my pH be? How can I lower the pH of my soap? Why do I need to know the pH of my soap? </span></div>
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<span class="s1">Liquid soap is an alkaline product meaning it wants to and will always have an alkaline pH - typically between 9 - 10.5 If you try to lower the natural pH of your soap, you begin to release fatty acids into the mixture which can cause all sorts of problems from separation of these fatty acids from the soap into a distinct layer that floats to the surface, to haziness, cloudiness and so on on. </span></div>
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<span class="s1">When making liquid soap, it is lye excess that you need to worry about not pH. Having excess lye in your soap is what causes it to be caustic and not safe to use. Testing pH will not tell you if you have excess lye and you need to test with either a zap test on your cooled paste or with Phenolphthalein drops. </span></div>
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<a name='more'></a><span class="s1">pH measurement is affected by several variables including soap concentration and activity. The higher the concentration of soap, the less accurate (false) your reading will be as the activity of the hydrogen ions is lowered. Note - this refers only to the reading and not the actual pH of the soap. The more concentrated the soap, more inaccurate the reading you will see on a digital pH meter. This was explained by one of our liquid soap facebook group members this way:</span></div>
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<span class="s1"><b>“ pH measurement with a probe is dependent on ion exchange in aqueous solution. The probe is designed to be use as per ASTM method, which is 10% in aqueous solution. The water is needed to help with ion transfer across the probe's semi permeable glass electrode. I know it seems like it makes more sense to stick the probe into the product, but simply put; this is not what the probe is designed for.” - Derek C. </b></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><b>“ A pH probe is designed with 2 electrodes in an aqueous solution; a glass (working) electrode and a reference electrode. The glass electrode is made out of a special type of glass that allows hydrogen ions to penetrate it's outer layer. This movement of ions sets up a potential (electric current) which is proportional to the pH of the solution. Now, think of the ions as ping pong balls in a jar. If the jar of ping pong balls is packed too tightly, they can't move. If the solution - in this case soap - is too concentrate the ions can't move. These ions need a polar solvent to move around it. That polar solvent is water. If you have a big jar with only a few ping pong balls, they can move freely, as intended. Simply put, you don't get ion movement within the solution if there isn't enough water. If the ions aren't free to move they can't cause a potential across the electrode and you get a false pH.” - Derek C.</b></span></div>
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<span class="s1">Another way to look at it is using an analogy of seeing through fog - the higher the concentration the foggier the environment to see through, the more diluted, the clearer the view.</span></div>
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<span class="s1">So if you are testing the pH of your soap in anything other than a 1 - 10% soap solution, then you are most likely getting an inaccurate pH reading.</span></div>
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<span class="s1">When testing pH, the three most common methods used are digital pH meters pH testing strips and litmus testing papers. The meter will be the most accurate option as long as it is decent quality and easily calibrated. For the testing below, I created a 100% coconut oil paste with a 0% superfat using only KOH/Distilled water. No additives, no pH adjusters - just distilled water to get to the desired concentrations and ratios of paste to water. I used 100% coconut oil as I knew it could be diluted at a low water to paste ratio giving me a very concentrated soap. As you will see, there is a reason why it is best to measure you pH in a highly diluted sample. The actual pH does not vary in any significant amount, but the ability to accurately measure it will be affected.</span></div>
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<span class="s1">These samples were created using 4 different dilution rates as seen in the image below.</span></div>
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<span class="s1"> Below are the results of pH testing at various soap concentrations. all at room temperature. You can see how much the readings vary and the most accurate reading is the 1% solution. Also note how “off” the pH papers and litmus test strips are compared to the digital meters. Also, please note that this only focuses on concentration and how it affects activity of hydrogen ions which effects the <b>READINGS</b> not the actual pH. There are also other variables that will affect pH readings including the temperature of the soap and how homogenous the solution is. Make sure to calibrate your meter using the same temperature for both the calibration fluid and the aqueous solution to be tested.</span></div>
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<span class="s1"><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">Lowering pH with citric acid</span></b></span></div>
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<span class="s1">When it comes to liquid soap, your soap does not want to be neutral or basic, it wants to be alkaline and when it loses that alkalinity, it starts to fall apart and break down into water, glycerin, fatty acids, potassium citrate (if citric acid was used to adjust your pH) and whatever soap content is left. First it may get cloudy or hazy, then it will separate into two distinct layers or become a thicker opaque mixture until you are left with a layer of mostly water and a layer of another congealed semi-solid substance that would take lab evaluation to determine the actual make-up of the substance. The image below shows soap from the exact same batch (60% olive oil, 30% coconut oil, 10% castor oil, KOH and distilled water with a 0% superfat). Citric acid was used to reduce to pH of these samples to between 7.0 and 9. </span></div>
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<span class="s1">The soap used in this testing was originally diluted at a 1:2 ratio so my 15 ounces of paste was diluted with 30 ounces distilled water then separated into three 15 ounces samples. I used citric acid (that is the most common ingredient soapmakers use to adjust the pH of their liquid soap) to lower the pH of samples 1 and 2 leaving my control sample as is. You can see what happens to your soap as you adjust the pH down. Readings were taken on the concentrated samples and further diluted samples for more accuracy. The further diluted samples were 90% distilled water and 10% of the concentrated soap. As you can see from the test results, the pH readings of the more concentrated samples are slightly lower than the less concentrated samples. Sample 2 is extremely difficult to assess as there are two distinct layers/substances within the sample that cannot easily be homogenized into a single substance. I am assuming the readings are only based on the liquid at the bottom which is most likely a hight water content, but I cannot be sure - thus the reason for the similar readings on both samples. Please note these are READINGS only, not the actual pH of the soap (which is most like close to the further diluted samples).</span></div>
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First round of lowering pH with citric acid</div>
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Second round of lowering pH with citric acid to lower it further</div>
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<span class="s1">The readings on the left are the 1:2, Paste:Water dilution samples, the reading on the right are the further diluted samples of 90% distilled water and 10% of the concentrated soap - both from the second round of pH adjusted soap. </span></div>
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<span class="s1">Shaking each diluted sample for 15 - 30 second shows how much lather is lost as the pH is lowered and the soap content is also lowered as a result. Notice how sample 2 has almost no lathering abilities.</span></div>
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<span class="s1">While I used citric acid to lower the pH of these samples, other acids can be used too, the results may look slightly different, may look quite similar - but pH is pH and lowering the pH beyond what will hold to soap together will still apply no matter what is used to adjust it downward.</span></div>
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<span class="s1">So what should you take away from this? </span></div>
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<li class="li1"><span class="s1">Be wary of people who tell you the pH of their clear liquid “soap” is neutral or anything below 9 unless they have properly tested it for accuracy. There are too many variables for one to accurately determine the actual pH without a controlled lab and lab grade equipment.</span></li>
<li class="li1"><span class="s1">Be cautious when attempting to adjust the pH of your soap, small decreases can result in unwanted results and instability on your product.</span></li>
<li class="li1"><span class="s1">Don’t worry too much about the pH unless you need to troubleshoot a problem with your soap. Worry about excess lye. If you do not have excess lye your pH will be in the normal range for liquid soap.</span></li>
<li class="li1"><span class="s1">If you are going to determine the pH of your liquid soap, keep all of the variables that can affect your readings in mind and realize that you may not get an exact or accurate reading using the resources and equipment we have available to us.</span></li>
<li class="li1"><span class="s1">Papers and strips are great for general ideas of whether the substance is acid or alkaline but cannot be relied on for accuracy.</span></li>
<li class="li1"><span class="s1">Properly calibrated digital meters will give you more accurate pH readings.</span></li>
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<span class="s1"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Resources</span></b></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><a href="http://water.mecc.edu/exam_prep/ph.html">http://water.mecc.edu/exam_prep/</a></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><a href="http://water.mecc.edu/exam_prep/ph.html">http://www.all-about-ph.com/ph-measurement.html</a></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><a href="http://water.mecc.edu/exam_prep/ph.html">http://chemistscorner.com/</a></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><a href="http://water.mecc.edu/exam_prep/ph.html">http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25073884</a></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><a href="http://water.mecc.edu/exam_prep/ph.html">http://chemistscorner.com/cosmeticsciencetalk/discussion/147/how-is-skin-s-ph-affected-by-the-use-of-soap-ph-9-10</a></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><a href="http://water.mecc.edu/exam_prep/ph.html">http://swiftcraftymonkey.blogspot.com/search?q=%22Chemistry+of+our+skin%3A%22</a></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><a href="http://water.mecc.edu/exam_prep/ph.html"></a></span> ~ Faith</div>
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Alaiyna B. Bath and Body</div>
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Faith Orioldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07506867106085799485noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4338942671670735223.post-46289037016806175222015-03-29T08:11:00.000-05:002015-05-24T07:49:00.574-05:00Picture Tutorial of Side Embeds in Cold Process Soap<div style="text-align: center;">
This is a simple picture tutorial of how I make one of my favorite soap designs. The sides of the bars are created first using an "In the Pot" Swirl technique and poured into a mold that has acrylic dividers to get evenly sized embed bars. I use sodium lactate (5g per lb of oils) in this formulation because it makes it much easier to remove the acrylic dividers from the soap.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqGCg0EKp9sJ_34Q-scmoRG4g626d7-wqQG2K2SJHr6UTAYibKFKzYiplKaqbzhyphenhyphen1Pnb0xBooAiUb2qZd64wQSvRTnvox336aHer9AdVr5ga-HNOmtxjBnc3mGKtgOpTtowoHCsZoKDxYl/s1600/SE7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="443" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqGCg0EKp9sJ_34Q-scmoRG4g626d7-wqQG2K2SJHr6UTAYibKFKzYiplKaqbzhyphenhyphen1Pnb0xBooAiUb2qZd64wQSvRTnvox336aHer9AdVr5ga-HNOmtxjBnc3mGKtgOpTtowoHCsZoKDxYl/s1600/SE7.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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This is a 4 day process and I use the same formulation for the side embed logs that I do for the main soap.<br />
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<a name='more'></a><b>Day 1 </b>- Create the soap embed logs. I use a 10" long silicone loaf mold that came with acrylic dividers so that I can get evenly sized bars.<br />
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<b>Day 2</b> - Unmold the embeds and separate them. I put the entire mold in the freezer for about an hour first, then remove from the mold and remove the dividers. Position them into the main log mold making sure it is a tight fit so they do not move when you pour the rest of the soap batter. Create the main soap using the same formulation and pour into the mold. Let set for 24 hours or so (depends on your formula and how long it takes to set up)<br />
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<b>Day 3 -</b> Unmold the soap and cut into individual bars. You can see how I poured my soap slightly above the height of the side embeds to make sure they were completely covered.<br />
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<b>Day 4</b> - Clean up and finish the bars. For these I cut off the excess soap at the top, beveled the long edges and used an acrylic stamp to make an impression on one side of the soap. How you finish the soap is a personal choice and up to you.<br />
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I just love how these bars turn out. This batch was scented with a combination of Rose, Honeysuckle, Lily of the Valley and Sandalwood.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinYk07a1aAsBr34cuAXM7ICYU9asH7lVLrmyzgJ8gGI2ij0tO3PhkhGW0pBoG0MXg5CVzkr7D9uo07o-5pnDnUBr_-ehBXd5Nc28Ynj1Aa5mPaUIRcgb0FoX90u_8KRKEuobBLDa8Lzm8b/s1600/SEC2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinYk07a1aAsBr34cuAXM7ICYU9asH7lVLrmyzgJ8gGI2ij0tO3PhkhGW0pBoG0MXg5CVzkr7D9uo07o-5pnDnUBr_-ehBXd5Nc28Ynj1Aa5mPaUIRcgb0FoX90u_8KRKEuobBLDa8Lzm8b/s1600/SEC2.jpg" /></a></div>
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~ Faith<br />
<br />Faith Orioldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07506867106085799485noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4338942671670735223.post-12124393221249110692015-03-23T08:48:00.002-05:002015-03-23T08:48:59.003-05:00Hobbies - everyone should have one or two....Everyone should have a hobby or two. Something you really love to do without the pressures of work or other commitments. For me, one of my hobbies is baking especially types that invite creativity. One of my favorite things to do is to make decorated sugar cookies - a creative outlet that is greatly appreciated by many (nom, nom....) These past two weeks I have refined some of my royal icing techniques to create some unique spring and summer designs.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqM7EGK5G9gT-RQYdd7ncXTw-Lr6DqqgXeMyY7KIjyPE_W-wJoRl7CTem_Lnps_rXcRVVNhTSs4eBa95bW5UG26piiaka8fiaM9ICRmhbhCyRIrvJh-hicywGLc6cWpWm3qEMq-vd2Uxsc/s1600/BEFlowers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqM7EGK5G9gT-RQYdd7ncXTw-Lr6DqqgXeMyY7KIjyPE_W-wJoRl7CTem_Lnps_rXcRVVNhTSs4eBa95bW5UG26piiaka8fiaM9ICRmhbhCyRIrvJh-hicywGLc6cWpWm3qEMq-vd2Uxsc/s1600/BEFlowers.jpg" height="400" width="330" /></a></div>
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What do I do with all these cookies you ask? Well some get eaten here, some go to friends and family, some are sent in care packages to our college students (college students LOVE getting any type of care package) or donated to charitable events.<br />
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I love this hobby of mine and I think others do too.<br />
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~ FaithFaith Orioldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07506867106085799485noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4338942671670735223.post-27704547174224769542015-03-05T19:25:00.001-06:002015-05-24T07:49:50.909-05:00Creating Embeds in Individual Molds or LogsThere are so many unique techniques and tools for creating interesting and beautiful bars of handcrafted cold process soap. One of my favorites is to use embeds to create a more structured look that combines the free flowing design element of swirling your colors against a solid color to really make that embed pop. Embeds can be incorporated into your soap in a variety of ways. They can be added to the surface design in either a log mold or individual bar molds, embedded individually or as a long piece into a log mold so that the design shows through as you slice the log and embedded individually in individual single bar molds. This tutorial will show how I embed soap into individual silicone molds and log molds.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgER3Byjk2Fjff6BfDqTkBCiDtE1qjDTug753Q9NUVyYMQ81aPM2PcAb6LTbrdSD_rLTFMjMZ8l2joUGFgTYE-EDzP0vuzOfX-WaF_Yn3xVqnpkJEiKRu5SVtVN4d9RIKAlEfy2G2jqEMw7/s1600/CP-MangoGFruit3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="261" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgER3Byjk2Fjff6BfDqTkBCiDtE1qjDTug753Q9NUVyYMQ81aPM2PcAb6LTbrdSD_rLTFMjMZ8l2joUGFgTYE-EDzP0vuzOfX-WaF_Yn3xVqnpkJEiKRu5SVtVN4d9RIKAlEfy2G2jqEMw7/s1600/CP-MangoGFruit3.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
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One reason I like to do these individually is to carefully control the placement of the embedded element. For these bars, I want the embed to only be on one side of the bar because I am going to use a soap stamp to add a design to the other side of the bar. The one drawback to this method is there is more labor involved and more cleaning up of the individually bars - so be prepared for a bit of waste that will come with trimming these bars.<br />
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Key points that I will note in regards to making these soaps:<br />
- This is a two day process. Day 1 to make the embed pieces and Day 2 to make the base soap. If you wait a long time in between, your embeds will have partially or fully cured and adding them to new soap can cause them to protrude a bit as the new soap cures and shrinks around the embeds.<br />
- I use the exact same formulation for both the embeds and the main soap.<br />
- You can scent the embeds or keep them unscented. If you choose not to scent them and you have extra that you want for a different project, you are not limited by an existing fragrance.<br />
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<a name='more'></a>This combines several soapmaking techniques and therefore it is assumed that those trying this are experienced in soapmaking to start with and already have preferred formulations. I use a slow moving formula (25% coconut oil, 15% palm oil, 50% olive oil, 5% castor oil, 5% avocado oil) and soap at room temperature to keep my soap batter as fluid as possible. I also do not use fragrances that are known to accelerate trace.<br />
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<b>Please wear appropriate safety gear when using lye as it is caustic and can cause severe burns if it comes into contact with skin or eyes. Safety glasses, latex gloves, long sleeve shirts and pants, close toed shoes. </b><br />
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<b>Step 1:</b> Create your embeds. For this project I used these guest size log molds from Wholesale Supplies Plus. Each mold holds 11 ounces of soap and the interior dimensions are 2" x 8" X 1.25". I used an "In the Pot Swirl" to create the swirled effect using the base ivory soap, bright raspberry pink, orange and yellow colors. My colorants were from TKB Trading. I also add sodium lactate at 1 tsp per pound of oils so that my soap can easily be removed from the molds in 24 hours. I made 3 of these logs and used 32 ounces of oils. That gave me plenty to work with with a bit extra that was poured into 2 smaller guest size molds (I try not to waste too much around here.)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjsr-1BlQYrHqMq10rjhcgdS2MFBhCKwcRaQN_2gMC7H1c6xKODxEGlJycnACkl3bI50qTXxOYrRq-gMsXiWuUiGcRn_GiLBy8V3paz0GHDCHCKrEka9MBAjKVzsLSehBc4uKKeApq0y3V/s1600/Embedloaf.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="312" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjsr-1BlQYrHqMq10rjhcgdS2MFBhCKwcRaQN_2gMC7H1c6xKODxEGlJycnACkl3bI50qTXxOYrRq-gMsXiWuUiGcRn_GiLBy8V3paz0GHDCHCKrEka9MBAjKVzsLSehBc4uKKeApq0y3V/s1600/Embedloaf.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b>Step 2</b>: Trim these logs to fit the individual molds. I am using this wire cheese slicer as it does the job fairly easily. Since the soap is still on the soft side, I am very careful not to create any indents in each individual embed. Each one is sliced to size, then cleaned up to be as uniform as possible. If using a log mold and not individual molds, just trim to fit and for the size of the mold.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkem-cEJXuYOg7MLNDlZPs_NBBmoYYU5VRL2Ac-QbuGFDNuPOkrYFBI4Rd0vD2RXliGjClG3-8BeKbCwlv_k_A9ITkgZ6oqepa5eiLJotETBCjebsLYjcjvGmYMvLDC9EzQ7SkO5Fk-Bfh/s1600/trimembed1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="313" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkem-cEJXuYOg7MLNDlZPs_NBBmoYYU5VRL2Ac-QbuGFDNuPOkrYFBI4Rd0vD2RXliGjClG3-8BeKbCwlv_k_A9ITkgZ6oqepa5eiLJotETBCjebsLYjcjvGmYMvLDC9EzQ7SkO5Fk-Bfh/s1600/trimembed1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">For individual molds</span></b></div>
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<b>Step 3</b>: Place each individual embed into the individual molds. Since this soap is still fresh and a bit sticky, I use that to my advantage as it helps hold the embed soap in place in the silicone molds. I placed these to one side as I want to use one of my soap stamps to decorate the other side opposite of the embed. These 3 logs gave me 18 embeds to use, so I will create 18 individual bars of soap (showing 12 below). I place my molds on a hard transportable surface so they are easy to move around.</div>
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<b>Step 4:</b> Create your base soap. I am scenting this soap with a combination of Mango (Fresh Mango from Brambleberry) and Pink Grapefruit (Wholesale Supplies Plus). Both are beautiful fragrances to work with. I am not coloring the base soap as I want it ivory/white. I use the same formula as was used for the embed logs. </div>
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Each individual mold measures 2.5" x 3.5 " x 1.25" so I need 4.3 ounces oils (2.5x3.5x1.25x.4 = length x width x height x .4 to determine how much oil is needed to fill a mold) for each cavity. Since I have 18 of them, this says I need 77 ounces oils for 18 cavities - but, I have the embeds to account for too. Each finished embed is about 1.7 ounces so I will adjust my recipe down to account for the embeds and use 65 ounces oils (1.7 x 18 x .4 = 12.24 ounces oils already accounted for. 77 - 12 = 65 ounces of oils needed. It may be a good idea to bump it up a bit to be sure to account for any waste.</div>
