What do you think about Melt and Pour

[lisamaliga]

Naturally I love melt & pour--I've been making it since 1998!

 

[semplice]

Semplice, I used a small loaf mold and it was Bramble Berry melt and pour. It defied any knife. So I don't know how you cut those but they are really nice.

Thanks! I use a dough cutter, although it seems I can make straighter cuts with a knife.

 

[llineb]

I do both and I agree that M&P lets you be a little more artistic. M&P holds color and scent very well so your options are limitless for the most part. You can make your own base and melt and pour as needed. LOVE M&P!

 

[soaptrotter]

semplice, those are very beautiful works of art!

 

[Sanctuary]

Hello,
I do both CP and MP soap.....it's just a preferrence really. I like doing the MP in the winter because it's easier (weather can be brutal) and doing the CP in spring and summer. And some folks prefer glycerin based soaps. Don't worry what other people think...just do your own thing and get creative. Practice makes Perfect.....have fun, enjoy what you are doing, and get really good at it.....Good luck.

:angel:
Sanctuary

 

[soaptrotter]

Im a newby to both methods, so far I have done 3 loaves of M&P and 3 loaves of CP. I like doing them both, but if I had to pick I would say I enjoy the CP more at this point, I enjoy mixing the lye, its very fun ( I found a handy-dandy instant thermometer) and I like the unpredictability of some of the EO/FO, I like experimenting and discovering what ingredients speed up trace, when I added a fragrance oil to my Honey & Beeswax CP, it went a very bright sunshine yellow color and I love it. I like the whole chemistry of it all. Surprise, surprise my oldest son is hooked!! M&P for me is a very close 2nd in enjoyment of soaping, because I have more time to do things, like confetti embeds and curl embeds, and I find the color turned out exactly what I expected, so M&P also is a wonderful choice. I guess its just personal preference.

 

[LadyVanora]

I personally have only tried MP process because CP sounds so complicated to me! I just bought a SoapyLove book and that lady is genius! It's amazing the things you can do with both. I know this has all been said but I just thought I'd throw that in. Maybe one day when I have extra time and money without my two toddlers climbing all over me I'll try it

 

[Lottee]

I am a complete newbie and went straight to CP soap - the main reason was that I saw a tv program where it was featured and didn't look too scary! After reseaching a bit, I'm ashamed to say I didn't bother with M & P as I couldn;t see the point! Surely anyone could do it? I really didn;t realise what can go into it and having seen those pics of Semplices soaps i have to say I'm really impressed! I like the process of CP and the control aspect (with the recipes etc) but I LOVE how someo f the M & P soaps look!

I was thinking of doing some to use as embeds in my CP too as the thought of making my own clear soaps terrifies me!

 

[heatherg23]

I haven't done it yet...I will within the next couple weeks but I'm reading posts to learn as much as I can. It's more complicated then what it looks like. There are so many different things you can add to a melted batch. I just went to the library and read through 3 books and wrote 10 pages worth of notes. It's very involved because not all ingredients "work" together.

H

 

[Lindy]

I have seen some amazing MP artists and there are things that MP soapers can make that CP soapers cannot. There is a place for both and don't write MP off too quickly - there is a true artistry to it.

 

[squigglz]

I love how relatively safe MP is-I don't have to worry too much about my child getting into my bases, because it's just soap. I also like that I can justify using kitchen utensils for this by simply saying 'I am not making a mess, I am enthusiastically cleaning.' And of course, I adore the customization and how it's so much easier with MP to customize than it is with CP-for instance, Vanilla Color Stabilizer in MP soap prevents the discoloration associated with fragrances with vanillin in it, but I haven't found something similar for CP soap, meaning my CP soap is gonna be brown like it or not if I use a vanillin scent. (If I'm incorrect and there is a CP formula of VCS, PLEASE TELL ME oh god please)

I've been looking into CP and also Hot Process (same thing as CP, but fully saponified when it's out of the mold without having to wait weeks, but maybe not quite as hard/long lasting in a shower), and they don't seem all that much harder beyond starting from lye.

I think all three methods can be considered handmade. You make it with your hands, not a machine or other automated service. Ergo, handmade (in my opinion). I also don't think one is inherently better than the other-all three methods have their place for all different types of soap.

 

[Genny]

I\ Vanilla Color Stabilizer in MP soap prevents the discoloration associated with fragrances with vanillin in it, but I haven't found something similar for CP soap, meaning my CP soap is gonna be brown like it or not if I use a vanillin scent. (If I'm incorrect and there is a CP formula of VCS, PLEASE TELL ME oh god please)

There are vanilla color stabilizers for cp. Natures Garden Vanilla White color stabilizer can be used in CP, WSP also has one for CP.

Also, I've tried quite a few differen vanilla color stabilizers in MP & CP (more in MP) and have found that none of them will keep your soap from turning brownish forever, especially if you are using a fo with a high vanillin content. I've learned to just work with the color change.

 

[squigglz]

I\ Vanilla Color Stabilizer in MP soap prevents the discoloration associated with fragrances with vanillin in it, but I haven't found something similar for CP soap, meaning my CP soap is gonna be brown like it or not if I use a vanillin scent. (If I'm incorrect and there is a CP formula of VCS, PLEASE TELL ME oh god please)

There are vanilla color stabilizers for cp. Natures Garden Vanilla White color stabilizer can be used in CP, WSP also has one for CP.

Also, I've tried quite a few differen vanilla color stabilizers in MP & CP (more in MP) and have found that none of them will keep your soap from turning brownish forever, especially if you are using a fo with a high vanillin content. I've learned to just work with the color change.

You are awesome, thank you for that heads up!

 

[SimplyMadison]

I actually got into it with another soaper today because i dont CP at all and she said i was cheating. I'm entirely too controlling to do CP, I need absolute control over my finished projected. Her argument for why MP isn't really soaping is that its not from scratch and not made by hand. I'm not a baker, i dont need to be from scratch. I believe that most selling MP are artists, and function comes second. With my soaps, i want to convey something. A flavor, a momory, ect. I cant always do that with CP. To me, MP can be incredibly difficult and rewarding, just as much as CP.