how to get the 'whipped cream' look on top of cp soap

[sewforpeace]

Hi...I have noticed many new soaps on the market that are cp and have the most delicious looking tops much like whipped cream. Does anyone know how this is getting accomplished. I tried the other day by taking my soap to a very thick trace and didn't cover it with saran wrap which I have always done to keep off the soda ash. I did cover it with a blanket and it kept its raised swirls and looks great...but is soft days later. Yesterday I tried another batch, it looked great in the mold. But this morning it has all flattened out. Any one know how to do this successfully batch after batch?? Thanks.

 

[JackiK]

I know there is a post on here somewhere with the recipe/directions. I've used it numerous times lately. I'll re-type it here for you, which is faster than searching for the original post. Make sure you read all the instructions before attempting this. I got in a hurry on my first batch and had a flub.

100 g OO
100 g CO
50 g Castor
500 g PO
10 oz. water
103 g Naoh

Put the solid oils in the mixer first and whip up until it's nice and fluffy. Add liquid oils slowly and whip until fluffy.

Then add your lye water slowly and keep whipping. You're going to lose some whip. You can also add your fragrance and color now.

Make the lye water the night before and keep it in the fridge. You want everything either cold (lye water) or room temp.

You can also put oils over ice (like when whipping shea butter) to stiffen them up a bit.

Kitchen aide or hand mixer can be used.

You want to use more (60%) solid oils/fats to get a better whip.

Now, here's some notes from my experiences:

1. Ice bath not necessary when using palm oil.
2. If substituting Crisco, ice would help.
3. Melt your solid oils together and mix well, then cool. If you refrigerate your solids, CO is too hard and leaves chunks. (This may be due to cool weather, also.)

This recipe worked really well for me. I was able to put it in a piping bag to use on cupcake soaps also.

Good luck. Let us know how yours turns out.

 

[sewforpeace]

Thanks JackiK, I think that process would work for the 'cupcake' types of soaps, but how would I take a coldprocess soap, pour it in the mold and then get the peaks and textures on the top without adding an additional layer. Is anyone curing their cp without insulating it? Are you having trouble with soda ash? Yesterday I kept a small quarter size piece of soap out on a dish and today the ultramarine is brighter in that piece than in the insulated mold. Also, no soda ash on it. Guess I will make a batch today and let it set out without being covered with a blanket and see what happens.

 

[ToniD]

When I read the orginal post, I thought you were talking about "Lyn tops", instead of the whipped soap like JackiK described.

Depending on which method you want, You can search for Lyntops, which are cp brought to a heavy trace and then shaped. Lyn did a video on how to do them.

 

[JackiK]

Thanks JackiK, I think that process would work for the 'cupcake' types of soaps, but how would I take a coldprocess soap, pour it in the mold and then get the peaks and textures on the top without adding an additional layer. Is anyone curing their cp without insulating it? Are you having trouble with soda ash? Yesterday I kept a small quarter size piece of soap out on a dish and today the ultramarine is brighter in that piece than in the insulated mold. Also, no soda ash on it. Guess I will make a batch today and let it set out without being covered with a blanket and see what happens.

Sorry. Your original post mentioned tops like whipped cream, which is why I sent you that recipe. If you were talking about textured tops, then Lyn's tutorial is what you need.

 

[rubyslippers]

Here is a link to Lyn’s fluffy top soap technique that she posted on youtube:

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NBwBeXafR-o"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NBwBeXafR-o[/ame]

 

[sewforpeace]

I took some time to watch Lyn's video on 'sculpting' the top of her soap. I tried that with a batch scented with eo and it kept the shape nicely. Second batch looked beautiful in the mold, but like I said it flattened out. I watchen another video where the cp was then placed in a warm oven. That is one step I hope to avoid. I noticed on a video by Ariel Secret Soap that she does cover her soap with a towel. Maybe my wool is keeping the soap too hot. Well, back to the soap kitchen. Thanks for the links and thank you Jackie for taking the time to add that whipped soap process. That is next on my list of things to learn. So much has happened in the art of soapmaking in the last 10 years that I have been away from it. Beautiful and talented soapartist out there!