Silicone molds are flexible and durable. The 2-part silicone molds can be used to create embeds, which add a fun and unique look to your soap. To use them, simply snap them together, set them upright and pour your soap in. See how in the How to Use 2-Part Silicone Molds Short on Soap Queen TV.

The rainbow colors look so pretty in the How to Make Rainbow Heart Soap video. Fragrance plays an important role when choosing the colors in your design. Fragrances that contain vanilla can color your soap various shades of brown, as seen in the Why Did My Soap Turn Brown post. See the different phases of discoloration in the Best Selling Bramble Berry Fragrance Oils + Discoloration post.

Some fragrance oils can also accelerate trace. With these fragrance oils, it helps to choose a design that works with the acceleration. The Once Upon a Dream Cold Process Soap uses White Rose Fragrance Oil, which accelerates trace slightly. It adds a fresh floral smell, which accents the blue, white and pink layers. The soap is fit for a princess with plenty of sparkle from Iridescent Glitter. In the mood for more fairy tale inspired projects? Click through the Sweet Sea Dreams Round Up for a collection of mermaid projects.

If all that crafting makes you hungry, you’ll love the Avocado and Dill Deviled Eggs Recipe. The eggs are made with avocado, which adds creaminess and a slight green tint. Pickles are added for crunch and tang, and dill adds freshness. They’re a perfect Easter dish.

This week’s Facebook Photo of the Week by Inna with SopranoLabs has colors that are perfect for Easter. Her purple, yellow and black swirled soap is stunning.

The glittery gold top adds a finishing touch to Inna’s soap. She used a mica swirl technique to get the look. To learn how to get a gold accent on your soap, click through the Black, White and Gold All Over Cold Process. Aqua and purple mica painting tops the Mica Topped Cold Process Tutorial.

Above (clockwise, top left) are Inna’s French Lavender Soap, Patchouli Lemongrass Exfoliating Soap, Oatmeal Soap and Green Apple Soap. Loofah is a great way to add exfoliation to your soap, as seen in the Layered Lilac Loofah Cold Process Tutorial. Add some exfoliation to your melt and pour soap with the Loofah Soap on Soap Queen TV.

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Oatmeal is another way to add exfoliation to your soap. Positive Attraction Soaps, this week’s Instagram Photo of the Week winner, uses oatmeal as a gorgeous decoration on top of the soap. It looks amazing with the honeycomb pattern. Check out more stunning creations on the Positive Attraction Soaps Instagram page.

Post pictures of your crafty creations on the Facebook page each week for a chance to be featured on the Soap Queen blog and receive a sweet soapy package from Bramble Berry. Photos are chosen based on consensus from the Bramble Berry staff, so the best way to increase your chances of winning is to show us lots of photos!

To participate in the Instagram contest, hashtag your pictures with #soapshare. Each Friday, I will pick a photo on Instagram to win a copy of the Soap Crafting book, and share on the Bramble Berry Instagram account. 

The post Facebook and Instagram Photo of the Week (March 21st ~ March 27th) appeared first on Soap Queen.

Caring for Silicone Molds:
Silicone molds are great for both melt and pour soap, and cold process soap. Durable yet flexible, silicone molds make unmolding easy. Silicone molds also eliminate the need to line the mold with parchment paper, making them extremely convenient. The glossy inside gives soap a smooth and professional finish.

Silicone molds are extremely easy to take care of. Once the soap is removed from the mold, use a sponge and dish washing soap to remove any leftover soap from the mold. We do not recommend placing silicone molds in the dishwasher. Avoid using copper sponges on silicone molds, as they can scratch the smooth glossy inside.

Sometimes if a soap is strongly scented, some of the scent will remain on the silicone. In particular, 10x Orange Essential Oil can leave some scent behind, along with a little color. We have found that scents and color on silicone molds do not transfer to the next project. But if you are concerned, first clean the mold with soap and water. Then, spray the mold liberally with rubbing alcohol and allow the alcohol to sit on the mold for 15-20 minutes. Spray again with alcohol and rub off with a paper towel, then give the mold another wash with dish soap and water.

When using silicone molds, sometimes soda ash can transfer to the mold. You can see an example of this in the photo below. The soda ash on the mold is completely normal and will not affect the mold itself. But, if you’d like to remove it before soaping it’s easy to do!

It’s normal for soda ash to remain on silicone molds. Luckily removing it is easy! 

 First, fill the mold with water. If the soda ash is on the sides of the mold, fill the water as full as possible. Carefully transfer the mold into the microwave and heat until the water begins to steam (usually about 1-2 minutes). Very carefully, remove the mold from the microwave. While the mold will be safe to touch, the water inside is hot so be careful to not spill the water on your skin.

In the photo below, you’ll notice the water is slightly murky. This is the soda ash that is now ready to be washed away.

Place the mold in the sink and wash with dish soap and water as normal. Dry with a towel and the mold will be good as new!

Caring for Wood Molds:
Wood molds are a fantastic option when making cold process soap. Wood molds can also be used for melt and pour if you line the entire mold with a full sheet of plastic. Bramble Berry wood molds are made out of top grade Birch Plywood that is both sturdy and durable. The wood is fantastic for insulating the soap, which makes achieving a complete gel phase simple. Each mold is handcrafted and made locally.

Bramble Berry wood molds are unfinished. You can finish the wood with an oil finish or just allow it to patina and age naturally. A furniture polish gives a smooth and shiny finish to the molds. If you’d like to make your own polish, check out the Simple Citrus Furniture Polish recipe, used below. The polish works well to help protect the wood and makes it look brand new!

A little polish can make wood molds look brand new. 

Over time, wood molds will come in contact with plenty of soap, colorant and fragrance oil. Remember, a dirty mold means it has been used and loved! Most stains are easy to remove to avoid any transfer to future projects. To clean wood molds, use 99% isopropyl alcohol and a paper towel to wipe away any colorants or soap. The soap scarper/cutter is a great tool for scraping off hardened pieces of soap from the mold. Do not immerse wood molds in water for long periods of time; doing so can warp the wood. If you feel the need to wash the wood mold with water, use a damp towel and allow the mold to fully dry.

The soap scraper tool is fantastic for removing hardened pieces of soap off both wood and silicone molds!

Some wood molds are great if you like to oven process your soap. Oven process involves placing the soap in the oven to force gel phase. Because the mold is exposed to relatively high heat for an extended amount of time, make sure your wood mold is heat safe. Wood molds assembled with glue are not safe to place in the oven; the heat may loosen the glue and warp the mold. If the wood mold is held together with nails, or metal hardware, it’s safe to place in the oven. Molds that are safe to use in the oven include 2 lb. Wood Loaf Mold, ELF 4 lb. Wood Loaf Mold and the 10 lb. Wood Loaf Mold. If you’re looking for more information regarding oven process soap, check out the Hot Process Series: CPOP Swirls tutorial.

CPOP (Cold Process Oven Process) involves placing the soap into the oven to promote gel phase. Check out the CPOP Swirls tutorial for more details. 

Silicone and wood molds produce beautiful soap, and have a wide variety of applications. With proper care, these molds will last for years and years. Dish soap and  warm water does the trick for silicone, while wood molds require a simple wipe down with a towel and alcohol. If you have any tips and tricks for caring for your molds, I would love to hear them.

The post How to Care for Silicone and Wood Molds appeared first on Soap Queen.