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1. Snappyllama (woohoo I'm first) 2. Saponista (really looking forward to this!) 3. Commoncenz (If at first you don't succeed ... you're probably soaping) 4. TheDragonGirl (Trying should at least be entertaining) 5. BlackDog (First challenge! Woop!) 6. Rparrny (looking forward to my...

Thank you both! I am off to watch Taiwan swirling utubes now.... The mantra swirl does not work so well with loaf molds if you cut it in slices.

This is so beautiful, and consistent with my new minimalism in soap supplies. Does anyone know how to make that swirl? how about other swirls suitable for a loaf mold?

I make different shades of green by mixing indigo (dissolved in the water before the lye) and either annatto or calendula oil infusions for the yellow. Any shade of green is possible by altering the ratios of the indigo/annatto or calendula. Anything from a lime green to forest green or teal...

Same with me, even at just 10% CB! it is 'almost' a problem, since some scents don't blend so well with a chocolatey component. I have been using Cocoa instead of shea, just because I have a lot of it.

V, this is the first time I see someone confirming that it is possible to transfer some spice scent to the soap without EOs, thanks for posting! I do not care for anything scratchy (excepting salt bars) in my soaps, so I infuse everything in one of the soaping oils. Cinnamon works great...

I had some luck infusing one of the soaping oils in cinnamon. Not strong but long lasting.

I found that mixing a little emulsifying wax in with my molten oils minimizes (does not entirely eliminate it) the bath tub ring on my bath melts/salts/bombs. Love the graphic too! Never used rose clay though and thanks for posting. Now I know not to!

I used to make this soap with charcoal and bentonite clay, popular with the younger crowd. The black seems black enough to me - I don't sell anymore and I do not personally like charcoal in my soap, therefore a thing of the past - I used 1 tbsp in 2 lbs soap.

A while back I started adding all my EOs to the oils and blending them very well before adding the water/lye solutions. For the well behaved ones like mints, eucalyptus, lavender, tea tree, etc it makes little difference. For the 'mean' ones like clove, cinnamon leaf, ylang ylang, it makes...

Silk will dissolve in hot lye. Takes a few minutes. No bad reactions (when I use it is 4g per 900g soap loaf) but it can make the solution cloudy. I have a strainer for those occasions. A cloudy solution might not let you see undissolved lye crystals. No answer on the second question. I...

Just call and ask if there is a minimum to donate. The shelters around here will take any amount. Usually, if I just have 3 lbs I can get my friends to take some 'free soap' off my hands.

I made one with baking soda that would 'sorta' work in the push up tubes. After using it for a while i developed a reaction to it, so I stopped making it. The one I use now has no soda or clays, it is just shea butter, almond oil, and a very complex blend of antiseptic essential oils. It is...

Around the Los Angeles area I have donated several boxes of soaps to the Pasadena homeless shelters - they are very happy to receive them. I have also donated to a homeless shelter in Korea town (name and street escapes my memory) and both places where delighted to get them. Pasadena is closer...

I reduce the initial temperature of the lye/oil mix because it will heat and gel all by itself, but if the batter temperature is as low as possible, you will get even gel and no volcano effect. At least this has been my experience. One way I reduce the temperature is by dissolving the amount...

I use only the petals, and I grow calendula. The flower center has the seeds, so you could grow your own calendula with what you do not infuse. They are very easy to grow.

Here is a green chutney recipe I like a lot. When my cilantro goes wild in the garden, I make lots of this and freeze it in ice cubes. One ice cube per samosa - thawed out of course. Blend the following: 1/2 cup of tamarind sauce. 1 tablespoon fried whole cumin seeds (I use a tiny...

Shred it, and make 'confetti' soap where the base recipe has complementing properties. You did not say what else is in your soy/olive oil. From what you wrote, it seems like a base with mostly hard oils would complement it. Then your soap has the mixed or average properties of the two recipes.

BeeMaiden, here is what I do to figure if I have enough soap for a show or festival: Take the booth fee, and make it 10% of your estimated sales. This is what I can accept to pay, 10% for the booth. Change that number to what is acceptable to you, it might be 15%, maybe 20%? up to you...

for indigo I use: http://www.dharmatrading.com/dyes/natural-dyes-from-plants-and-insects.html I have also used their alkanet and their madder.