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I made a lot of soap using milk cartons (cut one side so that it's a flip-up lid). It worked great. I also used metal (like a baking pan), and lined it very neatly and completely with freezer paper. It worked fine.

IrishLass and falldowngobump (love the name) - your soaps are very cool. Well done with the cheap stamps!!

I turn the log on it's side so that the top of the soap faces me on the counter. Then, I put a ruler next to the log and mark the soap lightly in 1 inch increments (just a little nick on the bottom, where the ruler meets the log). The, I turn it over and do the same thing so that when I'm done...

Mike, That's very exciting for you. I'd be happy to take a look and give you feedback. I'm not an expert on the chemistry aspect, but I'm a good writer and editor, so I can give you feedback in that regard. I sent you an email just now, so you can reply. Kat

Thanks - and I guess I'll reduce my Polawax to an even 6%, with the reduced oil phase.

Actually, the only recipe I found on Swift's site is for a syndet bar that ended up being an okay bubble bar, but didn't totally dissolve (which, in my book, makes it unsatisfactory). I also would love to have a good bubble bar recipe. AGriffin has a nice recipe on her site, but I found that...

Hi, y'all! I feel like I haven't posted in a while. I guess I've been swamped with the other lame, boring stuff in life (you know - work, chores, etc). Anyway, I have a question about a recipe I got of off Swift's blog. It's a hand lotion recipe that I've made twice (once whipping it...

Yes, very cool displays!

I know people love their non-stick (silicone and HDPE) molds and for good reason, I'm sure. I haven't had the best experience, so I have a couple of thoughts on this - 1. Make sure you understand the differences between wood, silicone, and HDPE molds. Your soapmaking methods will likely need...

I don't know for sure what the proper technique is but I would guess that a thicker cloth or several layers of a thinner cloth might help. Not sure, though.

Yes, I think that's the experiment I need to do. I'll make this same exact recipe and try: 1. Pouring it right after I've mixed in the cool down ingredients 2. Stop mixing, but still let it cool in the container before pouring I had one thin facial lotion that separated (albeit slightly...

Yes, I remember reading that she likes to let it cool for several hours before pouring. I guess I'll just experiment and try mixing only one time after adding the cool down ingredient. Then, I'll let it sit for a while to cool, but not mix anymore. As for the temperature thing, I feel like...

Hi, all! I'm sorry I've been more of an asker than an answerer lately, but I'm relatively new to bath and body. I've made a few lotions and I seem to have a recurring problem. My lotion thickens before I get it into a bottle. It's not super thick like a cream and, in fact, I'm fine with the...

I've been thinking about packaging lately and I'm leaning towards the box idea - the kind that have a nice big hole on the front so people can see and smell the soap. I guess I'd run the risk of the box edges getting kind of roughed up (un-crisp) over time. Anyone have experience with boxes?

I'm always on the lookout for harder, longer-lasting bars, but I remember reading on this form (and this was just an opinion, of course) that while stearic adds to initial hardness, it didn't seem to make a difference in how long the bar lasted in the shower.

Toni - I was thinking that same thought, but could quite articulate it. The cut lines would have to be very slim to not create a problem with the edges. Of course, Crafter's Choice is probably one of the silicone molds, right? I suppose Uplands will be a different story, but has the potential to...

Thanks for all the input. Woodfields looks great, but they're more expensive, and have less selection than Uplands. I sent them (Uplands) an email, so we'll see if anything comes of it!

Just wondering if anyone has an Uplands slab mold and if you do, did you get your liner with or without cut lines? I'm not even sure what mold I'm going to get, but I'm pretty sure I need a good wood mold and Uplands is my first choice. The cut lines would help, I think, but I'm not sure if they...

Thanks, Catmehdi - I'm actually totally addicted to that blog! I've already read that post - and several others, and I can't seem to get a sense of how much of this product to use. I guess I could try to understand the math of the HLB system and figure it out myself, but I'm not feeling that...

Just wondering about polysorbate 80 - how much to use. I'm just trying to add some to my bath salts that have shea butter. I want the shea to blend into the bath water. I know for polysorbate 20, when I'm trying to get fragrance oils to blend into a watery base, I use an equal amount of...