SMF November 2023 Challenge - Splash Swirl Technique

[Tammyfarms]

Well I'm feeling bummed out I just made a soap that's a total failure. I made a batch of soap for the challenge and poured it in to 3 separate containers added the colors and F/O well 2 colors stayed fluid my 3 color thickened way too fast and it got so thick I couldn't do my splash Swirl I tried but the 3rd color just clumped up in to chunks as I went up and down with the hanger so I know it's ruined. I wish I would have fixed it with a spoon swirl but I didn't think of it until after I already put it in the oven. Well at least I know now not to use that color again for swirling.

Sorry to hear this! The colors in my first attempt also got thick super fast. The only thing I can figure is that small batches thicken quickly. Maybe someone else can share their experience? My colors are 100 grams each.
To combat this on the second attempt I split my batter, poured my base, then added mica to my split off batter and immediately poured it. By the time I started pouring the third color it was already thickening. I am hoping this batch is usable for the challenge.

 

[CLMP]

Sorry to hear this! The colors in my first attempt also got thick super fast. The only thing I can figure is that small batches thicken quickly. Maybe someone else can share their experience? My colors are 100 grams each.
To combat this on the second attempt I split my batter, poured my base, then added mica to my split off batter and immediately poured it. By the time I started pouring the third color it was already thickening. I am hoping this batch is usable for the challenge.

I hope your batch turns out nice. I'm going to try making it one more time in a couple days. I'm running out of Swirling F/Os though hopefully I figure out something.

 

[dmcgee5034]

@CLMP Im so curious about the colorants you used, especially the one that got accelerated. So sorry this happened, and maybe the soap will surprise you and be nice - different than planned but nice anyways.

 

[not_ally]

"I'm running out of Swirling F/Os though hopefully I figure out something."

@CLMP, it seems like I have seen entries in past challenges that are unscented, would you be opposed to that? If not, check and see if that is OK in this challenge. You are really good at swirling, it would be a wasted opportunity to sit this out because you don't have the right FO.

 

[dibbles]

@CLMP I hope you have a chance to try again. I don't usually find that mica colorants cause acceleration. I seem to remember someone mentioning greens thickening more quickly, and I have at least one that does (unfortunately I can't ever remember which one until it's too late). @Tammyfarms I do think very small batches can be harder to manage, especially if you use a stick blender rather than just stirring to emulsion (which I never seem to have the patience to do).

As @not_ally suggested, making an unscented soap for the challenge is allowed if you want to try that.

 

[MomInWA]

Well I'm feeling bummed out I just made a soap that's a total failure. I made a batch of soap for the challenge and poured it in to 3 separate containers added the colors and F/O well 2 colors stayed fluid my 3 color thickened way too fast and it got so thick I couldn't do my splash Swirl I tried but the 3rd color just clumped up in to chunks as I went up and down with the hanger so I know it's ruined. I wish I would of fixed it with a spoon swirl but I didn't think of it until after I already put it in the oven. Well at least I know now not to use that color again for swirling.

@CLMP Don’t feel too bad. I flubbed mine too. I was over concerned about my batter thickening too much (that’s been my biggest problem - soap on a stick). So I went too far the other way and got the world’s thinnest trace or no trace. It turned into a sloppy mess.

So the question became, can I rebatch it? SB’d it in the crock pot and yes, it came up nicely. But the color was something like refried beans. Hideous! Dumped in loads of red and got a decent enough rose color. Slapped it into the mold and set it aside.

Two days later I checked it. Soft, but appears to be firming up. Color okay. So will I have useful rose colored soap? Maybe. If not, I will make one last attempt to save this batch. I’ll do a confetti or a Ciaglia. Perhaps. I’ll make that decision Saturday.

I can’t redo what I set out to do because I used up some ingredients and don’t have a lot of colors left. Have made a large order, but that’s not due to be delivered until the end of the month. Hubby is underfoot (as is the dog) so I can’t do a thing unless he’s gone this weekend. If so, I’ll be able to do a different recipe and make an attempt with whatever I have left.

That’s the long version. Wish me luck!

