Bubbles in the m and p soap

[rugrat8020]

Hello,
Can someone please help me get rid of bubbles that come up to the surface of my melt and pour soap?
I have moulded beautiful roses and embed them in the melt and pour soap, but hate the bubbles which escape up to the surface. If you dare touch the surface it messes up the whole clean clear look of the soap.
I even tried to pop the bubbles with a sharp needle as they arrived on the surface, but that also messes it up.

I have tried to spray 90% alcohol obtained from the chemist on tbhe surface but that only dulls the surface which I hate.
Any advice from the experts?

Rugrat

 

[pops1]

Sorry I am certainly not an expert on M & P but the only way l know of to get rid of bubbles is to use alcohol,my alcohol bottle is nearly attached to my arm when l am soaping.I have never noticed a problem with loss of shine when l use it but l think l would rather have no shine than ugly bubbles everywhere.

 

[Tabitha]

Yes, mist it with rubbing alcohol & it will be smooth.[/code]

 

[rugrat8020]

Rubbing alcohol

Hello,
Please tell me what rubbing alcohol is? Does it have a name? When I asked my chemist for that she looked at me with a blank face and I went home with 90% pure alcohol which was a disapointment. Do you just lightly spray the surface? I did that and it left tiny droplet marks all over, then I wet it properly and the surface became dull. I should rather have drunk the alcohol instead.
Rugrat

 

[pops1]

Yes you just lightly mist over the soap and it usually drys within seconds with out leaving any marks and l have to use the 90% because that's all l can get here in my country town.What base are you using?

 

[chlobue]

isoproply alcohol is what I use.The 90% one.

chris

 

[pops1]

That's the right one,could you tell me what soap base you are using? Its the only thing l can think of that might be causing a problem.

 

[rugrat8020]

Bubbles in soap

Hello,
I use long tubes of pure glycerine soap which I buy from a soap supplier in Johannesburg. I have no idea what the base is. Thought it was pure 100% glycerine.
I think the alcohol down under has something special in it that works miracles. I will continue looking for isoprophyl alcohol. When I find it I will let you know.
Thanks for your help.
Rugrat

 

[Tabitha]

Glycerin soap is just what it is called. It can contain any number of ingredients w/ glycerin being just 1 ingredient in it.

Here is an example. SFIC soap base contains the following:
Coconut Oil
Palm Oil
Castor Oil
Safflower Oil
Glycerin (kosher, of vegetable origin)
Purified Water
Sodium Hydroxide (saponifying agent)
Sorbitol (from berries, moisturizer)
Sorbitan oleate (emulsifier)
Soybean protein (conditioner)

Here are the ingredients found in Taylored Concepts soap base.:
Propylene Glycol, Sorbitol, Glycerin, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Sodium Stearate, Sodium Myristate, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Triethanolamine, Water

You get the bubbles because you are pouring too hot and too quick. Pouring cooler & slower will help.

 

[rugrat8020]

Hello,
Thanks for all the information and advice. Had no idea al the ingredients in glycerine soap. I am actually a CP soapcrafter, but learning about glycerine soaps as well.

Will pour slowly and at a cooler temp.
Thanks so much
Rugrat

 

[rugrat8020]

How much Rubbing Alcohol?

Hello,
I have managed to get Rubbing Alcohol at last.
How much do I spray on my glycerine soap to get rid of bubbles coming to the surface when embedding an item in the soap mould?
Do I saturate the surface or not?
Rugrat

 

[Candybee]

I've been making M&P soaps for several years now. When I want to get rid of bubbles I use the alcohol spray method.

Do you have an empty spray bottle that has a fine mist? A lot of garden shops have them or just use an empty windex spray bottle.

You will want to spray very lightly and several inches above the soap. Remember you are not looking to saturate the soap just mist it very lightly. Think of how you spray the air with perfume and walk into it to get the perfume on you. I hope that analogy is helpful because you are going for a light touch here on the soap.

 

[rugrat8020]

Rubbing alcohol spray

Hello,
Thanks for your help - I will do exactly as you have just described so beautifully. The alcohol will obviously just evaporate but the bubbles will be gone. Will practise a bit to get it right.
Thanks
Rugrat

 

[madpiano]

Rugrat, I use rubbing alcohol for now, but I am not that happy with it, as it smells strongly of hospital disinfectant and also contains castor oil, which gets everything really slimey after a while. As soon as my bottle is finished I will be switching to Isoprop (or whatever it is called). The place to find that is computer shops. It is used to clean electronics and comes in spray cans.

Your idea of drinking the 90% alcohol sounds like a good idea, lol, but that alcohol should also work. Do you spray immediatly after you pour ? Then it shouldn't leave any marks as it will dry before the soap hardens. If you spray after a skin has formed, the alcohol will leave marks and you wont get rid of the bubbles as the point is to break the surface tension before they form

 

[rugrat8020]

Hello Madpiano, Nice name!
The rubbing alcohol is still sitting in the cupboard, I have just been toooooo busy with Christmas and New Year cooking etc. no time for my soaps
But, thanks for your information and advice. I will spray a waft of alcohol as the bubbles come popping up to the surface before the soap forms its layer.
No wonder my chemist could not help me with Isoprophyl alcohol. Will try the computer shop.
Thanks
Rugrat.