Session 4 Still learning...

I've been cleaning out some cupboards and came across a box of essential oils that I previously used for making 'buzz off' spray for the horses, to keep those pesky horse flies at bay.  There's tea tree, eucalyptus, lavender, citronella and emulsifant, I could make 'buzz off' soap but that time of year has passed for us, so I guess these oils can be moved to the soaping cupboard to flesh out my soaping resources.

Being of frugal mind I reheated some planed and end pieces from previous clean up soaping sessions, I love the resulting two small bars they remind me of natural marble or granite. I had the notion to replicate these bars in a soaping session sometime soon. 

Soap 7...First Batch 29/09/2015

In session four my soap recipes included Coconut oil, Cocao Butter, Olive oil, Palm oil, Castor oil and the added luxury of Avocado oil and Mango butter along with Tea Tree and Lavender Essential oils.

 My soap top had mica dribbles and textures in silver, purple, white and black.

 In the end this batch accelerated quickly so I didn't get to play too much but it smells devine

I did mange to achieve a great texture to the top of the soap and also made blue cheese, that's really cool now I just wish I hadn't sectioned off the batter and had the blue cheese right through the bar, that would have been interesting...

Update 24/10/2015
Min net weight 130gms


Soap 8....Second Batch 03/10/2015

I let the lye mixture melt the solid oils this time, it's actually quicker than melting the oils in the microwave as you don't have to wait for the lye and oil to come to the same temperature.

Just need to cut the cocao butter into smaller pieces next time as that one oil is harder and takes longer to warm up.

All melted and smooth, photo after adding the liquid oils....

Colours used, titanium dioxide, purple, tropical green, silver and black along with Eucalyptus and Orange Essential oils blended with Kaolin clay.

Sorry, photos are a little shadowed, it was late Saturday night, I ended up rushing a little to get it done....

After around 18 hours I unmolded and left to dry off and cure for another two or three hours before cutting.

These are heavy bars weighing between 185-200grams (6.5-7oz) before curing, it will be interesting to see how much weight is lost through evaporation.

I made confetti soap and mixed it throughout the top layer.... my drop swirl in the bottom looks a little muddy but that was maybe the eucalyptus oil or the added Kaolin clay causing acceleration, which in turn made me a little flustered and rushed....

Used one of my new stamps from Omar Lopez, but only on one side.

Of course this is still not the marble colour or texture that I was talking about so I guess I will have plenty more opportunities to play again when I have more time to follow my plan....that will be fun...

I was given a lovely new soap display stand for my Birthday, it's just perfect to allow soap to carry on and cure....

Update 24/10/2015
Min net weight 175gms