# New to the addiction



## makes_scents (Aug 20, 2015)

Tomorrow I will be gettin my soap on for the first time. I have my stuff (gloves and goggles included), Brambleberry order will be here tomorrow....weeeeee

This is either going to be a big success or a huge failure lol...hooked already and haven't even made my first batch. Good thing hubby loves me!


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## Arthur Dent (Aug 20, 2015)

Have fun!
And...


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## makes_scents (Aug 20, 2015)

Thank you Arthur! I am calm as can be....NOT...but not nervous just REALLY excited. I have been researching and learning for about a year now. I love creative stuff and science stuff so this hobby should be right up my alley! 

Any tips on how Herbal Essence from Brambleberry behaves? Anything I need to be aware of when using the scent? Ricing, acceleration, discoloring?


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## The Efficacious Gentleman (Aug 21, 2015)

If there is any chance that the fo is not a team player, leave it out. You do not want any of the things that you listed happening on your first batch! Go with an unscented batch, or use an eo or fo known for being well behaved


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## Jstar (Aug 21, 2015)

^^^ This

And welcome to the addiction


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## shunt2011 (Aug 21, 2015)

Hello and welcome!


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## Susie (Aug 21, 2015)

I agree with Craig.  Leave out anything that may misbehave.  You have enough variables on your plate right now without complicating your first soap.  If you must have scent, you can go to Hobby Lobby or GNC and buy some lemongrass EO that is well behaved(though expensive if purchased those places).


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## MissBee (Aug 21, 2015)

I totally scented my first three batches of soap. I don't really regret doing that. It's a risk, but I took it. Got lucky and everything was fine. Though it was reassuring to first read the reviews of soapers experience with each one. I avoided anything that was reported to accelerate trace.

Someday something terribly wrong will happen with my soap, but so far every batch has been a success.I thought for sure since I was (and still am) a newbie I'd screw things up a lot. You'll be fine. Just don't be discouraged if whenever things go sour. Have fun!


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## The Efficacious Gentleman (Aug 21, 2015)

I also scented my first batch - but I went with lavender eo which is, for me, an eo that never gives me trouble.


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## rparrny (Aug 21, 2015)

It's almost impossible to resist the urge to do fragrance and color on your first batch...I'm guilty of that as well.  Go for it and have fun...yeah things go wrong but only ONCE cause you never make that mistake again...lol.
Remember, the color or pattern might note be just right, you may have some bubble holes in your bars ect...it's all in the process of learning.  Like your first child, your first loaf is a free for all...the next one will be better and better.
IMHO, if you can use your first attempt to clean yourself, you won.
If I could give you one word of advice, I would say: Never say "Oops", say "There!".  I recently used too much green mica in my eucalyptus bar, along with too much chopped eucalyptus leaves.  The result was a bar that was just ugly (oops) but all those leaves made for a great scrubbing bar, so I called it my "butt ugly scrub bar" and gave it to my older nephews who just loved it (There!).  Always repurpose!


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## jiroband (Aug 21, 2015)

Sending you positive vibes for a successful batch!

The thing I remember most about my first batch was the weird smell (not bad) when the oils and lye mixed.

Don't worry, just enjoy the ride....

Jim


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## makes_scents (Aug 21, 2015)

I have always been a "go big or go home" kind of gal. Thank you everyone for the advice! I shall post pics when I am done molding, cutting and eventually curing even if it is an ugly batch.


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## makes_scents (Aug 22, 2015)

Things I learned tonight:

1. Herbal Essence FO from BB eats through plastic dixie cups
2. The very slight ricing caused by the FO is easily fixed thanks to OCD youtube habit.
3. I hope all my batches behave like this, but don't expect that they will

That was fun and extremely relaxing even for the first batch.


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## Jstar (Aug 22, 2015)

Looks great! Can't wait to see the cut pics!


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## The Efficacious Gentleman (Aug 22, 2015)

Indeed!

And yes, little plastic cups are risky. Cheap shot glasses or the like might be better


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## makes_scents (Aug 22, 2015)

Have a little bit of soda ash, got a partial gel and the bars will need cleaned up when cured, BUT I would call this batch a success....now the long wait begins....


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## Susie (Aug 22, 2015)

Those are very pretty!


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## spenny92 (Aug 22, 2015)

That is a _great_ looking first soap - well done!


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## gigisiguenza (Aug 22, 2015)

That's very pretty.... what did you use for color?


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## Jstar (Aug 22, 2015)

Very pretty! Congrats


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## makes_scents (Aug 22, 2015)

I used green chrome oxide from BB. I was surprised by how little color it took. I need to come up with a recipe to use the amounts of oils I have left. Olive and Coconut are what I have the least of at the current moment. I have plenty of Shea Butter, Avocado and Castor oil left...any suggestions? All of these amounts started off at 16 oz. My recipe last night used 9.6 oz of both the coconut and olive oil.


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## snappyllama (Aug 22, 2015)

Do you have access to lard? It's very inexpensive at the grocery store and is an excellent soaping oil. We have a lard parade on here, and I'm totally in the float wearing a big, ironic piggy costume throwing beads.

AO acts a lot like OO in recipes. Something I'd like:

Lard 55%
Castor: 5%
CO: 15%
Shea: 5%
The rest in OO or AO or a combo


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## not_ally (Aug 23, 2015)

Totally agree w/Snappy.  Shea and castor are best used in lesser amounts - for a new soaper, shea up to 10%, most people suggest 5% for castor (although castor boosts lather in existing oils, too much makes the soap soft and too much butter will really decrease your lather.)  You might change these numbers as you gain experience, based on what you see of interactions w/the fatty acids in your recipes as they change, but for now I would just stay simple.  Lard, on the other hand, it is hard to go wrong with, even at the get-go.  

If you live in the US, you probably can find lard locally, that is what I would do, then use your existing oils for the balance as she suggested.


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## TeresaT (Aug 23, 2015)

Lard!!  Go with the lard.  Come to the Lard Side...

(BTW:  totally amazing soap!  Cannot believe it's your first.  You rock.)


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## Jstar (Aug 23, 2015)

Yup, Lard...I've been working mainly with tallow I rendered a long while back..have yet to do a lard/tallow..but Im thinking my next batch just may be that..been hearing the great stories of these combo's

I have coco butter and shea, and ya know I just dont use them much anymore..I find that my soaps feel just as nice without them...I prefer now to just use coconut milk at 100% and kaolin clay in all my soaps and save the butters for body butter making


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## rparrny (Aug 23, 2015)

A beautiful, successful first attempt.
Nice job, congrads.


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