haven't HP in forever...

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Ruthie

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It has been close to 15 years since I did HP, I think. But I have an order for additional bars (of a certain fragrance) to be delivered before Christmas. I can't afford to mess up, as this is the last of a discontinued fragrance. The CP bars of the same fragrance have a bit of a layered swirl, but I'm going to skip that for the above reason. If I choose to color them a solid color, should I add the color before or after the cook? I wish I'd made better notes 15 years ago!

Thanks for the help. I did search as long as my ADD brain would let me, but did not find the answer.
 
You can do it either way. If I am using TD I always add it to my oils before the lye, before the cook. I do the same with some of my colors, too. Others I add after, but it really is just a matter of preference and ease, no rule about micas or oxides or anything.

Since your fragrance is discontinued, you can use as little as half as much in HP. If you really love it, you may want to save an ounce or two to try to have it duplicated somewhere.

While HP does need to cure, I agree it is much harder much faster and easier to ship, but you could also just take a water discount, force gel, and still be in pretty good shape in 3 weeks. They are most likely for gifts, which means that they will still have a little time before the user receives and opens them.

Good luck :)
 
Depending on your recipe and your fragrance and how complicated your swirl is, you can go as low as a 40% solution, but 33-35% should be a nice safe range.

*I mean strength of lye solution, not the water as a percent of oils thing! You have to change the box on soapcalc
 
I personally add my colour at the beginning of the cook - I only use clays/pigments/activated charcoal in my HP, and it's always turned out well. I find it helps me get a nicer, more uniform colour
 
Well, I hope it is not a complete mess when I cut into it. I decided to discount the water and CPOP. It got too thick too fast. I should have skipped the color but was stubborn. Did some serious glopping and pounding. Put it in the oven and left it on for about 30 min then turned it off and left it in there overnight. The top looks gnarly but that can be trimmed. Hope to cut into it tonight or tomorrow if it allows. I usually refrigerate/prevent gel so I am playing this by ear.

Thanks again for all your help.
 

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