# Loaf advice



## scrummysuds (Jul 4, 2011)

Hi there, I plan to make a loaf of melt and pour soap soon, I have a melt and pour base which is an sls free shea butter base. I will fragrance it with cherry blossom fragrance but there are a few questions I want to ask first.

Do I needing to spray some rubbing alcohol of the loaf before setting? I have done this with small individual soaps which had different layers, but wasn't sure if I have to do it with a loaf.

I want to colourit in some way, I have a red colourant, what would be an easy effect to create for a first timer?

Can I line my wooden soap mould with greaseproof paper? If not what do I use?


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## Catmehndi (Jul 4, 2011)

scrummysuds said:
			
		

> Hi there, I plan to make a loaf of melt and pour soap soon, I have a melt and pour base which is an sls free shea butter base. I will fragrance it with cherry blossom fragrance but there are a few questions I want to ask first.
> 
> Do I needing to spray some rubbing alcohol of the loaf before setting? I have done this with small individual soaps which had different layers, but wasn't sure if I have to do it with a loaf.
> 
> ...



Hi Scrummysuds and welcome to the wonderful world of soap making! 
Alcohol is used between layers of soap and to remove excess bubbles on the top. No need to spray your mold. 
As for colouring, figure out first how much your loaf mold will hold (measure with a liquid) then, you can decide whether you want to make layers and how many. Use your colourant in various amounts each time to vary your layers - then you can spritz the alcohol between the layers. There are loads of online instructions - written or on video. Pick the medium that's friendliest to you and have fun!

Good luck!


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## llineb (Jul 9, 2011)

I would use a silicone loaf mold not the wooden one if you are doing melt and pour.  If you don't have one you can use tupperware or a diaper wipe container.  This way you can get the soap out when it hardens.

You could do a red and white swirls.  Just pour you first layer of red soap and then let it form a skin on top that you doesn't break open when you touch it with your finger.  Then heat your white base hot but not boiling(never good to have your soap base get so hot it boils)...it will be this hot soap that will melt the skin on the bottom layer in a few places and swirl the colors together without them mixing.  Next...  Spray the red layer with alcohol until it looks wet then pour your white layer and wait.  You will begin to see places where the red will start to come through.  Spritz these areas to make the swirl bigger.

Just make sure you don't let you bottom layer get too hard or your soap while not swirl.  You want it to be solid enough that you can make a dent with light pressure from your finger without pushing it through.

Happy soaping! 

Let us know what you end up doing and how it turned out.


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## Mune (Jul 11, 2011)

I am a little late on posting, but the one thing not covered by the other two already was the red. I am sure you know this, but in case you have not thought about it, clear base for the red soap. If you want the soap to be a bit more opaque then clear red, you can add tiny pieces of white soap to the mixture. This also depends on the type of colorant as well. Liquid will be more difficult to get a solid opaque red from where as a mica or powdered colorant may be a bit more forgiving. I also use cocoa butter to given my soaps a harder set afterwards and not such a rubbery texture. This can also help with the opaqueness.


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## scrummysuds (Jul 11, 2011)

Well my swirl effect didn't quite work out hehe I put too much colour in it but I like how the soap turned out, because my base was white (it was sls free and had shea butter in it) I got a lovely bright pink colour through my soap. The cherry bakewell scent worked out very well using a cherry fragrance and an almond fragrance, smells yummy. It lathers up lovely too.
I hope the pic works...


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## llineb (Jul 11, 2011)

I was just thinking about the Almond scent...it might have vanilla in it and your soap may turn brown in the next few weeks or month.  If this is the case you would need to use vanilla stabilizer from WSP next time.


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## scrummysuds (Jul 12, 2011)

thanks for the tip, I knew vanilla can turn soap brown but didnt know the almond could have vanilla in it x


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