# SMF Challenge November 2021 - Rainbows



## szaza (Nov 2, 2021)

For the November Challenge, we're going to explore Rainbows! I don't know about where all you guys & girls are, but the weather's been pretty dreary around here and I thought we could all use some color in our lives 






Image by modern soapmaking

* * * *

PLEASE READ ALL RULES for the challenge.

*SMF Challenge General Rules*

1. To enter you must have been a SMF member for at least one month and have a minimum of 50 posts _*at the time the Challenge is posted*_ (sorry but no exceptions on this).  Supporting Members can enter immediately, the time and post requirements are removed.

2. The only members eligible to vote are those with their names on the sign-up list - regardless of whether or not you have submitted an entry. The sign-up list will be posted in this thread.

3. This month’s voting will be password locked. Passwords will be sent by private message (via SMF conversations) to registered participants ONLY, so please check your messages when the voting begins.

4. A separate entry thread will be created and this is where you will post photos of your entry soap. Please do not post photos of your entry until the entry thread is opened. Post pictures of your entry soap only in the challenge entry thread.

Non-entry photos are always welcome and may be posted in the general challenge thread. The challenge thread should be used to upload pictures of any of your challenge attempts (other than your entry) where you can ask for advice and discuss the technique with other members, and provide helpful hints you learned along the way.

5. Your soap must be made after the monthly challenge has been announced.

6. In the spirit of advancing our soap making skills, all members who sign-up for a SMF Challenge do so with the expectation that they will make every attempt to make a soap for the challenge. Writing about your experience in the challenge is encouraged. By doing so, each participant has a better knowledge of your process when voting. We do understand that sometimes things come up in our lives and throw our plans out of whack, however signing up with no intent to participate and only to vote is not in the spirit of the challenges and is not allowed.

7. Please add your name to the sign-up list if you wish to participate (you don’t have to enter a soap at the end if you don’t feel happy with what you have made), but please do post your experiences in the main Challenge thread and be prepared to be encouraged to continue trying.

8. Constructive criticism is welcomed, but please keep your comments polite.

* * * *


Competition entries must be uploaded to the separate entry thread before the closing date.
The entry thread will open on *November 21 at 8PM GMT* (Please follow the challenge specific rules as to what you need to enter).
After the closing date on *November 27 at 11:59 PM GMT* the winning entry will be chosen using Survey Monkey. Voting will be open from November 27-29 and the winner will be announced on November 30. There is no prize attached to this challenge.
If you fail to make the challenge deadline, you are still welcome to upload pictures of your soap onto the thread, but your entry will not be eligible for voting. We always love to see anything you have created.
Even though there is no prize, this is still a competition. If your entry is deemed not to fulfill the general rules or the rules specific to the challenge in any way, then you will be given the opportunity to amend your entry. If this is not possible, your entry will not be included in the voting.
All the challenge mods reserve the right to have the final say on whether a soap is eligible for voting.
* * * *

Specific rules for the Rainbow challenge:

- For this challenge you will create a soap with rainbow colors. Please choose at least 5 colors for your rainbow color scheme (obviously you can use more than 5 colors if you want). 

- Black and white can be used as accent colors, but don't count for the 5 colors. 

- You're free to use any technique or any process you'd like (CP, HP, MP,....) 

- Please enter a singe picture of at least 2 bars of colorful soaps

* * * *

Tips for this challenge: 

- Since we're working with many different colors, make sure you have enough time to divide your batter and mix in the colors. I'd suggest using a relatively slow moving recipe and well-behaved FO/EO. If you use a naughty scent, add it after mixing in your colors. Dividing at emulsion can also help you save time. It's better to divide too early than too late. Even if you're not at emulsion just yet, you can still mix more after dividing.

- Make sure you're at light trace (or thicker) when you start pouring, so the colors don't blend together and get muddy (if you divided at emulsion, mix until trace after adding the colors)

- It helps to make slightly bigger batches of soap, so you can easily measure out your batter (doing 7 colors with a 300g batch is terrible, I speak from experience..)

- Use a white base recipe, to make sure the colors stay true. 

Modern Soapmaking has some awesome tutorials and video's of soaps with rainbow colors:
Spin swirl
Clyde slide
Elemental swirl
Ombre
Modified Hanger swirl
Petal soap
Modified Mantra swirl
Drop swirl
Peacock swirl
Tiger stripe soap

And here are some more videos:




I attempted some rainbow soaps with natural colors in previous soap challenges. A combination of paprika, annatto, spirulina, indigo and alkanet seamed to work pretty ok. I once added pink clay but that kind of threw everything of. Making intermediate colors also helps (but then you end up with a lot of colors..)


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## szaza (Nov 2, 2021)

Oh yeah.. Sign-up list
Please copy the sign up list and add your own name to participate! 

1. CatandOak-ooooooo guys! This one is going to be fun!


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## Peachy Clean Soap (Nov 2, 2021)

szaza said:


> Oh yeah.. Sign-up list
> Please copy the sign up list and add your own name to participate!
> 
> 1. CatandOak-ooooooo guys! This one is going to be fun!
> 2. Peachy Clean Soap


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## Cat&Oak (Nov 2, 2021)

szaza said:


> @Cat&Oak there was no need to delete your post. Thanks for reminding me about the sign-up list!


Awww thanks @szaza I was just trying to make it look cleaner ❤


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## dibbles (Nov 2, 2021)

Oh yeah.. Sign-up list
Please copy the sign up list and add your own name to participate!

1. CatandOak-ooooooo guys! This one is going to be fun!
2. Peachy Clean Soap 
3. dibbles - I could use a bit of rainbow in my life


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## Primrose (Nov 3, 2021)

Oh yeah.. Sign-up list
Please copy the sign up list and add your own name to participate!

1. CatandOak-ooooooo guys! This one is going to be fun!
2. Peachy Clean Soap 
3. dibbles - I could use a bit of rainbow in my life
4. Primrose - fabulous!


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## ResolvableOwl (Nov 3, 2021)

Once again trying hard to _not_ participate 

But I'm angry with you all, should nobody try to replicate @Vicki C's flowery column pour technique (also ombré) but with rainbow colours.


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## Vicki C (Nov 3, 2021)

1. CatandOak-ooooooo guys! This one is going to be fun!
2. Peachy Clean Soap 
3. dibbles - I could use a bit of rainbow in my life
4. Primrose - fabulous!
5. Vicki C - yes


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## Vicki C (Nov 3, 2021)

ResolvableOwl said:


> Once again trying hard to _not_ participate
> 
> But I'm angry with you all, should nobody try to replicate @Vicki C's flowery column pour technique (also ombré) but with rainbow colours.


Ha I’m flattered - do it RO!


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## melonpan (Nov 3, 2021)

Sign-up list
Please copy the sign up list and add your own name to participate!

1. CatandOak-ooooooo guys! This one is going to be fun!
2. Peachy Clean Soap 
3. dibbles - I could use a bit of rainbow in my life
4. Primrose - fabulous!
5. Vicki C - yes 
6. melonpan - so many ideas!


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## earlene (Nov 3, 2021)

Sign-up list
Please copy the sign up list and add your own name to participate!

1. CatandOak-ooooooo guys! This one is going to be fun!
2. Peachy Clean Soap 
3. dibbles - I could use a bit of rainbow in my life
4. Primrose - fabulous!
5. Vicki C - yes 
6. melonpan - so many ideas!
7. earlene - I've chosen my inspiration photo from a trip with friends in 2013
8.


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## violets2217 (Nov 5, 2021)

Sign-up list
Please copy the sign up list and add your own name to participate!

1. CatandOak-ooooooo guys! This one is going to be fun!
2. Peachy Clean Soap 
3. dibbles - I could use a bit of rainbow in my life
4. Primrose - fabulous!
5. Vicki C - yes 
6. melonpan - so many ideas!
7. earlene - I've chosen my inspiration photo from a trip with friends in 2013
8. Violets2217- I forgot my screen name for a second! 
9.


