Who has soaped Natures Garden's Cracklin Birch? I am getting ready to use it and just wondering. Sometimes I just do not trust reviews and would rather hear from some of you that use it. 
Cracklin Birch
- Thread starter cmzaha
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I do quite frequently. It’s my husbands favorite. It can move a bit fast but it’s workable. I can get a two color swirl with it.
I thought you soaped it. Thanks. Yes it did move a bit fast but I managed 3 colors although the last part of the pour was more plop than pour
It smell really good.
I thought you soaped it. Thanks. Yes it did move a bit fast but I managed 3 colors although the last part of the pour was more plop than pour
Yep, that sounds about right. Every once in a while it will play nice. Can’t figure it out as it’s usually the same recipe. Glad it worked out for you. I really like it too. It’s one of those that sticks to the skin and smells good.
It's one of my favorites too. I have an acquaintance who buys a dozen bars at a time, just so he doesn't run out.
I make a layered beer soap with Cracklin' Birch. Pour batter into separate cups, add the FO to one cup, pour into mold, add FO to second portion, pour, etc. I spoon swirl the top of each pour and do a pencil line.
Last time I did this, the FO did what Shari said -- behaved too nicely so I couldn't get the spoon swirl done for a swoopy irregular pencil line -- but in the other batches I've made, it accelerates moderately. It doesn't rice or act super naughty, but definitely keeps me on my toes. I definitely wouldn't plan a complicated design with this FO.
I make a layered beer soap with Cracklin' Birch. Pour batter into separate cups, add the FO to one cup, pour into mold, add FO to second portion, pour, etc. I spoon swirl the top of each pour and do a pencil line.
Last time I did this, the FO did what Shari said -- behaved too nicely so I couldn't get the spoon swirl done for a swoopy irregular pencil line -- but in the other batches I've made, it accelerates moderately. It doesn't rice or act super naughty, but definitely keeps me on my toes. I definitely wouldn't plan a complicated design with this FO.
Cracklin Birch is one of my best sellers, but I hate it!
As far as working with it, it accelerates pretty quickly on me, as well (although sometimes, it seems to move slower; I always wonder what I did wrong/differently.). I use a 40% lye concentration and soap at 130F; that probably has a lot to do with it. These days I do an ITP swirl with it. I color 1/8 of the unscented bar with brown oxide, and then I very quickly stir the FO (diluted with some HO SF from the batch) into my uncolored base before adding the colored batter and completing the swirl. I like a smooth top, but this one sets up in the mold so quickly that there's always some texture. I've never had any issues with overheating, but it gels quickly.
As far as working with it, it accelerates pretty quickly on me, as well (although sometimes, it seems to move slower; I always wonder what I did wrong/differently.). I use a 40% lye concentration and soap at 130F; that probably has a lot to do with it. These days I do an ITP swirl with it. I color 1/8 of the unscented bar with brown oxide, and then I very quickly stir the FO (diluted with some HO SF from the batch) into my uncolored base before adding the colored batter and completing the swirl. I like a smooth top, but this one sets up in the mold so quickly that there's always some texture. I've never had any issues with overheating, but it gels quickly.
Mine did not gel quickly, but with a 33% lye concentration and vinegar for water replacement I was able to make a 2 color swirl in the base color. I do like the scent but will see how it sells in a couple of months. Cracklin Birch is the brown and yellow. Followed by Plumeria and Werewolf
![20180224_071228[1].jpg](https://cdn.imagearchive.com/soapmakingforum/data/attach/25/25871-20180224-071228-1-.jpg "20180224_071228[1].jpg")
Love the colors. Mine doesn’t gel too quick either at 33%
Why don't you soap cooler with a 33% lye concentration. Thanks to IL many of us agree it is a real sweet spot, unless using a high percentage of soft oils. Mine is a 45/25% tallow/lard with a small amount of liquid oil which is a slower moving depending on the fo. The 2 new fo's I tried from Cal Candle actually reversed trace a bit.
Thank you for mentioning that "sweet spot," cmzaha. While I'm very much familiar with it, it doesn't produce the best of results for my formula and procedure. For starters, I hand stir all of my batches as I've never had luck with stick blenders; the lower water content helps to bring everything to a nice trace in under 20 minutes. Additionally, I use almost 40% soy wax in my formula and the high melting point makes it difficult to work with at lower temperatures. Much less than 130F and it runs the risk of solidifying on any exposed parts of my whisk; if it's stuck there, it's not in the soap! (Or it flakes off and never completely remelts into the batter.) In any case, I've been making soap like this for so long that I've gotten used to the quick speed of it all.
Your soaps are very pretty, and I love the gold on top! I make a patchouli and orange soap that looks a lot like your CB, only I use a mix of yellow and red oxide to make an orange swirl.
