Pour / Pull Through Soap Technique
This is my first time participating in a challenge from the Soapchallengeclub.com and I was very excited to try this. It has definitely stretched my soapmaking mind and I think it will open new design opportunities.
The idea of the challenge is to pour the soap through a strainer or screen. Or to put said strainer and screen on the bottom of your mold, pour the soap, and then pull the screen or strainer out. I had seen videos with this technique but did not feel motivated to try it before.
The first challenging thing for me was the recipe. When I started making soap, I did use recipes with a lot of liquid oils, but I have since switched to making my own recipes with higher percentages of hard fats and butters, which has limited my design options but extended the hardness and longevity of my bars. So, it was fun to go back to this kind of recipe, now with more experience instead of with beginner trepidation.
I made two attempts at the challenge, the first one with a template I cut with my silhouette machine, which I will be able to use for many other things, so nothing lost there. It failed in the soap because 1. my batter got thicker towards the end, and 2. it did not have a pattern that was easily discernible, I used different shapes, and they were not close enough to each other. 3. Because I pulled it up too fast!
Based on my experience, this is what I would recommend for this technique (the pull technique):
- Have a contrasting color layer at the bottom of the mold (though after planing the soap, the benefits of doing that are not so evident)
- Try to pour thin layers so the colors do not get muddy
- Keep the pouring one directional. It seems to me at least, that when I poured in one direction only (left to right and right to left) instead of up and down and side to side, the design was easier to see.
- If making your own screen, go for geometric shapes, I went for flower shapes and they are not discernible, but the overall outside shape is.
This opened my eyes to more possibilities,while going to the hardware store or simply while washing dishes, my eyes were drawn to objects that could be used as strainers. I hope you can give it a try!
I am listing below the recipe I used and a link to the video for the process.
You can see there are some uneven crystallization marks, it may look like soda ash but it is not. It is deep into the soap and is usually caused by uneven changes in temperature during saponification. This is just a cosmetic flaw and it does not affect the performance of the soap.
Main Ingredients
| Ingredient | Gram(s) | Ounce(s) | Pounds(s) | Oil % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Coconut Oil – All Grades except Virgin | 531.55 | 18.75 | 1.17 | 25% |
| Grapeseed Oil | 212.62 | 7.50 | 0.47 | 10% |
| Tallow, Beef | 637.86 | 22.50 | 1.41 | 30% |
| Rice Bran Oil | 744.17 | 26.25 | 1.64 | 35% |
| Ingredient | Gram(s) | Ounce(s) | Pounds(s) | Batch % |
| Lye – NaOH 100% Purity (5% Superfat) | 294 | 10.37 | 0.65 | 9.64% |
| Water (33% Lye + 67% Water Solution) | 596.90 | 21.06 | 1.32 | 19.58% |
| Total Oils | 2,126.21 | 75 | 4.69 | 69.75% |
| Soap Weight (Pre-Cook) | 3,048.53 | 107.53 | 6.72 | 100% |
Recommended Additive Amounts
For Advanced Soapmakers
| Sodium Lactate (60%) |
|
Colorants:
0.5 teaspoon Light Gold Mica or White Mica
0.5 teaspoon Hollywood Pink Mica or any pink mica
0.5 teaspoon Teal Mica (I used Sea Green from Nurture Soap)
0.5 teaspoon Yellow Mica (I used Banana Boat from Crafter’s Choice)
Fragrance:
1.10 oz Basil Essential Oil
1 oz Fennel Essential oil
1.60 Lavender 40/42 Essential oil
This is a very herbal blend, I do not hate it, but I do not love it either. You can use a fragrance oil known to behave well in cold process soap instead too.
Mold:
Slab 11 lb mold (to be filled halfway)
Video for the Screen Making with polymer clay:
Video for the soap making:
MAKING THE SOAP
- In a well ventilated area (outside or by a window), add the lye gradually to the distilled water. Do not breathe the fumes. You can freeze your water ahead to avoid fumes, and weigh the ice cubes. You need to wear your safety gear. Lye burns! You can prepare this several hours ahead, keep it properly covered.
- While you wait for the lye water to cool down, you can weigh and melt your oils, and weigh your fragrance oil or essential oils into a glass container (fragrance oils can dissolve thin plastics).
- Put your screen or strainer at the bottom of your mold
- When the lye is water is under 130°F (54.44°C), you can add sodium lactate, if using.
- When your oils and lye solution are at or below 100°F (37.77°C) , add your lye solution to the oils slowly, to avoid splatters pour it on the blender shaft.
- Stir with the blender on Off position initially, then blend for 5-7 second periods, alternating with stirring for 10 seconds or longer, until it is almost emulsified. This takes about 50 seconds with this recipe.
- Add the fragrance or essential oils blend
- Blend the fragrance in with short burst, bring to emulsified state if not there yet and split into different containers for the colorants.
- Whisk the colorants in, and use the blender very briefly to incorporate
- Use a spatula or any other tool to break the fall and start pouring the colors. I did the lightest color first, but I am not sure if that made a big difference.
- I poured it in a horizontal direction only, but I have seen other people pour in all directions too.
- Insulate the soap
- Wait 24 hours and start checking for hardness. Try releasing from one side of the mold, and if nothing sticks back, it is ready to be removed from the mold and cut. If it still sticks, wait longer (18-24 hours more or so)
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