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## violets2217 (Nov 5, 2021)

This is gonna be harder that I thought. I attempted my second try today and so glad I picked the Lavender Ginger FO. I’ve found out it is a de-accelerating FO! So long story short, I made my first batch and realized I had no coconut oil! So played with recipe and substituted Shea butter. Which I think it accelerated or false traced or something. So way to thick. And same with second batch, I could see it kinda ricing in the bottom of my pitcher as soon as I poured the lye into oils. I stirred and stick blended for like 3 seconds. Added my FO, stirred and stick blended and it was the most perfect batter ever! Lol! So I wanted to try the Clyde Slide… but second try just ended up doing the OPW pour. We will see! It’s gonna have to be my entry, cause I’m running outta oils! It was definitely a fluid pour and I’ve never scraped my containers so well!


This was my first try. Mostly just plopped in without much swirl.


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## Cat&Oak (Nov 5, 2021)

violets2217 said:


> This is gonna be harder that I thought. I attempted my second try today and so glad I picked the Lavender Ginger FO. I’ve found out it is a de-accelerating FO! So long story short, I made my first batch and realized I had no coconut oil! So played with recipe and substituted Shea butter. Which I think it accelerated or false traced or something. So way to thick. And same with second batch, I could see it kinda ricing in the bottom of my pitcher as soon as I poured the lye into oils. I stirred and stick blended for like 3 seconds. Added my FO, stirred and stick blended and it was the most perfect batter ever! Lol! So I wanted to try the Clyde Slide… but second try just ended up doing the OPW pour. We will see! It’s gonna have to be my entry, cause I’m running outta oils! It was definitely a fluid pour and I’ve never scraped my containers so well!
> View attachment 62358
> 
> This was my first try. Mostly just plopped in without much swirl.
> View attachment 62359


@violets2217 that is so beautiful!


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## szaza (Nov 5, 2021)

@violets2217 very pretty!!


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## ScentimentallyYours (Nov 6, 2021)

How did you get the texture pattern on top of the loaf?  It’s beautiful!  
Is that your soap beveler in the background?


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## violets2217 (Nov 6, 2021)

ScentimentallyYours said:


> How did you get the texture pattern on top of the loaf?  It’s beautiful!  ❤
> Is that your soap beveler in the background?


It a strip of silicone impression mat with base batter squished in the design. It’s really good at hiding ugly unsuccessful swirls! 

Yep! That’s my extra wide Wild Platanica soap router! I love it! It fits all my soaps! Even when I frost the tops of my T&S soaps!


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## ScentimentallyYours (Nov 6, 2021)

Source for impression mat?  I already have the Wild Plantanica planer on my holiday wish list.


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## ResolvableOwl (Nov 6, 2021)

I'm out.
Here is what I've come up with. I might come back to this concept in that distant future where the ancients have foretold by the elusive event called “shortage of soap”.
I'll leave it here, should someone be in need of an idea.


Spoiler: Concept for column-pour rainbow soap




Slab mould
Make a star-shaped column (if necessary, cylindrical mould + cut out trianlges from the edges) out of *transparent M&P*, and place it in the middle of the mould.
CP time. “Priming” with a large portion of black batter, poured over the star core to spread over the mould
Add CP batter coloured in as many rainbow shades as you have patience to mix colourants
Add another large portion of black batter, to “blow up” the rainbow to its final size
Do a chopstick swirl or not? (I'd leave at least one half of the mould unswirled)
Let batter solidify (avoid gel to not damage the M&P)
Unmould, cut into four pieces max (or leave it as one); optionally: plane.
Take pics with some shine-through illumination, so that the star in the middle glows by itself.
???
Profit







Good luck everyone! I'm following the challenge with great interest, but without making actual soap. (No, don't even _try_ to convince me otherwise.)


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## violets2217 (Nov 6, 2021)

ScentimentallyYours said:


> Source for impression mat?  I already have the Wild Plantanica planer on my holiday wish list.


 Umm…. The mats i have I think we’re from the first time I went crazy on AliExpress… I’ve had them a while, but I’m 95% sure that’s where I got them.
This is the second router of hers I’ve gotten. I really like my T&S molds I made and well my soaps were too tall for the original one. Fortunately she had plans for a 5” wide router someone special order previously and made and posted them one her website. So if you make extra tall soaps you may have to message her for the extra wide one. I think they are only $10 more.


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## ScentimentallyYours (Nov 6, 2021)

ResolvableOwl said:


> I'm out.
> Here is what I've come up with. I might come back to this concept in that distant future where the ancients have foretold by the elusive event called “shortage of soap”.
> I'll leave it here, should someone be in need of an idea.
> 
> ...


As, shucks @ResolvableOwl. I was planning on doing something just like that!    Now I’ll need a new idea?  Or maybe I can still practice the column pour using a mini mold and different shape columns. In the meantime I’m going back down into my dungeon and try and shovel it out so I have a place to work.


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## ResolvableOwl (Nov 6, 2021)

Well, I won't keep you from doing it!  I haven't invented the technique, nor am I overly fond of making rookie mistakes while perfecting it throughout several test batches (one of the reasons I'm not doing it IRL ).
I'd love to see you (or anyone else) come up with something similar! Enough things to alter to not need to have a bad conscience for copying me. Paper doesn't blush.


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## ScentimentallyYours (Nov 6, 2021)

ResolvableOwl said:


> Well, I won't keep you from doing it!  I haven't invented the technique, nor am I overly fond of making rookie mistakes while perfecting it throughout several test batches (one of the reasons I'm not doing it IRL ).
> I'd love to see you (or anyone else) come up with something similar! Enough things to alter to not need to have a bad conscience for copying me. Paper doesn't blush.


I confess I’m very disappointed. I was hoping you would say something like, “Great minds think a like.”


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## ResolvableOwl (Nov 6, 2021)

OK, I'll try again: “I wouldn't have matched your level of perfection anyway. It's a good thing you don't have to find diplomatic words for my mediocre makings.”


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## ScentimentallyYours (Nov 6, 2021)

ResolvableOwl said:


> OK, I'll try again: “I wouldn't have matched your level of perfection anyway. It's a good thing you don't have to find diplomatic words for my mediocre makings.”


I’m trying to match your creative brain power.    The entertainment value is immense. The frustration of actually making the soap is something different. And it’s only because I am very very stubborn that I have the tenacity to keep trying something despite multiple failures. I’m not sure perfection has anything to do with it, and if you saw my house, you would probably agree.


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## ResolvableOwl (Nov 6, 2021)

ScentimentallyYours said:


> The entertainment value is immense. The frustration of actually making the soap is something different.


Now guess why I have my personnel to do the dirty work for me. 



ScentimentallyYours said:


> if you saw my house, you would probably agree.


Your woes with your hobby basement/rodent shelter/swimming pool is enough for me to know about your house.


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## dibbles (Nov 6, 2021)

ScentimentallyYours said:


> Source for impression mat?  I already have the Wild Plantanica planer on my holiday wish list.


I have that mat and got it from amazon https://www.amazon.com/Warmoor-Sili...ssion+mat&qid=1636240965&s=home-garden&sr=1-1


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## Guspuppy (Nov 6, 2021)

Sign-up list
Please copy the sign up list and add your own name to participate!

1. CatandOak-ooooooo guys! This one is going to be fun!
2. Peachy Clean Soap 
3. dibbles - I could use a bit of rainbow in my life
4. Primrose - fabulous!
5. Vicki C - yes 
6. melonpan - so many ideas!
7. earlene - I've chosen my inspiration photo from a trip with friends in 2013
8. Violets2217- I forgot my screen name for a second! 
9.Guspuppy - I need to make soap anyway!


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## TheGecko (Nov 6, 2021)

Sign-up list
Please copy the sign up list and add your own name to participate!

1. CatandOak-ooooooo guys! This one is going to be fun!
2. Peachy Clean Soap 
3. dibbles - I could use a bit of rainbow in my life
4. Primrose - fabulous!
5. Vicki C - yes 
6. melonpan - so many ideas!
7. earlene - I've chosen my inspiration photo from a trip with friends in 2013
8. Violets2217- I forgot my screen name for a second!
9. Guspuppy - I need to make soap anyway! 
10. TheGecko - Why not.


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## linne1gi (Nov 7, 2021)

TheGecko said:


> Sign-up list
> Please copy the sign up list and add your own name to participate!
> 
> 1. CatandOak-ooooooo guys! This one is going to be fun!
> ...


11. linne1gi - I love rainbows!