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Add your NaOH to your distilled water. I am also using coconut milk as part of my initial liquid (51% distilled water/49% coconut milk) which I add to the melted oils so that the lye does not start saponifying the fats in my coconut milk right away when added to the lye solution. Please note that this is just a preference and many people add their milks to their lye solution. I also add sodium lactate at a rate of 5 grams per pound of base oils to my cooled lye water. The sodium lactate helps harden the bars and makes them easier to unmold.</div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Melted Oils</span></b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEVj1AnlOCCuPaOX1TSc011pij3PHtwoKtKXG-0CSO4TKUfS7rBF3FVwe9Id4vOoR-TqYU9N3hOripDY5T0uf3lnTn_gYUvYeDomx50d96apNLNeaHrnc6bLIqL0BIH_p66FoFf43oiSPE/s1600/oils.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="342" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEVj1AnlOCCuPaOX1TSc011pij3PHtwoKtKXG-0CSO4TKUfS7rBF3FVwe9Id4vOoR-TqYU9N3hOripDY5T0uf3lnTn_gYUvYeDomx50d96apNLNeaHrnc6bLIqL0BIH_p66FoFf43oiSPE/s1600/oils.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Adding Coconut Milk to Oils</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Mixing with stick blender after slowly adding lye solution</span></b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOCsmNp7npjWin_Gedcp_TIT9SoR24yZRzRCnUPkRMcQQKQs4rbqktrI1thWDnBTdhzL9sjnaaXLweBmP0vRwyAWBj0673ZbcaLBZeskd_OkUzU3ThBPG_446rsbDjG4stz6biF9tDPsHQ/s1600/mixing.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="316" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOCsmNp7npjWin_Gedcp_TIT9SoR24yZRzRCnUPkRMcQQKQs4rbqktrI1thWDnBTdhzL9sjnaaXLweBmP0vRwyAWBj0673ZbcaLBZeskd_OkUzU3ThBPG_446rsbDjG4stz6biF9tDPsHQ/s1600/mixing.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b>Step 5</b>: You want to pour this soap into your individual molds while it is very fluid (light trace) so that it flows nicely around your embeds. If your soap is too thick, it will be difficult to evenly fill the molds.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidBPwVPz1G5GjAJkDX5JpNju5itKUgy-4lgQqFujmRLUYhhMkGPPMuLx-lu8U_A_asUyobEwDJz4p_fntH8RoWB9bbbHFTIF_GX8dVhq5MduNvIiEyUkrz_-v1BIp-nBHhgE7aeDdDsJVF/s1600/molds.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="176" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidBPwVPz1G5GjAJkDX5JpNju5itKUgy-4lgQqFujmRLUYhhMkGPPMuLx-lu8U_A_asUyobEwDJz4p_fntH8RoWB9bbbHFTIF_GX8dVhq5MduNvIiEyUkrz_-v1BIp-nBHhgE7aeDdDsJVF/s1600/molds.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b>Step 6</b>: Anytime you pour soap you have the possibility of having trapped air bubbles banging your mold on a hard surface helps bring those air bubbles to the surface. That is not easy to do with individual molds due the the flexible nature of the mold. So while I cannot do that to deal with potential air bubbles, I do cover the molds with 2 layers of plastic wrap then lightly press down on the poured batter to make sure that all areas of the molds especially those surrounding the embed are filled with soap.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9aC1md3zlX4Wvt50H0Qsmi9jyDCLDTdpNdGJWPfY3thmXBwb3POTDI7xJey2xSNUoXSOTL1wFOerc-fdnLhx84XLBEf_23-6dOXCHPSvbDm51Xb34YQ-FQGrgdmLtyM24e57W5uOMAEj1/s1600/press.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9aC1md3zlX4Wvt50H0Qsmi9jyDCLDTdpNdGJWPfY3thmXBwb3POTDI7xJey2xSNUoXSOTL1wFOerc-fdnLhx84XLBEf_23-6dOXCHPSvbDm51Xb34YQ-FQGrgdmLtyM24e57W5uOMAEj1/s1600/press.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">For log molds.</span> </b></div>
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<b>Very similar to above but you want your soap to be thicker so that the embed log does not sink to the bottom and the surrounding soap can hold its position.</b></div>
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Place the log in the mold to determine where you will want it positioned.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEVGKkDQ4wDb3QiXEmPzB6NhE8gktYpC863zGq1DjDSWKq9OHlbHVekQcvNqtMgGyv1u8CH6wWO3We8-FgHTuLlWMHBWwYApu-agzoYK-YYWkcoLAi0mrMaJYMBK-ZzvRpIn_J3W-PQqgK/s1600/log1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="208" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEVGKkDQ4wDb3QiXEmPzB6NhE8gktYpC863zGq1DjDSWKq9OHlbHVekQcvNqtMgGyv1u8CH6wWO3We8-FgHTuLlWMHBWwYApu-agzoYK-YYWkcoLAi0mrMaJYMBK-ZzvRpIn_J3W-PQqgK/s1600/log1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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After mixing up your soap as above, pour about halfway at thick trace.<br />
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Carefully place the embed log into the thick soap pressing down only as far as you want the embed to be.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHN_HEWCNNlbGLsEoL4dMdf3YYFjTJnF_wvpdpk6f_Zs67yjkEOz4ux2HXIHpmlglaJJE4M2ft53iloUMCKotKB3-ouyM6H9b3HnidC6bFZKhCG0WxZ9i-lRfYI4a853ldNqDtGy227JIN/s1600/log3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHN_HEWCNNlbGLsEoL4dMdf3YYFjTJnF_wvpdpk6f_Zs67yjkEOz4ux2HXIHpmlglaJJE4M2ft53iloUMCKotKB3-ouyM6H9b3HnidC6bFZKhCG0WxZ9i-lRfYI4a853ldNqDtGy227JIN/s1600/log3.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Carefully pour the rest of your soap to fill the mold. You want to try to keep your embed from moving around too much.</div>
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Cover with plastic wrap and carefully press down to ensure the soap has moved into all areas of the mold. You can also tap the mold on a hard surface, but any movement can alter the position of the embed. Allow to set up for at least 24 hours.</div>
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<b><br class="Apple-interchange-newline" />Step 7</b>: I gel all my soaps so I wrap these in towels and allow the soap to set for at least 24 hours (this will be dependent on your formulation too.) Those that prefer an ungelled soap can finish this in any manner they choose. This particular batch took about 48 hours to set enough to unmold in the individual molds but only 24 hours in the log mold.<br />
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<b>Step 8</b>: Unmold, trim and finish the bars however you desire. I cleaned them up, added a stamped impression and beveled the edges for a finished look. Using the individual molds takes more time and a bit more wasted soap due to trimming them. Just another option to get this type of look.<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Finished Soap</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;">Individual Molds</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Log Molds</span></b></div>
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~ Faith<br />
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Resources<br />
<a href="http://www.brambleberry.com/" target="_blank">Brambleberry </a>- Fragrance Oils, Silicone Molds, Variety of Soaping Utensils and Ingredients<br />
<a href="http://www.wholesalesuppliesplus.com/" target="_blank">Wholesale Supplies Plus</a> - Fragrance Oils, Silicone Molds<br />
<a href="http://www.soaperschoice.com/" target="_blank">Soapers Choice</a> - Base Oils<br />
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<br />Faith Orioldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07506867106085799485noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4338942671670735223.post-70362290603888979592015-02-20T09:13:00.002-06:002015-02-20T09:16:21.443-06:00Waiting for Spring...... New floral and music themed felted soaps.February 20 in the Chicago area and I woke up to -8 degrees outside (windchill somewhere in the -20's) - even for a lifelong Chicagoan, this is just too cold for February. So instead of looking out my window wondering when all this snow will melt away and allow the spring blossoms to make an entrance I have created my own February garden in felt. Enjoy and let's hope for an end to these subzero temperatures.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">These felted soaps are available in my <a href="https://www.etsy.com/shop/AlaiynaBSoaps?section_id=10889655&ref=shopsection_leftnav_10" target="_blank">Etsy Shop Here</a></span></div>
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~ Faith</div>
Faith Orioldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07506867106085799485noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4338942671670735223.post-79867558761194157602014-12-25T14:39:00.005-06:002014-12-25T14:45:22.405-06:00New Liquid and Solid Signature ShampoosSolid shampoo bars using cold process soapmaking techniques but formulated with hair loving oils, butters and additives have been some of my most popular items over the past few years. People love the convenience and sulfate-free features of these shampoo bars and at times it can be hard to keep up with the demand. They are however, not for everyone. The naturally higher pH of these alkaline bars are great for deep yet gentle cleansing and softening of the hair, but not appropriate for all hair types or water conditions. Hard water is especially difficult for these type of shampoo bars oftentimes needing an acid rinse (diluted apple cider vinegar being the most common one used due to its availability at your local grocery store) to help remove hard water residue and maintain pH balance in the hair. Following up your shampoo with a conditioner can also help restore the pH balance but not deal with hard water rinsing issues.<br />
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So, in order to offer more variety and choices for those who still want a sulfate-free shampoo but are unable to use these shampoo bars, I have developed and am introducing a new line of shampoos using sulfate free and gentle surfactants (surface active agent). Surfactants are compounds that lower the surface tension between a liquid and a solid. They are what bind the dirt and sebum (solids) from our hair and skin to water (liquid) to allow those solids to easily rinse away during use. True soap (created from the saponification of oils with lye) is also a surfactant. There are however, chemically derived surfactants that are more suited to different hair and skin types and water conditions. Just like with anything else, there are a variety of these surfactants to choose from - some are very harsh detergents that can irritate and strip your hair and skin of much needed natural oils and many others that are very gentle and reduce the irritation factor of the finished product. Just like with formulating my soaps, choosing the surfactants to use based on what they bring to the finished product is the same as choosing which oils to use when formulating a bar of soap - those choices matter in the finished product.<br />
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Introducing a new liquid shampoo formulation suitable for all hair types in two scents (Fresh Clean and Bamboo Grapefruit) and 2 new solid shampoo bars - one for normal to dry hair and one for normal to oily hair - both in the Fresh Clean scent. The liquid shampoos are currently available in both my <a href="http://www.alaiynabsoaps.etsy.com/" target="_blank">Etsy Shop</a> and my online <a href="http://www.alaiynab.com/" target="_blank">Website</a>. The solid shampoo bars will be available in January 2015.<br />
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The new liquid shampoo offers gentle cleansing for all hair types in all water conditions plus it adds mild conditioning and moisturizing benefits. It is currently available in two unisex scents. The new solid bar shampoos also offer concentrated gentle cleansing, mild conditioning and moisturizing properties in a convenient and long lasting solid bar. Two bars will be available for different hair types that will work beautifully in all water conditions. Again, these are sulfate free shampoos to gently clean and nourish your hair.</div>
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Brief summary of ingredients used in the various formulations. Not all ingredients are used in all formulations.</div>
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<b>Cleansing agents - no sulfates:</b></div>
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<b>Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate</b> - An extremely, gentle surfactant based on coconut fatty acids. It is exceptionally mild for skin, hair, and eyes, and is tolerant of hard water. Creates a nice foam and leaves behind a luxurious silky feel. Perfect for all hair types.</div>
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<b>Cocamidopropyl Betaine</b> - Organic compound derived from coconut oil. Another very mild cleanser (surfactant) with good foaming properties. Reduces harshness making final product very mild and gentle. Great for sensitive skin and scalp.</div>
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<b>Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate</b> - This is a very mild, moisturizing cleanser suitable for dry to normal hair types that is derived from coconuts. Excellent lathering properties and very tolerant of hard water.</div>
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<b>Disodium Laureth Sulfosuccinate</b> - A natural source surfactant that is derived fom natural vegetable oils. It is non-irritating and will not strip skin or hair of natural oils. Leaves skin and hair feeling soft and conditioned after rinse off. Excellent degreaser makes it a great addition for oily hair.</div>
