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If I do this at all, my intention is to have it be on a friendly basis. I finally actually figured out what it costs me to make. So far, I've just had a vague idea. He knows that I'm going to some trouble for him. He's not placing an order, he's asking for a favor from a friend. If he wants...

If you don't care about reusing it, you don't need to line a Pringles can. I've rinsed them out and used them for a mold. When done, just cut the rim and tear the can away, it's cardboard. 24.2 oz oils. I find that parchment paper makes for better lining than freezer or butcher paper but...

If you don't need the gear right away, the simple thing to do is toss it in a bucket for a couple days and let it turn into soap. Then you can just soak it and rub off the soap. I went to a dollar store and bought some utensils so I wouldn't need the gear right away. Be advised, you don't...

I agree. I'm much less experienced than many on here. So, I can't speak authoritatively. I have had this problem though and I never thought to blame the FO. What I think happens is the top of the soap cools and hardens. Inside the soap is still reacting, heating and expanding. The...

Thanks for the replies folks. I'm still not sure where I'm going with this. Don't worry about over committing. If I give him any, it'll just be what I'm willing to make. I'm comfortably retired. I'm not looking for a new career. My wife wants some smaller soaps. So, I'm going to try...

So far, I've been strictly a hobbiest and I've never taken money for my soap. I give it away to just about anyone that will take it. Now I have a crazy situation. I stayed at an Airbnb and left a few bars for my host. He's a dedicated host and he will do just about anything to make staying...

I'm hobbyist not a pro but, I have settled on a few recipes I use for different purposes. I played a little with exotic oils, goat milk powder, etc. I have to be honest. This is just my opinion but, unless it's a very special purpose soap, I don't feel the slight change you get from the...

I didn't ask for it but, thanks for the education. DeeAnna is right. I didn't include the KOH to promote hardness and I never meant to imply that. At 5% KOH I don't see any discernible effect on hardness either way. There may very well be a measurable effect. I just can't detect it. In...

A couple clarifications. The KOH is not to make it harder. It makes soap lather better, You're free to disagree but, I've tried it both ways and I'm convinced it works. The sugar is supposed to help with lather too. I'm not as convinced about that but, I've always done it. I do use salt...

Thanks for the input. I could have sworn that I saw posts that specifically said Castile took a long time to harden. That's why I was surprised. This is my yearly soap for the holidays spasm. I have plenty around to let the Castile sit for a while. It does make a pretty white bar. :)

Thanks for the reply. I can let it sit for a while. I made this at the end of my yearly spasm of soapmaking for the Christmas season. As for hardness, it appears to be doing fine so far. I'm hoping the castor and KOH will help with the lather.

I've seen many posts on here saying Castile soap takes a long time to harden. I recently made my first version of it and it seems to be hardening at least as fast as my usual recipe perhaps a bit faster. My understanding is that Castile soap is pretty much all olive oil. That's what I did with...

Goats milk powder is completely soluble in oil as well as water. I've used it the same way as soaplady30 does and I don't see a problem with doing it that way. In the end you wind up with the same stuff in the bars at the same ratios. The only issue I can see would be if you don't get rid of...

My relatives with teenagers swear this works great for acne. 1 Tbsp PPO activated charcoal tea tree oil equal to 5% of the total oil weight Both added at trace. If nut allergies aren't a problem, using 5% tamanu oil in your recipe gives a good feel and may help with the acne as well. I've...

I'm not saying that doesn't work but, I'm pretty sure that when you do that, you're neutralizing some of the lye. Given that lye is a strong base and vinegar is a weak acid, it's probably not a lot but, you might be getting a bit more superfat than you expect. I have no explanation for why it...

I'm just a hobbyist, not a pro. I used to use wood molds but, I got sick of lining them. So, I switched to 10" silicone molds. I don't really know what the minimum time is but, I've not had a problem unmolding after 24 to 36 hours. I do cover the top with a piece of cardboard wrap with a...

I use lard in every batch I make. I have never used more than 50% though. I've had good results with it. Sometimes there is a bit of piggy smell right out of the mold but, that disappears during the cure. In North Carolina, lard is cheap and everywhere. One time I picked up a 25 lb bucket...

It's an interesting idea. The only thing I can think of that might be bad is there's a chance you could get bubbles in the soap. As others have said there's more going on than just drying during the cure. So, you'll still need to let it cure. If you try it, please post your results. I'd be...

My understanding is that if it doesn't zap (https://classicbells.com/soap/zapTest.asp), it's safe to use. It might not be the best possible soap but. it won't hurt you.

I use roughly 3/4 tsp in a 2 pound batch but, I use light oils. I don't know whether it's water or oil soluble and I'm too lazy to get up and read the label. However, I put it in the oils and stick blend it in before I add the lye. That's worked great for me. I might have issues if I was...