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## glendam (Nov 7, 2021)

1. CatandOak-ooooooo guys! This one is going to be fun!
2. Peachy Clean Soap 
3. dibbles - I could use a bit of rainbow in my life
4. Primrose - fabulous!
5. Vicki C - yes 
6. melonpan - so many ideas!
7. earlene - I've chosen my inspiration photo from a trip with friends in 2013
8. Violets2217- I forgot my screen name for a second!
9. Guspuppy - I need to make soap anyway! 
10. TheGecko - Why not.
11. linne1gi - I love rainbows!
12. glendam - Just the push I needed to finally attempt this


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## Martha (Nov 7, 2021)

1. CatandOak-ooooooo guys! This one is going to be fun!
2. Peachy Clean Soap 
3. dibbles - I could use a bit of rainbow in my life
4. Primrose - fabulous!
5. Vicki C - yes 
6. melonpan - so many ideas!
7. earlene - I've chosen my inspiration photo from a trip with friends in 2013
8. Violets2217- I forgot my screen name for a second!
9. Guspuppy - I need to make soap anyway! 
10. TheGecko - Why not.
11. linne1gi - I love rainbows!
12. glendam - Just the push I needed to finally attempt this
13. Martha - This will be my first challenge. So intimidated by you guys! And I’m #13!
14.


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## Peachy Clean Soap (Nov 8, 2021)

@dibbles Thank Ü for correcting my entry' way up top .

I'm gonna have one go at this, however my soap turns out its gonna be entered.


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## CpnDouchette (Nov 8, 2021)

1. CatandOak-ooooooo guys! This one is going to be fun!
2. Peachy Clean Soap 
3. dibbles - I could use a bit of rainbow in my life
4. Primrose - fabulous!
5. Vicki C - yes 
6. melonpan - so many ideas!
7. earlene - I've chosen my inspiration photo from a trip with friends in 2013
8. Violets2217- I forgot my screen name for a second!
9. Guspuppy - I need to make soap anyway! 
10. TheGecko - Why not.
11. linne1gi - I love rainbows!
12. glendam - Just the push I needed to finally attempt this
13. Martha - This will be my first challenge. So intimidated by you guys! And I’m #13!
14. Cpndouchette - i have a lot going on right now so not sure I'm going to have time but i'll throw my hat in the ring! 
15.


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## TheGecko (Nov 8, 2021)

So I decided to do layers in my Round Cavity molds...eight colors, eight soaps.  Each cavity holds 3 oz so I mixed 24 oz of batter and put 3 oz in eight small Dixie cups with dispersed colors and then would pour a small layer in each cavity, waiting 10 minutes between each.  The idea was flawless, the execution...less so.

After dispersing my colorants in maybe two teaspoons of oil, I mixed my batter to just short of complete emulsion, weighed out 3 oz in each cup and then divided the rest (maybe an ounce). Got out my mini blended and mixed each cup to emulsion...poured the red. Set the timer for 10 minutes. Hmmmm...still a little soft, gave it anther 5 minutes...decided to spoon in the yellow. Not exactly the 'layer' that I was wanting, but maybe the next layer would spread it out a little better and set the timer. And so it went...setting the timer, spooning the layers. On a positive note...the batter in the cups stayed completely fluid even after an hour and a half. On a negative note...so did the batter in the mold. LOL

It's done now.  I'll let them set for an hour on the counter, then spray with alcohol and move them to the garage and see what they look like tomorrow.

ETA - It’s been several hours and the soap hasn’t set up at all, it’s not even at a pudding stage.  And there is oil around the edges of the mold.  I think in my effort to be extra ‘fluid’, I never reached emulsion.  I’ll check it again in the morning and if it still hasn’t set up, I’ll toss it and start over.

ETA - It's the next day.  It was soap...kind of...really, really soft soap.  I'm not sure what happened...it's almost like I didn't add enough Lye Solution but I know I did since I had enough batter to fill two molds.  And the Lye Solution was fresh and the Sodium Hydroxide, while I have had it awhile and not in a 'dry bucket', there were no hard clumps or pieces.  I'll try again this afternoon.


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## CreativeWeirdo (Nov 8, 2021)

Ever since this challenge was posted all I can think of is the Jello mold I made a few months ago.  I don't have the picture of it, but here is a Google Image search that is very similar.  Photo crdit: Rainbow Jello Mold - Glitter and Goulash


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## CpnDouchette (Nov 11, 2021)

Oh. My. Days. The washing up may prohibit any second attempt. 

Still, I'm pretty chuffed with the end product. Is it only two bars we can showcase or can I show the whole loaf?


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## violets2217 (Nov 11, 2021)

I keep seeing all kinds of soap design videos or TikTok’s that would look beautiful with rainbow  colors!!! I now have two batches to pick an entry from & really wanna try out the Mantra Swirl everyone is doing for The Challenge Club. They are so pretty! Another awesome challenge


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## CpnDouchette (Nov 11, 2021)

100% did a mantra swirl and do not regret it.


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## Peachy Clean Soap (Nov 11, 2021)

I've completed my rainbow soap today Yay.  I gotta say this challenge sounds easy' but it wasn't  however it was really fun...


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## Johnez (Nov 13, 2021)

ResolvableOwl said:


> (No, don't even _try_ to convince me otherwise.)



Dang and I was just reviewing your soap dough coloring experiments looking for a good natural green and blue. Are you *suuuure*?

1. CatandOak-ooooooo guys! This one is going to be fun!
2. Peachy Clean Soap 
3. dibbles - I could use a bit of rainbow in my life
4. Primrose - fabulous!
5. Vicki C - yes 
6. melonpan - so many ideas!
7. earlene - I've chosen my inspiration photo from a trip with friends in 2013
8. Violets2217- I forgot my screen name for a second!
9. Guspuppy - I need to make soap anyway! 
10. TheGecko - Why not.
11. linne1gi - I love rainbows!
12. glendam - Just the push I needed to finally attempt this
13. Martha - This will be my first challenge. So intimidated by you guys! And I’m #13!
14. Cpndouchette - i have a lot going on right now so not sure I'm going to have time but i'll throw my hat in the ring!
15. Johnez- How many new (to me) techniques can I roll into one challenge?


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## TheGecko (Nov 13, 2021)

So I just remade the soap.  I made a fresh Lye Solution, verified the temperature was correct (212F), used it to melt my MB Oils, blended it to emulsion, no FO, poured equally in all my cups with dispersed colorants, mixed, poured my layers, cleaned up my dishes, molds are in the garage.

Well...that is how I wanted it to go, reality was much, much different. Yeah I made a fresh lye solution, checked the temp and it said nothing wrong with my lye (see previous disaster), and I did use it to melt my MB'd oils. I was getting ready to SB and realized I hadn't set up my colorants and I was going to use my oils, but now it was too late. So I put the colorants in the cups, gave the batter a quick whisk and then grabbed my melon baller and measured out some of not emulsified batter into the cups and gave them a quick mix. I then went back to the batter, blended to...a light pudding. It wasn't my idea. It had been awhile since I had used a freshly made lye solution and how it tended to accelerate small batches of oils. Not a huge issue if I'm making a single color soap, but.....

I'm usually a tidy soap maker, but not today...too much soap in one cup, not enough in another, turned the bowl because its glopping and missed the cup.  Then I get out my electric frother, cuz no way that battery one is going to work and now I have splatters of colored soap.  Screw it...gotta fill the molds.  Pour the red (it's the only one that 'pours') and smacked the molds, grab the yellow and a spoon...glop some in, twist myself in a pretzel to get it all spread around, grab the orange and start to repeat...except the light bulbs turns on and I turn the molds to spread.  Grab the green and realized that I was supposed to pour the orange after the red, not the yellow.  Crap.  Don't care, batter is like a thick pudding.  Stir stir stir the green, plop it in...why don't I have enough green?  Stir stir stir stir the blue, plop it it...why do I have too much blue?  Grab the purple...the cup is really warm...stir stir stir, stir stir stir, stir stir stir...okay, I can plop it in...get it in the center, smack down the the molds...too much in two, none in the last...grab a knife, scrape off and plop in the last one.  I can always cut the soap in half to show the layers.

Put the molds the garage.  Wipe up the mess on the counter.  Grab the bottle of Kahlua and pour some in my coffee.  Take a break.


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## AliOop (Nov 13, 2021)

@TheGecko … so sorry.  If it is any comfort, the song “Mama Said There’d Be Days Like This” is now playing in my head.


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## TheGecko (Nov 13, 2021)

AliOop said:


> @TheGecko … so sorry.  If it is any comfort, the song “Mama Said There’d Be Days Like This” is now playing in my head.



