It's killing me.

[mandy318]

Really. I'm dying. I unmolded my soap, but it's too soft to cut.

It's my second batch and I think it looks so pretty and I can't wait to see it in bars!!

I don't know if soaping will make me a more patient person or a person who needs anti-anxiety meds!

The too-soft soap

 

[Susie]

Take a deep breath. Take another. We have all been there and done that. It just means that you have been assimilated into Soapers Anonymous.

 

[not_ally]

It is so frustrating! Expecially b/c your soap looks so pretty on top. Hold on if you can. I would tell you to go ahead and cut even if it is too soon, but I really like your top, I think it might get smushed if you do.

 

[Obsidian]

I was terrible at cutting my soaps too soon, I still do on occasion. Its does get easier to wait as time goes by but the first few batches are torture waiting to cut.

 

[CaraBou]

Getting it out of the mold without wrecking it is the hard part -- and you've passed that! So what harm could you really do if you just cut one teeny tiny bar??

Oh what a bad influence I am!! (Sorry! Don't listen to me -- stay the course!)

 

[Relle]

Being patient is the hard part.:smile:

I can see that it's soft, because it's damaged on the right hand corner. Next time leave it in the mould longer, before you get it out and then leave another couple of days before cutting.

 

[mandy318]

Yeah, I way underestimated how soft it actually was. I'm lucky the whole loaf didn't fall apart.

For some reason I started this soapy journey thinking that it takes around 8-10 hours at the most in a mold before soap is ready to cut. Must've read it somewhere and absorbed it as gospel. I'm realizing now that it varies A LOT!

At least I only messed up the very end.

 

[CTAnton]

mandy you might want to remember to save a piece of this soap for posterity...and being your early on in the addiction you might as well save from your first batch...this second batch being your "problem child"...
I've got my first soap here from last December...a castile....just a reminder of the joy of the first time saponification mesmerized you!
Soap on!

 

[Seawolfe]

Yeah, I way underestimated how soft it actually was. I'm lucky the whole loaf didn't fall apart.

For some reason I started this soapy journey thinking that it takes around 8-10 hours at the most in a mold before soap is ready to cut. Must've read it somewhere and absorbed it as gospel. I'm realizing now that it varies A LOT!

At least I only messed up the very end.

Almost all of my CP soaps take 24 hours or more (up to 4 days!) before they can be un moulded and cut. Now salt bars can be 4-8 hours. You got lucky!

 

[mandy318]

Cut it!! It sat overnight out of the mold and I checked this morning. It was either cut this morning, or not until after work, 10 hours later. I was afraid it would get too hard, based on how much it hardened up overnight.

I'm so happy with it! I didn't want it to gel, and it didn't. When I first became interested in soaping what I really wanted to create were colorful, swirly, fancy bars full of exfoliants and additives. I totally see the beauty now in a simple, creamy, lightly scented bar. <3

I used lavender and lemongrass eo, but I mostly smell lemongrass.

 

[mandy318]

mandy you might want to remember to save a piece of this soap for posterity...and being your early on in the addiction you might as well save from your first batch...this second batch being your "problem child"...
I've got my first soap here from last December...a castile....just a reminder of the joy of the first time saponification mesmerized you!
Soap on!

I will do this for sure!

 

[navigator9]

I think your soap is beautiful! I love an uncolored, creamy looking bar of soap. I always cringe a little when I hear people refer to them as "plain". I don't think there is any such thing as a plain bar of handmade soap.

 

[LittleCrazyWolf]

Great job Mandy, they look beautiful! I also love "plain" bars. I think they are elegant. One of my favorites is an uncolored/unscented goats milk soap...it looks so creamy and has a lovely subtle scent.

Welcome to the addiction!