# Finally put my big girl panties on!



## Val-11 (May 4, 2014)

I did it... I made CP-OP soap finally after months of procrastinating about the lye! It's sandalwood FO with a touch of Patchouli EO although I cannot smell the patchouli now. 

On the top of the entire loaf it looks different... like it's a little dryer then the rest. I am assuming that's soda ash?

I used TD, red and blond sandalwood powders for colorants and a teaspoon for swirling. It wasn't near as hard as I anticipated and I'm happy I finally tried it!

I ordered a soap planner from Etsy but I think it has some issues or it's just me. I keep getting these streaks going across the bars. I tried cleaning the blade with a soft tooth brush but still getting the same problem. I tried planning softer with hardly any pressure, medium pressure and harder pressure. I'll have to contact the maker and see if he has any suggestions. 

Anyway, here is my first lye soap!


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## lpstephy85 (May 4, 2014)

So pretty! Congrats!!


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## AustinStraight (May 4, 2014)

Looks great, especially for your first batch!


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## jules92207 (May 4, 2014)

That looks gorgeous! I love the colors and the swirl. I have made a lot of batches but still haven't worked with swirls. Nice job for your first CP!

Also that does look like ash to me, in case you weren't positive.


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## Val-11 (May 4, 2014)

Thank you lstephy, Austin and Jules!


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## Val-11 (May 4, 2014)

jules92207 said:


> That looks gorgeous! I love the colors and the swirl. I have made a lot of batches but still haven't worked with swirls. Nice job for your first CP!
> 
> Also that does look like ash to me, in case you weren't positive.



Jules, I wasn't positive about it being ash. I've seen pictures of it but never seen it in person. I will try spritzing some alcohol on it to see if that makes a difference. Experimenting time. 

Thanks!


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## AustinStraight (May 4, 2014)

It's weird that CPOP soap would have ash though... I gel my soaps and they're always ash-free.  I made a soap that partially gelled and the gelled inside had no ash, but the ungelled outsides were covered after a couple days :-x  It could also be that your soap is just drier on the top because of the way the water is evaporating from it.


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## navigator9 (May 4, 2014)

Congrats on your first batch! I'm thinking it may be the sandalwood powder that's causing the streaking when you cut. Any additives that don't dissolve, like oatmeal, calendula petals, etc. will drag across the surface of the soap when you cut and leave lines. If I'm correct, the sandalwood powder doesn't dissolve, so that would be my guess. It's still lovely.


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## Val-11 (May 4, 2014)

navigator9 said:


> Congrats on your first batch! I'm thinking it may be the sandalwood powder that's causing the streaking when you cut. Any additives that don't dissolve, like oatmeal, calendula petals, etc. will drag across the surface of the soap when you cut and leave lines. If I'm correct, the sandalwood powder doesn't dissolve, so that would be my guess. It's still lovely.



Ahhh, I never even thought about that! Your right... the sandalwood powder does not dissolve and then I did put a little more of the red powder in then the blond to. I made another small batch of soap with no powders in it yesterday and will cut that later on. I'll be anxious to use the planner on that one to see if it is indeed the powder causing those streaks.  

Thanks!


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## ilovesoap2 (May 4, 2014)

Looking good, hope it keeps the colors...congrats!


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## Val-11 (May 4, 2014)

AustinStraight said:


> It's weird that CPOP soap would have ash though... I gel my soaps and they're always ash-free.  I made a soap that partially gelled and the gelled inside had no ash, but the ungelled outsides were covered after a couple days :-x  It could also be that your soap is just drier on the top because of the way the water is evaporating from it.



Austin, I seen your pictures. Soap making really is a finicky thing isn't it. The batch I made yesterday I did not put into the oven. I'll wait out the 4-8 weeks or whatever its going to take. That's if it turns out!  :???:


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## Val-11 (May 4, 2014)

ilovesoap2 said:


> Looking good, hope it keeps the colors...congrats!



Thank you! I hope it keeps those colors to!


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## Seawolfe (May 4, 2014)

my my my thats a tasty looking soap! I bet it smells lovely.

I just washed a batch of soap that had ash on top and drag marks - I wore latex gloves (so no fingerprints) and used an old nylon or bath scrub cloth to lightly rub at the ash and drag marks. Worked a treat!


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## Pepsi Girl (May 4, 2014)

Wonderful color!


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## Val-11 (May 4, 2014)

Seawolfe said:


> my my my thats a tasty looking soap! I bet it smells lovely.
> 
> I just washed a batch of soap that had ash on top and drag marks - I wore latex gloves (so no fingerprints) and used an old nylon or bath scrub cloth to lightly rub at the ash and drag marks. Worked a treat!



Thank you, Seawolfe! Also for the info on washing my soap!  I will give it a try. When I do this, would you recommend cool water or warmer water or does it just depend on how bad the streaks and ash are?


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## Val-11 (May 4, 2014)

Thank you, Pepsi Girl


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## Seawolfe (May 5, 2014)

Val-11 said:


> Thank you, Seawolfe! Also for the info on washing my soap!  I will give it a try. When I do this, would you recommend cool water or warmer water or does it just depend on how bad the streaks and ash are?



I used cold water


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## Cindiq4u (May 5, 2014)

WOWZERS! That is awesome for your first batch!


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## Val-11 (May 5, 2014)

Thank you, Cindiq4u. I'm pretty happy with it to. The first thing I did when I got up this morning is went to see if the colors were still the same. So far it's still good. No changes.


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## Susie (May 5, 2014)

Wow, that is just amazing for a first soap!  You were so brave to try swirls on a first soap!

Welcome to the addiction!  There is no cure for it.  You will find yourself looking at everything as either a container or an additive for soap now.  Just warning you.


