michelleB Posted March 5, 2007 Share Posted March 5, 2007 I just got my oxide & um sampler pack from KB and I'm itchin to go soap me somethin SWIRLY!! Only one little problem...I haven't a clue how to incorporate these buggars into my soap (i've played with micas before but been told these are way different). So...can someone please explain to me how I'd go about swirling oxides and UM's into my cp soapies? How much do I use for the average amt of color?I'm gonna do a 20 oz (oils) batch to practice on, and let's see, I wanna use the UM Blue and maybe the Black oxide (depends on how brave I get). Base will be left uncolored. FO will be AXE-Tsunami from Serendipity.I'm assuming from what I've found in my search for info that I should take out 1/4 cup for the blue color, 1/4 cup for the black color (based on the 1/2 cup ppo ratio I read) and I should do this at thin trace. But do I need to do anything special with these powders first? Or will they simply mix right into the removed portions with a little stirring?I also read where someone mixed their oxides and UMs with an oil (avocado I think) and bottled it that way for later use & dispensing. Is that a common practice? It sounds easy enough.ANY help at all is greatly appreciated! I can't wait to try these out! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
diamondk Posted March 5, 2007 Share Posted March 5, 2007 I use a tablespoon or so of my oils to mix the oxides. Some uses some glycerin. HTH Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CareBear Posted March 5, 2007 Share Posted March 5, 2007 A search might get you a good amount of information. I found this right off the bat!http://www.candletech.com/forums/showthread.php?t=44707 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michelleB Posted March 5, 2007 Author Share Posted March 5, 2007 Thanks Diamond! That's what I was looking for - a guideline of some sort that I could follow. :-)And thank you too carebear! I did a search before posting this, but I used all the wrong terms apparently (swirl+oxide+soap or somethin like that) cuz I never stumbled across that thread. That's DA BOMB! Perfect thread for what I'm needing to learn! Thank you thank you!Off to Swirly-Land!! Wooohoooo! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CareBear Posted March 5, 2007 Share Posted March 5, 2007 Searching here is a bit of an art! LOL. Have fun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gloworm Posted March 5, 2007 Share Posted March 5, 2007 Is there any rhyme or reason to the colors you sometimes get with these buggers? I used a purple the other day and it suddenly went to a sage green color on me.Glo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heirloomoriginals Posted March 6, 2007 Share Posted March 6, 2007 The um's usually stay true to color, sometimes I think the Mica's aren't tested and they change color. I have the Cellini red from the co-op and it turned orange (which was okay because it matched my scent). Scented's did that too.Steph Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michelleB Posted March 7, 2007 Author Share Posted March 7, 2007 Ok I did it. It's far from fantastic, but I did it. How the heck do you gals have the patience for this? lolAnyways, I had an unexpected "glitch" that caused me some aggravation. I was mixing the colors a little too slowly I guess and the main pot of soap behind me was turning to a solid form. I noticed it, but not as quick as I wish I would've. As for my colors, I changed my mind and decided to go with Black, and Gray on an uncolored base. Well, you obviously don't need much black oxide at all (I was warned) and I ended up with black and...black. <sigh>.So I layered my swirl colors and base in my log mold and used a crochet hook to do my zig-zags. Where the soap was so daggone thick at that point though, I had gulleys and ravines where I'd dragged the hook through, LOL. Found me a good solid place to bang the crap outta the mold til it settled, and then covered with a piece of saran wrap so I could watch for gel.Four hours pass and no sign of gel, the mold isn't even getting warm. So into the oven it goes for about another four hours. Still no gel. By now the mold is very very warm & lots of heat coming from the top, so I wrap it in thick towels to help it along...still no gel. Weirdest thing ever.Now it's unmolded and sitting on my kitchen table but too soft to cut just yet because of it not gelling. It also looks like it's got semi-translucent white "bubbles" (not like lye pockets) here and there througout the log. Evidently I didn't get all the air pockets out. <another sigh>OH and don't let me neglect to tell you that the phone rang just as I turned around and noticed the solid soap in the pot. I had to wrestle with that, then do the layering, mold-banging, etc...ONE-HANDED from there on. I tell ya, this was one unforgettable experience!!Can't wait to do it again! LOLOLI'm gonna do some sort of purple soap this evening. Maybe a lilac blossom?I'll post pics of this black/black & white Tsunami (and boy does it look like one!) as soon as I can cut into it. Prolly another day or two.Thanks to everybody that helped me along with this! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scented Posted March 7, 2007 Share Posted March 7, 2007 Sounds like you need to remember the old saying ... get everything prepared before you make soap ... that includes colors Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Purple Lilac Posted March 7, 2007 Share Posted March 7, 2007 Florals have a tendency to accelerate trace so keep that in mind. And if it's the Lilac Blossom from MC it moves EXTREMEMLY fast, almost soap on a stick. And let the answer machine get the phone when you are in the middle of soapin' Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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