# Don't laugh! My first soap...



## Monaco (Sep 16, 2013)

I just made my first M&P soap a couple days ago. It was made from a glycerine block I bought at Michael's craft store. I used a plastic mold I bought along with the glycerine. Unmolding was a pain! 

I added some purple color (also bought at Michael's soap section), a lavender EO I had at home, and some dried lavender buds from our garden. They look like bugs in this soap, don't you think so? :crazy: 

I don't know if I will be making more M&P soap. Even though I never made the CP soap yet, so I can't compare, the M&P method is definitely easy and safe, that's why I decided to try it first.


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## hlee (Sep 16, 2013)

It's pretty! No laughing here.


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## judymoody (Sep 16, 2013)

It looks very pretty.


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## dagmar88 (Sep 16, 2013)

:mrgreen: Lavender buds are known as 'mouse turds' by soapers, so don't be too hard on yourself!


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## Marilyna (Sep 16, 2013)

Pretty!  I love melt and pour


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## Hazel (Sep 16, 2013)

I love the color and I'm not laughing. Everyone had to start somewhere first, too. I started with MP and didn't attempt CP until about 5 years later.


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## osso (Sep 16, 2013)

The color is pretty and the lavender just looks herbal. I bet it smells amazing!


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## Stakie (Sep 16, 2013)

Yep, lavender buds do discolor. That's why i always leave my soap uncolored. They turn black. I still think the soap looks nice.


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## DonnaC (Sep 16, 2013)

I agree.. it looks pretty!  Good job!


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## ashley8072 (Sep 16, 2013)

That looks awesome! My stuff always ends up sinking or floating. It won't stay dispersed. The unmolding: try pulling the sides away first. 


P!


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## dixiedragon (Sep 16, 2013)

I thought lavender buds stayed purple in M&P? I make CP myself, and calendula petals will stay yellow, but most herbs turn brown.


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## renata (Sep 16, 2013)

I like it! It's very lovely!


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## Monaco (Sep 16, 2013)

Thank you all for kind words!   I love how this soap leathers abundantly, it's just amazing! And I was generous on the EO, so it smells nicely too. For years I've been using store-bought liquid soap and almost never a real soap in blocks, so now I need to buy soap dish!




ashley8072 said:


> The unmolding: try pulling the sides away first.



I did, and I thought I'll break the plastic, it was that tough. I had to run a knife along the edges to release the soap. Not sure if there is any kind of a spray for glycerin soaps that won't interfere with the soap. Next time I want to try a simple box and line it with some wax paper, like I saw in some tutorials. Must be a lot easier that way!


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## kazmi (Sep 16, 2013)

Nice!  Never tried m&p but have done the lavendar buds once.  I'm saving the rest of the lavendars buds I bought to use in sachets.


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## newbie (Sep 16, 2013)

Nice purple colors- very pretty. I'm not that big on leaves and buds in soap just for the reason you stated. They just don't look like you expect them to in your minds eye, so they?


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## lsg (Sep 16, 2013)

That looks a lot better than my first soap.


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## savonierre (Sep 17, 2013)

Nothing to laugh at, that is very pretty soap..


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## OliveOil2 (Sep 17, 2013)

Very pretty color! The plastic is a super big pain, try looking around, for some inexpensive silicone baking pans, I've picked up some at very good prices. The melt & pour will just pop right out.


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## Monaco (Sep 17, 2013)

Thanks again, everyone!  I'm glad my soap didn't scare anyone. I can almost see those legs on the "bugs", haha!



OliveOil2 said:


> The plastic is a super big pain, try looking around, for some inexpensive silicone baking pans, I've picked up some at very good prices. The melt & pour will just pop right out.



This week Michael's has a 50% off coupon, I got one with my last week's purchase. And I can print out another one from their website, if I needed more things.  So I'm going to go there and see if they have any silicone molds. Otherwise will get more paint for soap. 

Is there any kind of spray that helps unmolding the soap and doesn't interfere with the soap or ruins it? I just got that PVC pipe to make round soaps and now wonder how it'll behave...


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## ashley8072 (Sep 17, 2013)

I'm using drawer dividers from Walmart and Dollar Tree for loaf molds. My little plastic molds that I bought at Hobby Lobby, they warped when I poured too hot.


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## Marilyna (Sep 17, 2013)

You can put the molds in the freezer for a while, then after you take them out let them sit for a few minutes and the soap should come out nicely.
I use Pam to spray plastic molds for CP, but don't know if it works for MP.


