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Nope, that's exactly what I'm referring to, including website costs, insurance, etc. I still am struggling to figure out how to appropriately charge per item for them. Is it really a guessing game in the end? Like, " I think I will sell 'x' number of bars/yr so I need to charge 'y' per bar to...

Since we're talking about SM3....is there a way to add indirect costs in the system?

I also use kaolin clay at about 1 Tablespoon PPO in my standard recipe. I put it into my oils before adding my lye water & stickblend all the clumps out. But, you could add it & SB after emulsion too.

So sorry for your losses.

Lol, that's always a challenge! Many of us CPOP (cold process, oven process). Usually, I turn on the oven at 170-180 degrees about one hour before I will be finished pouring the soap. I put the soap in the oven, and turn it off. I leave the soap in the oven to do it's thing for about 12 hours...

The cracks & uneven texture on the sides are probably due to a little overheating. How did you insulate to achieve gel?

Yup, you need an emulsifier, like an ewax, BTMS-50, etc. I don't think Polysorbate 80 can fully emulsify a high level of oils & butters. It's usually used to emulsify a small amount if oils in a water based product.

Just to add notes for future reference: The orange/brown spots did disappear after another 24 hours. It does appear to be a reaction of the micas as the soap was going through the saponification process. The micas used were Enchanted Forest and Envy from Mad Micas. :)

I have been wondering this myself, but I am stumped. You could use Aristflex ACV or Septimax Zen as emulsifiers, but they rely on water to hydrate. You could try gums or hydroxyethyl cellulose, but, again, it has to be hydrated. There is an emulsifier from Making Cosmetics called GelMaker EMU-...

Did your orange spots fade once it cooled? I noticed these soaps are still warm, so I'm letting them chill for awhile before I cut.

As soon as I start selling, I run into all sorts of funky issues. Good learning experiences, I guess. So, what are these brown spots?Overheating, maybe? I've had troubles gelling with my new molds, so I did CPOP it a little more than I have before. But, I baked some soaps last week (literally...

Yup, it sounds like it's just liquid soap. I've seen so many soaps described as miracle "all natural" cleansers...

I love scents! My problem is I want new scents all the time. I have to have a variety so I can switch it up, depending on my mood.

Did it overheat? Volcano maybe?

Oops! I have been making soaps around the clock lately, and I guess I'm getting loopy... I BAKED MY SOAP!! :eek::beatinghead: I CPOP and my loaves were still in the oven...and I preheated the oven to 425. It wasn't fully preheated yet, so I'm not sure what at what temp I realized they were...

Thank you!

So, double batch #2 is having the same problems as the first. My suspicion (err, hope) is that with double the soap, maybe my CPOP process isn't working, and I'm not gelling. I have a very slight partial gel mark, but I might be imagining it. BUT, before I try this again, will you guys check my...

Not trying to defend WSP or anything, but the new FO's ($90/lb) are all "Natural" FOs & are not even recommended for CP soap. I still have not tried NG. I guess I should check them out. But, I find with prices as low as theirs, the scents all kinda smell the same and aren't as complex. Anyone...

Do larger batches take longer to saponify? I did a double batch on Monday night, and I couldn't unmold it after the same amount of time I normally wait for my standard recipe. A couple of hours later (normally when I'd be cutting), I could unmold it but it was still a little soft & it zapped...

I agree. Plus, you may want to add a solubilizer, so your oils & waters won't separate.