Technique advice

[penelopejane]

I have been trying to make a coffee soap.
I would like it to be like the top soap but the other soap is what I have produced a couple of times. :evil:

Is the top one melt and pour?
If not how do I get the crisp lines between the colours?
And how do I get the nicely defined splodges?

The dark section of my soap has a discolouring FO which will get darker over the next day or so. It is the definition between the light and dark sections that I want to perfect. Also I like the smudging of the top soap. Do I get that by putting wet coffee grinds in my soap batter?

Thank you for your help.

 

[BattleGnome]

Based on this pic I found on Facebook, it looks like a hanger swirl. My guess would be to try as thick of a trace as the hanger will manage

 

[Nao]

I've been wondering about that too, it's a really pretty soap.

 

[ibct1969]

Gosh it almost looks like really thick trace in both colors, and spoon plopped and lightly spoon swirled too maybe? Or spoon plopped and lightly hanger swirled? It is super cool- and for what it's worth I like your soap too! I know it's frustrating to not have soap turn out the way you planned (this happens to me 95% of the time ).

 

[penelopejane]

So I've been doing more research on getting a crisp definition of colours.
It seems natural colours are difficult because they bleed.
This is a coffee soap so I guess it has bled into the plain batter.

Any suggestions on how to avoid this but still get the swirls?

Battlegnome if I did thick trace how would that help? Would it help with definition? But would I still be able to swirl it?

 

[dibbles]

I can't give you a lot of help, but thicker trace will keep the colored sections more defined. Thinner trace gives wispier swirls. You don't want it to be overly thick, though. A nice, medium trace probably is best.

The few FOs I've used that discolor to a dark brown have all bled.

 

[BattleGnome]

What dibbles said about trace.

As for bleeding, I've read if you use the coffee grounds before you add them to soap you get less bleeding. I've never tried it and can't tell you for sure.

 

[penelopejane]

What dibbles said about trace.

As for bleeding, I've read if you use the coffee grounds before you add them to soap you get less bleeding. I've never tried it and can't tell you for sure.

I did use used coffee grounds but there is very strong coffee water in the dark part and a discolouring FO as well.

I think I have a few tests to do to narrow down the culprit. :silent: