Layers separating?

[Guest]

I tried my first m&p layered soap 2 days ago. Botched up one part where I poured too soon, but other than that, it looked ok. I cut it up last night, and it didn't separate. But if i tried to pull it apart, it would although it doesn't come apart easily. And when I used a small thin piece to wash my hands, the layers came apart. Does this mean I failed? I'm guessing it shouldn't separate while being used rite? What else I can do to stop it? I spritzed alot of alcohol onto the soap before pouring it.

 

[Tabitha]

You must mist the 1st, dry layer heavily with rubbing alcohol & pour the second layer very quickly before the alcohol evaporates. The alcohol bonds the layers together.

 

[Guest]

the soap shouldn't separate when wet right?

 

[Tabitha]

The layers will not seperate for any reason if you use alcohol between the layers.

 

[Guest]

Thanks Tabitha! Will need to try doing more layers till I get it to not seperate then...

 

[DESSEREE]

melt and pour alcohol alternative

does it have to be alcohol to sprizt between layers or is there an alternative i could use.

 

[Hazel]

I've only seen rubbing alcohol recommended. You could try experimenting with something else to see what might work. Perhaps witch hazel?

 

[supersoaper3000]

No you wanna stick with rubbing alcohol, best results with a 90% or higher solution.

Years ago I was playing with a method where I would pour the layers a little on the hot side and massage the layer I set it on with my fingers until it became supple and soft like warm butter. It would bond great, but was time consuming and messy :roll:

 

[dragonqueenie]

You must mist the 1st, dry layer heavily with rubbing alcohol & pour the second layer very quickly before the alcohol evaporates. The alcohol bonds the layers together.

That explains my Mushroom cloud in my first...ahem...layered soap.

Thanks Tabitha! Now I know to let the layers DRY!

 

[ToniD]

Btw. If your mold is heat proof, sometimes you can save separating layers by putting them in the oven for a while to let them get soft enough to melt together enough to bond, without the colors running together. I only had to do it once and it worked very well, except at the very edges the soap got a bit more melted together than I would have wished.

 

[IanJohnson]

Will the alcohol bond layers that are already cooled? If I have two pieces that were molded separately, but made to fit together, will the alcohol still bond them strongly enough?