So I can't get my regular GW415 soy wax at present, and I've been using a replacement and then that went out of stock too. So tried a new one today called 'S100' All Seasons wax - has anyone else heard of it or tried it? Anyway, let's start with the saga....
It's cold here today, only 10 degrees all day. Blended my lye with the beer ( yes it's a beer soap). Rested it in a cold water bath in the sink so as not to let it overheat.
Melted hard oils ( with new soy wax) and noticed the new wax took longer to melt than my usual one. but still melted ok.
Added beer/lye solution (37 degrees) with oils (46 degrees ) and noticed when mixing that it had a grainy appearance - not like ricing but very very fine. Stearic spots! I thought. It thickened quite quickly and I thought to myself - this is what i imagine a false trace is. Having not used that particular soy wax before I immediately thought that it must have been too cool for it and so I blended the bejeezus out of it to ensure it was both a real trace, and to try and get rid of the stearic spots. I poured off a little into another container for the top which I always colour white.
Then to main pot added a bit of 'red wine' coloured mica which I usually use to boost the colour. The mica did not effect the colour one iota! It was like I'd added a clear liquid. Anyway, didn't want to worry about it given the other factors, so I blended it well enough to mix everything and until it was very thick trace, then poured.
Went back to the little jug and added the TD and stirred the bejeezus out of that, but didn't want to use the blender because it was such a small amount I was worried I would get soap on a stick. I stirred very briskly for ages and ages to ensure it was well blended but it still seemed a little grainy in texture to me. I just thought "oh well - it's the 'head' of the beer so it will look frothy". Poured, textured the top, took the photo (below). And then saw the FO sitting there in its little measuring jug. NEVER in my 2.5 years of soaping have i left out the fragrance oil. However, it was only the portion for the top of the soap ( because the FO discolours so I made a different blend of cedar wood and sweet orange EOs for the top). It won't matter because there is enough FO in the bottom to still small ok - but that fact that i forgot it really irks me!
Anyway, can you all please cross your fingers for me that it doesn't separate? That is my main concern if it was a false trace. I think I blended it well enough not to be, but I don't want to have a separated mess on my hands.
What do i do with the little bit of EO I've measured? Throw it away? I'll try to pour it back into the empty cedarwood bottle but I don't like my chances...
It's cold here today, only 10 degrees all day. Blended my lye with the beer ( yes it's a beer soap). Rested it in a cold water bath in the sink so as not to let it overheat.
Melted hard oils ( with new soy wax) and noticed the new wax took longer to melt than my usual one. but still melted ok.
Added beer/lye solution (37 degrees) with oils (46 degrees ) and noticed when mixing that it had a grainy appearance - not like ricing but very very fine. Stearic spots! I thought. It thickened quite quickly and I thought to myself - this is what i imagine a false trace is. Having not used that particular soy wax before I immediately thought that it must have been too cool for it and so I blended the bejeezus out of it to ensure it was both a real trace, and to try and get rid of the stearic spots. I poured off a little into another container for the top which I always colour white.
Then to main pot added a bit of 'red wine' coloured mica which I usually use to boost the colour. The mica did not effect the colour one iota! It was like I'd added a clear liquid. Anyway, didn't want to worry about it given the other factors, so I blended it well enough to mix everything and until it was very thick trace, then poured.
Went back to the little jug and added the TD and stirred the bejeezus out of that, but didn't want to use the blender because it was such a small amount I was worried I would get soap on a stick. I stirred very briskly for ages and ages to ensure it was well blended but it still seemed a little grainy in texture to me. I just thought "oh well - it's the 'head' of the beer so it will look frothy". Poured, textured the top, took the photo (below). And then saw the FO sitting there in its little measuring jug. NEVER in my 2.5 years of soaping have i left out the fragrance oil. However, it was only the portion for the top of the soap ( because the FO discolours so I made a different blend of cedar wood and sweet orange EOs for the top). It won't matter because there is enough FO in the bottom to still small ok - but that fact that i forgot it really irks me!
Anyway, can you all please cross your fingers for me that it doesn't separate? That is my main concern if it was a false trace. I think I blended it well enough not to be, but I don't want to have a separated mess on my hands.
What do i do with the little bit of EO I've measured? Throw it away? I'll try to pour it back into the empty cedarwood bottle but I don't like my chances...
Gorgeous swirls !
Pssst, 
