SMF April 2021 Challenge - Lollipop Swirl
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I got a better pic of the splotches today!
Maybe someone will enlighten me. I’m not sure if they’re stearic spots? Maybe the oils were too cold?Attachments
ResolvableOwl
Notorious Lyear
I've marked what I'd call stearic spots on these soaps:
There are a few, but totally nothing to worry about. But I guess you are asking about the patches inside the white? Stearic spots are a matter of soap recipe and temperature protocol – both are identical for obvious reasons, except for the colourants. Did you add titanium dioxide to brighten up the white? (I'm asking because I don't have experience with glycerin rivers to exclude them as the culprit.)
There are a few, but totally nothing to worry about. But I guess you are asking about the patches inside the white? Stearic spots are a matter of soap recipe and temperature protocol – both are identical for obvious reasons, except for the colourants. Did you add titanium dioxide to brighten up the white? (I'm asking because I don't have experience with glycerin rivers to exclude them as the culprit.)
Thank you for the feedback! Yes, I used a bit of titanium dioxide. It just doesn't look like glycerin rivers I've seen before, which kinda look more stringy throughout. This one threw me off 'cos the splotches of mismatched color in the "white" part is all clumped together.
ResolvableOwl
Notorious Lyear
As I said, I (luckily) have not had glycerin rivers yet, so I can only theoretise about them second-hand. Most glycerin rivers I've seen were vertical cuts through (more or less) massive cuboid soap loaves. Yours is a horizontal cut through a (swirled) cylinder – I have no idea how they would look like.
What's the opinion of glycerin river veterans?
What's the opinion of glycerin river veterans?
I don't think it looks like rivers to me either, but it does look like ash. I assume you used a fairly high water to lye ratio to maintain fluidity, right? How new or old was the soap when you cut it? Do the spots wash off with hot water? Or if you scratch it with a fingernail, does it seem crusty as it comes off and looks smooth underneath?
As the soap cures, I have seen that sometimes ash will form on soap cut while still fairly new and fairly soft. With a soap made with a fairly high water content, I have noticed that what appears to be ash seems to return (not always, but sometimes) until well cured.
I could be wrong, but that is what it looks like to me.
As the soap cures, I have seen that sometimes ash will form on soap cut while still fairly new and fairly soft. With a soap made with a fairly high water content, I have noticed that what appears to be ash seems to return (not always, but sometimes) until well cured.
I could be wrong, but that is what it looks like to me.
Primrose
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Our winners for this challenge are:
First place: @glendam
Second place: @Jersey Girl
Third place: @Tara_H
Well done to everyone who participated, this is a deceptively difficult technique!
First place: @glendam
Second place: @Jersey Girl
Third place: @Tara_H
Well done to everyone who participated, this is a deceptively difficult technique!
Seeing the enlarged pics, I agree that most of it looks like ash to me, as well, with one spot that still looks like glycerin rivers to me. Photos can be tough.
CONGRATS EVERYONE - SO WELL DONE!!
Congratulations!
Nice job soapers! I am excited to try to make nautilus soap. And spiral swirl. maybe I should perfect the basic swirl first. 
ResolvableOwl
Notorious Lyear
Congrats to the winners, and everyone else who made it so difficult to decide who would get that trophy!
KimW
Well-Known Member
Congrats everyone!!! Such beautiful soaps!
Congratulations @glendam @Jersey Girl and @Tara_H for your winning entries and to all of the makers for wonderful soaps and plenty of inspiration.
Congratulations @glendam @Jersey Girl and @Tara_H! Everyone made lovely soaps for this challenge and it was fun following along. I did make the lollipop part of my soap, but never had time to complete the project I had planned.
Special thanks to @Primrose for hosting!
Special thanks to @Primrose for hosting!
Primrose
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Peachy Clean Soap
Well-Known Member
Congratulations To Our Specular Winners'
. Well Done To Everyone' Such Beautiful Soaps.
So sorry I missed this. I Did do my one and done but too much going on I didn't enter.
We are in a full kitchen remodel and my son was living here for the last two months. He is gone now except for Top Chef night. I am using my CPOP oven in the basement to feed hubby!
We are in a full kitchen remodel and my son was living here for the last two months. He is gone now except for Top Chef night. I am using my CPOP oven in the basement to feed hubby!
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