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General Melt and Pour Questions
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Please email your question to questions@soapteacher.com
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You can only do this with a double boiler. Melting soap on direct heat will likely cause the soap to burn.
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Yes, you can put it in the freezer for 15-30 minutes. If you completely freeze your soap, you will risk it sweating when it returns to room air. Try to avoid the freezer fan (this causes sweating also).
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A crock pot will not work...you will likely burn the soap. A roasting pan will work as long as it has a temperature dial that will go as low as 110º F.
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That is okay...you can remelt it! You may want to add 1 tablespoon of water per pound of soap when it has melted.
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MP Soap Base should have a slightly sweet smell and frankly, smell like soap. It should not smell rancid or foul.
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Try a bread dough scraper. You can cut slices and chunks from the block. It is not sharp so you should not cut yourself.
Note: Do not use a knife or sharp instrument. Your hands will get slippery from the soap. Once slip and you could cut yourself.
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This is normal due to the size and thickness of the block. Once you slice off some soap, you will see the true color and clarity.
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The crystals form when your soap dehydrates and dries out. It is commonly seen during the humid months when the soap sweats and then dehydrates quickly. It will happen if you accidentally boil the soap in the microwave while heating. The best way to prevent this is to wrap the soap as soon as you un-mold it.
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After you pour the soap, immediately spritz the surface with rubbing alcohol. This immediately pops the bubbles. Your soap will not smell like alcohol...the smell quickly disappears.
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You most likely used a fragrance that contains vanilla. I recommend using the Vanilla Color Stabilizer many online suppliers carry. It will prevent color changes due to vanilla based fragrances. It will not prevent some florals from turning yellow or spices from turning orange. It only works with vanillas.
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Glycerin melt and pour soap is a combinaton of natural and man made ingredients that allow you to melt the base, put additives into the base (such as fragrance and color), and then pour the base into molds. When the soap hardens (in about 20 minutes), it can be un-molded and is ready to use.
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MP Soap contains glycerin. Glycerin is a humectant which means that it will naturally attract moisture in the air to itself. Humid climates experience the issue the most.
In saying this, there is such a thing as too much sweating. Using the microwave to melt your soap often causes excessive sweating because it distrupts the water balance in the soap. Adding too much fragrance or additional oils can be another reason. If all else fails, perhaps try another brand of soap base.
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