mica drizzle (tops)

[kelly2019]

Okay...I've tried a few times with no luck on mica drizzle to swirl on tops.

What should I mix the mica powder with to make these drops for swirling?
I used oil and it didn't work out well.

I "thought" I had seen or read about people using alcohol, glycerin, water, etc.
Will any of those work and be less risky to ruin the top of my soap...or did I just not mix the mica correctly with the oil?

 

[Carolyne Thrasher]

What is happening on your tops?

 

[user 29721]

Use a small strainer, put 1/4 tsp mica in it and gently shake on top of your soap, do swirls etc and enjoy.

 

[dixiedragon]

Could you post a picture of what you mean?

I am thinking you might want to mix your mica with clear MP.

 

[Obsidian]

If its the swirls I'm thinking of, then you use oil. It has to be thin enough to pour but not watery.
Post pics of what you want and what you did, it will help us troubleshoot.

Glycerin might work, water or alcohol would not.

 

[earlene]

Here are a couple of links that might help:

http://soapandrestless.blogspot.com/2013/01/soap-top-oil-mica-obsession.html

Sheilagh's video below shows how she mixed and applied the mica oil swirl on top of her soap starting at 13:56



I thought we had an SMF Challenge in which this technique was used, but I can't seem to find it, or maybe I mis-remember.


Here's a thread from 2015, on this topic with some information that might help as well:
https://www.soapmakingforum.com/threads/mica-swirl-top.54908/

 

[dibbles]

Mix the mica with oil, just enough to make it runny. The mica will move a good distance with a skewer, so try just dropping small drops on the top. You can always add more drops and swirl those if you want more.

@earlene there was a mica in oil challenge, but it was in a swirl in the inside of the soap rather than the top. So you didn't really misremember. Here it is https://www.soapmakingforum.com/threads/may-challenge-mica-outline-swirl.70028/#post-699190

 

[cmzaha]

Glycerin does not work well, because it tends to separate into droplets after you swirl it. I use oil and it works fine, but try to keep it away from the edges so it does not migrate down the side of the mold and soap. If excess runs down the sides of the soap you can wash the soap later. As dibbles mentioned go with small drops of the mica in oil, because it will tend to spread

 

[jcandleattic]

I have mixed mine with alcohol, and it worked, because the alcohol evaporates and all that's left is the swirly shiny mica drizzle, but for me what works best is oil. The oil will absorb into the soap after awhile and it ends up looking the best, IMO.

Glycerin doesn't work, because it won't absorb into the soap, nor will it evaporate so just ends up being sticky.

 

[amd]

I mix with glycerine or RBO. It has to be a bit on the thicker side or it runs. I do about 2 tsp mica to 1 tbsp oil, or 1 to 1-1/2 tsp mica to 1 tsp glycerin. Most of the time less is more, although last night I had a sweet spot for mixing my mica (with RBO) and was able to do this:

 

[jcandleattic]

I mix with glycerine or RBO. It has to be a bit on the thicker side or it runs. I do about 2 tsp mica to 1 tbsp oil, or 1 to 1-1/2 tsp mica to 1 tsp glycerin. Most of the time less is more, although last night I had a sweet spot for mixing my mica (with RBO) and was able to do this:

Maybe what I'm thinking of isn't what the OP is thinking of. What you posted, to me I wouldn't consider that a drizzle, but more of a patterned pour. I'm thinking of how Katie Carson from Royalty Soaps does her drizzles on top of her piping.
She's done it all, mica/oil, mica/alcohol, mica/m&p, mica/glycerin, it all just depends on the type of look she's going for.

 

[DeeAnna]

I find it interesting about the comments that glycerin or water don't work for this. I use "24 carat" gold mica from Nature's Garden and I usually mix it with glycerin to spatter or drizzle over the top of my soap and then swirl it into a pretty pattern.

