*Bites nails*

[Rusti]

So I think I may have had my first little issue. I made a small batch this evening with a blend of WSP's Iced Tea Twist and WSP's Georgia Peach and added the FO to my oils before I mixed in the lye solution.
I *think* I managed to beat it into submission. It finally came to a light trace and my stick blender was possibly smoking (not for sure, but I think I saw a wisp or two) and stopped looking like specks of white grease in clear grease like it was trying to rice or separate, so I added color and put it in the mold and covered it up.

I go now to read the reviews on those fragrances and see if anybody else had issues with those two FOs but I thought I was going to burn up my stick blender before the batter came together properly.

Yikes! I sure hope it doesn't separate in the mold!

 

[Seawolfe]

Speak sternly to it and stride briskly away! It's just misbehaving for the attention, I'm sure.

Seriously - yikes! Glad you got it together!

 

[galaxyMLP]

Sounds like you got it under control! If it was me, I wouldn't attempt gel with a batch I was fearful might separate. That seems to exacerbate the possibility of separation. However, if you used high/standard water content, not gelling will likely be difficult to achieve! Just be sure to keep an eye on it. It should work out just fine!

 

[Rusti]

Sounds like you got it under control! If it was me, I wouldn't attempt gel with a batch I was fearful might separate. That seems to exacerbate the possibility of separation. However, if you used high/standard water content, not gelling will likely be difficult to achieve! Just be sure to keep an eye on it. It should work out just fine!

I did go ahead and cover it up, partially because cats, and partially because habits. But I went ahead and peeked at it, so far so good, the top of it looks like it's holding all right.

My mother wanted me to use the new mold Dad made for me but as I hadn't used that blend before, I erred on the side of caution with a batch just big enough for my 10" silicone mold. Guess I made the right choice! None of the reviews on WSP said anything about separation or ricing either, so who the heck knows what happened this evening.

 

[IrishLass]

Of the two, I've only soaped Iced Tea Twist, and it was quite the slow tracer for me. I had to blast it with my stick-blender more than is my usual to finally get it to come to trace. For what it's worth, my lye concentration was 33%, my soap temp was 120F, and I used .75 oz ppo of the FO. Mine didn't rice or anything like that.


IrishLass

 

[Rusti]

Of the two, I've only soaped Iced Tea Twist, and it was quite the slow tracer for me. I had to blast it with my stick-blender more than is my usual to finally get it to come to trace. For what it's worth, my lye concentration was 33%, my soap temp was 120F, and I used .75 oz ppo of the FO. Mine didn't rice or anything like that.


IrishLass

That sounds pretty close to my own stats, except my lye concentration was 28%. I'll have to work up the gumption to try that blend again, even though it made the whole house smell amazing.

 

[Susie]

I have used Georgia Peach with no problems. I used 30% lye concentration.

I learned in my recent glut of soapmaking that sometimes it is not one fragrance that is the problem, it is the combination of scents you use. Example: I have used clove bud EO in many, many blends of EOs with nary a problem. I mixed the same EO, from the same bottle even, from the same company into a batch with a FO that I previously used with no problem alone, and got instant rice. I do mean instant, too! So, my answer is that it was probably the combination that caused the problem.

ETA: Oh, and the soap turned out beautifully! I went ahead and gelled mine, not that I had a choice, as I stick blended until it started gel. It was good and firm the next day, and has an interestingly textured top that I wish I knew how to do on purpose.

 

[Rusti]

I cut it this morning and it looks like it's turned out just fine. It smells fantastic! It's nothing to look at really design-wise, just a soft peach and white swirl where I got a little anxious and dumped it in the mold instead of trying to do anything really interesting with it.

ETA: Pics!

 

[IrishLass]

Looks quite lovely.......or dare I say peachy!


IrishLass

 

[Susie]

Beautiful soap! You could not have made it that pretty if you had done it on purpose.

 

[TeresaT]

Sometimes, it is the simplest of things that are the most breathtaking. That is beautiful soap.

 

[MySoapyHeart]

Looks quite lovely.......or dare I say peachy!


IrishLass

*Ba Dam Tshh*

I saw what you did there... : D

 

[Rusti]

Thanks all!

 

[penelopejane]

I like the colour and the simple swirl. Good job.

 

[Seawolfe]

Wow nice save! Those are really pretty.

 

[kchaystack]

That is the risk we run with blending FO's. 2 perfectly well behaved FOs can turn into a nightmare to work with - and the only way to find out it try them. Glad it worked out.

 

[Rowan]

Great save and really pretty soap!

 

[Rusti]

That is the risk we run with blending FO's. 2 perfectly well behaved FOs can turn into a nightmare to work with - and the only way to find out it try them. Glad it worked out.

Yeah, I really love this blend, so next time I may split my batch and scent separately or something - that would help right?

 

[nikkisessence]

Your soap looks beautiful and the scent sounds amazing!

 

[IrishLass]

Yeah, I really love this blend, so next time I may split my batch and scent separately or something - that would help right?

Yes, absolutely. I actually do that quite often with some FOs I think smell great together, but don't know exactly how they'll behave with each other if blended before adding to my batter. I just split the batter in half, then scent & color each half separately before pouring into the mold. Sometimes I pour in layers and sometimes I swirl them. Some of my favorite soaps made this way are my Paradise/Black Raspberry Vanilla soap, my Green Tea/Keemun Black Tea soap, and my Honey/Orange Blossom soap.


IrishLass