I'm a little confused with what saponification process people use when combining MP embeds with CP soap. MP embeds are likely to melt if you CPOP your soap and it is not recommended to put MP in the fridge. It seems best to let the soap saponify at room temperature, but this is likely to result in half gelled soap. How do people on youtube get such vibrant clear fully gelled soap when combing these methods? Also, does it make a difference if the embeds are placed on top or inside the CP soaps? Can experience soapers who combine the 2 methods please share what works for you?
saponification of CP with MP embeds
- Thread starter TheaMay
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Anstarx
Well-Known Member
The soap could go through complete gel or not gel at all without CPOP or fridge.
I don't gel my soaps usually I have a recipe that is 40% hard oil and I have both my oils and lye at room temp when I soap (about 25c). The result recipe was very slow moving and did not gel at all naturally even in summer.
With some recipes I've seen people wrapping the mold in plastic wrap then blanket to keep it warm to force full gel. If you have lots of sugar in the recipe (like from juice or milk) it can heat up and cause half-gel, wrapping it can force a full gel.
For CPOP there are different ways doing it. Most people I've seen doing that is have the oven on lowest setting, heat it up, put the soap in, and turn it off. I imagine the temperature actually won't be that high to melt the MP but I'm no expert on this.
I used MP embed both on top and inside the soap. It really only depends on the design you want. The only thing I can say is that you need to watch out for the trace when putting MP on top. Too thin the MP will sink, too thick then it might not stick well. Never really had problem with embed inside, probably because I only do confetti for that so far.
I don't gel my soaps usually I have a recipe that is 40% hard oil and I have both my oils and lye at room temp when I soap (about 25c). The result recipe was very slow moving and did not gel at all naturally even in summer.
With some recipes I've seen people wrapping the mold in plastic wrap then blanket to keep it warm to force full gel. If you have lots of sugar in the recipe (like from juice or milk) it can heat up and cause half-gel, wrapping it can force a full gel.
For CPOP there are different ways doing it. Most people I've seen doing that is have the oven on lowest setting, heat it up, put the soap in, and turn it off. I imagine the temperature actually won't be that high to melt the MP but I'm no expert on this.
I used MP embed both on top and inside the soap. It really only depends on the design you want. The only thing I can say is that you need to watch out for the trace when putting MP on top. Too thin the MP will sink, too thick then it might not stick well. Never really had problem with embed inside, probably because I only do confetti for that so far.
Yes, I am curious to know if melt and pour will actually melt using this method of CPOP. Maybe it depends on the actual brand/ type of melt and pour, I have no idea.
I've used MP in both applications. I gel all my soaps. The embeds I put inside did melt a bit. though I think that also helped keep them in place. The embeds on top I've never had an issue with. I've only done MP inside once (so not a pro). I have done on top several times, but mostly when I decide to make cupcake soaps and sometimes those don't gel. I'm not into fancy soaps so don't do piping or things like that on top.
Its good to know you haven't had a problem gelling with embeds on top
jcandleattic
Well-Known Member
I use M&P embeds on almost every one of my soaps (no piping). Usually on top, but sometimes inside. I force gel, and very rarely do my topper embeds melt. (never the ones on the inside). My soap has to get very hot, and almost overheat before my embeds melt.
Thanks for responding, youv'e given me a lot of hope. I love the look of MP embeds on soap. I'll have to do a search on here and see if I can find pics of some of your designs. Do you force gel youre using CPOP ?
jcandleattic
Well-Known Member
I’m wanting to try M+P embeds as my next bushwhacking foray into CP soaping lol... anyway, TheaMay I wish us both luck, this is a great thread. Jcandleattic your embed soaps look fantastic, I love them! I think I’ll do confetti MP embeds (plus some on top) because I don’t have any interesting small molds that would work for embeds. Glad to know it’s hard to melt the embeds. Thanks all.
Hi! I have a question: it was my first time putting clear MP soap embeds in and on top of my CP soap. For sweating, please say to wrap them ASAP... That’s a problem, since after 3 data my 30% OO CP isn’t quite hard enough to take out of the molds* yet. Do you have this sweating problem with your embeds? Is there anything I can do about it?
~~
*Are you the who said that leaving your soap in the mold longer prevents soda ash from forming?
I think I’m usually too eager to take my soaps out of their molds, but if that really helps for soda ash that gives me a good reason to be more patient!
I made the soaps Wednesday and as soon as they were finished I sprayed them with 99% alcohol and put a saran Wrap over them. Is this what I’m supposed to do?
jcandleattic
Well-Known Member
That wasn't me.
This is what I do, and it is very rare that I get ash. When I do, it's usually because of the FO I used - certain FO's are more prone to ash.
I don't have sweating problems, because I live in a pretty arid area, and humidity isn't a problem. If you live in a humid area and your soaps are prone to sweating, you should probably look into a dehumidifier.
A
amd
I have this problem with certain types of MP. You can buy low/no sweat MP. Look up Royalty Soaps Embed Making video, I think she tells you exactly which supplier/brand/type she uses. I use WSP's goat milk base because it stays soft enough that if I need to cut through an embed/column I can do that with my regular soap cutter. I keep my embeds in the fridge until I need them (I have a dedicated fridge so this is easy for me), and I only make them during the winter months when the air is drier. I only get a bit of sweating after the embeds are first made, it seems like after keeping them in the fridge, they dry out more - I'm not really sure, I'm not an MP expert, I just occasionally accidentally use the stuff, haha - but I haven't noticed any problems with sweating while curing or later when the season changes back to a more humid one.
The thing is, it’s not even humid here at this time of year. If anything, some people use humidifiers because the heating makes the air dryer...
My embeds are weird... it’s like they develop little “cristals” over them. The soap is still in the mold and covered.
A
amd
I think that look is glycerin dew. As mentioned before, you may need to change your MP base.
A
amd
What I would do is let the soap cure. Once cured, spritz the embeds with rubbing alcohol (isopropyl alcohol) and see if that clears the crystallization. I would use wiping them off as a last resort, but that's just me. Then shrink wrap the soaps.
I wouldn't shrinkwrap now because it will affect your soap curing.
I wouldn't shrinkwrap now because it will affect your soap curing.
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