 

[dibbles]

@MomInWA I hope you have a chance to try again. If you are low on colorants, most people have cocoa powder on hand. You could always do dark and light with cocoa powder and uncolored. Fingers crossed your rebatch will be just fine and you don't have to re-save your save.

 

[CLMP]

@CLMP Don’t feel too bad. I flubbed mine too. I was over concerned about my batter thickening too much (that’s been my biggest problem - soap on a stick). So I went too far the other way and got the world’s thinnest trace or no trace. It turned into a sloppy mess.

So the question became, can I rebatch it? SB’d it in the crock pot and yes, it came up nicely. But the color was something like refried beans. Hideous! Dumped in loads of red and got a decent enough rose color. Slapped it into the mold and set it aside.

Two days later I checked it. Soft, but appears to be firming up. Color okay. So will I have useful rose colored soap? Maybe. If not, I will make one last attempt to save this batch. I’ll do a confetti or a Ciaglia. Perhaps. I’ll make that decision Saturday.

I can’t redo what I set out to do because I used up some ingredients and don’t have a lot of colors left. Have made a large order, but that’s not due to be delivered until the end of the month. Hubby is underfoot (as is the dog) so I can’t do a thing unless he’s gone this weekend. If so, I’ll be able to do a different recipe and make an attempt with whatever I have left.

That’s the long version. Wish me luck!

I do wish you luck and I hope you get the chance to soap this weekend. I have the same problem I'm running out of supplies. I'm just trying to stretch them out until after Christmas so then I can put in a big order. I actually just cut my soap and it won't work for the challenge but I think it still looks nice enough to give away for Christmas presents so I'm happy with it!

@CLMP I hope you have a chance to try again. I don't usually find that mica colorants cause acceleration. I seem to remember someone mentioning greens thickening more quickly, and I have at least one that does (unfortunately I can't ever remember which one until it's too late). @Tammyfarms I do think very small batches can be harder to manage, especially if you use a stick blender rather than just stirring to emulsion (which I never seem to have the patience to do).

As @not_ally suggested, making an unscented soap for the challenge is allowed if you want to try that.

Ha ha your right it was a green lol that's funny! I should be able to squeeze in one more try though hopefully it works lol.

 

[CLMP]

This is a photo of my failed attempt it was the green that got way to thick. They won't do for the challenge but I think they still turned out nice enough for Christmas presents thank goodness I thought they were going to be awful.. It was Sea Green Mica that did that to me.

@CLMP, it seems like I have seen entries in past challenges that are unscented, would you be opposed to that? If not, check and see if that is OK in this challenge. You are really good at swirling, it would be a wasted opportunity to sit this out because you don't have the right FO.

Thanks so much I will see what I can come up with lol!

 

[not_ally]

This is kind of fascinating, you can literally see the green thickening up from where it is more fluid at the bottom to where it is clumpier in the middle. It did turn out pretty/great for Xmas soap.

 

[CLMP]

@CLMP Im so curious about the colorants you used, especially the one that got accelerated. So sorry this happened, and maybe the soap will surprise you and be nice - different than planned but nice anyways.

Thanks it did turn out nice I think but not challenge worthy lol it was Sea Green Mica that I used I have only used it for layers before so I never noticed the acceleration.

This is kind of fascinating, you can literally see the green thickening up from where it is more fluid at the bottom to where it is clumpier in the middle. It did turn out pretty/great for Xmas soap.

That green was the bottom and on the very top it is funny how it ended up in the middle I think because the yellow and White that was in the middle was still very fluid so when I pressed down on the green with the hanger it just pushed it down. Well at least it's still cute!

 

[dibbles]

@CLMP I really like the soap, and if I received one as a gift I would be very happy! I can see the yellow and white parts had a nice splash swirl going, so I'm sure you can do this! Good luck!

 

[Tammyfarms]

It is really interesting about the greens accelerating. The color that accelerated on me was green! It was evergreen from Brambleberry. My second attempt went really well, the BB evergreen was my last color I was pouring and it was fluid enough that I was able to get most of it in the mold.
@CLMP ghat soap will make great presents! It is lovely.
@MomInWA cocoa powder works great, if you have any green olive oil you could use that for part of your batch.