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<b>Sodium Lauryl Sulfoacetate</b> - A great alternative to Sodium Lauryl Sulfate. Derived from coconut and palm oils, and conforms to Ecocert's natural and organic cosmetic standards. Non irritating, rich lather that is extremely mild and gentle.</div>
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<b>Additives:</b></div>
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<b>Panthenol (Pro-Vitamin B5) </b>- Moisturizer, improvement of hair structure, may add luster and shine.</div>
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<b>Natural Oils and Butters (Shea Butter, Argan Oil, Mango Butter, etc.) - </b>Moisturizers</div>
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<b>Glycerin - </b>Humectant</div>
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<b>Polyquaternium 7 - </b>Conditioner, moisturizer and detangler. Helps with wet combing.</div>
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<b>Glycol Distearate - </b>Conditioner and thickener</div>
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<b>Hydrolyzed Proteins (Keratin, Wheat, Silk) - </b>Moisturizers and<b> f</b>ilm formers to coat the hair to protect and add shine. Some proteins add body and volume to hair. Strengthens.</div>
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<b>Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride - </b>Conditioner and thickener.</div>
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<b>Behentrimonium Methosulfate (BTMS) - </b>Conditioner</div>
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<b>Cetyl Alcohol - </b>Vegetable sourced fatty alcohol conditioner and thickener and emollient</div>
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<b>Stearic Acid - </b>Vegetable sourced <b>f</b>atty acid conditioner and thickener</div>
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<b>Preservatives - </b>Keeps water containing products from developing bacteria, yeast, mold and fungi.</div>
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<b>Fragrances - </b>to add scent</div>
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~ Faith </div>
Faith Orioldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07506867106085799485noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4338942671670735223.post-31963268760470299162014-12-17T07:43:00.002-06:002015-05-24T07:51:57.124-05:00Liquid Soap FAQ's <span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">A list of some common questions and answers regarding liquid soap based on my research and experiences making liquid soap. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Q: How do I determine the pH of my soap and what should it really be?</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">A: What is pH? In basic terms, pH is a figure expressing the acidity or alkalinity of a solution on a logarithmic scale on which 7 is neutral, lower values are more acid, and higher values more alkaline. The scale measures from 1 - 14, 1 being most acidic, 14 being most basic.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Liquid soap in an alkaline product and is meant to be an alkaline product with a pH typically in the range of 9 - 10.2. Trying to lower your pH below 9 or even around 9 and your soap begins to destabilize. It will start reverting into water, glycerin (a by-product of saponification), fatty acids, soap content (which will reduce more and more the lower you take your pH) and whatever acid was used to alter the pH. A very common pH adjuster for liquid soap is Citric Acid, so if that was used, you would have Potassium Citrate as part of your solution too. </span><br />
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<a name='more'></a><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">In order to properly measure the pH of your soap, you need to do so in a very diluted solution. It is quite easy to get false pH readings in a) soap that is not room temperature, unless your meter is advanced enough to account for temperature and b) concentration. The more concentrated your diluted soap is, the higher the incidence of a false pH reading that will be lower than the actual pH of your soap. If your best bet is to make a 1% solution of soap paste to distilled water and use that as your test solution. While this may not be standard under commercial testing facilities/manufacturers, it should be quite accurate enough for the home crafter or small business manufacturer. Since water will have the same density and weight, you can measure by weight. Take 99 grams of distilled water and dissolve 1 gram of soap paste into that. Use this solution to measure your pH at room temperature. For comparison purposes, also measure your fully diluted and finished soap from the same batch without diluting further to see the differences and potential false reading. Taking a reading from a concentrated soap sample is like trying to see through a fog, while in the more diluted sample, it is like viewing it on a clear day.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Digital meters are far more accurate than pH strips or Litmus test papers which can be off by 1 - 1.5 points and can only give you range which is not always helpful when troubleshooting soaping problems that may be due to pH. There will be a full post on testing pH in the near future.</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Q: My perfectly clear soap turned cloudy, has white spots floating in it or white streaking.</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: #141823;"><span style="line-height: 20px;">A: This is typically due to temperature changes and the cloud point of your liquid soap. Cloud point is the temperature at which the dissolved solids in your liquid soap will start to solidify and precipitate out of solution and begin to turn your lovely clear soap opaque or cloudy. This can look like little droplets of white, white streaking or ghosting, general cloudiness or a completely opaque soap. Warming the soap up should remove the cloudiness and bring your soap back to its clear state. There are many variables that will affect the cloud point of your soap including ingredients and additives. Some soaps will cloud at temperatures that other soaps will not - no two soap formulations will act the same. In my experience, the simpler the ingredients with the fewest additives, the lower the cloud point temperature - fewer ingredients to precipitate out of solution.</span></span></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Q: Do I need a preservative for liquid soap?</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">A: Using a preservative in liquid soap can be a personal choice. Many people think that the higher pH of liquid soap negates the need for preservative use as many molds, fungi and yeast will not grow in high pH products. Bacteria, though may develop in higher pH products - and this you will not see visually through the naked eye. The rule of thumb is if your soap pH is 10 or above, no preservative is needed, below 10 you will want to consider a preservative. Since many people are attempting to lower the pH of their soaps through the use of pH adjusters (citric acid for example). The lower the pH, the more hospitable the environment for those undesirables developing in your soap.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">You also need to consider any additives that you add to your soap. Many additives are considered "bug food" and will increase the likelihood of those undesirables developing in your soap. Proteins, some extracts, using any food product (milks, teas, coffees) as part of your dilution, etc. All of these ingredients will increase the chance of things developing in your soap that you don't want in there.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">The two preservatives that have been recommended for use in liquid soap are Suttocide A and Liquid Germall Plus. When evaluating a preservative the two things you need to keep in mind are the pH of your final product (many preservatives are not effective in higher pH products) and the solubility of the preservative. Liquid soap is an aqueous product so oil soluble preservatives may not be the way to go. Vitamin E, Grapefruit Seed Extract and Essential Oils are not preservatives and will not deter the growth of bacterial, mold, yeast or fungi. More information about preservatives in personal care products can be found here:<a href="http://www.makingskincare.com/preservatives/" target="_blank"> http://www.makingskincare.com/preservatives/</a></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Q: How can I make my soap thicker, it is too thin?</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">A: The viscosity of your soap will depend on many things including your chosen oils, dilution rate and any additives you choose to add after dilution. Two things should be considered when diluting your soap paste 1) The overall concentration of your soap (the lower your dilution rate, the higher your soap concentration - too a high a concentration can be harsh for some people and you must adjust usage accordingly) and 2) Overall viscosity - some of this can be controlled via dilution rate other times you may need a thickener to increase your viscosity. I have several posts on this blog about thickening liquid soap.</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Q: What is neutralization and do I need to do that step?</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">A: There are two main methods for making liquid soap. One formulates with a lye excess and that lye excess is then "neutralized" after you dilute your soap. Please note that the term neutralization in making liquid soap does not refer to a neutral pH (7.0) but the act of removing any excess lye that may be present. This method insures that all oils are saponified and you get the clearest soap possible (depending on your choice of oils) but requires the use of buffering agents (borax) or pH adjusters (citric acid) to react with that excess lye so that it is no longer present in your soap. Using too much of any neutralizing agent can cause problems so be careful and understand how to use them properly.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">The second method is to formulate with a 0% superfat or a slight superfat (up to 3% or so). This method does not use a lye excess and if all ingredients are measured accurately, will not require neutralization and result in an overall soap pH between 9 - 10 which is perfect for liquid soap. This method is great for those who do not want to add any neutralizing agents and still have a nice clear soap (again this is also dependent on the oils you choose). The downside to this is in the purity of your lye and you need to insure that your lye purity is what you think so you don't inadvertently use too little and end up with too much superfat that will affect your clarity. Unsaponified oils will eventually separate out of your soap and float to the surface.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Both methods have their advantages and disadvantages and it is really personal choice as to which you want to use.</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Q: What is a Fragrance/Essential Oil flashpoint and do I need to worry about losing scent based on the flashpoint of the FO or EO?</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">A: The flashpoint of a fragrance or essential oil is the temperature at which point it becomes combustible if exposed to a spark or flame. The flashpoint is generally only important for those making gel candles and for determining shipping methods for the oil itself. The flashpoint has nothing to do with whether or not the scent will be affected (aromatic volatility). This is where aromatic volatility comes into play - how heat can affect the aromatic quality of your FO/EO. Flashpoint and aromatic volatility are not the same and it is the aromatic volatility that will determine if the temperature of your soap will affect the FO or EO you decide to add. A fragrance can have a low flashpoint but perform wonderfully in your soap or a fragrance can have a high flashpoint and completely dissipate in your soap - they do not always correlate. Determining aromatic volatility is really a trial and error approach unless the supplier indicates such information.</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Q: How do I label my liquid soap properly?</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">A: You need to check with the appropriate soap and cosmetic regulation department in your country. Here in the US, soap and cosmetics labeling and safety are overseen by the CPSC (Consumer Product Safety Commission) and the FDA (Food and Drug Administration). </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Links to information regarding Soap and Cosmetic Labeling in the US:</span></div>
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<span style="color: #141823; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 20px;"><a href="http://mariegale.com/soap-and-cosmetic-labeling/">http://mariegale.com/soap-and-cosmetic-labeling/</a></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #141823; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 20px;"><a href="http://mariegale.com/soap-and-cosmetic-labeling/labeling-faq.html">http://mariegale.com/soap-and-cosmetic-labeling/labeling-faq.html</a></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #141823; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 20px;"><a href="http://www.fda.gov/Cosmetics/GuidanceRegulation/LawsRegulations/ucm074201.htm">http://www.fda.gov/Cosmetics/GuidanceRegulation/LawsRegulations/ucm074201.htm</a></span></span><br />
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A note on sample sized products. I have spoken with Marie Gale who is the most knowledgeable individual when it comes to product labeling and here is what she has stated bout labeling sample size products.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">1. If the sample size is a size that you normally sell, you must follow all the labeling laws even if it is given out as a free sample.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">2. If your sample is not in a size you normally sell the product in, you do not need to follow the full labeling laws UNELSS it is a free gift with purchase. If the sample is given based on the purchase of another product, it must then be labeled according to the appropriate labeling laws because a required purchase was made.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">But be aware that many people have allergies and it is always a good idea to list your ingredietns for the benefit of your customers.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Special note for those who live in Florida - Florida has some strict cosmetic regulations and you really cannot make/sell anything but “soap” in your home. You can find details here:</span><br />
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<a href="http://www.myfloridalicense.com/dbpr/ddc/CosmeticManufacturer.html" target="_blank">http://www.myfloridalicense.com/dbpr/ddc/CosmeticManufacturer.html </a></span><br />
<a href="http://blog.mariegale.com/florida-cosmetic-regulations/"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">http://blog.mariegale.com/florida-cosmetic-regulations/</span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">~ Faith</span>Faith Orioldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07506867106085799485noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4338942671670735223.post-90927456387958260972014-11-21T17:05:00.000-06:002015-05-24T07:52:17.223-05:00Felted Soaps.........Sometimes you have a batch or even just a few bars of soap that just does not look as nice as you were hoping. The colors morphed, the swirls did not swirl, the colors bled together, the fragrance caused discoloration and you no longer have that beautiful and carefully designed and colored soap (thank you vanilla) you had planned on..... oh, what to do with said soap bars. Well, welcome to felted soap!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzhpo1HR4G6CKyV8YE0wSNc5n9UMnqGchTCJLOYFiQN-hKBVT7jddykCDjAbAGBO93zqyZV3x2WW4dLyNyWQ3WVDokfdYJ285Qq25xEC29A4B8Ulz0JE3cyFHq0Ol5s8do3lS6jdM9Wsa_/s1600/FullSizeRender.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzhpo1HR4G6CKyV8YE0wSNc5n9UMnqGchTCJLOYFiQN-hKBVT7jddykCDjAbAGBO93zqyZV3x2WW4dLyNyWQ3WVDokfdYJ285Qq25xEC29A4B8Ulz0JE3cyFHq0Ol5s8do3lS6jdM9Wsa_/s1600/FullSizeRender.jpg" width="391" /></a></div>
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<a name='more'></a>Felted soap is the art of wrapping soap in wool roving then wet felting it so that the fibers combine to encase the soap in a wool wrap. That is the easy and simple solution to what to do with those excellent bars of nourishing handmade soap that you just can't look at anymore. It is great soap made with a wonderful blend of oils and scent..... and now it is even greater. You can even expand on the basic wet felting to add needle felted designs to create truly unique and one of a kind pieces of soap "artwork".<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp8AXSnmBWN4aB6biipgWChkd5aLFbB-xV18BlQRAswNr_dJVW50DVfBPyeOkSNbIni2LYLPpRsbL_2lc5uMYqBl3QPqEzFqm8ThRhtSiXkXnjZ8nTEOSYM7YklcVrq9DDMNuCK2hkePzP/s1600/Felt3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp8AXSnmBWN4aB6biipgWChkd5aLFbB-xV18BlQRAswNr_dJVW50DVfBPyeOkSNbIni2LYLPpRsbL_2lc5uMYqBl3QPqEzFqm8ThRhtSiXkXnjZ8nTEOSYM7YklcVrq9DDMNuCK2hkePzP/s1600/Felt3.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Anything goes from beautiful tie dye effects of wet felting multiple colors of wool roving together to the silly monsters above, geometric designs, landscapes and on and on. The possibilities are endless as you let your imagination and needle felting skills take over.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaKvrl58ipC7Uf8mamxlt-N-pxCbgP4tgwqA83Jh0U7nd8NN7_rJXnNfBLrp8tERm8q2OMzJ6BMYYVqe4FeNuH6SRj771qHTZBtNhVvuJ-q0SADXntvOAwXG51A9ettPNwHRcKUHM_W0fU/s1600/IMG_3475.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaKvrl58ipC7Uf8mamxlt-N-pxCbgP4tgwqA83Jh0U7nd8NN7_rJXnNfBLrp8tERm8q2OMzJ6BMYYVqe4FeNuH6SRj771qHTZBtNhVvuJ-q0SADXntvOAwXG51A9ettPNwHRcKUHM_W0fU/s1600/IMG_3475.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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Felted soap is not just to beautify your bar soaps but brings with it excellent shower and bathing qualities:</div>
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1. No need for a additional washcloth or scrubby - the felted natural wool fibers allow the soap to create a wonderful lather for showering or bathing.</div>
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2. Gentle and mild exfoliation from the natural wool fibers. </div>
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3. Due to the natural quick drying features of wool, soap dries quicker resulting in longer lasting bars</div>
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as long as soap is not left in a pool of water and allowed to drain in between uses).</div>
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4. No more slippery soap that drops out of your hand.</div>
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5. When the soap is used up, you are left with a beautiful felted pouch. Just cut a slit in the top and fill with potpourri or even other soap scraps to get full use of all your soap bars.</div>
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6. Felted Soaps make a wonderful and unique gifts. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqGnpYecqY8Y8Ggm1EO1aapoojea3K2J43YFDPCv3N87K3_e-bL2w3SqnHOzvuu6rNFerjusIL9zzFn-LTUVBFr52CgEUiTJI9j_qwDRBMaQVL2Gj1e8n7svIEKvHjp1KN28KVRC8NXpVi/s1600/FCP-VanShell2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqGnpYecqY8Y8Ggm1EO1aapoojea3K2J43YFDPCv3N87K3_e-bL2w3SqnHOzvuu6rNFerjusIL9zzFn-LTUVBFr52CgEUiTJI9j_qwDRBMaQVL2Gj1e8n7svIEKvHjp1KN28KVRC8NXpVi/s1600/FCP-VanShell2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqFuq4xIehAw3OolFFe98RskKKKGL0Vu3dkvZNzB50CRJsorGX7YZ5d2IHTVyTr2fcTMaxb-QRMZgMad0CZBoCZvxnJ86uYACzcR-OstsGFl8GN4GKhwyRgbJFIw4in_bWeiXjmAhcwsj8/s1600/Felt2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqFuq4xIehAw3OolFFe98RskKKKGL0Vu3dkvZNzB50CRJsorGX7YZ5d2IHTVyTr2fcTMaxb-QRMZgMad0CZBoCZvxnJ86uYACzcR-OstsGFl8GN4GKhwyRgbJFIw4in_bWeiXjmAhcwsj8/s1600/Felt2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijZXXAOdC_UrMWl9e0pMs6D_T9ktySZjF5-82gAWCkwhs4RFjJn8lhnw_515BCMAtrE0UaAPhlZZC2vWrOp4V5niLBZvTgoNTMgNo12-0SS1ddVlHCoyVSXEFBd9dlhkhOdS-EcKagtMT6/s1600/FeltUGMFLoral.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijZXXAOdC_UrMWl9e0pMs6D_T9ktySZjF5-82gAWCkwhs4RFjJn8lhnw_515BCMAtrE0UaAPhlZZC2vWrOp4V5niLBZvTgoNTMgNo12-0SS1ddVlHCoyVSXEFBd9dlhkhOdS-EcKagtMT6/s1600/FeltUGMFLoral.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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I am having so much fun and find this technique so therapeutic and relaxing (something about stabbing a needle into an object over and over and over again..... hmmmmm...) that I created a wonderful batch of unscented goat's milk soap just to create felted soap from. The bars are curing now, but come next month, I will be felting like a mad woman.<br />
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If you would like to learn how to felt soap, there are many, many tutorials available online. I prefer the technique of using a section of nylon (closed off on one end) to hold the soap as you wet felt it. There are also many tutorials on needle felting (for the optional surface designs) but this suppliers blog is a great resource for all types of felting: http://livingfelt.wordpress.com<br />
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Have fun!<br />
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~ Faith<br />
Copyright 2006 - 2014 Alaiyna B. Designs, Alaiyna B. Bath and Body. All rights reserved. All text and images are the property of Alaiyna B. Designs. No part of this document or webpage may be reproduced by any means without prior written consent of Alaiyna B. Designs and/or Alaiyna B. Bath and Body.<br />
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<br />Faith Orioldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07506867106085799485noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4338942671670735223.post-1083121715571867372014-11-12T07:58:00.001-06:002014-11-12T07:59:20.444-06:00Photo Tutorial for Cold Process Soap with Side EmbedsThis is a quick photo tutorial for those who already know how to create an in the pot swirl or have other decorative techniques and formulations under their belt. The vertical side embeds are created on day 1, set for 24 hours and then cut lengthwise (or in a mold with long dividers to evenly space them). I use the same formulation for the side embeds as I do for the main soap. This is the resulting soap.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2y84Lh1tAhWCnusroQUJ88Phxzn2xLWiDzT0YFDZKnk0y_AXv2NRgOlyb_h3Lh0apr5YHmZSF1E2yP4RH3Ato7fBLU4KY7Qnyg1MiG9YVbAPJjNY7RQjX5CDAGq4tcCxvzTR6mnThlYgz/s1600/CP-WLJasmineY2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2y84Lh1tAhWCnusroQUJ88Phxzn2xLWiDzT0YFDZKnk0y_AXv2NRgOlyb_h3Lh0apr5YHmZSF1E2yP4RH3Ato7fBLU4KY7Qnyg1MiG9YVbAPJjNY7RQjX5CDAGq4tcCxvzTR6mnThlYgz/s400/CP-WLJasmineY2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b>1.</b> Create a log of soap using an "in the pot" swirl technique. You can really use any technique you want depending on the look you want on the sides. Since they are slim and I wanted lots of swirled colors, I chose this method. You can do color layers, hanger swirls - any technique to get the look you want along the sides. I use a formulation that allows time to create a design, but still sets up in 24 hours to be umolded and cut the next day.</div>
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<b>2.</b> After unmolding and cutting the soap lengthwise into 4 even strips, I place them into them into the mold I am going to use to create the soap. These are 9" long silicone molds from Woodfield's Molds. Excellent quality silicone molds. You want them to fit in there snug so they do not move when you pour the center soap.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0Xj09qOsaeCJQhVAZnIbr2kdUd8m9XW0fAa7iPMNwSc4pugou_XQSL1qqkRAI43CT87TPKonFqUMmqgZ8MSOFXKD_zbMtIw-QVjgGYSH2KrfAYv2ziAlKKJzgBsHFfAH2wobg5DZ0HYcS/s1600/Embed1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="301" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0Xj09qOsaeCJQhVAZnIbr2kdUd8m9XW0fAa7iPMNwSc4pugou_XQSL1qqkRAI43CT87TPKonFqUMmqgZ8MSOFXKD_zbMtIw-QVjgGYSH2KrfAYv2ziAlKKJzgBsHFfAH2wobg5DZ0HYcS/s400/Embed1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b>3. </b>Create another batch using the same formulation, scent and color per your personal preferences. This soap is scented with a combination of Water Lily, Jasmine and Yuzu with no added color. Pour the soap into the mold between the two strips already in place. You want this too be a bit taller than you normally would pour a soap because it is going to have to be trimmed and cleaned up afterwards and you still want to end up with a decent size bar of soap.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWdslyYYB_b9UE2mHMjQfdSrvro4Jk74KdRUcKWU-2BB2MWtj4zCpCW6uZ_DFZqBqhVgtYdMnZL3nM4d1fJ94CzWvo_UwSdXtGFywn5oi1ZLXQw4GB6pqO7o3te4jheVxZe0UlmeB_SO3S/s1600/Embed2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="313" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWdslyYYB_b9UE2mHMjQfdSrvro4Jk74KdRUcKWU-2BB2MWtj4zCpCW6uZ_DFZqBqhVgtYdMnZL3nM4d1fJ94CzWvo_UwSdXtGFywn5oi1ZLXQw4GB6pqO7o3te4jheVxZe0UlmeB_SO3S/s400/Embed2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b>4. </b>Put the soap to bed (I always gel these soaps to insure that they pieces stick together and have never tried this without allowing the soap to gel) for 24 hours or however long your formulation needs to firm up for unmolding.</div>
