First soap in a while - with nutmeg and black tea specks

[nadsnads]

Reused my basic 4-oil recipe (25% coconut, 15% castor, 25% palm, 35% olive), and I really wanted to use a Pringles can, but I ran out of parchment paper, so I gambled. You can see that the soap got stuck to the mold and had a texture when I unmolded it, although it only showed up on one side. It almost seemed like one side hardened and the other didn't, and his is after I waited 3 days to unmold it. Maybe the high oil content has something to do with that.

Despite leaving it outside when it was cold at night, it still mostly gelled. You can see the different gelling patterns from the top-left (bottom of the pringles can), and clockwise (top of can).

I thought the nutmeg specks were cool and together with black tea give a multidimensional effect, i just hope they're not scratchy. I'm intrigued by how the black tea gives off some color but it's only visible at the very top. I wonder if i could color soap with just black tea. The base is colored with 1/2tsp kaolin and 1/2 tsp rhassoul clay.

I messed up and dumped all the clays in the batter at trace without hydrating them first, then furiously stick-blended the clumps. I think it didn't turned out too bad

 

[KiwiMoose]

Well done! The reason your soap was so soft/sticky was probably because of the 15% castor oil. It is rarely used at over 10%, and most soapers don't even use over 5%.

 

[artemis]

Using black tea to color soap has been hit or miss for me. Sometimes I get a nice dark tan and others it barely colors it. For the soap in the link below, when the batter wasn't as dark as I hoped, I had to add a little cocoa powder to bump it up.

Post in thread 'SMF June 2020 Un-Challenge - Half & Half' SMF June 2020 Un-Challenge - Half & Half

Also, to avoid the color of the tea leaves bleeding into the soap, steep them first, then dry them out before adding to soap, just like you would for coffee grounds. And, yes: they will be scratchy.

 

[Ford]

Pringle can texture. Been there. Lol One would assume the silver lining. In the can would be OK. Recipe suggestion. OO 40%, Palm 30%, CO 25%, Castor 5%.

 

[nadsnads]

Well done! The reason your soap was so soft/sticky was probably because of the 15% castor oil. It is rarely used at over 10%, and most soapers don't even use over 5%.

Ah good call. I really don't remember why it was 15% in my notes. I'll use less next time.

Using black tea to color soap has been hit or miss for me. Sometimes I get a nice dark tan and others it barely colors it. For the soap in the link below, when the batter wasn't as dark as I hoped, I had to add a little cocoa powder to bump it up.

Post in thread 'SMF June 2020 Un-Challenge - Half & Half' SMF June 2020 Un-Challenge - Half & Half

Thanks for sharing! Looks great and maybe I'll try some cocoa next time too.

Also, to avoid the color of the tea leaves bleeding into the soap, steep them first, then dry them out before adding to soap, just like you would for coffee grounds. And, yes: they will be scratchy.

I kinda like the bleeding effect tho but good to know

Pringle can texture. Been there. Lol One would assume the silver lining. In the can would be OK. Recipe suggestion. OO 40%, Palm 30%, CO 25%, Castor 5%.

Thanks I'll try this!