Review: Birchwood Soap Mold from Brambleberry.com

One of my favorite soaps so far: Marigold Mint

At Christmas, I begged my husband for only one present: the 9 bar birchwood mold from Bramble Berry. The mold looked so slick and perfect, and I was dying to start making soaps with swirls and designs on top to match the fragrance within. And as soon as Christmas arrived, I became the proud owner of the 9 cavity mold!

The mold came with the wooden box, four outer walls, the four dividers that could be slid into place before or after pouring the soap, and a wooden top to help insulate the soap.

This mold has presented me with a few interesting challenges. First off, this mold was quite different from the silicone molds that I have been so accustomed to. I had to learn how to wrap the wooden mold in freezer paper to keep the soap batter from spoiling the wooden box. My first few attempts to wrap the mold where HUGE disasters! I learned quickly that when I added the walls after molding, I have to take care not to rip the paper, or else the soap batter will leak into the box and will ruin it.

After perfecting the art of wrapping the mold, it was time to make the soap. Using the mold is very easy and makes gorgeous soaps! I've been able to start making pretty swirls and flowers on the tops of my soaps, and I have been super pleased with my mold. I've actually ditched most of my loaf molds in favor of the birchwood mold. I love the new look and feel of my soaps!

Be sure to come back tomorrow and checkout a video that I made of soaping with the 9 bar birchwood mold!

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Just a quick FYI, this is a personal review of this product. This review was not paid for in any way and I am not affiliated with Bramble berry or Brambleberry.com!

YouTube Tuesday - Testing High ph LabColors

My colors look amazing! I cannot wait to get started making all sorts of beautiful soaps with them!

Interested in LabColors? Make sure to head over to Brambleberry.com and check them out!

S.O.A.P. Testing Reveals!

Here's the reveal!!

Enjoy!!

Brambleberry S.O.A.P. Team, Fall/Winter 2012

I am so excited to announce that I have been chosen to be part of the S.O.A.P. testers team for Brambleberry.com! I was over-the-moon excited about getting chosen... To be part of such an elite group really validates me as a soap artisan!

Brambleberry sent me a huge package of 10 mystery fragrance oils, all smelling like the delicious smells of autumn and winter. My job was to evaluate the fragrances at first sniff, then test them out in a few different mediums, like cold process soap, bath bombs, or candles, and report back on the fragrances (how they performed, scent changes, my favorites, etc.).

So, after loads of thought, I decided to test out my fragrances in cold process soap, and I took video of the entire process!

Part One of Three: Making my base soap

Part Two of Three: Fragrance Oils #1 - #5

Part Three of Three: Fragrance Oils #6 - #10

I've been taking photographs of the different soaps as they cure, and I made a small bar of soap off-camera to act as my control bar to compare each fragrance to. I plan on making a fourth video in the next few days to see the results of my tests... I cant wait to see the final products!!