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<b>5. </b>After 24 hours (or however long it takes for your soap to set up), unmold the soap.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP_NpHrvVTiQcqyQrDxMrxexNGDyqJgDXia_oIrEs9hJ9FFOmTW9j2JzI0JWKvVW_Sb1xQ73l1_SAEJPsdXil1VdsQN5upoN0R2zN_6umxdWVnrVTMJyeuVEq_W7sYAoLcPJuFG7c-R_Yo/s1600/Embed3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP_NpHrvVTiQcqyQrDxMrxexNGDyqJgDXia_oIrEs9hJ9FFOmTW9j2JzI0JWKvVW_Sb1xQ73l1_SAEJPsdXil1VdsQN5upoN0R2zN_6umxdWVnrVTMJyeuVEq_W7sYAoLcPJuFG7c-R_Yo/s400/Embed3.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b>5.</b> Slice the soap into individual bars. You will then need to cut of a slim layer from the top to get a nice smooth surface. There may be some soap that ended up underneath and on the sides of the colored embeds that will also need to be cleaned up. Continue to trim as per your personal preference. I beveled the edges of this soap and added a stamp.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjst95K9iiPh1HI27IhirGIXHYdev8_eTmGPOZutYECf0U7VUrrToMkea5nJleOwIJMSCa1k-WqZ0POzoGOe29U0qnrYCoLc-GWkW14staFEuAmTohM0VjamLqTyhgudRFSWqKC3HErxxOc/s1600/CP-WLJasmineY3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="335" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjst95K9iiPh1HI27IhirGIXHYdev8_eTmGPOZutYECf0U7VUrrToMkea5nJleOwIJMSCa1k-WqZ0POzoGOe29U0qnrYCoLc-GWkW14staFEuAmTohM0VjamLqTyhgudRFSWqKC3HErxxOc/s400/CP-WLJasmineY3.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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~ Faith<br />
Copyright 2006 - 2014 Alaiyna B. Designs, Alaiyna B. Bath and Body. All rights reserved. All text and images are the property of Alaiyna B. Designs. No part of this document or webpage may be reproduced by any means without prior written consent of Alaiyna B. Designs and/or Alaiyna B. Bath and Body.<br />
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Faith Orioldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07506867106085799485noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4338942671670735223.post-48758329666396501322014-10-20T10:42:00.000-05:002015-05-24T07:50:34.804-05:00Using PVC pipe as molds to create circular embedded soapsI am always thinking of new ways to expand the artistic nature of creating handcrafted soap. Swirls, embeds, themes, etc. make the process of creating these high quality, nourishing, great for your skin soaps all the better. Handcrafted soaps can range from unscented and uncolored which are excellent for sensitive skin to extremely ornate with beautiful scents to match. These soaps make wonderful additions to the bathroom or kitchen, unique and creative gifts and showering with them can get your day off to a great and refreshing start.<br />
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Lately I have been experimenting with round soaps created in a circular column style mold then sliced into individual bars (sounds a lot like baking......). You can create some unique swirled designs as you pour the soap into the mold, but I wanted to take that to the next level by centering a circular embed within the main soap. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh20tqfGGGVUQynpiI0IYj9ngu3mhVE_1UVrCyEnL-8XhvLV3fGJ-LPiezqmEulBUWcdArvIToEggAKl-alCRcwLOA20kGcjaVvYs01psrFaXCG6EZXhOwB9LzyuxwuoLWWAuPkIDZjMJbf/s1600/CP-GfruitPear2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh20tqfGGGVUQynpiI0IYj9ngu3mhVE_1UVrCyEnL-8XhvLV3fGJ-LPiezqmEulBUWcdArvIToEggAKl-alCRcwLOA20kGcjaVvYs01psrFaXCG6EZXhOwB9LzyuxwuoLWWAuPkIDZjMJbf/s1600/CP-GfruitPear2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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There are some tools and molds out there, but they are limited in size...... so PVC pipe comes to the rescue. PVC pipe makes a great mold for round soap as long as you have a way to remove to soap. Lining with silicone mats, freezer paper or shelf/closet liner cut to size (this is my choice) makes removal quite easy. Freezing the soap in the mold for a while beforehand also makes removing the soap quite easy.<br />
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For my newest soap designs, I use 1 1/4" thin walled PVC pipe cut to 12 - 13" long for the embedded log and 3" thin walled PVC pipe for the entire soap. The wall thickness of this pipe is about 2mm. The key to using PVC pipe is sealing one end so that the soap does not ooze out the bottom. <br />
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The thin walled PVC pipe I use is from Lowes Home Improvement and they also sell a nice fitting cap for the 3" size that allows the pipe to sit upright and not fall over. Finding a cap for the 1 1/4" pipe proved challenging. You can use several layers of freezer paper held on tightly by rubberbands, a silicone cupcake mold fitted and taped to the bottom or a 1 1/2" rubber furniture tip found at Ace Hardware. Because of the tapered nature of the tip, I had to cut it down to about 1" tall in order to fit it over the pipe end.<br />
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<b>Fitting and taping a silicone cupcake mold to seal the bottom of the PVC pipe</b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxp2d9iiCA6l-wBubOZhy7iZIjHGmHIAlcK8J4hR0ssNhWWGYNkDugHg6vRsLgEJ93-QooJEvklvk54gmdCrpr9b3PT-MAx5TnPlWC8qp3kC6n9sWONE-sG09OW6qx9UOxJB5DJwrpEGhD/s1600/1.25-mold2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxp2d9iiCA6l-wBubOZhy7iZIjHGmHIAlcK8J4hR0ssNhWWGYNkDugHg6vRsLgEJ93-QooJEvklvk54gmdCrpr9b3PT-MAx5TnPlWC8qp3kC6n9sWONE-sG09OW6qx9UOxJB5DJwrpEGhD/s1600/1.25-mold2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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3" thin walled pipe:<br />
Charlotte PVC 30030 (3" x 10") sewer pipe is about 2mm thick.<br />
<a href="http://www.lowes.com/pd_24164-1814-PVC+30030++0600_0__?Ntt=pvc+30030&UserSearch=pvc+30030&productId=3133165&rpp=32" target="_blank">http://www.lowes.com/pd_24164-1814-PVC+30030++0600_0__?Ntt=pvc+30030&UserSearch=pvc+30030&productId=3133165&rpp=32</a><br />
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3" cap that fits nice and snug on the above pipe and has a flat end:<br />
<a href="http://www.lowes.com/pd_171359-676-306_0__?productId=3449804&Ntt=" target="_blank">http://www.lowes.com/pd_171359-676-306_0__?productId=3449804&Ntt=</a><br />
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1 1/4" thin walled pipe:<br />
Charlotte PVC 16012 (1 1/4" x 10')<br />
<a href="http://www.lowes.com/pd_23996-1814-PVC+16012++0600_0__?Ntt=pvc+16012&UserSearch=pvc+16012&productId=3133113&rpp=32" target="_blank">http://www.lowes.com/pd_23996-1814-PVC+16012++0600_0__?Ntt=pvc+16012&UserSearch=pvc+16012&productId=3133113&rpp=32</a><br />
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1 1/2" Rubber Furniture Tip:<br />
<a href="http://www.acehardware.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3674853&cp=2568443.2568451.2626210.2627543.2627583" target="_blank">http://www.acehardware.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3674853&cp=2568443.2568451.2626210.2627543.2627583</a><br />
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You will need a way to cut the above pipes into 12 - 13" sections.<br />
OR<br />
you can purchase an almost identical set up for the 3" mold from <a href="http://www.brambleberry.com/Heavy-Duty-Column-Mold-P5401.aspx">Brambleberry here</a>.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvDki6-c9hW7IH3GeCOj3TA2CNoEC0dVshruPjRcBxJ3u6-G0UaNCIKgXgIyF7C-FwsKOfGRngGug8pfZVI_9o9Iv-RCdwr-Obdaot_pAjYiSc6tcLRbzNaaI2MebbOxyz_38iqsLMPgqH/s1600/CherryBlossom3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="368" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvDki6-c9hW7IH3GeCOj3TA2CNoEC0dVshruPjRcBxJ3u6-G0UaNCIKgXgIyF7C-FwsKOfGRngGug8pfZVI_9o9Iv-RCdwr-Obdaot_pAjYiSc6tcLRbzNaaI2MebbOxyz_38iqsLMPgqH/s1600/CherryBlossom3.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Making this type of soap is a two step process. For the above Cherry Blossom Soap, I make the soap for the center embed by using an "in the pot" swirl technique with about 4 colors. That soap is made and poured into the 1 1/4" PVC pipe molds and sets for 24 hours. When I am ready to remove it, I pop it into the freezer for an hour or two, then use a pliers to grab onto the liner and slowly slide the soap out. You can use a lot of creativity here and use solid colors for both inner and outer soaps, or solid in the center and swirled in the outer (as seen in the first images.)<br />
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<b>Solid colored soap to the left and "in the pot" swirl on the right for the embeds</b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV-cxc8AM8woVjOkqcyYM_DismqWiYl1M0Bz8TUQ2QOWKWtNXrsPn0H23SyLlenm0bLWV1GE86jPZ59ltHeUZXGQgUpK4BtLuSuPgZa0d-_6g8VgtQkLCZG3mSSJF0vLRrBYgi6Lj05QWX/s1600/1.25-mold.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV-cxc8AM8woVjOkqcyYM_DismqWiYl1M0Bz8TUQ2QOWKWtNXrsPn0H23SyLlenm0bLWV1GE86jPZ59ltHeUZXGQgUpK4BtLuSuPgZa0d-_6g8VgtQkLCZG3mSSJF0vLRrBYgi6Lj05QWX/s1600/1.25-mold.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3IOKhMfAefPwYnBMU5_VORVtvFEIKvAuNss1RaUL-2B7DqcZec6rfD9F7Stsp05QR7_eOFp7kshBnw4Kyl4QcpcIMeB5uDIybFN1oTntOXEh4dmNgjMNjViIknwN4oCsyzUlYZcsR9XpE/s1600/1.25-mold3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3IOKhMfAefPwYnBMU5_VORVtvFEIKvAuNss1RaUL-2B7DqcZec6rfD9F7Stsp05QR7_eOFp7kshBnw4Kyl4QcpcIMeB5uDIybFN1oTntOXEh4dmNgjMNjViIknwN4oCsyzUlYZcsR9XpE/s1600/1.25-mold3.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Once the embed log is removed from the mold, the outer soap is made (this example has no added color to the outer portion), scented and the previously made log is centered into the 3" PVC pipe mold. The soap is poured at light to medium trace as the inner log is made stable by placing your gloved finger on the surface as you pour the soap around it. Tap to settle soap and remove trapped bubbles. Cover with a few layers of plastic wrap, secure with rubber bands and allow to set up for at least 24 hours. I wrap it in a thick towel and keep it upright by wedging it between boxes for support. Make sure the soap is somewhat set before trying to wrap it in towels so the soap does not spill out.<br />
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After 24 hours and your soap is firm (this will depend on your formula), pop it into the freezer for a few hours. Use a pliers to grab the liner and slowly slide the soap out. Allow it to warm up a bit and slice into individual bars as you normally would.<br />
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I stick with 12" - 13" tall PVC molds as anything taller is too difficult to work with. A 3" by 12" PVC mold will hold about 55 ounces of soap or about 38 ounces of oils. So to do the embed, you will need to reformulate that out into 2 separate formulas. I will actually do multiple embed logs at the same time. Two 13" tall 1 1/4" diameter logs used about 30 ounces oils in my formula. Any excess was poured into individual silicone molds for personal use.<br />
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~ Faith<br />
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Copyright 2006 - 2014 Alaiyna B. Designs, Alaiyna B. Bath and Body. All rights reserved. All text and images are the property of Alaiyna B. Designs. No part of this document or webpage may be reproduced by any means without prior written consent of Alaiyna B. Designs and/or Alaiyna B. Bath and Body.<br />
