3 Things that I bought for making soap that I've never used.

[xyxoxy]

I use a plastic pitcher also. I never thought of making up more lye water than I need and storing it. Sound very convient!!! Wouldn't have to wait for it to come to room temp either. Does it settle? It doesn't eat thru the bottle? You measure out the same amount of liquid that you need in the recipe?

Here is a thread that talks more about it...
http://www.soapmakingforum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=16367

 

[Stinkydancer]

I would say the things I don't use are:
plastic molds for m/p
thermometers used once
perfume roller bottles 100 of them

Things I can't live without:
My TKB Pop Micas
My enamel cooking pots
My handmade wooden molds
Rubbermaid Pitchers
and like someone else said- the Wallyworld 2 dollar spatulas.

 

[bjdmwill]

I don't get how you can NOT use thermometers? How do you know when to mix the lye with the fats?

 

[Ellacho]

Hmmm...I have been using my thermometers for last 7 years +.

 

[FlybyStardancer]

I don't get how you can NOT use thermometers? How do you know when to mix the lye with the fats?

I've just felt the outside of the containers and waited until they felt the same-ish. It doesn't need to be more precise than that.

...Other than the time I made whipped soap. Room-temp oils and lye-water straight from an overnight stay in the fridge. Cold to preserve the bubbles I whipped into the hard oils!

 

[The Efficacious Gentleman]

I don’t use thermometers in soap making any more as the exact temperatures aren’t as important as many processes suggest. I do have a laser thermometer for when I finally get around to making lotions……………

 

[Susie]

I use my thermometer only to be sure my soap is below the flashpoint of my EO. I hate wasting that stuff. And I had a whole batch become unscented(orange EO) by not testing it.

My wasted money:

Some EOs. Lots of wasted money in those. But, I could not smell them in the sealed bottles, so at least I learned something.

Exotic oils. I now know I can make perfectly good soap from oils I get from Walmart. I am scrambling to use some of these up before they go rancid.

My best tools:

$1 spatulas and spoons from Dollar Tree. I adore that long handled spoon and that double ended spatula.

$1 blue drawer divider "molds", again from Dollar Tree. I got 2 of them, and going back to get more soon. Absolutely perfect for 1-3 lb batches.

My stainless steel bain marie. I mix every batch of lye water and then soap in that. Tall and skinny, it is just perfect for the stick blender.

My stick blender, crock pot, and scale are absolute necessities.

 

[mintle]

I never use thermometer, too

and I wasted money on beet root extract, hoping to achieve reddish hue in cp soap - made a quick test batch and it turned yellow-grey-brown (like a poo). Yuck.

Also, I admit that I hate ylang-ylang eo, however I bought the cheapest one so maybe more expensive types smell better. I cannot stand the smell, it did not mellow in time as the soap cured and I will have to throw the bottle away, really.

Apart from that, everything is soap-able

 

[Susie]

I do not like ylang ylang by itself either. But, I found out it works amazingly well mixed with other EOs. Teatree(which I do not like, either), cedarwood, balsam are all good candidates to mix with it.

 

[Susie]

I've just felt the outside of the containers and waited until they felt the same-ish. It doesn't need to be more precise than that.

And I don't even do that anymore. DeeAnna taught me better . You mix your lye with your water til clear, dump in solid oils, stick blend til melted. Mix in liquid oils and bring to trace. Et voila!

 

[navigator9]

I don't get how you can NOT use thermometers? How do you know when to mix the lye with the fats?

I soap at room temp....I like thing to move slowly. If I take temps at all, it's by feeling the side of the pot with my hand. So I don't use a thermometer any more.

As far as other things I've bought but never used, there's probably nothing I haven't used....once. But many that I've never used again. Beautiful lavender buds that look like mouse turds in soap. Things like powdered carrots and beets, dried herbs, powdered citrus peel. Some kind of magical bark from Mexico that was supposed to do wonderful things for the skin. Tons of FOs that sounded wonderful in their descriptions. I'm such a sucker for a good FO description! I'm sure there are more that I can't remember. I also never use my crinkle cutter any more. I do have some Milky Way molds that I use occasionally, but not often. I love my silicone molds too much. I think all of us, when we start out, want to try everything. So we do, and some of those things become our favorites, and some we discard, never to see again. It's all part of the process. An expensive part!!!

 

[seven]

things that i regret buying: natural colorants. turns out, i don't have the patience to soak them up in oils and wait. to use them as is, too scrubby, not my cup of tea.

hmmm, what else... i have this bad habit, when i see a discount/promo on something i instantly buy it, even when it's not yet time to restock.

 

[shunt2011]

Never used a thermometer. I know soap at Room Temp. Spent lots of money on FO's and have quite a lot that I will probably never use and should probably sell.

 

[Shalisk]

Jojoba Oil, Confused it for Babassu. My little mixer thing (havent done colors yet) and any of my pigments or colors, but those will change im sure.