Soap Slippery and Mica Particles??

[karenricha]

Hello,
Ok - I am VERY new to all of this. I actually by experience am a card maker - but my paper crafting led me to party favors which led me to a request for soap for a baby shower. So I purchased melt and pour soap (Shea Butter) and some essential oil and some Mica for coloring. First problem is some of my soap is wicked slippery...and I wonder if it because I may have used too much essential oil?? What other reason could it be?

Then my 2nd problem is I bought some mica colorants. I took some glycerin soap and mixed my mica and then added it to my batch of melt and pour soap ( yes it was already melted) and stirred it very well...poured it into my molds and then when I flipped my mold over and took off the rubber stamp - I see all these mica sediments....I am not sure why...the soap is all spotty? Not even colored...its like a mustard yellow soap...with all these little mustard spots at the top?
Is mica ok to use in melt and pour...or should I be using another type of colorant? Is there a special way to add it to the soap? I just want a creamy looking bar...not all spotty All advice would be greatly appreciated.

 

[The Efficacious Gentleman]

People* will need some specifics - what M&P did you use, which micas, how much EO did you use - that sort of thing. It will help them to trouble shoot

* I don't include myself as I know nothing about M&P!

 

[karenricha]

I used BulkApothacary SFIC Shea Butter melt and pour base...and honestly I didn't measure my essential oil...LOL - I am new to all of this...I added as i stirred and I could smell the soap...(Yikes - probably not a good idea) and as far as mica goes...I used Natural Mica Pigment powder from the same company...I had purchased the variety pack of different colors...and I chose the yellow...

but I noticed that the soap is like beading - it looks wet...and I go to pick it up..and I can barely lift it up because it is just so slippery..

 

[Stacyspy]

I'm going to say that it is probably the EO making it slippery. Generally, in MP, you don't use more than .5 oz per ppo. Adding the glycerin to the base may also be a factor.
As far as the micas, I use them in my MP, not from the same supplier as you, though. I don't pre-mix mine. I seem to get better results sprinkling it on the top of my melted oils and stirring. In a base that isn't clear, I use about 1.5% ppo. You may have used more than recommended.

 

[Obsidian]

Is the humidity high where you live? It sounds like the soap might be sweating. The glycerin in M&P will attract humidity from the air and make the soap wet. Maybe try a small fan to help dry the soap out. You can also buy a low sweat M&P base.

As you discovered, you should always measure out your scent, its so easy to over do it if you are just guessing. What EO did you use?

 

[not_ally]

Sounds like too much EO to me as well. You HAVE to measure that, as well as making sweaty soap it could be harmful/irritating if used at rates above the manafacturer's recommended max.

I use SFIC bases, sweating is not a problem in my location (if it turns out that it is in your area, you might want to use one of the low sweat bases.) Also, I pre-mix the mica in a little bit of alcohol before adding it to the base (drip the alcohol in, don't spray, or you will have a sparkly mess.) The alcohol will evaporate out.

 

[IrishLass]

Generally, in MP, you don't use more than .5 oz per ppo.

I think you meant to write .5 oz per pound of MP base (instead of ppo- per pound of oil)? Just wanted to clarify.


IrishLass

 

[AMyers]

I made some basic M&P soaps for my daughter's class and here's what I learned (I'm by no means an expert!)

1. Your micas need to either be in a block which you can melt into your melted soap base, or, if you have powders, you need to make them into a solution using a few spritzes of rubbing alcohol. This will help keep from getting clumps, and allow it to mix more fluidly into your melted soap base.
2. If your base is too hot, the mica may "fall out" of the solution.
3. When I make CP soap, I use ounces of fragrance or essential oil. When I made M&P, I used a dropper full (I think they're 3 mL droppers?) The amount of fragrance required is much less than with CP soap! More and you'll change your soap into an oily mess

 

[Stacyspy]

I think you meant to write .5 oz per pound of MP base (instead of ppo- per pound of oil)? Just wanted to clarify.


IrishLass

Sure did...lol...sorry about that. I forget sometimes to switch terms...

 

[karenricha]

ok....well I just learned a whole lot....for one thing...yes...I think your right - my base was probably too hot when I added the mica...so from now on I will use a small dropper with a tiny bit of alcohol

and I wasn't sure how much EO to use...I probably did overdue it...but man my soap smells so good...YIKES!!! so..I have a dropper - I'll measure from now on..... .5 per pound of melt and pour.

When I go home in the morning (I work overnight) I'll use those techniques and see my result.

thanks so much - everyone for all your advice and help...I'll write back and let everyone know !

- karen

 

[hmlove1218]

so..I have a dropper - I'll measure from now on..... .5 per pound of melt and pour.

Just wanted to clarify that's .5 OUNCE per pound of base, not .5 MILLILITER in the dropper. It's best to use a scale to weigh it out, but .5 ounce is approximately 14.7 milliliters.