Tips and Tricks For Better Soaping

Write me at info@pjsoaps.com if there is a subject you'd like me to cover.

Creating Realistc Skin Tones, by PJ Soaps

Examples (click to enlarge)	Stage & Description	Addendum	Colors:
	The ultimate key to a realistic skin tone is translucency. For Fair skin tones start with 3 parts opaque soap to one part clear soap. Add a hint of brown oxide (and a hint of yellow oxide ONLY if needed) - if it's too reddish add a hint of green (chromium) oxide.	Keep this same 3:1 Ratio for Mid range tones and just add more brown. NEVER try to make a dark tone from a white base (see below).	Brown Oxide Yellow Oxide Green Oxide
	Again the ultimate key to a realistic skin tone is translucency. For Dark skin tones start at 8 parts clear soap to 1 part opaque. Add brown oxide, if it's too red add a hint of black oxide, if it's still wrong add a hint of green (chromium) oxide.	NEVER try to make a dark tone from a white base as you will never be able to add enough pigment to offset the white; and to try to do so would be a complete waste of pigment.	Brown Oxide Black Oxide Green Oxide
Creating Realistic Shades of Mother of Pearl, by PJ Soaps
Examples (click to enlarge)	Stage & Description	Addendum	Colors:
	As with skin tones the key to a realistic mother of pearl look is translucency. This time you're going to use 4 parts Clear soap to one part White/Opaque. Then for a sandy colored opalescence add a pinch of copper mica and no other colorant.	After you've poured your MOP soap into your mold feel free to take the thin end of a spoon or toothpick and make swirling motions(almost to the bottom of the soap) this will help give the soap a unique look.	copper mica
	Again translucency is key. This time you're going to use 4 parts Clear soap to one part White/Opaque soap. Then add an opalescent green or blue mica (about a grain of rice at a time) and no other colorant unless you wish but use VERY little.	After you've poured your MOP soap into your mold feel free to take the thin end of a spoon or toothpick and make swirling motions(almost to the bottom of the soap) this will help give the soap a unique look.	opalescent green or blue mica
Shrink-wrapping M&P Soaps (Shown below is The 14" system using 60 gauge non-perforated Polyolefin film both larger and smaller systems are available from National Shrinkwrap.)
Examples (click to enlarge)	Stage & Description	Addendum	Time
System By: National Shrinkwrap	Stage 1: Make sure you have all your tools ready. Heat-resistant surface on padding Shrink-wrap Roll on rollers Heating Gun Brush & Arrow Root Sharp puncture tool Heating bar (heating up)		3 Minutes to take out of the box, lay out and plug in.
	Stage 2: Dust front and back of soaps lightly with Arrow Root to prevent wrap from sticking to areas of your soap.		20 Seconds to dust the both sides of your soap.
	Stage 3: Pull out double ply shrink-wrap (pre folded over at the top) and slip your soaps in spacing and inch from the top (pre-sealed left side) and at least an inch and a half apart. I only show one row of soap here. But the heat resistant pad is long enough so you can line up 4 rows of 3 full sized soaps.		25 seconds to position between the layers of shrink-wrap.
	Stage 4: Place the bar one inch to the right of your soaps (right side) to seal edge. If you are doing more than one row of soap just leave 2 inches (or a little less) between the rows for the heat bar to seal.		5 seconds to press and hold down the bar an inch from the bottom of the soap.
	Stage 5: Seal the edge closest to you (bottom of photo). The top edge is folded over the entire way through the roll and needs no seal.		5 seconds to press and hold down the bar 3/4th of an inch from the side of the soap.
	Stage 6: You now have 3 soaps in a sealed but roomy bag.		1 second to pause and enjoy your soaps sealed in a single bag.
	Stage 7: Place the bar between each soap..		5 seconds to position, press and hold the bar down between the first and 2nd soap.
	Stage 8:..to seal each soap in it's own roomy bag.		5 seconds to position, press and hold the bar down between the 2nd and 3rd soap.
	Stage 9: Three sealed Soaps.		1 second to pause and enjoy your 3 soaps sealed in their own individual bags.
	Stage 10: Turn the soaps face down.		5 seconds to turn your soaps face down moving 2 of the 3 aside.
	Stage 11:Pinch the center of the back near both ends until you have lifted the bar minimally (just 'til you know you've taken up any slack at the bottom).		2 seconds to pinch and lift.
	Stage 12: Take your sharp pointed tool and puncture the pinched top center of the bag about 6 times (from left to right).		6 seconds to puncture while pinching. An additional moment or two to gather composure after puncturing your finger.
	Stage 13: Position your heatgun at the 2:00 position (between the top center of the soap and the seam at the side) and about 2 inches away. Rotate the gun around the soap swiftly 'til the edges pull to the back.		4 seconds to swing the heat gun around the soap at the 2:00 position.
	Stage 14: Here we see all edges have come to the backside of the soap. Click on the picture to seethe 4 corners of the wrap even the sets of holes you put between the corners earlier.		1 second to admire all the flaws no one will see.
	Stage 15: Turn the soap over to finish the presentation by tightening up the top surface of the soap. Again at the 2:00 angle but a little further away from the soap and much faster, swing the heatgun around the soap.		3 seconds to flip the soap and swiftly swing the heatgun around the soap at the 2:00 position
	Stage 16: FINISHED -- Image from the side.		2 seconds to inspect for holes where you might not want them.
	Stage 17: FINISHED -- Image from the top.		All the time you want to admire a professionally wrapped soap.
			Total Time: 69 seconds (not including set up and dusting)
Examples (click to enlarge)	PLA: Bio Friendly Shrink-Wrap	Description	Time
	This corn based, Non- Perforated Biodegradable Film is currently being tested at National Shrinkwrap. The film is currently only available in 2ML thickness; 75 gauge is not yet available.	Though the finished product looks fine this is very thick and brittle wrap to work with (i.e., it can not be stretched by hand without heat or it will break).	Easily 4 times as much time and effort as the above wrap.
		Notice the clumping along the sides. This was my first attempt and I think that clumping can be reduced a bit with practice.
		Notice the clumping along the sides. This was my first attempt and I think that clumping can be reduced a bit with practice.
		You can smell through the product, if you puncture holes in the back before shrinkwrapping. I look forward to testing the 75 gauge when it becomes available.