Coloured layers

[lemongirl]

Hi all, I'm fairly new to soaping, and with a 6 month old and 3 year old running around, it's hard to get the time to really practice, but I tried to make a 2 tone soap the other day. I split the batch in half at trace and added colour to one half. Was hoping to have the coloured half on the bottom with white on top, but as soon as I'd poured the coloured half in the mould I realised it was nowhere near hard enough to support the second layer - which sure enough just sank in as soon as I poured it, so I had to do a swirl instead. So what's the secret? How do I get my bottom layer hard before I add the top one? Should I make the batches separately, and wait a day in between or something? I make such small batches I just worry they'll go horribly wrong if I split them in half. Thanks

 

[IrishLass]

What I usually do is this: I give the portion that will be going into the mold first a double dose of my stickblender to get it to come to trace quicker than the other half.

IrishLass

 

[dcornett]

I don't do a lot of layered soaps, but I have made it both ways and it is easier to make a nice distictive layer if the bottom has time to set up a little (doesn't have to be a full day...) but I've also made both layers from the same batch, and if you let it get to a pretty thick trace you can spoon or ladle the top layer on gently and it wont sink if your real careful. You're more prone to dips and curves that way though...

Maybe someone else can be more help...

 

[Midnight Rowan]

I just tried this for the first time this week, and it actually turned out well by completely separating the batch: divided lye solution in half, then divided oils in half; SB'd first layer to a nice, thick trace before pouring (was still pourable consistency, but had begun to set up by the time I poured second layer); SB'd 2nd layer just past emulsion (very light trace) and poured slowly over the back of a spoon held close to the surface of the 1st layer. No mixing of colors and nice crisp lines this way. HTH

 

[erniemay]

What I usually do is this: I give the portion that will be going into the mold first a double dose of my stickblender to get it to come to trace quicker than the other half.

I've only made layered soap once but I did the same as IrishLass and a few extra blasts with the stickblender worked wonders. Also when I poured the upper layer on top of the first I used the back of a spoon to break its momentum before it hit the lower layer to create a smoother boundary. I got the idea from this vid: [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JJPBYQI9108"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JJPBYQI9108[/ame]

While there was a slight dip in the layer where I started pouring, this was probably caused by my inexperience rather than the technique and the rest of the layer was perfect.

 

[lemongirl]

Great ideas, thanks all - will have to try again soon!!

 

[Moonblossom]

I make one batch and while I'm making a second batch the first is hard enough to put the 2nd batch on top works for me everytime..

~Teri

 

[eleraine]

I tried making layered soap again recently and changed some techniques. I poured the first layer at semi-thin trace and waited for 10 mins or so. Tilt the mold a little to see if it was flowing. If it isn't, then start pouring on the next layer.

I pour onto a spatula slowly at a low height so that it doesn't break through the top. Once I have the surface covered, then I just pour all over the mold without using the spatula. Worked well for me.

 

[AgentM99]

I have made my 3rd basic soap now and want to try some colour and textured finishes next.

I am still a newbie so have been very by the book (or rather the way my soap teacher taught it!) in my ventures so far. This has included wrapping my soaps after pouring them so keep in the heat for saponification.

I am assuming it is not a problem to let it harden a bit while making a second coloured batch to layer on top but it leads me to now wonder, what is the point of wrapping it right away then?

Sorry to be now be off topic a smidge.

 

[panzerakc]

I make one batch and while I'm making a second batch the first is hard enough to put the 2nd batch on top works for me everytime.. ~Teri

Me, too.

The very first time I made a layered soap, I'd been given advice to wait 24 hours between layers. That was too long, as before I'd get to the end of a bar, the layers would separate.

Anita

 

[green soap]

I have been wanting to make a two tone soap and was thinking about using the same principle as the karma swirls, but not swirling. This would require someone to hold the mold divider while I pour simultaneously with two hands, or get the helper to pour one side at the same time. Then remove the divider slowly and carefully. Has anyone done two tones this way? Any advice on it? I was wondering if thicker trace would work better for this.

 

[IrishLass]

I have been wanting to make a two tone soap and was thinking about using the same principle as the karma swirls, but not swirling. This would require someone to hold the mold divider while I pour simultaneously with two hands, or get the helper to pour one side at the same time. Then remove the divider slowly and carefully. Has anyone done two tones this way? Any advice on it? I was wondering if thicker trace would work better for this.

I have a vertical mold with a special divider insert that lets me do that effortlessly, without anyone having to hold the divider in place:

http://www.brambleberry.com/Vertical-Wo ... P4927.aspx

Here is a youtube video of the mold being used:

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PtwqbnZESsU"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PtwqbnZESsU[/ame]

The lady in the video swirls her soap after carefully taking the divider out, but you can forgo the swirling part to get a perfect 2-toned layered look.

You can also use a divider with 2 people pouring at the same time:

http://nizzymoulds.com/BLue%20&%20Yellow.htm


IrishLass

 

[green soap]

Thanks for all the links Irishlass! It looks like a very nice mold. My mold budget is tapped, but we can use the separator along the length of the mold in my silicon lined wood mold. I can probably tape it to the wooden outside and do it solo too, the last blog made me think of it.