Soap curls technique

by Jolyn
(Utah)

I just made a batch of soap with some soap curls like in your decorative ideas section, but for some reason the soap didn't "stick" to the curls.

I made the curls with 1 day old soap using your recipe, but I did have to wait another day before making the soap that surrounds the curls so the curls may have dried too much.

Also, the recipe for the secondary batch was different from the curls with a few additional oils. Could either of these be the reason for the separation?

Basically, what are the most important things to keep in mind when using soap bits and curls as decorative touches so they will bond? Thanks for your help.

Answer:

The soap curls being a few days old shouldn't be a problem. I have done that many times without issue.

I think for successful soap curls your most important tip would be to always gel the soap. The gelling process is what bonds the curls and the main batch together. Once they have melted into one they do not tend to come apart.

Don't worry that the curls and the base batch are different recipes either. That is pretty much what I always do. My curls recipe is the basic batch but the base is often something a little more 'special'.

Cathy