Basti's Adventures in CP (2022)
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With the white, it's like a parfait in a wine glassI saw drinking glasses in your soap shape ...
Beatiful design
My brain immediately went to an amphora
Or a fancy pitcher. So definitely we have a drinkware vibe 
Something a little more simple today.
I used 1 oz Sea Moss Gel in place of some of my water (20%), which I blended into my oils. Added some turmeric infused OO to my oils, as well as used some turmeric OO to mix up some additional turmeric for the darker soap.
Batch #15 - 6 Oil Blend with Sea Moss Gel & Distilled Water
The good: The FO (NS's Foxy Lady) was one reported as an accelerator/ricer and since I planned on doing layers, I figured I'd give it a try as a learning experience. Well, surprise surprise, she behaved beautifully. I instead ended up doing a spoon swirl since it was still workable.
The bad: If you're thinking these bars are a little small, well... we're not gonna talk about the other 1/3 of this batch. Nor the natural colorant I put in that batter. Nor the very, very awful color that batter was.
The ugly: More of a metaphorical ugly but I spent so long trying to find a texture I liked on top of these. Swirls? Nah, smoothed back down. Big spoon swipes? Nah. Fork raking? Nah. Little spoon swipes? Nah. I ended up just settling on some geometric patterns. I'm gonna do some sleuthing to see what kind of textures people commonly use on such wide bars, because there's just so much ground to cover with these lol.
Bonus:
I was very charmed by the color change after I added lye. The pre-lye oils are such a happy sunny yellow, it makes me want to make a soap that will actually be that color. The orange was pretty gorgeous too.
I used 1 oz Sea Moss Gel in place of some of my water (20%), which I blended into my oils. Added some turmeric infused OO to my oils, as well as used some turmeric OO to mix up some additional turmeric for the darker soap.
Batch #15 - 6 Oil Blend with Sea Moss Gel & Distilled Water
The good: The FO (NS's Foxy Lady) was one reported as an accelerator/ricer and since I planned on doing layers, I figured I'd give it a try as a learning experience. Well, surprise surprise, she behaved beautifully. I instead ended up doing a spoon swirl since it was still workable.
The bad: If you're thinking these bars are a little small, well... we're not gonna talk about the other 1/3 of this batch. Nor the natural colorant I put in that batter. Nor the very, very awful color that batter was.
The ugly: More of a metaphorical ugly but I spent so long trying to find a texture I liked on top of these. Swirls? Nah, smoothed back down. Big spoon swipes? Nah. Fork raking? Nah. Little spoon swipes? Nah. I ended up just settling on some geometric patterns. I'm gonna do some sleuthing to see what kind of textures people commonly use on such wide bars, because there's just so much ground to cover with these lol.
Bonus:
I was very charmed by the color change after I added lye. The pre-lye oils are such a happy sunny yellow, it makes me want to make a soap that will actually be that color. The orange was pretty gorgeous too.
Actually freezer paper is very easy to line with. The biggest trick is creasing the inside edges. I always folded the first side to get a sharp crease, then would lay it in the mold and crease the opposite side carefully with my fingernail being careful not to cut through the paper. All my molds were HDPE molds which required lining. Once you learn what size you need to cut your liner and where to make the first crease it is really easy then just line each end separately. This way you will not get wonky sides.
Today was attempt #3 with the tall and skinny mold, this time using proper freezer paper instead of parchment. It's still a bit difficult. I'm following the directions but I don't think it helps that this mold is SO small. I'm not gonna give up but if this mold becomes a pencil holder in the future, mind your business
This thread might help.
https://www.soapmakingforum.com/threads/the-joy-of-soap-mold-lining-not.72878/
Oh wow. Your video with the template is the key! I think a lot of my issue is the top edge of this mold is rounded so the fingernail trick gives very inconsistent results. I will have to give this a try
The concept of the method in the video is still creasing which stops the wonkiness, which was my point.
Same! I saw something tropical and delicious, like a hurricane or a mai tai.I saw drinking glasses in your soap shape ...
Long time no soap! I say, as if I didn't make this soap two weeks ago and not made any since
I've been taking a short break partially because I ran out of shea butter and ordered some from WSP along with some FOs, Kaolin, and some mango butter since that was on sale! But also I've been hard at work on my MP soaps for my online shop and those take priority over the mad science experiments.
Anyway, on to this soap. After I got that nasty colored extra batter from Batch #15, I decided to shred it all down and then mix it in with my other blue and green soap scraps to do a ciaglia method soap. I wanted to use as much as possible, so I broke out my normal mold for the first time! I also added some sea clay, some leftover green tea rice water from Batch #8, and a healthy dose of gold mica.
Batch #16 - 7 Oil Blend with Green Tea Infused Rice Water
I did, in fact, have FOUR different colorants but somehow two ended up the same color With how weirdly colored my batter was due to the soap scraps, the sea clay, and the lye solution, I didn't notice until it was too late. All good! At least it's a beautiful green.
The speckling of the ciaglia method is so fun. I especially love seeing the tiny bits of neon green from my Batch #5 & #6.
I've been taking a short break partially because I ran out of shea butter and ordered some from WSP along with some FOs, Kaolin, and some mango butter since that was on sale! But also I've been hard at work on my MP soaps for my online shop and those take priority over the mad science experiments.
Anyway, on to this soap. After I got that nasty colored extra batter from Batch #15, I decided to shred it all down and then mix it in with my other blue and green soap scraps to do a ciaglia method soap. I wanted to use as much as possible, so I broke out my normal mold for the first time! I also added some sea clay, some leftover green tea rice water from Batch #8, and a healthy dose of gold mica.
Batch #16 - 7 Oil Blend with Green Tea Infused Rice Water
I did, in fact, have FOUR different colorants but somehow two ended up the same color
With how weirdly colored my batter was due to the soap scraps, the sea clay, and the lye solution, I didn't notice until it was too late. All good! At least it's a beautiful green.The speckling of the ciaglia method is so fun. I especially love seeing the tiny bits of neon green from my Batch #5 & #6.
There's a brand of cocoa butter I use that retains its scent in soap. It's nice with orange essential oil.
Um, might I suggest lotion bars?
My dear Zing! Question for ya, hope you don't mind~. I have a big ol' hunk of beeswax coming in the mail sometime today, but now I'm wondering if there are any oils you recommend?
I have Avocado, Castor, Coconut, Olive, and RBO on hand... but I'll need a cavity mold so I'll can always pick up a better oil for this purpose in the process.
I prefer lighter oils because it seems like they get absorbed quicker like fractionated coconut oil (it's not the regular 76 kind), sunflower, grape seed, safflower and my very favorite but out of my current budget mmmmeadowfoam seed oil. Also rice bran oil, sweet almond, jojoba, apricot kernel. From your list I'd go with RBO.My dear Zing! Question for ya, hope you don't mind~. I have a big ol' hunk of beeswax coming in the mail sometime today, but now I'm wondering if there are any oils you recommend?
Keep me posted!
Thank you Oh Great Herald of Lotion Bars
RBO it is! I'm sure I'll have something to share soon 