It's all good.  Really.  The grandkids will like it regardless of what it looks like.


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## Cat&Oak (Nov 13, 2021)

TheGecko said:


> It's all good.  Really.  The grandkids will like it regardless of what it looks like.


I'm sorry it was a rough soaping day!


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## TheGecko (Nov 13, 2021)

Cat&Oak said:


> I'm sorry it was a rough soaping day!



It's gotten worse.  I went to make a new batch of Lye Solution (poured the old down the bathtub drain) and I only have about 1/4 gallon of Distilled Water.  Sent daughter to the grocery store, they are out.  They every other kind of water, so I told her to pick up a gallon of "purified" and I'll give it a try.  Just won't make my usual Master Batch.

On the plus side, I'm doing an inventory on my FOs.  I have a crap load of 1oz and 2oz that I am never going to use so I will list them for a buck or two and see if anyone wants them.  Also have some molds that I'm not going to use...that I bought and still in original packaging or only used once and didn't work out.


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## AliOop (Nov 13, 2021)

Rats, what a pain! We seem to be going through random shortages of distilled water now and then, as well. I'm seriously considering buying a water distiller, but from everything I read, they only last a year or two at most unless you buy a very expensive one. But it might be worth having around so I could use something when there are shortages. And since my husband uses a CPAP, that's a great justification for why we *need* one.


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## ResolvableOwl (Nov 13, 2021)

What about water softeners with regenerable ion-exchange resin?


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## AliOop (Nov 13, 2021)

ResolvableOwl said:


> What about water softeners with regenerable ion-exchange resin?


sounds expensive...


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## gww (Nov 13, 2021)

alliOop
You might be able to put something like this together pretty cheap but I do not know if it would keep up with your needs. 








						Build A Solar Water Distiller - DIY Alternative Energy
					

Build A Solar Water Distiller | Whether you need water for your iron or water to drink, this project is easy and inexpensive and can be scaled up as needed.



					diy-alternative-energy.com
				



Cheers
gww


----------



## Ladka (Nov 14, 2021)

TheGecko said:


> It's all good.  Really.  The grandkids will like it regardless of what it looks like.


This reminds me of the rebatch I made to use my daughter's residual slices of all kinds of soap she uses, some of my own bits/shavings and a bar or two of my failings. Now, the failed soap I used was "a piece of raw meat", the colour quite intense which was to become lollipop soap. I added some water, warmed and stirred. The materials melted and foamed and bubbled. I somehow got  the ugly and sticky batter into individual moulds, pushed in an embed or two, and let all four pieces to dry.
When I guessed the bars were dry enough I gave three to my daughter who just ran out of soap.
Yesterday I babysat boysat my grandsons and saw all three bars in use - they love them so much. Did I say they were ugly? Well, to err is human


----------



## TheGecko (Nov 14, 2021)

Update.  I just unmolded the soap.  

The good news:  It's soap and it's hard as a frigging rock...suckers practically popped out of the molds all by themselves.  Didn't use any Sodium Lactate and since I wasn't using an FO, no Kaolin Clay either.  The colors are nice.  The shavings I got from planning the bottoms are fantastic...first time I've wanted to make a 'confetti soap'.  I think I will take a couple of the bars and plane them down for just that use.

The bad news: The layers are uneven...no surprise. Sadly, most of what you see is just the first three colors...red, yellow and orange...with just a hint of green and blue at the very bottom...no purple unless you turn the bar over and look at the bottom. I cut one of the bars in half, or at least I tried too. Too hard and small so it wasn't perfect (three pieces), but I was able to salvage half and you can clearly see that in my effect to spread the yellow and orange to the edges I had more batter on the edges so when I put the green and blue in, it just pushed those colors further out. 

The good news: The soap does does meet the challenge.

The bad news: I'm thinking that maybe...third time is the charm? Only thing is...I'm going to have to dirty a bunch of dishes since I won't be able to use paper cups...unless I just make four bars instead of eight....hmmmm. Part of the problem with the layers is that I used even amounts with a rounded mold. I should have used smaller amounts of the first three colors and larger amounts of the last three. Reduce the red by 15% and add it to the purple, reduce the orange and yellow by 10% and add it to the green and blue. Also need to make each layer separately.

Do you all think those amounts are sufficient or should I go higher/lower?  Each cavity holds 3 oz / 6 = 2.03 oz per layer.  So the Red would be 1.73 oz, the Orange and Yellow would be 1.83 oz, the Green and Blue would be 2.24 oz and the Purple 2.34 oz.


----------



## melonpan (Nov 14, 2021)

AliOop said:


> I'm seriously considering buying a water distiller, but from everything I read, they only last a year or two at most unless you buy a very expensive one. But it might be worth having around so I could use something when there are shortages.


I've been looking into how you could potentially use condensed water from an air conditioner unit (but it seems there's still a potential of bacteria if the pipes and unit are not clean and new, possibly they can start developing mould due to humidity etc) or from a dehumidifier. The latter seems to be a better option than the air conditioner as the water goes through less pipes and if you don't let the water sit in the dehumidifier tank too long it could be potentially be quite clean and similar distilled-grade. So not sure if this could be of help in your case - this is all in theory as I haven't tried it myself yet, but a friend of mine has offered to share their dehumidifier water with me just to test this out and I'm curious to try.


----------



## ResolvableOwl (Nov 14, 2021)

Gosh! You are reminding me that the water shortage topic triggered me:





						Emergency tap water softening & ZNSC faux sea water in one step
					

Disclaimer This is not meant as general advice. This is a pure pen&paper recipe, absolutely untested for suitability or safety. If possible, use store-bought distilled water, reverse-osmosis, or deionised water. Consider rain water/molten snow, or dehumidifier wastewater first. It's a proof of...




					www.soapmakingforum.com
				



but I forgot to cross-promote this here!


----------



## melonpan (Nov 14, 2021)

TheGecko said:


> Part of the problem with the layers is that I used even amounts with a rounded mold. I should have used smaller amounts of the first three colors and larger amounts of the last three. Reduce the red by 15% and add it to the purple, reduce the orange and yellow by 10% and add it to the green and blue. Also need to make each layer separately.
> 
> Do you all think those amounts are sufficient or should I go higher/lower? Each cavity holds 3 oz / 6 = 2.03 oz per layer. So the Red would be 1.73 oz, the Orange and Yellow would be 1.83 oz, the Green and Blue would be 2.24 oz and the Purple 2.34 oz.


Not knowing how much is the curve/radius in the rounded part compared to the straight part I'm having a hard time visualising it. Would you onow how much is the difference?
 (I'm also working with layers and I had to draw a section of the mold to do the math ) 

I've done my first part of the challenge soap today. It's now CPOPing and I can't wait to unmold to see if it's any good!

Reading @TheGecko's experience and based on my inexperience, I was concerned about running out of time for the layers so I decided to prepare all my oils, split them and then work on each layer separately (weight 1/7 of batter, prepare the lye solution for one part of batter with ice cubes to cut down waiting time, measure the mica, measure EO blend for the 1/7th of the batter, mix well, pour breaking the fall with a spatula). Well, I poured at emulsion and the layers were saponified enough to hold the next layer by the time I was ready to pour, it took much longer than I anticipated! (In my mind I thought 10 mins for layer max, haha)
I stick blended the blue layer too much bu mistake (the batter was so little than 3 burst rather than 2 made the difference) and I don't think that one will be a straight layer.

I'm wondering, which mica/batter proportions are you all using?
I've tried 0.3% grams of mica for oils weight, but the wet soap seemed a deep colour. I could have gone a bit lighter.


----------



## Nona'sFarm (Nov 14, 2021)

ResolvableOwl said:


> What about water softeners with regenerable ion-exchange resin?


Does that clear out trace metals and other impurities?


----------



## TheGecko (Nov 14, 2021)

melonpan said:


> Not knowing how much is the curve/radius in the rounded part compared to the straight part I'm having a hard time visualising it. Would you onow how much is the difference?
> (I'm also working with layers and I had to draw a section of the mold to do the math )



These are the Round Molds


----------



## ResolvableOwl (Nov 15, 2021)

Nona'sFarm said:


> Does that clear out trace metals and other impurities?


Trace metals: yes, that's the whole point of ion exchange, you can get lab-grade purity out of them. Impurities: depends. Uncharged impurities like organic stuff (bacteria) might come through, don't expect the product to be sterile.