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## Monaco (Sep 17, 2013)

Thanks for the tip, Marilyna! I'll try that first and then see how it goes. I read somewhere about dropping the pipe on a concrete floor to release the soap, but I'm skeptical about this method. Not that I worry about the concrete, but what if the pipe or - worse - the soap cracks?!


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## Marilyna (Sep 17, 2013)

I don't think the soap will crack.  Go for it.  But I would put it in the freezer for a few hours first, then let it sit out for about 30 minutes.  

I use the freezer method for MP soaps in the plastic molds when I make animal shapes.  Otherwise, I can't get them out ever.  And I use the freezer when I make CP in the Crystal Light containers (spray liberally with Pam, though).


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## Lindy (Sep 18, 2013)

Hold your head up - great job...


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## Bann51 (Sep 18, 2013)

That's great. Lavender buds turn because they are affected by moisture.  I like to put mind in a grinder.  Also, put your mold in the freezer for a minutes.  That sometimes help. I use a silicone mold and put it in freezer and my soaps pop out.  I have been doing M&P for over 10 years and I love it. I add all sorts of additives, lavender, peppermint, calendula petals, milk, honey, oatmeal, etc. Keep it up. Don't give up. Get books, read, read and practice.  I am now starting to practice CP, but my customers swear by my M&P. Experiment with your colorant, make sure it's not making your bubbles purple. Sometimes the buds don't look too bad in a lighter lavender. I use mostly white M&P. Good luck on your journey!


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## Monaco (Sep 18, 2013)

Thanks again, ladies! It's great to have such a wonderful support here. 

Bann51, the foam is white. I got them at Michael's  store, they're specifically made for soap making. They're liquid and in  tiny bottles. I'm nowhere ready to use pigment powders yet, so I'll start  with liquid color and experiment.

I'm reading like crazy. Yesterday I spent all day reading about soap, and especially about oils and EOs. I even made up my first two CP recipes with the BB lye calculator. Will try them both when my lye arrives. 

I like MP a lot for its ease. Couldn't believe how easy it was to make my lavender soap. It's pricey though, and I'd like to know exactly what is in my soap, that's why I also want to try CP. I tried to find some info on how to make a glycerin MP base myself so it wouldn't cost an arm and a leg, but didn't find anything really. 

Since I'm making soap for myself and hopefully will be on time to make some for Christmas gifts, I want to have the best ingredients I can find, organic and everything. I want people to love my soap. So, all your support and tips are very appreciated! Whenever I search for something in Google, this forum pops up at the top and I read a LOT of good info here.


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## soapsbysonja (Sep 22, 2013)

Your soap looks GREAT!!! I have never done melt and pour but thinking about it!! I do cp and hp.


Sent from my iPhone using Soap Making


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## Monaco (Sep 22, 2013)

Thanks Soapbysonja! The melt and pour soap is really easy. This one took just a few minutes to make.


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## Rigneylane (Sep 22, 2013)

Nice Job!  I started with M&P also.  It took me awhile to work up to the CP method with lye.
I finally made a safe place to work with it in the garage!  Call me paranoid!


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## PinkCupcake (Sep 22, 2013)

I think your soap is very pretty! I've been doing mostly CP, but I'm drawn to some of the artistic things you can do with MP. Check out some soap supply places online. You should be able to find good-quality MP bases that are way cheaper and better than what you can buy at a craft store. Keep going, and keep posting pictures!


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## Monaco (Sep 22, 2013)

Thanks again, ladies!

Our kitchen is rather small, and the garage is full of boxes as we plan to move some time in the near future. So, only our tiny kitchen is available. When I make my CP soap, I'll mix the lye and water outside. Just to not inhale all the fumes.

I just realized that I don't have a thermometer and without it I don't dare to make the soap. I just ordered one on eBay for 10 dollars and with free shipping. Sounds like a good deal to me!


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## dcornett (Sep 23, 2013)

Those are super nice first soaps!


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## Lildlege1 (Oct 29, 2013)

Very pretty awesome job !!!!


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## Monaco (Oct 29, 2013)

Thanks Dcornett and Lildlege1! I made my first real CP soap from a recipe and boy do I love it! It's sooooo creamy and smooth and leathery! I posted the pic here: http://www.soapmakingforum.com/showthread.php?t=38847&page=2 The soap doesn't look that pretty but it _is _the best soap I ever tried in my whole life. I even washed my hair with it and didn't even need a conditioner. I'm so happy I learned how to make my own soap.  http://www.soapmakingforum.com/member.php?u=12189


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## CP_soapery (Oct 29, 2013)

I think it's lovely! The purple is gorgeous, and I think it looks very herbal and natural.


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