I agree that large splotches of glycerin "syrup" will stay sticky for awhile, but it does eventually absorb into the soap. By the time a week or two passes, sometimes even sooner, the glycerin fully absorbs and the mica dries down to a nice looking finish.

For the last batch of soap I did about 2 weeks ago, I mixed about 2 teaspoons of the mica with maybe 1 tablespoon of water and drizzled that instead. I think it was easier to drizzle small droplets over the soap, because water is runnier than glycerin, so the shiny gold pattern is more even and delicate. The water version has also dried down quicker than the glycerin version.

IMO, the key, regardless of the liquid used, is to make sure the mica is spread fairly thin. While the water/glycerin/oil will soak into the soap, the mica powder itself doesn't soak in. It needs to be thin enough to coat and stick to the surface. Here's an example of the water-based drizzle. The glycerin version looks about the same.

 

[dixiedragon]

GORGEOUS!

 

[amd]

Maybe what I'm thinking of isn't what the OP is thinking of. What you posted, to me I wouldn't consider that a drizzle, but more of a patterned pour.

I was going by what the OP asked:

Okay...I've tried a few times with no luck on mica drizzle to swirl on tops.

I would have thought the same thing until I noticed "swirl on tops" I usually don't do as much as I did last night, but I wanted to use up all that I had made. (The last time I had leftovers I tipped the dang pot over and didn't notice it until I had gold mica slime EVERYWHERE).

 

[kelly2019]

I find it interesting about the comments that glycerin or water don't work for this. I use "24 carat" gold mica from Nature's Garden and I usually mix it with glycerin to spatter or drizzle over the top of my soap and then swirl it into a pretty pattern.

I agree that large splotches of glycerin "syrup" will stay sticky for awhile, but it does eventually absorb into the soap. By the time a week or two passes, sometimes even sooner, the glycerin fully absorbs and the mica dries down to a nice looking finish.

For the last batch of soap I did about 2 weeks ago, I mixed about 2 teaspoons of the mica with maybe 1 tablespoon of water and drizzled that instead. I think it was easier to drizzle small droplets over the soap, because water is runnier than glycerin, so the shiny gold pattern is more even and delicate. The water version has also dried down quicker than the glycerin version.

IMO, the key, regardless of the liquid used, is to make sure the mica is spread fairly thin. While the water/glycerin/oil will soak into the soap, the mica powder itself doesn't soak in. It needs to be thin enough to coat and stick to the surface. Here's an example of the water-based drizzle. The glycerin version looks about the same.

View attachment 38895

That is what I am going for!
I think I rushed to blot too soon. I did not realize the excess would absorb.
I will try again!

 

[Marilyn Norgart]

Beautiful DeeAnna!!!

 

[nonna oakie]

I just bought some glitter. I have a soap mold of 4 medieval knight armors that I want to make shiny. How do I put the glitter on the right side surface. Do I sprinkle it on the mold, or put a lot of glitter in the
soap batter?

 

[Obsidian]

I just bought some glitter. I have a soap mold of 4 medieval knight armors that I want to make shiny. How do I put the glitter on the right side surface. Do I sprinkle it on the mold, or put a lot of glitter in the
soap batter?

Sprinkle it in the mold and pour your soap at medium trace. If you pour too thin, it will just mix with the glitter.

 

[amd]

Do I sprinkle it on the mold, or put a lot of glitter in the
soap batter?

For CP soap what I would do is dry brush it on the soap after unmolding. It will wash away in a few uses, but so will the design. If it is mp soap, I would paint it on mixed with rubbing alcohol.

 

[linne1gi]

I mix with glycerine or RBO. It has to be a bit on the thicker side or it runs. I do about 2 tsp mica to 1 tbsp oil, or 1 to 1-1/2 tsp mica to 1 tsp glycerin. Most of the time less is more, although last night I had a sweet spot for mixing my mica (with RBO) and was able to do this:
View attachment 38894View attachment 38893

Great job!