----------



## Peachy Clean Soap (Nov 15, 2021)

TheGecko said:


> So I just remade the soap.  I made a fresh Lye Solution, verified the temperature was correct (212F), used it to melt my MB Oils, blended it to emulsion, no FO, poured equally in all my cups with dispersed colorants, mixed, poured my layers, cleaned up my dishes, molds are in the garage.
> 
> Well...that is how I wanted it to go, reality was much, much different. Yeah I made a fresh lye solution, checked the temp and it said nothing wrong with my lye (see previous disaster), and I did use it to melt my MB'd oils. I was getting ready to SB and realized I hadn't set up my colorants and I was going to use my oils, but now it was too late. So I put the colorants in the cups, gave the batter a quick whisk and then grabbed my melon baller and measured out some of not emulsified batter into the cups and gave them a quick mix. I then went back to the batter, blended to...a light pudding. It wasn't my idea. It had been awhile since I had used a freshly made lye solution and how it tended to accelerate small batches of oils. Not a huge issue if I'm making a single color soap, but.....
> 
> ...


Though frustration Im sure your soap will be beautiful & unique as your other creations. cheers ️️


----------



## Guspuppy (Nov 15, 2021)

Made my one and only try at the challenge soap, very much afeared I did not get it to emulsion before splitting and coloring. Too worried about it thickening up too fast. Arg! So far 14 hours in the mold, not quite liquid but could be just hardened hard oils, which were 85% of the recipe. Here's hoping it's actually soap and a few days sitting will harden it up!


----------



## linne1gi (Nov 15, 2021)

When does the entry thread open?  Anybody know?


----------



## dibbles (Nov 15, 2021)

linne1gi said:


> When does the entry thread open?  Anybody know?



It's always in the first post of the challenge thread:

The entry thread will open on *November 21 at 8PM GMT* (Please follow the challenge specific rules as to what you need to enter).
After the closing date on *November 27 at 11:59 PM GMT* the winning entry will be chosen using Survey Monkey.


----------



## linne1gi (Nov 15, 2021)

dibbles said:


> It's always in the first post of the challenge thread:
> 
> The entry thread will open on *November 21 at 8PM GMT* (Please follow the challenge specific rules as to what you need to enter).
> After the closing date on *November 27 at 11:59 PM GMT* the winning entry will be chosen using Survey Monkey.


Thanks Dibbles!


----------



## szaza (Nov 16, 2021)

Sorry for being absent guys, I think I missed an alert about somebody commenting and then I didn't get any more alerts about this thread. I was just coming back to post a reminder about the entry thread opening next Sunday in the hopes of boosting this Challenge as I thought there hadn't been any activity for a week. I really thought I had managed to make the most unpopular challenge in the history of SMF challenges, so I'm glad to see you all on here and I apologize for late answers!



CpnDouchette said:


> Is it only two bars we can showcase or can I show the whole loaf?


It's at least 2 bars, so you can display as many as you'd like!

@TheGecko I feel you! I've been struggling so much with making straight line pours and to be honest I don't think I ever managed to do them well. I think there are generally 2 techniques:
1. Either make teensy tiny batches for each color and mix the next while your previous one is hardening in the mould - this takes a really long time though! (like @melonpan experienced) or
2. Make the entire batch at once with a slow moving recipe, mix until emulsion, divide and add colors and only when you're ready to pour add an accelerating fragrance to the color you're about to pour. The idea is that the batter stays fluid right up until the moment you pour and then accelerates and hardens quickly in the mold so you can pour the next (always adding fragrance right before pouring). This is the method I've tried, but without much success. First of all, this doesn't work too well with EO's, even with the accelerating ones. I had one FO, so I tried it with that and even that one didn't work too great. It once completely ruined a soap project by accelerating on me, but I think the recipe I used was so fluid it took away some of the accelerating powers. I put that soap in the oven in between pouring layers and it kind of went ok-ish. 

Good luck!!


----------



## linne1gi (Nov 16, 2021)

szaza said:


> Sorry for being absent guys, I think I missed an alert about somebody commenting and then I didn't get any more alerts about this thread. I was just coming back to post a reminder about the entry thread opening next Sunday in the hopes of boosting this Challenge as I thought there hadn't been any activity for a week. I really thought I had managed to make the most unpopular challenge in the history of SMF challenges, so I'm glad to see you all on here and I apologize for late answers!
> 
> 
> It's at least 2 bars, so you can display as many as you'd like!
> ...


Definitely have to mix the teeny tiny batches one at a time.  Or - Mix all the oils you are going to need, then mix all the lye solution you are going to need.  Divide the oils and the lye solution by the number of layers and then mix each layer separately.  It takes a while, but not quite as long as mixing each separately as a new batch.


----------



## melonpan (Nov 16, 2021)

szaza said:


> 1. Either make teensy tiny batches for each color and mix the next while your previous one is hardening in the mould - this takes a really long time though! (like @melonpan experienced)





linne1gi said:


> Or - Mix all the oils you are going to need, then mix all the lye solution you are going to need.  Divide the oils and the lye solution by the number of layers and then mix each layer separately.  It takes a while, but not quite as long as mixing each separately as a new batch.


There something odd going on with my layers soap, I thought I'd ask here instead of opening another thread as we're already talking of how to do this.

It's been now over 48 hours since I finished pouring my layers and the soap is still a bit soft on the edges. Most of the soap seems saponified but it is sticky on several parts. But this is a recipe that I've used now for at least four batches, usually I am able to unmold after 24-28 hours.
The only thing that I did differently is splitting the oils before I added the lye to gain more time (as @linne1gi said: Mix all the oils you are going to need, then mix all the lye solution you are going to need.  Divide the oils and the lye solution by the number of layers and then mix each layer separately).

Could it be that the oils ended up in each layers in different proportions, and that throw off the sap values so that I ended up with a softer soap?

I've decided to unmold it and leave it out to see if this helps. I still need to finish with the second part of the design, I'm hoping it hurries up and it's ready by tomorrow haha.


----------



## violets2217 (Nov 16, 2021)

melonpan said:


> The only thing that I did differently is splitting the oils before I added the lye to gain more time (as @linne1gi said: Mix all the oils you are going to need, then mix all the lye solution you are going to need. Divide the oils and the lye solution by the number of layers and then mix each layer separately).


I did this with a nine layer soap (not a challenge soap) and it was a very small batch. Your measurements have to be precise. I thought mine were... but I had one layer that I'm assuming was not an accurate measurement because its mushy and seeping. After 48hrs it has stopped seeping and still so much softer than the other 8 layers. Hoping it firms up. I stick blended my oils and FO really well before splitting up and all my other layers are perfect (it was the same numbers for each layer), so I can only assume I some how messed up by not hitting the tare button for that one layer???? Hope you soap turns out ok!!!


----------



## dibbles (Nov 16, 2021)

@melonpan how did you add your colorants? If you premix with oil, that could make a difference in a small amount of batter.


----------



## linne1gi (Nov 16, 2021)

Also, how much water is in your recipe. Could one part/layer have more after than another?  For me this took a lot of math, and even then wasn’t perfect. You lose a little product with each layer also.


----------



## Vicki C (Nov 16, 2021)

Made my soap today, and I’m pretty “chuffed” about it . (Did I use that correctly? In my neck of the woods we would say I’m WICKED PSYCHED!) We’ll see how it actually looks. Still trying to recover from this dreadful stomach virus. Really knocked me out.


----------



## Martha (Nov 16, 2021)

Guspuppy said:


> Made my one and only try at the challenge soap, very much afeared I did not get it to emulsion before splitting and coloring. Too worried about it thickening up too fast. Arg! So far 14 hours in the mold, not quite liquid but could be just hardened hard oils, which were 85% of the recipe. Here's hoping it's actually soap and a few days sitting will harden it up!


I did the same thing! I was so worried about the batter thickening that I underblended it. It did harden, but the colors mixed too much. I did it again and blended it too much. I’m referring to my soaps as the Goldilocks soap. I had the too thin, and too thick, but I’ll be damned if I make it a 3rd time. The cut soap looks good.


----------



## glendam (Nov 16, 2021)

I am going to attempt a layered rainbow all in one go with dividers, the space between the dividers is so narrow I have doubts about the result, but we shall see.


