This is essentially a fire soap. My only previous attempts at making flames with soap was the Campfire soap, and that didn’t turn out too good, so I thought I could redeem myself.
Last December the soap making forum had an un-challenge for which the theme was fire. (It was an un-challenge because there would not be any winners, just participants) I wanted to participate but did not have the opportunity to make soap for most of the month. I was able to 3-d print a flames scraper though. My idea was to make a hybrid soap, with both cold process and clear melt and pour. Why? you might wonder. The answer lies in the Library Book.
I live in one of the largest cities in America, and my commute to work is usually long. With no traffic, is about 35 minutes (one way) In peak time traffic, it doubles! listening to audio books help make the commute less boring. I usually choose the books by searching for available audio books in the Libby app, where I can borrow with my local library card. This is how I found this book and listened to it.
I guess I can be a bit of a bookworm. However, I also borrow movies from the library as much, if not more, than books. If I read a book that I like, I usually end up buying it, either to gift it or to keep. Initially, when we came to the States and did not have a computer or internet, I would go to the library to use their computers as well. I am so grateful for public libraries, I find the service they provide to the community invaluable.
The library book was very entertaining, and though its main subject is the Los Angeles library fire of 1986, it also narrates the biographies/stories of the main people involved; the history of the library itself, its (master librarian), the current standing of the library and what it means to the homeless population in LA, and some of the history of library fires worldwide (for example, did you know that none of them are by accident? They are all arson?!) Here is a book reading and talk by the author and a video about the fire here.
One of the tidbits of information I found fascinating was the description of the fire, by the fire department captain at the time, Ron Hamel. Essentially, the Los Angeles library fire was the perfect fire. It turns out there is such a thing as a perfect fire like there is a perfect storm. It had all the elements needed for perfect combustion. Perfect combustion is a chemical phenomenon knows as stoichiometric condition, and it is hard to achieve outside of a lab, and it means that there is a perfect ratio of oxygen to fuel, which meant that the fire was epic, and it achieved the hottest of temperatures, of about 2,000° F.
But here is what is most incredible: the flames were invisible. Transparent, like glass. In the places where they could actually be seen, they had a blue tint. And this is why I knew I needed transparent soap to make the flames of the soap. Not all of them though, I plan to make several layers, and most of them will reflect the traditional flame colors 🔥 , but I want a layer of blue and one of see- through soap.
I have been dragging my feet about making the soap though, because I have come to dislike the sculpted layers technique, because I feel like it takes forever! It does go faster with an accelerating fragrance, but the Smokey fragrance I want to use behaves fairly well. (It is called Fireside from makeyourown)
March 14, 2021 (A few weeks later)
I started on this soap almost by accident. I was making another soap) and I had leftover soap batter. I decided to color it black last minute, and poured it on the mold to do the first layer of the fire soap. It turns out that I needed thicker layers for flames soap scraper to work. Or perhaps I should’ve only use it once instead of attempting it in each layer.
The following day I was making another soap for which I knew I would have leftovers as well. Coincidentally the colors would match the colors of the flames I had planned: blue, yellow, orange, and red. (It was for a soap inspired in the Grand Prismatic). So I got it done, albeit three months after the un-challenge.
The recipe for this soap is the same as the one for The Grand Prismatic, except for the bottom layer, that was from another project, altogether, the mold I used is for 1 lb of oils.
(Some of the links are affiliate links, it will not cost you any more to purchase from them, but I would get a tiny commission from them)
Fragrance
Equipment
Mold
Colorants
(Added into 2 oz of soap per color)
- 1/8 tsp of Klein Blue Mica and 1/16 tsp of Kashmir Mica (Blue)
- 1/4 tsp of Yellow Vibrance mica + 1/16 of Neon yellow pigment
- 1/4 tsp of Red Vibrance Mica (Dark red)
- 1/4 tsp Saffron Mica from Make your own + 1/32 of Fluorescent Neon Deep orange
- Fluorescent Neon Deep orange
- 1/4 tsp of Azure Blue Mica
- 1/4 tsp of Super Sparkles Enviroglitter + 1/4 ts of Shimmering white clouds mica
- Black Oxide (Nurture Soap aff link) for about 4 oz of soap batter
Melt and pour base
- 4-6 oz of Crystal Clear MP
Recipe Oils, Fats and Waxes
| Oil | % | Ounces | Grams |
|---|---|---|---|
| Olive Oil | 30 | 3 | 85.05 |
| Tallow Beef | 30 | 3 | 85.05 |
| Coconut Oil, 76 deg | 25 | 2.5 | 70.87 |
| Castor Oil | 8 | 0.8 | 22.68 |
| Shea Butter | 7 | 0.7 | 19.84 |
| Total | 100 | 10 | 283.5 |
Custom Additives (optional)
| Add with the Fats | |
|---|---|
| Rosemary oleoresin 0.05% of oils (you would need a jewelers’ scale to measure.) | 0.01 ounce |
| Add at trace | |
| Tetrasodium EDTA mixed with water (50 % each, I use it to help prevent DOS and soap scum in my hard water city) | 0.14 ounce |
For more information on these additives you can click in the links below, please note above links are affiliate ones
- Rosemary oleresin (My oils already had this added when I masterbatched the oils)
Recipe Totals
Note: I am using a lye blend that includes Koh (Potassium hydroxide), mainly because I bought some for a project, did the project, now I have a lot leftover and want to use it up. Also because I have read that it helps increase bubbles, and my husband loves a bubbly soap. You can enter the ingredients in a lye calculator and modify the recipe, to get the correct amount for just Naoh.
| Liquid Required | 2.17 oz | 61.62 g |
| NaOH Weight | 1.34 oz | 37.96 g |
| KOH Weight | 0.11 oz | 3.11 g at 90% Purity |
| Lye Weight | 1.45 oz | 41.08 g |
| Oil Weight | 10 oz | 283.5 g |
| Fragrance Oil Weight | 0.6 oz | 17.01 g |
| Superfat | 5% | |
| Total Batch Weight | 14.37 oz | 407.38 g |
| Lye Concentration | 40% | |
| NaOH / KOH Ratio | 95% / 5% |
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Soaps by Glenda 
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