Marble and granite

[Dawni]

So... I was in an activated charcoal kick today. And I'm in the mood to share pics

As far as "vivid" colorants go I only have this and titanium dioxide so I'm experimenting with these.

First up... Marble.
I tried my hand at CP again today. I have mini soaps still in the mold but this popped out the recycled margarine tub. Too bad there's air pockets, but still, I like that I got a distinct enough black.

And oh, the background soap bricks are from tests I was doing for a more fluid HP. Looks like CP from (very) far to me but the tops, which are underneath lol, are quite noticeably HP.

Next up, Granite.
This one is an HP, and like my previous HP tests with activated charcoal, I did not get black. Once I mixed and figured it'll stay grey I stopped mixing hence the stone-ish effect.


Here's the same batch, but I tried molding in an old food container I found in the kitchen. So happy it didn't need lining and popped right out, although some dried bits caused uneven surfaces. I did not have enough batter to make a proper loaf and cut it like usual, so these are quite thin vertically and cut crosswise (?). I will trim the edges once hard enough.

All in all I'm happy with these. The granite crumbles already feel nice to soap with so I have high hopes for after the cure. I'll update once my mini marble soaps are out the mold

 

[earlene]

I love the marble look of the soap in the forefront in your first picture! The air bubbles are most likely from your stick blender. Do you burp the blender before you start it going? Sometimes that is all it takes, although there are some blenders that just introduce too much air no matter what due to the design of the bell.

 

[Dawni]

I'm sorry but I'm not sure what you mean by burping the blender?

Also, I use the SB in bursts, then hand mix so maybe I'm getting air bubbles from that, too?

And thank you, I quite like it, too and I hope I can replicate it hehe

 

[earlene]

Sorry, 'burping' the SB is to basically release any trapped air before you turn it on. When you put the SB into the batter, you can put it in at a slant so air escapes or does not get trapped under the bell. Or you can also tilt it after inserted to ensure that any trapped air escapes. While doing your short bursts and in between use of the SB, be sure not to lift it above the top surface (or the meniscus) of the batter, so as not to introduce more air into the batter.

Vigorous hand mixing could also introduce bubbles, as well, so maybe be sure to hand mix gently.

I do hope you can replicate it, because that's one gorgeous soap you've got there.

 

[Dawni]

Sorry, 'burping' the SB is to basically release any trapped air before you turn it on. When you put the SB into the batter, you can put it in at a slant so air escapes or does not get trapped under the bell. Or you can also tilt it after inserted to ensure that any trapped air escapes.

No worries
I always tilt it, not coz of the air trapped, but because I don't like the sound it makes when it's not tilted But thank you for explaining!

While doing your short bursts and in between use of the SB, be sure not to lift it above the top surface (or the meniscus) of the batter, so as not to introduce more air into the batter.

I rarely lift (I think) but now I have a reason not to and will consciously refrain from now on.

Vigorous hand mixing could also introduce bubbles, as well, so maybe be sure to hand mix gently.

I suspect then that this was where today's problem originated. I did vigorously mix in the black part coz at this point the main batter was starting to thicken up.

I do hope you can replicate it, because that's one gorgeous soap you've got there.

I really will try! Thanks again

Unmolded the mini soaps too!

Air bubbles here as well but I think they're kinda cute.

 

[szaza]

Very pretty marble effect!

 

[Hendejm]

Beautiful!! How’d you make the swirl/design?

 

[Dawni]

Thank you!

It was supposed to be an In the pot "swirl" hehe.. Separated some batter, colored it with activated charcoal then folded it back into the main pot at different points and heights. Not sure if that is what this is still called lol but that was my aim haha

I think this is the effect I got because the batters, both in CP and HP, were on the thicker side at the time of pouring (high coconut) so instead of swirls I got marbling?

 

[Hendejm]

Well I love it!! Call it the “Dawni Swirl”!

 

[penelopejane]

AC accelerates a bit on me.
If you use the same amount of AC in a soap batter and SB one part and handblend the other the SB one will be much darker than the handblended one. It has something to do with "shearing" caused by the SBlender.

You can add AC directly to the batter or you can mix it with water first. I mix it with glycerin first (1 part AC to 1 part glycerin), leave it for a little while and then add it to my batter. Not sure if it makes a huge difference to the soap but it is cleaner!

The point is that you can get a darker soap without it turning the suds grey when you SB AC into the batter.

 

[Dawni]

LOL @Hendejm!

The point is that you can get a darker soap without it turning the suds grey when you SB AC into the batter.

Have you tried that in HP too? I don't know if I can stick blend the charcoal into cooked soap, might not take it.

Ill remember that for CP though..

 

[AliOop]

LOL @Hendejm!

Have you tried that in HP too? I don't know if I can stick blend the charcoal into cooked soap, might not take it.

I stick-blend AC into my HP soap and it worked just fine - lovely dark almost-black granite look to it. Lots of ooos and ahhhs when I gave it as a hostess gift at a recent holiday gathering. The lavender EO might have helped, too The lather is a little grey but only noticeable bc I'm looking for it.

ETA that I did lightly hand-stir the 1 tbsp of AC into 2 tbsp of castor oil before stick-blending it into my batter.

 

[JanelleTrebuna]

So... I was in an activated charcoal kick today. And I'm in the mood to share pics

As far as "vivid" colorants go I only have this and titanium dioxide so I'm experimenting with these.

First up... Marble.
I tried my hand at CP again today. I have mini soaps still in the mold but this popped out the recycled margarine tub. Too bad there's air pockets, but still, I like that I got a distinct enough black.
View attachment 33451
And oh, the background soap bricks are from tests I was doing for a more fluid HP. Looks like CP from (very) far to me but the tops, which are underneath lol, are quite noticeably HP.

Next up, Granite.
This one is an HP, and like my previous HP tests with activated charcoal, I did not get black. Once I mixed and figured it'll stay grey I stopped mixing hence the stone-ish effect.
View attachment 33448

Here's the same batch, but I tried molding in an old food container I found in the kitchen. So happy it didn't need lining and popped right out, although some dried bits caused uneven surfaces. I did not have enough batter to make a proper loaf and cut it like usual, so these are quite thin vertically and cut crosswise (?). I will trim the edges once hard enough.
View attachment 33449
All in all I'm happy with these. The granite crumbles already feel nice to soap with so I have high hopes for after the cure. I'll update once my mini marble soaps are out the mold

Oh my goodness these are crazy beautiful!!!
Gorgeous!

Janelle

 

[Dawni]

@penelopejane and @AliOop, I definitely will try this then, but I'll do it slowly to see if my stick blender can take it lol it's not a very good quality one.

Aww @JanelleTrebuna, thank you