Coffee Soap with Pencil Line - Fail

[Luckyone80]

I'm so sad Yesterday I made soap most of the day. This soap is made with Lard, CO, OO and Castor oil, I used double brewed coffee, coffee FO, splash of chocolate espresso and a splash of almond FO. The bottom layer has some powdered coffee grounds with pencil line using cocoa powder in between the layers. First time I've ever tried a pencil line and will probably be the last. I have read about how not to use to much powder b/c the layers won't bond together, I thought I was careful but apparently not.
This soap behaved so well and turned out so pretty but of course the layers break apart every time I cut it. I'm so upset. I guess this will be a rebatch. :thumbdown:

 

[snappyllama]

That's a bummer that your layers separated... it's such a nice looking soap. I probably wouldn't rebatch it... I'd just rinse off the powder and use the smaller bar portions as-is.

Which coffee FO did you use? I've got one from WSP, but I'm not in love with it OOB...

 

[Obsidian]

I wonder if you can break the top off the whole loaf and wash away the coco powder and then stick it back together by wetting both surfaces. It worth a try before you rebatch. It a nice looking soap, shame its breaking.

 

[Confused_Penguin]

I'm sorry that happened . Your soap is beautiful

 

[shunt2011]

It looks awesome. Sorry that happened. Looks like you may have used a bit too much cocoa powder. I've done it a couple times and if done lightly I haven't had any separation. I too would just rinse it off and see if you can stick it back together before rebatching. Or just use it in separate piece.

 

[Luckyone80]

Yeah I swear when I was dusting on the cocoa powder that I thought I hadn't used too much, I could easily see the layer below and the dusting was spotty, thougth for sure it would stick.

The bar is still a bit soft, I will look at it tonight and see what I can do with it. I'm just so mad at myself for using too much, I was really proud of this one.

 

[Luckyone80]

Which coffee FO did you use? I've got one from WSP, but I'm not in love with it OOB...

It's one I bought off a seller on Etsy that I buy from occasionally, just named coffee. https://www.etsy.com/transaction/262510441

I used a splash of BB Chocolate Espresso and BB Almond with the coffee FO and it truly smells like coffee, amazing!!

 

[snappyllama]

Thanks!

 

[DeeAnna]

Some tips for what they're worth. Don't try to get as even of a coating as shown in your broken-apart bar. Just a breath of cocoa is plenty. If you do get an area that is dusted more than you think is safe, use the tips of a fork to "rough up" that area and also to slightly mix the excess cocoa into the top 1/8" of the soap batter. And, lastly, knock on wood or make a wish or something like that -- it never hurts to try to appease the soap gremlins!

 

[navigator9]

That's a darn shame, it's such a pretty soap!

 

[Luckyone80]

Thanks guys, not sure I'll try it again though. As you can see the line on the cut soap isn't thick at all, hardly noticeable to some I've seen, oh well!

 

[Obsidian]

When I make pencil lines, I make sure what ever powder I'm using stays wet looking. If the powder looks dry, its likely enough to make is separate. Coco powder will bleed into a wider line so you can make a thin line.

 

[DeeAnna]

If you want a thicker look to the line, the idea of lightly scratching the cocoa into the soap with a fork will help. I hadn't thought about Obsidian's point of view about keeping the cocoa light enough so it wets, but in hindsight, that's what I've been intuitively doing.

 

[IrishLass]

Ditto what Obsidian says about making sure the powder is wet looking before pouring the second layer of soap on top.

I hope you'll give it another try, Lucky. My first pencil line failed, too, and I was so heartbroken that for a few years it put me off of trying another one ever again, but never say never, as they say. I tried it again just this past September, and I had very good success by following the 'wet-look' tip, and also by making sure to not be too heavy-handed when sprinkling the line on the soap. In the places where it looked like it might be too thick, I actually blew on it. Oh, and I also layed the soap on it's side when cutting it into bars.

Here's a post that I found where fellow member TVivian actually fixed her broken pencil-line soap:

http://www.soapmakingforum.com/showpost.php?p=379507&postcount=3

@DeeAnna- your fork tip sound great! Your resulting soap looks great, too!


IrishLass

 

[Luckyone80]

Thanks guys, I may give it another go. I actually thought making the rest of the loaf an embed in a new coffee soap b/c the loaf is only 18 oz made in a Velveeta cheese box and it would fit in my larger 26 oz mold...

 

[Rowan]

Your soap is so pretty, IMHO I would try and fix it as Irish Lass suggested. Getting embeds to stick can be equally difficult. It's always worth trying the easiest option first. Your fragrance sounds delicious!