A pretty design for accelerating FOs?

[KiwiMoose]

Hi All,

I make a yummy smelling Daphne and Ylang Ylang soap. After having made it for the fifth time I finally have to declare defeat. Every time I try to do a pretty or delicate swirl it just ends up as a non event because the batter is too thick. Does anyone have any suggestions for what can be done in the way of a swirl so that it still look pretty ( ie not colour blocks, layers etc).
Including pics of my last two batches - the older one was ok ( but not as much design as I had tried for) and the last week's one - well - get out your microscope (and I swirled the bejeezus out of that one too!)

 

[AliOop]

No advice, just enjoying the pics! I know it's not what you wanted, but still so pretty.

 

[KiwiMoose]

No advice, just enjoying the pics! I know it's not what you wanted, but still so pretty.

You're no help!

 

[Jersey Girl]

What about swirling with a spoon after it’s in the mold? Alternate colors and then swirl.

 

[artemis]

What about swirling with a spoon after it’s in the mold? Alternate colors and then swirl.

This is what I was thinking.

 

[ShySoaper]

Hi All,

I make a yummy smelling Daphne and Ylang Ylang soap. After having made it for the fifth time I finally have to declare defeat. Every time I try to do a pretty or delicate swirl it just ends up as a non event because the batter is too thick. Does anyone have any suggestions for what can be done in the way of a swirl so that it still look pretty ( ie not colour blocks, layers etc).
Including pics of my last two batches - the older one was ok ( but not as much design as I had tried for) and the last week's one - well - get out your microscope (and I swirled the bejeezus out of that one too!)

View attachment 46693View attachment 46694

I love it thinking when will I ever be able to accomplish a design like that

 

[Mobjack Bay]

Well, I think the soap in the first photo is gorgeous, but that’s just me... Have you tried using a thicker something to make the swirls? And, then bang it down forcefully

 

[dibbles]

I like the first soap very much. Honestly, since this has been a problem FO, maybe consider just making it a one color soap with a mica swirl or mica dusted top. Those kind of soap d3signs are very appealing.

 

[BattleGnome]

You could try sculpting but I agree with everyone that your swirls look great.

 

[IslandSoap]

Those are beautiful

 

[lucycat]

I agree that the soap is attractive and personally prefer simpler designs when batter thickens so quickly.
Using a heavy weight hanger for a hanger swirl would work and pounding down afterward. Layers are the easiest solution and fragrance each layer right before pour when the batter is really thick. If I really want a swirl then I put an ITP swirl in the top layer either without fragrance or at a lighter fragrance load.

 

[linne1gi]

Hi All,

I make a yummy smelling Daphne and Ylang Ylang soap. After having made it for the fifth time I finally have to declare defeat. Every time I try to do a pretty or delicate swirl it just ends up as a non event because the batter is too thick. Does anyone have any suggestions for what can be done in the way of a swirl so that it still look pretty ( ie not colour blocks, layers etc).
Including pics of my last two batches - the older one was ok ( but not as much design as I had tried for) and the last week's one - well - get out your microscope (and I swirled the bejeezus out of that one too!)

View attachment 46693View attachment 46694

In my opinion you've tried this fragrance enough times to know that it's very naughty. I personally would hot process it if that happened to me. After years of trying I am finally able to have a fluid hot process batter, although it seems I still mostly do CP. Only in the case of a fragrance that I know will give me trouble do I HP.

 

[KiwiMoose]

Thank you for all your tips and comments. If you all knew the swirl I *thought* I had done and compared it with what i actually achieved you would see my problem - especially for the second one where I really thought it was gonna happen, lol. I think I like @lucycat's idea. Single colour on the bottom, then an ITP swirl on the top.. I will try that next time. The problem with adding fragrance at the last minute before the put is that I have a problem once with this same soap where it wasn't blended enough and the fragrance smelt bad within a month. SO I'm being very careful to blend properly now.

 

[Ford]

Very Nice. talking about the second bar. The colors you used to swirl. Are kind of low in the mix. With an advanced trace. it may be hard to get at them. Maybe position them a little higher up?? PS. "that's the way I planned it". Not mine, but was quoted to me.

 

[KiwiMoose]

Very Nice. talking about the second bar. The colors you used to swirl. Are kind of low in the mix. With an advanced trace. it may be hard to get at them. Maybe position them a little higher up?? PS. "that's the way I planned it". Not mine, but was quoted to me.

Thanks Ford. Actually they were both poured the same way - it's just that with the constant banging of the second one to get the thick batter to settle, it 'dropped' to the bottom : (

 

[Ford]

yup, done the plop drop dance myself. Several times. and more to come I guess.

 

[Anstarx]

I imagine accelerating FO would be perfect for layers, maybe a tilted layers!
I 've always wanted to do a multi-layer soap but lack the patience to wait for the layers to set up properly. I'm planning a 5 layer soap and I had to make 5 batch because my SB will bring too much bubble. An accelerating fragrance would be perfect! You will have to divide the batter for layers but it would look really sophisticated.

 

[CatahoulaBubble]

What about doing a single color soap with mica lines. You can sculpt ridges and valleys in the soap and then do mica lines in layers. Like green soap and gold lines, red soap and gold lines, red soap and black lines, baby blue soap with navy blue lines. Or you could divy up your oils and lye in separate colors and then add the FO at the end and do an in the pot swirl and pour or just layer the colors.

 

[penelopejane]

I agree with anstarx some stripes might be a nice idea. Or are they not pretty enough for you!

 

[mishmish]

A chopstick ITM swirl is my go-to when I've got a really accelerating fo. With some serious banging on the counter to get rid of air pockets.