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<br />Faith Orioldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07506867106085799485noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4338942671670735223.post-9523740617418718472014-08-30T08:06:00.001-05:002014-09-07T07:10:01.534-05:00New Embedded Soap Designs!I love creating these types of soaps as they are so beautiful and unique. It takes quite a long time to create them as it is a multi-step process. First is to create the embeds (flowers, fruits, curls, etc) and since several of my molds only have 2 - 5 cavities, it is a long and repetitive process, - pour the soap, let it harden, remove from the mold and continually repeat until I have all the embeds that I need. For the curls, once the soap is hardened, then it goes through the planer to shred and curl it.<br />
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Once all the embeds are made, then the bars are made by layering hot soap, adding the embeds, layering again, adding more embeds - until the mold is full.<br />
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Things to keep in mind for creating these types of soaps.<br />
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- I use SFIC bases for these soaps. The clear base has a yellow tint to it so I add a tiny amount of blue liquid (non-bleeding) colorant to remove the yellow tint. You have to be careful because if you use too much, you will then have a blue tint. The SFIC clear base also has a very slight haze to it and there is nothing I can do about that, so the closer to the surface the embeds are, the clearer they will look.<br />
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- Temperature control of your layering soap is crucial. Too hot and you will melt the embeds, too cool and they won't stick together. I can only make up to 7 or 8 full size bars at a time because layering the embeds takes time and while doing so, the layering soap starts to cool and I avoid continual reheating of it as it tends to get gummy after a while.<br />
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- I no longer add fragrance to the translucent layer. Many fragrances will cloud or discolor the soap. The cloudiness happens right away, but the discoloration (usually turns amber or golden yellow) can happen over time and ruins the look that took so long to achieve. I now only fragrance the solid layer that is beneath the embedded layer. Even with that technique, I only use clear (water white) fragrances as often as possible too. These are fragrance oils that are as clear as can be in their raw state. Fragrance oils can run from clear to dark yellow to almost brown. Brambleberry keeps a list of their "water white' fragrance oils which is a big help: <a href="https://brambleberry.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/200512240-Water-White-Fragrances-" target="_blank">Brambleberry Water White Fragrance Oil List</a>. I have found no other vendor who provides this information.<br />
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Here are my newest embedded soap creations - enjoy!<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Rose Garden</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJYqVygMvSyzFojSBhNurfEH6vAawqx9KsRqysFKa2TB82jpRjLuSScU4Y4X4nAeBNWq-tAjifZX3FPs0xp9UsWAZp57bd541YCxb_XCQYc4f0k4tPFd9kegaWJFc-2dDejGlbuYtA61K4/s1600/MPS-Roses3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJYqVygMvSyzFojSBhNurfEH6vAawqx9KsRqysFKa2TB82jpRjLuSScU4Y4X4nAeBNWq-tAjifZX3FPs0xp9UsWAZp57bd541YCxb_XCQYc4f0k4tPFd9kegaWJFc-2dDejGlbuYtA61K4/s1600/MPS-Roses3.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Fresh Picked Blackberry</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2ffNoIRdtU9DlzW748L804-Vp2ZP81Boq8uybpf9yRuMzftCQz-APu38QGd64NTZMBIK8wJv8orBLHO8S3CU6csBZkgw8zM7NiLtioFG6EIevdicxdmh8SB8CGunzWFK9GonB_dBwPlD0/s1600/MP-Blackberry4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2ffNoIRdtU9DlzW748L804-Vp2ZP81Boq8uybpf9yRuMzftCQz-APu38QGd64NTZMBIK8wJv8orBLHO8S3CU6csBZkgw8zM7NiLtioFG6EIevdicxdmh8SB8CGunzWFK9GonB_dBwPlD0/s1600/MP-Blackberry4.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Fresh Picked Strawberry</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4mHeTeeIGMP4wPVag8JZiDrL_FMvDEQ505AZI0XFSA2B6JBNnrWGOXNZzNTazmjLGlbJm_8DadRzcqNAiSjZQ3WBO2fjd55wBU4o8MdFhMdCvW1iWuIeud8Ggn8bE8wl4jZ4-oENf-6N7/s1600/MPS-Strawberry.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4mHeTeeIGMP4wPVag8JZiDrL_FMvDEQ505AZI0XFSA2B6JBNnrWGOXNZzNTazmjLGlbJm_8DadRzcqNAiSjZQ3WBO2fjd55wBU4o8MdFhMdCvW1iWuIeud8Ggn8bE8wl4jZ4-oENf-6N7/s1600/MPS-Strawberry.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a></div>
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~ Faith<br />
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Copyright 2006 - 2014 Alaiyna B. Designs, Alaiyna B. Bath and Body. All rights reserved. All text and images are the property of Alaiyna B. Designs. No part of this document or webpage may be reproduced by any means without prior written consent of Alaiyna B. Designs and/or Alaiyna B. Bath and Body.</div>
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Faith Orioldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07506867106085799485noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4338942671670735223.post-77513398250398813672014-07-23T07:47:00.001-05:002015-05-24T07:51:04.552-05:00Basic Beginner Liquid Soap and Information<div class="MsoNormal">
This is a basic liquid soap formula for those just starting out into liquid soapmaking. It uses only 3 commonly used oils in soapmaking - nothing fancy, but makes a wonderful soap. As you get a handle on making liquid soap, you can venture into using different liquids for your lye water, different oil combinations to get the properties you are looking for in a soap and so on in formulating for your own creations. </div>
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1% superfat – no neutralization needed</div>
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Summerbee Meadow calculator used.</div>
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70% Olive Oil</div>
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20% Coconut Oil</div>
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10% Castor Oil</div>
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20 ounce oil batch</div>
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<br /></div>
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14 ounces olive oil</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
4 ounces coconut oil</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
2 ounces castor oil</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
4 ounces glycerin (from the initial water amount – this will
help speed up the process of getting to the cooking stage)</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
4.27 ounces (121 grams) KOH</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
8 ounces distilled water (12 ounces liquid needed, the other
4 ounces is the glycerin added to the oils<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> (</span>This is optional and you can remove the glycerin and use 12
ounces of distilled water.)</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I have split the required water amount into part water, part
glycerin.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Using glycerin in place
of part or all of your water will speed up the entire process of getting your paste to
the cook stage and the cook in general.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Formulas high in
olive oil tend to take quite a long time to get to trace.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You can omit the glycerin if you would
like and use all water too.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Use
enough water so that you can fully dissolve your lye.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My rule of thumb for minimum water amount is 1.1:1 water:lye
ratio. You can also replace all the water with glycerin, but this will require a different method to dissolve your lye. I have other tutorials on using all glycerin too.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
<a name='more'></a>Prepare your work surface and follow all safety
protocols.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Lye is very caustic and
can cause severe burns if it comes into contact with any body part.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Long pants, long sleeves, closed toed
shoes, latex of other cleaning type gloves, and protective eyewear.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>20 ounces of oils fit nicely into a 4.5
quart crock pot or other stainless steel pot.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If the mixture level is too high, it may bubble over, if the
mixture is too low, it will splash out of the pot – both are dangerous
situations due to the caustic nature and high temps of the mixture.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">1.</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; text-indent: -0.25in;">
</span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Measure out and melt/heat your oils and optional
glycerin.</span></div>
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<!--StartFragment-->
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 22.5pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->2.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span><!--[endif]-->Measure out your KOH into suitable
container. Measuring in grams is
best for accuracy. Many problems
can be avoided with accurate measuring of oils and KOH.</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 22.5pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->3.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span><!--[endif]-->Measure out your distilled water into a suitable
container.</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 22.5pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->4.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span><!--[endif]-->Slowly add your KOH to your water and whisk or
mix it carefully . It will heat up
greatly.</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 22.5pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->5.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span><!--[endif]-->When temperatures of both the oils and the
lye/water are between 140 – 160 degrees F, slowly pour your lye mixture into
your oils. If you temps are too
low, it will take longer to trace, if you temps are too high, you may bubble
over. Heat greatly increase the
speed in which the chemical reaction takes place.</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 22.5pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->6.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span><!--[endif]-->Stick blend the mixture. </div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 22.5pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->7.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span><!--[endif]-->Your mixture will go through several stages as
it gets to trace. </div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 22.5pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--> -<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span><!--[endif]-->It will be a very thin opaque yellow </div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 22.5pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--> -<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span><!--[endif]-->It will darken and look like applesauce with
some of the oil wanting to separate out and float on top</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 22.5pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--> -<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span><!--[endif]-->It will thicken and smooth out and turn a matte
opaque</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 22.5pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--> -<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span><!--[endif]-->It will continue to thicken and turn a bit shiny</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-left: 22.5pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--> -<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span><!--[endif]-->It may thicken to the point that your stick
blender will get stuck in it or it may stay more fluid – but will be thick.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 22.5pt; text-indent: -27.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Please note that each formulation will behave differently as
there are many variables that will affect the stages your paste will go through
and the rate at which these will happen.
