# Tea Tree Soaps (and a black, two tone textured tea tree)



## timbudtwo (May 23, 2010)

So, the soap on the left is a standard tried and true recipe that I love and everyone I know loves. The soap on the right is almost the same recipe (little less cleansing) and I added some grape wood charcoal powder to the base. I saved some of the uncolored soap and poured it on top and textured it after it gelled. I have done colored swirls before, but never layering. Nor had I tried texturing, or charcoal. Figured I would kill three birds with one stone.

I also destroyed my mold in the process of the black soap. I was attempting to make a linerless mold. However the soap refused to come out and the soap was worth more than the materials so I tore the mold apart instead of tearing the soap out. I am pleased with the results. I think next time I will stick to a lighter trace before I pour (I blended to a very thick trace so that the layers would not mix) because of some small bubbles I got in the soap that are noticeable against the bleak blackness of the bar. They are just noticeable in real life, but the photos make them very evident (due to the flash.)

Oh, I also was able to use the custom stamp I cast out of aluminum on the black soap too. It is a triskelion (lower right is the decal I used when making the sculpey positive before I cast it.) It is hard to see on the soap because I used my on camera flash to shoot the soap, so a lot of definition is lost.


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## April (May 23, 2010)

I like both soaps.  I am a big fan of both layered and black soaps.  The black and white here is a beauty.  I know that charcoal is good for the skin too.

Thank you for posting these, I really enjoyed them.

Regards,


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## agriffin (May 24, 2010)

Tea Tree is my favorite scent for soap.  I love the look of the black and white!  Great job!


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## NancyRogers (May 24, 2010)

Lovely! Must get some charcoal...


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## timbudtwo (May 25, 2010)

NancyRogers said:
			
		

> Lovely! Must get some charcoal...



Make your own, its disgusting easy.

Take an old cookie tin, put in dried wood, close lid, stab a couple knife holes on the top. Place on grill, or throw in your fireplace. Once it starts throwing out white smoke it is done charring the wood and you can powder it with a coffee grinder. I used 3TBS in a 4 pound batch. Goes a ways.


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## Deb (May 25, 2010)

May I ask how you cast an aluminium stamp?

As I'd love to have a custom stamp for my stuff....But I'm really not sure how to go about it!


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## Deda (May 25, 2010)

very pretty.


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## timbudtwo (May 25, 2010)

Deb said:
			
		

> May I ask how you cast an aluminium stamp?
> 
> As I'd love to have a custom stamp for my stuff....But I'm really not sure how to go about it!



Not as easy as making charcoal I am afraid.

I had built a forge back in high school that I used to melt salt and I was going to separate the sodium out via electrolysis. Got as far as melting and our electrodes broke. So I decided to get into metal casting. 

Casting is very much like using soap molds with designs on them. They are like a photographic negative, so that when demold you have it looking proper. With metal casting you have to make the negative, and to make a negative you must first make a positive .

I made a positive out of sculpey clay (oven bake plastic clay, wonderful stuff.) Then I made a mixture of sand, bentonite clay, and just enough water to hold it together. I used the positive to make an impression in this sand mixture (it's called green sand, there is fancy oil based stuff you can get too that is more versatile) and then I melted down the aluminum in a crucible with my forge, which is coal fired. This Is what I got:


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## ToniD (May 26, 2010)

The black and white soap is marvelous looking!    very distinguished 

You have been so generous with advice,  would you  mind including a description of how to do textured tops?

And,   what kind of wood for charcoal?

Thanks bunches!


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## craftgirl08 (May 26, 2010)

Gorgeous soaps!!


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## timbudtwo (May 26, 2010)

ToniD said:
			
		

> The black and white soap is marvelous looking!    very distinguished
> 
> You have been so generous with advice,  would you  mind including a description of how to do textured tops?
> 
> ...



Charcoal was from grape wood. Literally, grapevines that are turned into charcoal. I make pyrotechnics as a hobby as well and grape wood is some of the finest charcoal to use in making black powder. You can buy it from special suppliers.

For the textured tops, I used a butter knife. I got the soap to a thick trace and poured and then after about 10 minutes I textured the tops. I drew something up to visually show you what I did:


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## ToniD (May 26, 2010)

Thanks so much for the good illustrations,  information and education.   I had to look up pyrotechnic.   Timbudtwo,  You sure have a variety of interesting hobbies!


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## soapbubble (May 27, 2010)

beatiful soaps!  did u use TD to get it extra white??


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## ewenique (May 27, 2010)

Wow!  Lovely soaps and great instructions.


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## MagiaDellaLuna (May 28, 2010)

Beautiful soap and excellent advice 

Now I can finally make some bamboo charcoal for myself. Thanks for sharing your process.


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## timbudtwo (May 28, 2010)

soapbubble said:
			
		

> beatiful soaps!  did u use TD to get it extra white??



Nope, Its just the contrast. The soap on the left is the same recipe sans charcoal. The bit of ash on top helps make it a bit more white though!


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