You win some you lose some and this is one I lost. I’ve recently started making beer soap and didn’t have any problems with it. So, I decided to try making some some with some coconut rum for this challenge. I had to raid my parents’ liquor cabinet as I don’t drink and there was nothing to be found in my house.
I had the great idea to use a coconut rum and make it look like a drink and embed ice cubes on top. That didn’t happen…but I did create the most amazingggggggggggggg fragrance oil blend. The soap might have been a disaster but it smells heavenly!
Mmm...coconut rum with a fragrance oil blend of mango-peach, pineapple-orange, and coconut.
I was expecting the soap to move fast. I was not expecting it to seize. I poured the lye solution into the oil stuck my stick blender in and literally pressed it fro 2 seconds and the entire mixture became SOLID in the pot.
It didn't work too well...
When it heated up over the gel phase I tried to mush it down and add my ice cubes…hoping to salvage it.
You can see it just flaking apart already.
It didn’t work. The middle part was better than the ends but it was crumbling apart just picking up a piece. And the fragrance oil was seeping out of it from all sides…complete disaster.
Tried slicing it and you can see it flaking apart.
The ice cubes turned out cute ha~
I can say I tried it. But will I be doing it ever again? Nope. Not worth the money or frustration. It’s one more experience I’ve had though that will add to my knowledge of soapmaking, so despite the failure I’m glad I tried.
Jennifer's Handmade Soap 
Well, you can see enought to know that it would have looked cool if it hadn’t seized :D. Do you think the alcohol caused it? (Meaning, could you do the same thing, with the ice cubes and the same fragrance oil blend but no alcohol?)
Sorry to see that you had problems. I really like the idea of it :).
I’m glad to see that I’m not the only to have a rough week in the alcohol soap challenge!
I recon Audry is right, it’s the alcohol, perhaps if you boiled the hell out of the rum first or froze it? Otherwise making in again with the lovely fragrance minus the alcoholo sounds lie the best option, I love the idea of the ice cubes!
Look how much we learned from this. I’m thinking Alcohol + FO is not a good combination. Did you simmer the rum? I purposely kept my FO at the lower suggested amounts and increased the liquid from my normal batches to have more wriggle room. It mostly worked.
Awww, I’m sorry it didn’t work out but your idea was great and then the alcohol had to go and ruin it. 🙂
Bummer!! I know the frustration all too well… Definitely seems like a great idea for a soap, and I would do the fragrance and ice cubes again if I were you!
Love your idea of the ice cubes and it’s a shame it didn’t turn out – we’ve all been there. I’ve had troubles this week too with fragrance oils and it can be frustrating. I think there may have been too much alcohol in the rum to make it work, xx Linda
Your soap in the mold looks just like mine did! I can’t believe you had time to take pics – I was running like a mad woman! Ah well – we tried.
[…] to use up samples and small amounts left in the bottom of several bottles. For summer, I like what Jennifer came up with for her rum soap last week: mango-peach, pineapple-orange, and coconut. The […]
Eileen – I had much difficulty trying to get it in the mold. I’d have been better off just leaving it in the pot to cure/harden/24 hr. Then I think it might have turned out ok 😀
Linda – Thanks! I’m going to try this again because I REALLY loved the idea and I love the look of ice cubes. And the FO blend was to die for! And it definitly was the rum I think. I even used only a 1/3rd of it and 2/3rd alcohol formy liquid…ahh the joys.
Amy – I’m going to definitely try it again (without the alcohol!)
Carol – Darn that alcohol! 😀
Tberryer – Definitely learned a lot. Next time some asks I can so oh yeah! I’ve tried it ha! And relate my lovely experience!
Ishbel/Audry – I think so too.
Traci – Thanks!
Amy @10th – Nope! You weren’t the only one. 😀
Great idea and the fragrance plus sounds delish! You might try to simmer down the volumn of the run then freeze it in cubes then add the lye slowly to the cubes. That is how I did the red wine and how Holly did coconut rum I believe.
[…] to use up samples and small amounts left in the bottom of several bottles. For summer, I like what Jennifer came up with for her rum soap last week: mango-peach, pineapple-orange, and coconut. The […]