You may see the above stages, more stages or even fewer stages as some
pastes will trace very quickly.
These include the ratio of oils used, glycerin amount and heat. Some pastes will stay thick and fluid
the entire time some will get so stiff you cannot easily mix them. All are valid states of your paste.</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-left: 22.5pt; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: -27.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 22.5pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -22.5pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--> 8.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span><!--[endif]-->Once it is too thick for the stick blender, or
is thick and glossy, you can start your cook.</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 22.5pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -22.5pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--> 9.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span><!--[endif]-->You can cook it in a crock pot making sure your
temps are between 170 – 220 degrees F (it can be very hard to control the temps
in a crock pot based on how they regulate temperature) or in the oven. You can also do stovetop, but I do not
do that method so cannot offer instruction on it. Heat is needed to cook your paste in a timely manner. Too low of temps, will take your paste
longer too cook, too high and you can scorch the paste. Some people do a cold process method
where they remove the paste from the heat source and wrap it in towels to allow
it to saponify on its own, but this will take quite a bit of time to do –
again, each formulation will vary.</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 22.5pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -22.5pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--> 10.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span><!--[endif]-->Check your paste every 30 minutes and give it a
stir.</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 22.5pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -22.5pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--> 11.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span><!--[endif]-->Your paste will turn more and more translucent
as it cooks.</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 22.5pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -22.5pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--> 12.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span><!--[endif]-->After 2 - 3 hours (or sooner if you prefer),
check your paste with phenolphthalein drops if you have them. Place a small amount of paste on white
paper towel or paper plate and put one or two drops of phenolphthalein on
it. This is to check for excess
lye to determine if your oils are fully saponified . Clear to very, very faint pink is good and your soap may be
done. Any other shade of pink to
fuchsia means you need to cook it longer.
If you do not have phenolphthalein, then skip this step.</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 22.5pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -22.5pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--> 13.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span><!--[endif]-->Clarity test – add 1 ounce of paste to 2 ounces
of boiling water and allow it to dilute.
If it is milky, it is not done and needs to cook longer. If it is very cloudy, it needs to cook
longer (or you have excess unsaponified fats), if it is slightly cloudy or
clear and the phenol test is good, your paste is done. If it is clear (or just slightly
cloudy), let it cool and test the pH.
I prefer a pH meter, but many use good quality pH test strips
successfully. The pH should be
between 9 – 10 which is perfect for liquid soap. Please note that you can have a good clarity test and still
have excess lye or too high a pH.
Please have an accurate way to test your soaps pH. If using a digital pH meter, also note
that the pH will be lower the hotter the soap and it is best to test at room
temperature.</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-left: 22.5pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -22.5pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--> 14.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span><!--[endif]-->If the paste is done, remove it from heat
source. Your paste may be very
thick and stiff or more fluid while hot.
The more glycerin used, typically the more fluid your paste will
be. At this point you can dilute
all of your paste, part of your paste or let it sit overnight to make sure that
all of it has fully saponified throughout the paste(this is my preference) and then dilute.</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-left: 22.5pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -22.5pt;">
<br /></div>
<!--EndFragment--><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Diluting your paste<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-left: 21.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo3; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->Weigh out how much paste you want to dilute and
place in an appropriate pot with lots of extra room for your dilution
water.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I use a crock pot to dilute
and turn it on warm.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Heat will
help speed up the process.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Too
much heat and you will have more water loss due to evaporation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Keep a lid on the pot during dilution.</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 21.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo3; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->Weight out an equal amount of distilled water
and heat to boiling.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I prefer to
boil my dilution water to make it is as sanitary as possible and the heat speeds
up the dilution process. Many people prefer not to boil their dilution water –
the choice is yours. If using a crock pot to dilute your paste, make sure that
the crock pot insert is not cold as you do not want to add boiling water to a
cold pot as it could shatter when you add the hot water. </div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 21.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo3; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->Add the dilution water to the paste and allow it
to start to dilute.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Give it time,
lots of patience is needed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Make
sure your pot is covered while you dilute or some of your water will evaporate
out.</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 21.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo3; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">4.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->As the paste dissolves, you may need to add more
water to fully dilute it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Formulas
high in olive oil need more water to dilute than formulas high in coconut
oil.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Add water in small increments
and allow more of the paste to dilute.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Continue this until the paste is fully diluted.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you see chunks of paste still
floating around or your soap develops a “skin” on top, then you need a bit more
dilution water.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>TAKE NOTES ON HOW
MUCH WATER YOU ARE ADDING FOR DILUTION.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>This will save you time if you repeat the same formula when you go to
dilute it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Patience is key when it
comes to diluting a formula for the first time.</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 21.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo3; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">5.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->There are two things to consider when diluting
your paste – Soap concentration and viscosity.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some formulas will always be thin as water no matter how
little dilution water you add, some formulas will have a thicker consistency if
you do not over dilute.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The less
dilution water, the more concentrated your soap will be also and too
concentrated a soap can be 1) wasteful and 2) on the harsh side as with any
concentrated product.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You may need
to adjust your usage amounts based on how concentrated your final soap is going
to be. These are things to consider and determine your own personal preferences
when determining how much dilution water to add.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Soaps that are too thin based on your desired soap
concentration can be thickened afterwards by using a variety of ingredients.</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 21.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo3; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">6.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Once your soap is fully diluted, allow it to cool.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Once cooled, it may thicken up a bit or
it may develop a skin.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If a skin
develops, you can add a bit more dilution water. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If it is too thick or portions have reverted back to a
paste stage, you can continue to add more dilution water.</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-left: 21.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo3; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">7.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->Pour your diluted soap into a clean container
and allow it to sit or sequester for a week or two.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At this time you can add sequestering agents that may help
with clarity if you soap is slightly cloudy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Glycerin or sugar solutions are often used, as is
alcohol.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have used glycerin at a
rate of 1 ounce per lb of finished diluted soap.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Glycerin at this rate will not thicken your soap – in fact I
have never seen glycerin thicken liquid soap.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Neutralizing your soap.</span></b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Neutralization in liquid soapmaking is
the process of neutralizing any excess lye that may be present in your soap NOT
creating a neutral pH (7.0) product.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>This was routinely done in the past as KOH is typically only 90% pure
and to make sure that all the oils were saponified, an excess <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>of KOH was used.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The current online calculators we now
have available to us take the KOH purity into account which gives us much more
accurate measurements.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There are
many older formulas and tutorials out there that are formulated with a lye
excess in which this neutralization needs to be done.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you formulate without a lye excess and up to a 3%
superfat, you will not need have any excess lye and therefore will not need to
neutralize your soap.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Borax is a
buffer that will neutralize any excess lye but will only take your soap’s pH
down to about 9.2 (the pH of the borax).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Citric acid is a pH adjuster that will neutralize the excess lye AND
lower your pH.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you use citric
acid, you must be very careful not to use too much as you can lower your pH to
the “breaking point” of your soap and your soap will start to separate out into
fatty acids, water and potassium citrate and will no longer be soap.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Adding other additives,
fragrance and color to your soap.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-left: .25in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->Using anything other than distilled water (and
the sequestering agents above) to dilute your soap is setting up a breeding
ground for bacteria, yeast and or mold.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Please consider this when thinking about dilution.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: .25in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->There are several things you can add to your
diluted soap to enhance its properties.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some additives are in powdered form and should be
dissolved in distilled water first others are already in liquid form.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Anything insoluble, will float on top
or fall to the bottom of your soap.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>You can superfat your soap with water soluble oils like Water Soluble
Shea Butter (PEG 50 Shea Butter) or Turkey Red Castor Oil (sulfated Castor
oil).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: .25in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Fragrance and/or essential oils.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You can easily add these to your soap at 1 – 3% of your
finished soap weight, I find less is more in liquid soap and start with small amounts.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> You can always add more, but you cannot take the scent away. </span>Even though
these are oils, they will easily incorporate if you heat up your soap first
before adding them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some people have success just adding
them to room temp soap too.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Experiment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some people
prefer to use a solubizer like polysorbate 20 or other fragrance oil modifiers before they add the FO/EO to their soap.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Please note that polysorbate 20 can cloud your
soap.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>ALWAYS TEST A NEW FRAGRANCE
OR ESSENTIAL OIL ON A SMALL SAMPLE OF SOAP FIRST.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not all fragrance or essential oils play nice with liquid
soap and you do not want to ruin an entire batch by adding an incompatible
FO/EO.</div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">4.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->Coloring your soap.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Liquid dyes work best.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not all liquid colorants are liquid
dyes and if you want to keep your soap in a clear state, use dyes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Brambleberry has a nice selection of
FD&C liquid dyes and you want to use the low pH ones.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I know this seems counterintuitive in a
high pH product, but that is the information I was given by them and I have
great results with the low pH dyes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Many people do use micas, but you will find over time, that they will
settle to the bottom of your soap.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Another way to color your soap is to infuse one of your oils with
certain botanicals that may color it.</div>
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<br /></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Preservatives<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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Preservatives can be a touchy subject with soapmakers on
both sides of the debate and many more in the middle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The higher natural pH of liquid soap does make it more
difficult for yeast and mold and even bacteria to grow.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The higher the concentration of soap
will too.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The higher the pH of the
product and the higher the soap concentration, the lesser the likelihood of
things growing in it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
higher the sanitary conditioners of your work environment and utensils, the
better too.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, we are now
getting into lowering the pH of our soaps into the 8.5 – 9.0 range either
naturally via the oils and formulas used or by using pH adjusters.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In these cases one must consider
whether a preservative will be needed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>You will also want to consider a preservative if you add any type of
botanical or other additive that provides a breeding ground for nasties in your
soap (aloe, proteins, etc.).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some
of these additives may already be preserved in the raw material state, but keep
in mind that that preservative is just enough to keep the raw ingredient
preserved and is not adequate to preserve it in a product or the entire product
once it is added.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you decide to
use a preservative for you soap, you need to choose one that is effective in a
higher pH product.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This blog has
great information on preservatives in general and specific information on
liquid soap. <a href="http://makingskincare.com/preservatives/">http://makingskincare.com/preservatives/</a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In soaps that I choose to add preservative, I use Liquid
Germall plus or Suttocide A - both of which must be added to cool soap.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
~ Faith</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<br /></div>
Copyright 2006 - 2015 Alaiyna B. Designs/Alaiyna B. Bath and Body. All rights reserved. All text and images are the property of Alaiyna B. Designs and/or Alaiyna B. Bath and Body. No part of this document or webpage may be reproduced by any means without prior written consent of Alaiyna B. Designs and/or Alaiyna B. Bath and Body.</div>
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<br /></div>
Faith Orioldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07506867106085799485noreply@blogger.com3