 

[Shelley D]

Y'all pray for me ~ I'm getting ready to do the thing when my husband finishes up in the kitchen, he's cutting the meat we bought yesterday ~ then it's my turn to make a mess

 

[KiwiMoose]

Dear God, Please help @Shelley D to do her thing.

In the meantime, I am making some Lemon Zest scented soap today, and I think I might have another go at this, and enter the one I like the most.

 

[Shelley D]

Well, that did not go as planned so no challenge entry . . . definitely no challenge entry mine is in the pea soup category!
I know what I did wrong ~ I tried to do too many new things in one batch. My slurry was awesome, smelled like heavenly lavender (I scented with lavender EO and blended lavender buds into it). Unfortunately, it ended up accelerating and turned into a thick hard slab on top that I couldn't plunge into wispy swirls. As if that weren't bad enough on its own, I wanted to make a soap that was rich, creamy and moisturizing for my mom so tried a new recipe (big no no for this situation, but otherwise it seems like a really nice recipe!), and it came to trace lickety split so no nice fluid batter even make wispy swirls anyway ~ but dang it I tried! I poured the green layer first and plunged it right away and it went ok so I thought it might work . . . until that purple layer turned into something like hard crack candy on top of the soap! I ended up just mixing it together to blend it and now it's an earthy pea soup baby color So, no challenge entry but I learned a lot of lessons for sure!
If my hubby wouldn't give me a hard time about making so much soap, I'd make another batch using a tried & true recipe and no scent!

 

[not_ally]

Sorry the soap gremlins got you, @Shelley D, so frustrating when that happens. Honestly, with these challenges the part I like the best is learning. I've learned a lot about some pretty basic stuff (exactly how to identify what kinds of trace and how/when to use them) through some of them, even when I haven't officially entered because timing is off, just followed along unofficially.

I bet your mom loves her soap regardless of whether it is a splash swirl! I would say that exactly 100% of my soap giftees have no idea of what kind of swirl I had in mind when I made their soaps

 

[Shelley D]

Sorry the soap gremlins got you, @Shelley D, so frustrating when that happens. Honestly, with these challenges the part I like the best is learning. I've learned a lot about some pretty basic stuff (exactly how to identify what kinds of trace and how/when to use them) through some of them, even when I haven't officially entered because timing is off, just followed along unofficially.

I bet your mom loves her soap regardless of whether it is a splash swirl! I would say that exactly 100% of my soap giftees have no idea of what kind of swirl I had in mind when I made their soaps

Yes, let's blame it on the soap gremlins! I like that! Not sure if I will send this one to my mom ~ she might just get a hard lotion stick and lip balm ~ I'll see what it looks like when I cut it, but when I stirred it all together out of frustration, it turned an ugly color

 

[KiwiMoose]

Well, that did not go as planned so no challenge entry . . . definitely no challenge entry mine is in the pea soup category!
I know what I did wrong ~ I tried to do too many new things in one batch. My slurry was awesome, smelled like heavenly lavender (I scented with lavender EO and blended lavender buds into it). Unfortunately, it ended up accelerating and turned into a thick hard slab on top that I couldn't plunge into wispy swirls. As if that weren't bad enough on its own, I wanted to make a soap that was rich, creamy and moisturizing for my mom so tried a new recipe (big no no for this situation, but otherwise it seems like a really nice recipe!), and it came to trace lickety split so no nice fluid batter even make wispy swirls anyway ~ but dang it I tried! I poured the green layer first and plunged it right away and it went ok so I thought it might work . . . until that purple layer turned into something like hard crack candy on top of the soap! I ended up just mixing it together to blend it and now it's an earthy pea soup baby color So, no challenge entry but I learned a lot of lessons for sure!
If my hubby wouldn't give me a hard time about making so much soap, I'd make another batch using a tried & true recipe and no scent!

But I prayed......!?

 

[Shelley D]

But I prayed......!?

I felt it too! I was doing my best to take it slow and be careful but I think trying the new recipe did me in
On the up side, I did make 2 plain bars from the base recipe so maybe mom will get those