Here are some results from my experiments changing confetti proportions and size, as well as color schemes. I like the grey one where the confetti is 15% of the total batch weight the best. The green soap has a bit more, maybe 25% of total batch weight and seems “overcrowded”. I think a higher proportion of smaller chunks would work better at 25% confetti. The one on the right is my “exotic” color scheme and was layered using my new mold with one divider. I‘m happy enough with the layering, the proportions and the size of the confetti, but I’m not sure what I think about the contrasting colors. All of this confetti is from different parts of my first wrecked ring attempt.
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ETA: I forgot to mention that all of these soaps were made at 40% lye concentration and using a lard (50%) based recipe, with the “melted” oils in the high 70F range and the lye water a bit cooler. Even though the oils were not clear when I added the lye water, there are no stearic spots apparent. BUT, the lard and CO were melted clear before I added the liquid oils - RBO and/or OO and/or HO sunflower. I avoided castor so as not to push my luck. I got bold enough to try BB’s Grapefruit Lily, a notorious accelerator, in the grey soap and had no acceleration. In comparison, I haven’t been able to produce similar results when I start my palm-based recipe with the oils below 95F or my soy wax-based recipe below 120F.