I got myself all excited to make a soap with an antler design in it -- attached to a caribou even. Okay, Jeneelk got me all excited to make it. Anyway, I drafted a design, figured out the stages, and set about to make it happen. Not long into it I figured out it was not going to work -- it was just too intricate. So I quickly thought of Plan B, which was just to make something pretty with the colors I had.
Apparently my sights were set too high, as I didn't even get soap in the end. At this point, I have two molds with a very soft substance in them. I am so bummed because I was trying out new micas and I probably just wasted them. I haven't thrown anything out but I am just sick about muddling it all together into a crock pot to see if I can salvage it. I envision a brown mess, exactly what I don't want!
I always use soap calc and I was really careful about weighing and back/re-weighing for accuracy. My oils combo was nothing special, nothing I'd expect trouble from. But a few things were different. I don't have much experience with micas and had never used either of the two I used here. But they both had good CP reviews. They were Hot Pink and Electric Blue from the Conservatorie, at about 3/4 tsp per 500 g of oils. There is also some orange (or yellow) in one of the batches from beta carotene capsules. (And before you say it, yes, this was going to be a very colorful caribou). The fragrance was overall 6%, with about 60% of that coming from lavender EO and the other 40% from an FO I've never used -- Truly Patchouli from Soapalooza.
Another difference was that I tried to force ful gell in a way that I have never tried before. I pre-heated the oven to 170, turned it off, then about 10 minutes later put the soap in. About a half hour later (before going to bed), I put the oven light on for good measure. When I got up this morning and cracked the oven door, I was pleasantly surprised that the oven was warm. I took that as a sign that the soap was 'doing it's thing' and just left it alone for several more hours.
When I checked on it again (17 hrs total) I noticed it was still warm, and it dawned on me that it was probably the light doing that. I didn't realize the light would have such a great influence on temperature. Anyway, both batches were both dry to the touch but unnaturally soft and squishy underneath! Horrified, I closed the oven door, turned off the light, and left them there like monsters lurking in the closet.
Eek! What happened to my soap?? What happened to my micas?? As if it wasn't enough that I couldn't personify my alter ego into a bar of soap, I apparently can't even make soap!
They are still in the dark oven. Tomorrow after work I'll have to do something. But what? HP, really?? Fingers are crossed that pink + blue + orange = something very pretty. That's all I'm asking for. Oh, and of course, SOAP.
Apparently my sights were set too high, as I didn't even get soap in the end. At this point, I have two molds with a very soft substance in them. I am so bummed because I was trying out new micas and I probably just wasted them. I haven't thrown anything out but I am just sick about muddling it all together into a crock pot to see if I can salvage it. I envision a brown mess, exactly what I don't want!
I always use soap calc and I was really careful about weighing and back/re-weighing for accuracy. My oils combo was nothing special, nothing I'd expect trouble from. But a few things were different. I don't have much experience with micas and had never used either of the two I used here. But they both had good CP reviews. They were Hot Pink and Electric Blue from the Conservatorie, at about 3/4 tsp per 500 g of oils. There is also some orange (or yellow) in one of the batches from beta carotene capsules. (And before you say it, yes, this was going to be a very colorful caribou). The fragrance was overall 6%, with about 60% of that coming from lavender EO and the other 40% from an FO I've never used -- Truly Patchouli from Soapalooza.
Another difference was that I tried to force ful gell in a way that I have never tried before. I pre-heated the oven to 170, turned it off, then about 10 minutes later put the soap in. About a half hour later (before going to bed), I put the oven light on for good measure. When I got up this morning and cracked the oven door, I was pleasantly surprised that the oven was warm. I took that as a sign that the soap was 'doing it's thing' and just left it alone for several more hours.
When I checked on it again (17 hrs total) I noticed it was still warm, and it dawned on me that it was probably the light doing that. I didn't realize the light would have such a great influence on temperature. Anyway, both batches were both dry to the touch but unnaturally soft and squishy underneath! Horrified, I closed the oven door, turned off the light, and left them there like monsters lurking in the closet.
Eek! What happened to my soap?? What happened to my micas?? As if it wasn't enough that I couldn't personify my alter ego into a bar of soap, I apparently can't even make soap!
They are still in the dark oven. Tomorrow after work I'll have to do something. But what? HP, really?? Fingers are crossed that pink + blue + orange = something very pretty. That's all I'm asking for. Oh, and of course, SOAP.