----------



## AliOop (Nov 16, 2021)

glendam said:


> I am going to attempt a layered rainbow all in one go with dividers, the space between the dividers is so narrow I have doubts about the result, but we shall see.


squeeze bottles


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## glendam (Nov 16, 2021)

AliOop said:


> squeeze bottles


Thank you! I had not thought of that!


----------



## CpnDouchette (Nov 17, 2021)

violets2217 said:


> Your measurements have to be precise.



Agreed. Orinarily I use my batch oils to disperse my micas however for rainbow soap I use additional oils because the number of colours means I'm pulling a fair amount of oils out of the batch. Even just as little as a few drops makes my rainbow portion wetter and stickier than usual.



Vicki C said:


> Made my soap today, and I’m pretty “chuffed” about it . (Did I use that correctly?


 
Bang on!! 

Hope you're feeling better!


----------



## melonpan (Nov 17, 2021)

violets2217 said:


> I did this with a nine layer soap (not a challenge soap) and it was a very small batch. Your measurements have to be precise. I thought mine were... but I had one layer that I'm assuming was not an accurate measurement because its mushy and seeping. After 48hrs it has stopped seeping and still so much softer than the other 8 layers. Hoping it firms up. I stick blended my oils and FO really well before splitting up and all my other layers are perfect (it was the same numbers for each layer), so I can only assume I some how messed up by not hitting the tare button for that one layer???? Hope you soap turns out ok!!!





dibbles said:


> @melonpan how did you add your colorants? If you premix with oil, that could make a difference in a small amount of batter.





linne1gi said:


> Also, how much water is in your recipe. Could one part/layer have more after than another?  For me this took a lot of math, and even then wasn’t perfect. You lose a little product with each layer also.





CpnDouchette said:


> Agreed. Orinarily I use my batch oils to disperse my micas however for rainbow soap I use additional oils because the number of colours means I'm pulling a fair amount of oils out of the batch. Even just as little as a few drops makes my rainbow portion wetter and stickier than usual.


Thank you all for chiming in! 

I did not predisperse my micas in oils or water, I added them directly to my oils (weighed for each layer) & mixed well before adding the lye solution. I thought that would be the best way to avoid adding in extra oils and water?

I see what you mean by measurements having to be precise. I think mine were almost the same for each layer, but then there were some decimals of difference... given how little batter at a time I was working on, I see this could make a difference. Maybe that's what it was!


----------



## AliOop (Nov 17, 2021)

Vicki C said:


> Made my soap today, and I’m pretty “chuffed” about it . (Did I use that correctly? In my neck of the woods we would say I’m WICKED PSYCHED!) We’ll see how it actually looks. Still trying to recover from this dreadful stomach virus. Really knocked me out.


Ugh, sorry to hear you have been down. Hope you feel better now, esp since your soap turned out well.


----------



## Peachy Clean Soap (Nov 17, 2021)

The only sound advise on pouring straight is make sure you barley mix soap' pour into each seperate cups' only add scent right befor pour' & wait for layer to set up before pouring another layer' all a while stiring soaps in cups to assure its fluid. its tricky in a timely manor.  honesty I ended up trimming off most of a 40oz loaf of soap! lol so my help wouldn't be sound.  I didn't want to make many soap loafs so what I got i'm using.  Mine was a two part process.


----------



## melonpan (Nov 17, 2021)

Just a quick update on the still soft soap - I'm happy I decided to unmold it yesterday, it has some dents where it was still too soft but keeping it exposed to air seems to have done the trick: one day later it has hardened enough that I was able to do the second part of my rainbow soap earlier. Such a relief! 

Now waiting for the cut, I'm pretty "chuffed" too (thanks @Vicki C for expanding my vocabulary )


----------



## ScentimentallyYours (Nov 20, 2021)

1. CatandOak-ooooooo guys! This one is going to be fun!
2. Peachy Clean Soap 
3. dibbles - I could use a bit of rainbow in my life
4. Primrose - fabulous!
5. Vicki C - yes 
6. melonpan - so many ideas!
7. earlene - I've chosen my inspiration photo from a trip with friends in 2013
8. Violets2217- I forgot my screen name for a second!
9. Guspuppy - I need to make soap anyway! 
10. TheGecko - Why not.
11. linne1gi - I love rainbows!
12. glendam - Just the push I needed to finally attempt this
13. Martha - This will be my first challenge. So intimidated by you guys! And I’m #13!
14. Cpndouchette - i have a lot going on right now so not sure I'm going to have time but i'll throw my hat in the ring!
15. Johnez- How many new (to me) techniques can I roll into one challenge?
16. ScentimentallyYours - So many songs about rainbows!


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## Cat&Oak (Nov 20, 2021)

I hate to do it but I have to bow out of this one with all the changes I am going through right now I haven't even made a batch yet. But good luck! Excited too see all the wonderful talent we have on our board ❤


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## Martha (Nov 20, 2021)

I can’t wait to see all the variations on rainbows for this challenge. Not sure how we’re going to pick with so many talented people entering.


----------



## szaza (Nov 21, 2021)

I'm so sorry you won't be entering @Cat&Oak !

The entry thread for this challenge is now open. You can enter your soaps here:





						Entry thread for the November Challenge - Rainbows
					

This is the entry thread for the November 2021 SMF Challenge - Rainbows.  Please include a photo of at least 2 bars of soap from your batch with minimum 5 colors (black and white are allowed, but don’t count for your 5 colors). You may include multiple bars in your entry photo, but all must be...




					www.soapmakingforum.com
				




Good luck to everyone!


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## Cat&Oak (Nov 21, 2021)

szaza said:


> I'm so sorry you won't be entering @Cat&Oak !
> 
> The entry thread for this challenge is now open. You can enter your soaps here:
> 
> ...


Thank you @szaza ❤


----------



## Peachy Clean Soap (Nov 21, 2021)

Cat&Oak said:


> I hate to do it but I have to bow out of this one with all the changes I am going through right now I haven't even made a batch yet. But good luck! Excited too see all the wonderful talent we have on our board ❤


Sorry Dear' Remember This To Will Pass' Hugs .


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## Cat&Oak (Nov 21, 2021)

Peachy Clean Soap said:


> Sorry Dear' Remember This To Will Pass' Hugs .


Love you Peachy! Thank you!


----------



## violets2217 (Nov 21, 2021)

So I tried 3 times and had 2 entries to pick from. That was a tough decision for me. But I surveyed everyone I came in contact with. This was my other choice… 


These last two batches I went back to cutting 1” thick bars instead of 1 1/4”. I think they are more of a normal size!?!? Plus I needed 10 bars  of one soap for a trading group trade on Facebook. Now I just need to decide which batch to trade….


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## melonpan (Nov 21, 2021)

violets2217 said:


> So I tried 3 times and had 2 entries to pick from. That was a tough decision for me. But I surveyed everyone I came in contact with.


I really like this 2nd batch too but to be honest I prefer the one you picked as your entry 

Now that I've posted my entry I wanted to share my "Nailed it!" moment... I only realised after unmolding the final soap that I should have had the rainbow inclined the other way! This made me laugh as it was literally the only thing I forgot to plan


----------



## The_Phoenix (Nov 21, 2021)

I didn’t enter the challenge but I did make a rainbow soap. Totally by coincidence, like @violets2217  I also made a rainbow soap inspired by Nest Soapery, the nest drop whatever. Had been meaning to make this design and the rainbow challenge seemed like a good impetus. 

I’ll wait to post until all of the entry soaps have posted.


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## Guspuppy (Nov 22, 2021)

Here is my other try at rainbow, which is not my entry. They were actually the same batch, poured from the same layered pot, but I poured each mold differently. They are both Clyde slides, but I had watched a lady on YouTube do a Clyde Slide down the center of her mold and it came out really interesting. So I tried that here, but as I mentioned earlier I wasn't even sure my batter was at emulsion. It was WAY to thin and muddled up terribly. But I think the peeks of rainbow in-between the muddled brown is kind of cool. Also this end piece! If I could figure out how to do that throughout it would be so cool!


----------



## ResolvableOwl (Nov 22, 2021)

Oh dudes. Don't take it personally, but I'm REALLY REALLLLLY glad that I don't have to vote this time!