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## Val-11 (May 5, 2014)

Susie said:


> Wow, that is just amazing for a first soap!  You were so brave to try swirls on a first soap!
> 
> Welcome to the addiction!  There is no cure for it.  You will find yourself looking at everything as either a container or an additive for soap now.  Just warning you.



Thanks Susie! And your right, I look at containers in a whole new way now and plants... I'm looking forward to going to the garden center and for the dandelions to start growing here! Normally, I despise those weeds!:smile:


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## Val-11 (May 7, 2014)

Seawolfe said:


> my my my thats a tasty looking soap! I bet it smells lovely.
> 
> I just washed a batch of soap that had ash on top and drag marks - I wore latex gloves (so no fingerprints) and used an old nylon or bath scrub cloth to lightly rub at the ash and drag marks. Worked a treat!



Seawolfe... I just wanted to let you know the nylon worked great! Thank you!


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## Val-11 (May 7, 2014)

navigator9 said:


> Congrats on your first batch! I'm thinking it may be the sandalwood powder that's causing the streaking when you cut. Any additives that don't dissolve, like oatmeal, calendula petals, etc. will drag across the surface of the soap when you cut and leave lines. If I'm correct, the sandalwood powder doesn't dissolve, so that would be my guess. It's still lovely.



It was the powder causing the streaking. I planned my second batch of CP  soap and it turned out great even though the colors changed in this one!


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## Seawolfe (May 7, 2014)

Val-11 said:


> Seawolfe... I just wanted to let you know the nylon worked great! Thank you!



I can't take credit, it was a suggestion on soap queen or soaping 101. Glad it worked for you as well :wink:


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## coffeetime (May 7, 2014)

Val-11 said:


> The batch I made yesterday I did not put into the oven. I'll wait out the 4-8 weeks or whatever its going to take. That's if it turns out!  :???:




Just FYI, even CPOP needs a 4-8 week cure. But congrats on the first batch turning out. My first batches were hideous.


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## shunt2011 (May 7, 2014)

Congratulations on your first batch it turned out great!


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## seven (May 7, 2014)

1st batch? WOW! 

*sitting in the corner, having a nostalgia about my disastrous 1st batch


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## Val-11 (May 7, 2014)

coffeetime said:


> Just FYI, even CPOP needs a 4-8 week cure. But congrats on the first batch turning out. My first batches were hideous.



Thank you coffeetime! The soap is sitting on a shelf but it keeps calling me and wanting me to use it! :grin: I plan on doing a PH test in a week or so just to see where its at. 

Thanks again.


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## coffeetime (May 7, 2014)

pH won't tell you anything useful. Just zap test it.


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## Val-11 (May 7, 2014)

seven said:


> 1st batch? WOW!
> 
> *sitting in the corner, having a nostalgia about my disastrous 1st batch



Thank you seven! Yes... first batch but my second batch didn't turn out so right. It was a palm oil issue I'm pretty sure. The first batch I did, I melted the entire bag of PO and then pour some of that into a 32 oz container since I didn't want to remelt that whole bag again. Well, I didn't remelt the whole 32 oz's for the second batch and then ended up with white specks all in the finished soap. I like the specks but that's not how its supposed to be. It also turned colors overnight. The top picture is how it looked before the color change. Luckily my first soap has not changed color at all. I really need to figure out this colorant thing and always, always completely melt and mix the PO!


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## Val-11 (May 7, 2014)

coffeetime said:


> pH won't tell you anything useful. Just zap test it.



Zap test it.... somehow I just can't bring my self to doing that! It sound like it might hurt and if it hurts, how long does it hurt!!! I'm chicken! 

I'll have to try really, really hard to talk myself into doing that but I guess if I can go through childbirth I can do just about anything right?!?! What does it feel like? How intense is the "Zap"? Maybe I can get my husband to do it for me! LOL


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## coffeetime (May 7, 2014)

Waayy less painful than childbirth! Only tingles for a second, then you spit in the sink and rinse your mouth. No big deal. I actually have been making soap for years and never got zapped, so I tried some soap batter left in the pot just so I could see what it felt like. It was a sharp sting but not horrendous or life altering. No mistaking it though.


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## Val-11 (May 7, 2014)

coffeetime said:


> Waayy less painful than childbirth! Only tingles for a second, then you spit in the sink and rinse your mouth. No big deal. I actually have been making soap for years and never got zapped, so I tried some soap batter left in the pot just so I could see what it felt like. It was a sharp sting but not horrendous or life altering. No mistaking it though.



Well that doesn't sound so bad. I'm picturing a 9 volt battery on the tongue. I seen someone do that years ago and it sure didn't look like something I'd do! 

So after the zap test and nothing happens the soap is safe to use right? For some reason I was under the impression that the ph level had to be between 7 and 8 and if so it was ok to use.


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## Val-11 (May 7, 2014)

Val-11 said:


> Well that doesn't sound so bad. I'm picturing a 9 volt battery on the tongue. I seen someone do that years ago and it sure didn't look like something I'd do!
> 
> I just found/read the thread on zap testing. Thanks for your help. I do appreciate it!


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## coffeetime (May 7, 2014)

If you search in the forum for pH testing you will find some really in depth threads on it. Liquid soap is a different beast but bar soap will have a pH between 9 and 11, generally. I've only pH tested mine once and I use a paper test strip and got 7- totally bogus. Haven't bothered since. If it doesn't zap it's good to use.


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## jules92207 (May 8, 2014)

Getting the "zap" reminds me of pop rocks. Its not that bad. You will live. Just have a big glass of water nearby to rinse your mouth out.


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## coffeetime (May 8, 2014)

jules92207 said:


> Getting the "zap" reminds me of pop rocks. Its not that bad. You will live. Just have a big glass of water nearby to rinse your mouth out.




Yes! Just like pop rocks.


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