----------



## ResolvableOwl (Nov 23, 2021)

Another Might-submit-if-three-weeks-earlier-and-I-had-the-time-for-it idea: *Liquid soap!*

Make a simple, pale LS gel (HO sunflower/castor/CO). Dilute it to several small portions, each coloured with a soluble dye (no pigment). Carefully layer them into a clear bottle. The dispenser then pulls out one colour after another, starting from the bottom!


----------



## Johnez (Nov 23, 2021)

ResolvableOwl said:


> Another Might-submit-if-three-weeks-earlier-and-I-had-the-time-for-it idea: *Liquid soap!*
> 
> Make a simple, pale LS gel (HO sunflower/castor/CO). Dilute it to several small portions, each coloured with a soluble dye (no pigment). Carefully layer them into a clear bottle. The dispenser then pulls out one colour after another, starting from the bottom!



How about this for a challenge idea-Second Chance Challenge? Maybe its time for the resurrection of the "Unchallenge"?

Pick any previous challenge you entered or not, following all the rules of that challenge. Could be a missed challenge, a flop, a technique you want to perfect under pressure.

ETA, for what it's worth I nearly wanted to contribute a shave soap lol. After reading DeeAnna's thoughts on micas I shifted gears and started trawling the natural colorant threads here hoping to find 5 natural colors. I got to 4 but could not find a satisfactory blue or purple that I was confident in producing in the timeline of the challenge. I'm still in awe of VickiC pulling out an 11 color stunner of a naturally colored soap.


----------



## Peachy Clean Soap (Nov 23, 2021)

@linne1gi 
Great idea for your entry' Nailed It.  Oh how I remember our T&S challenge' I have a few bars from that challenge. .


----------



## Vicki C (Nov 23, 2021)

Johnez said:


> How about this for a challenge idea-Second Chance Challenge? Maybe its time for the resurrection of the "Unchallenge"?
> 
> Pick any previous challenge you entered or not, following all the rules of that challenge. Could be a missed challenge, a flop, a technique you want to perfect under pressure.
> 
> ETA, for what it's worth I nearly wanted to contribute a shave soap lol. After reading DeeAnna's thoughts on micas I shifted gears and started trawling the natural colorant threads here hoping to find 5 natural colors. I got to 4 but could not find a satisfactory blue or purple that I was confident in producing in the timeline of the challenge. I'm still in awe of VickiC pulling out an 11 color stunner of a naturally colored soap.


Aww thanks! I’m flattered. Pro tip: get sick and lie in bed for three days straight, with iPad in hand, to scheme and plan. 
I want to tackle shave soap but I can’t find any shaving brushes (locally). May I ask - do you sell your shave soap? Do you sell with brushes? I’m sure there is a market but I don’t want to invest a lot in shave brushes that people won’t buy.
Gromwell gives a nice purple, but I got yelled at in a Facebook group because it is harvested out of the wild and is not sustainable. I have it now though, so I’ll use what I have, and hopefully find more info on how evil it is or isn’t, which I haven’t found yet.


----------



## Johnez (Nov 23, 2021)

Vicki C said:


> Aww thanks! I’m flattered. Pro tip: get sick and lie in bed for three days straight, with iPad in hand, to scheme and plan.
> I want to tackle shave soap but I can’t find any shaving brushes (locally). May I ask - do you sell your shave soap? Do you sell with brushes? I’m sure there is a market but I don’t want to invest a lot in shave brushes that people won’t buy.
> Gromwell gives a nice purple, but I got yelled at in a Facebook group because it is harvested out of the wild and is not sustainable. I have it now though, so I’ll use what I have, and hopefully find more info on how evil it is or isn’t, which I haven’t found yet.



I don't sell my soap (yet?) nor brushes, however synthetic brushes (super not evil lol) have come a long way. I personally use a RazoRock Plissoft synthetic brush from Italian Barber. The Chinese brand Yaqi has quite a following on some shave boards and they are very reasonably priced. West Coast Shaving has them at $10-20+ price range, most get great reviews. Various shave shops (Italian Barber, Stirling) also sell reasonably priced brushes. If you're wanting a brush for the purpose of testing, I'd say any entry level brush will do, and might actually be preferable as most new shavers aren't going to shell out $300 for a brush to start with anyway. If for the purpose of sets-those are also geared for new shavers and are excellent choices. 

Regarding gromwell, heck there's clearly a dichotomy there between sellers and buyers. If you choose to use it, I don't think you'll have trouble selling it. Personally I feel it's tough to make a perfectly "eco friendly" soap, and probably every single ingredient has it's issues animal welfare, GMO, processing, harvesting, environmental concerns, ick factor, etc. Avoid one thing and you have another customer (or maker) complaining about the other. Well, they ain't paying the bills!


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## Vicki C (Nov 23, 2021)

Johnez said:


> I don't sell my soap (yet?) nor brushes, however synthetic brushes (super not evil lol) have come a long way. I personally use a RazoRock Plissoft synthetic brush from Italian Barber. The Chinese brand Yaqi has quite a following on some shave boards and they are very reasonably priced. West Coast Shaving has them at $10-20+ price range, most get great reviews. Various shave shops (Italian Barber, Stirling) also sell reasonably priced brushes. If you're wanting a brush for the purpose of testing, I'd say any entry level brush will do, and might actually be preferable as most new shavers aren't going to shell out $300 for a brush to start with anyway. If for the purpose of sets-those are also geared for new shavers and are excellent choices.
> 
> Regarding gromwell, heck there's clearly a dichotomy there between sellers and buyers. If you choose to use it, I don't think you'll have trouble selling it. Personally I feel it's tough to make a perfectly "eco friendly" soap, and probably every single ingredient has it's issues animal welfare, GMO, processing, harvesting, environmental concerns, ick factor, etc. Avoid one thing and you have another customer (or maker) complaining about the other. Well, they ain't paying the bills!


Thank you! I’ll look into Yaqi.


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## Johnez (Nov 23, 2021)

Vicki C said:


> Thank you! I’ll look into Yaqi.



I forgot to add a good size to look for is about 24-27 mm which will give enough lather. There's some big honkin brushes, but they end up creating more wasted lather.


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## MellonFriend (Nov 23, 2021)

Hey, um, just wondering how you get to be part of the voting process.  Do only members participating in the challenge get to vote or is there another way?


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## dibbles (Nov 23, 2021)

MellonFriend said:


> Hey, um, just wondering how you get to be part of the voting process.  Do only members participating in the challenge get to vote or is there another way?


Yes, you have to participate in the challenge to be able to vote. Give the next one a try - it’s fun!


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## linne1gi (Nov 24, 2021)

Peachy Clean Soap said:


> @linne1gi
> Great idea for your entry' Nailed It.  Oh how I remember our T&S challenge' I have a few bars from that challenge. .


Aw, thanks.  I was just coming here to post another rainbow soap I made when I saw your post.


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## MellonFriend (Nov 24, 2021)

dibbles said:


> Yes, you have to participate in the challenge to be able to vote. Give the next one a try - it’s fun!


Thanks for letting me know!  I think it might be a while until I'd give a shot to a challenge.  I tend to get stressed out by competition of any type even if it's friendly.  Maybe someday though, if the inspiration hits me.


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## Zany_in_CO (Nov 24, 2021)

Johnez said:


> I shifted gears and started trawling the natural colorant threads here hoping to find 5 natural colors. I got to 4 but could not find a satisfactory blue or purple


Check it out.





						Natural Colorants
					

Where natural colorants for soap is concerned, it doesn't get any better than Jo Haslauer's Ebooks.  https://naturalsoapcolor.com/collections/ebooks




					www.soapmakingforum.com


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## Peachy Clean Soap (Nov 24, 2021)

linne1gi said:


> Aw, thanks.  I was just coming here to post another rainbow soap I made when I saw your post. View attachment 62783


OMG ANOTHER " Nailed It Moment "


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## linne1gi (Nov 24, 2021)

Peachy Clean Soap said:


> OMG ANOTHER " Nailed It Moment " ❤


Thanks, but not a "nailed it moment" - fragrance discolored on me, and far from perfect.  You're too kind.


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## Peachy Clean Soap (Nov 24, 2021)

linne1gi said:


> Thanks, but not a "nailed it moment" - fragrance discolored on me, and far from perfect.  You're too kind.


I beg to differ Dear' your two soaps are beautiful & perfect.


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## Johnez (Nov 24, 2021)

Edit-pic redacted

I *attempted* a Tree Marie inspired "mini drop" swirl using Lovely Green's "eco friendly" white soap recipe. With 50% olive oil I expected trace to come a lot slower....I was wrong. I also wrongly thought I had ultra-refined Shea butter, unfortunately I only had the natty stuff. The cut will determine how it went, hopefully tomorrow. More descriptive write up on when I post the pics. I have hope for the cut, at the very worst though it'll at least smell and feel good!


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## dibbles (Nov 24, 2021)

@Johnez be careful not to post pictures of your soaps anywhere other than the entry thread if you are going to enter them. I wouldn't want to see you be disqualified.


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## Johnez (Nov 24, 2021)

dibbles said:


> @Johnez be careful not to post pictures of your soaps anywhere other than the entry thread if you are going to enter them. I wouldn't want to see you be disqualified.



Oh ok, it thought it was the finished soap we couldn't post. Will edit!


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## dibbles (Nov 24, 2021)

Johnez said:


> Oh ok, it thought it was the finished soap we couldn't post. Will edit!


I think you're okay - that would be up to @szaza as this month's host. I just wanted to make sure you weren't going to post your cut bars here.


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## ResolvableOwl (Nov 24, 2021)

@Johnez 
 Have you really swapped the purple and the blue in your rainbow sequence? Don't you know how many OCD disciples are lurking around here???


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## Vicki C (Nov 25, 2021)

ResolvableOwl said:


> @Johnez
> Have you really swapped the purple and the blue in your rainbow sequence? Don't you know how many OCD disciples are lurking around here???


Just wondering RO if you share my OCD problem with snowflake illustrations that have eight points… or any number other than six… they make me disproportionately crazy.


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## ResolvableOwl (Nov 25, 2021)

AAAAARGH!!! STOP THAT!!!


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## Johnez (Nov 25, 2021)

ResolvableOwl said:


> @Johnez
> Have you really swapped the purple and the blue in your rainbow sequence? Don't you know how many OCD disciples are lurking around here???



For shame! Yes. 

I caught it right as I started squeezing. It did quite bother me, but there was no going back. I debated on whether to swap out the others to make it truly random but I was afraid to make it worse lol. Take heart that at least the top matches the drops!


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## Zany_in_CO (Nov 25, 2021)

Imagine my dismay when my 8 year-old son complained about the 3-color (yellow, orange, red) graphic stripe we painted on the white walls of his bedroom was not in "rainbow" sequence. He's 56 now and still hasn't forgiven me. At least, now I understand "why?"


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## glendam (Nov 25, 2021)

Phew!  I am glad I decided to follow the color sequence as close as I could, I was going to do it randomly initially!


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## ResolvableOwl (Nov 25, 2021)

@Zany_in_CO
He's absolutely RIGHT. No mercy for such an atrocity. Never!  Why only are parents so cruel to their children?


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## Johnez (Nov 25, 2021)

Zany_in_CO said:


> Imagine my dismay when my 8 year-old son complained about the 3-color (yellow, orange, red) graphic stripe we painted on the white walls of his bedroom was not in "rainbow" sequence. He's 56 now and still hasn't forgiven me. At least, now I understand "why?"



Imagine my dad's bemusement when at 5 years old I argued bricks weren't red. "Red? No the stop sign is red. Bricks are a different color!" Children are funny creatures as I'm learning now with my own.


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## Zany_in_CO (Nov 25, 2021)

ResolvableOwl said:


> Why only are parents so cruel to their children?


No, not cruel really... just the difference between a logical left-brain son saddled with a right-brain, creative, intuitive mom.  



Johnez said:


> Children are funny creatures as I'm learning now with my own.


Definitely more entertaining than TV! Oh, the stories I could tell...


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## Johnez (Nov 25, 2021)

"This is why the soap films can be considered as analog computers which can outperform conventional computers, depending on the complexity of the system."

So I went down a rainbow rabbit hole, my second one of the day (thanks RO for providing the first). From the rainbow article in Wikipedia, this gem came from the "see also" section link "Iridescent Colours In Soap Bubbles." Science is pretty darn interesting!


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## violets2217 (Nov 25, 2021)

ResolvableOwl said:


> Why only are parents so cruel to their children?


Because it is one of the few joy's we receive while observing their reactions?!?!?!


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## ResolvableOwl (Nov 25, 2021)

At least one of us has still a lot to learn about what it means to be grown-up.


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## violets2217 (Nov 25, 2021)

ResolvableOwl said:


> At least one of us has still a lot to learn about what it means to be grown-up.


I learn something new everyday about being an adult and sometimes it’s my kids pointing out today’s lesson on how to be a grown-up… that’s another joy of having kids.


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## The_Phoenix (Nov 27, 2021)

I didn’t enter the challenge. But I did make a rainbow-inspired soap.


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## szaza (Nov 28, 2021)

@The_Phoenix that's a beautiful soap!! 

Sorry everyone, I need my laptop to finish up the voting survey, I'm not managing on my phone and I won't have my laptop for at least another few hours. Please hang in there, I know you're all eager to start casting your votes


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## Peachy Clean Soap (Nov 28, 2021)

szaza said:


> @The_Phoenix that's a beautiful soap!!
> 
> Sorry everyone, I need my laptop to finish up the voting survey, I'm not managing on my phone and I won't have my laptop for at least another few hours. Please hang in there, I know you're all eager to start casting your votes


Thank Ü .


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## CpnDouchette (Nov 28, 2021)

I really like the style of bevel @violets2217 and @dibbles have done. How do you do this? Is it a special tool?


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## violets2217 (Nov 28, 2021)

CpnDouchette said:


> I really like the style of bevel @violets2217 and @dibbles have done. How do you do this? Is it a special tool?


I use a router made by Wild Platanica. It’s pretty cool and I actually love it! I could do much fancier edges because it come with many different edge keys… but I stick with simple edges.
Wild Platanica


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## CpnDouchette (Nov 28, 2021)

violets2217 said:


> I use a router made by Wild Platanica. It’s pretty cool and I actually love it! I could do much fancier edges because it come with many different edge keys… but I stick with simple edges.
> Wild Platanica



Oooh, I found a video of hers on YouTube- what a clever little device. Your bars just look so very professional and clean.


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## dibbles (Nov 28, 2021)

CpnDouchette said:


> I really like the style of bevel @violets2217 and @dibbles have done. How do you do this? Is it a special tool?


It looks like @violets2217 answered your question. I'll just add that I love the router too.


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## Primrose (Nov 29, 2021)

I love everyone’s entries, super well done! Life has been way too much for me to attempt the challenge  though I have it planned out and intend to still make the soap in the next few weeks. Very fun challenge and I love what everyone came up with and the vast range of techniques used


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## szaza (Nov 29, 2021)

Voting link has finally been sent out. The plan was that voting would be open yesterday and today and that the winners would be announced tomorrow (November 30th). Instead voting will be open today and tomorrow and the winners will be anounced on December 1st.

Good luck to all the participants and thank you for sharing your beautiful colorful soaps :-D


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## dibbles (Nov 30, 2021)

Thank you for hosting this month @szaza. It was fun, and lots of pretty soaps were made by all.


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## szaza (Dec 1, 2021)

Drumroll please... 

The winners of the Rainbow Challenge are... 

1. @dibbles 
2. @melonpan 
3. @CpnDouchette and @Vicki C (it was a tie) 

Congratulations to the winners and well done everyone. Those were some awesome soaps you shared


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## Peachy Clean Soap (Dec 1, 2021)

Awesome Job Everyone ❤.


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## ScentimentallyYours (Dec 6, 2021)

I was overwhelmed and missed the deadline, but I finished making the soap I imagined for the challenge.  My daughter’s second recital was The Rainbow Connection.  Her sixth recital was the long version of Over The Rainbow.  (Kerry has autism, but she is blessed with a love of singing and performing.)

Connecting the two songs, I decided Kermit needed to be there to ask, “Why are there so many songs about rainbows?” And then he sings,  “Who said that every wish would be heard and answered when wished on a morning star?”

And making the rainbow connection, in Over The Rainbow Dorothy sang, “Someday I’ll wish upon a star…”  And then asked, “If happy little bluebirds fly, why oh whcan’t I?”






The soap is unscented.  Micas are from Nurture. Kermit and embeds are made from Bramble Berry‘s low sweat melt and pour base.

If anyone is interested, Kerry’s recitals are on YouTube.


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