Always test all your soaps, see below why I did

[Lin19687]

I put this here because I think everyone should test each batch with the end cuts. You never know how something might throw off the feel.

Example:
I redid a recipe and liked it after testing one of them so I made a few more batches.
ONE of the batches I used a mica from an Amazon cheap place, silver black color.
All my other Micas are from Micas & More but the black color had not come in so I used the Amazon one and only a 1/8 amount of batter for a swirl.
I took a small end cut because I just love the smell of this batch.
I will blame myself in that I must not have mixed the mica well enough !! It could have been because it is a cheap mica, I don't know.
It is slightly scratchy, not exfoliating scratchy but NOT smooth like it is suppose to be. I DO NOT LIKE SCRATCHY SOAPS, personal preference .

I have to test the other couple of batches I did with this silver black mica already tried one and it also is a bit scratchy.

I will have to relabel it as an Exfoliating soap, and I try not to put that kind of a label on soaps, they are just soap.

So to be safe, always have a sliver to test each batch because you just never know.

OK OK I KNOW you all have like 12 bars in your showers~ I like the end sliver cuts so I can fit more in the shower

 

[ItsForrest]

Good reminder to test our stuff before sharing or selling.

I'm also going to take this as a reminder to be mindful of where to get supplies. I looked at lots of the micas and other soap supplies on Amazon. In the end I decided to skip the unknown Amazon suppliers and buy from the reputable suppliers. There are so many good ones like WSP, Nurture, Bulk Apothecary, etc. that I just can't justify saving a few pennies to experiment with unknowns.

 

[ItsForrest]

I do need to get a few more soap holders from Amazon, though. I need room for another dozen samples.

 

[soapmaker]

I do need to get a few more soap holders from Amazon, though. I need room for another dozen samples.

Not sure what kind of soap holders you buy. I use those fine bristled surgical brushes and lay the soap on the bristles.

 

[ItsForrest]

There are no flat, horizontal surfaces in my shower so the soap dishes need to be the kind that stick to the tile wall.

 

[Lin19687]

Oh man I never get those wall suckers to stay up there

 

[artemis]

There are no flat, horizontal surfaces in my shower so the soap dishes need to be the kind that stick to the tile wall.

I like the 3M ones. They have a minimalistic look to them, stick well, and are removable. I get mini soap savers at dollar tree; ine of those fits right inside the soap dish. https://www.walmart.com/ip/Command-...75035&wl11=online&wl12=27512081&wl13=&veh=sem

 

[ItsForrest]

The first round of stick-on soap holders didn't drain well and fell off the wall in fairly short order. The second set have been holding up pretty good so far. I don't know what to do with the partially used bars but I have a few batches now that need their shower tests.

Here's the soap holders I have now:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07BJXRC9J/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

 

[Rogue-Soaper]

Oh man I never get those wall suckers to stay up there

Me either! Mine always fall, seems like, in the middle of the night and scare the stuffing out of me.

 

[soapmaker]

Looks like we've drifted onto shopping preferences. This should be a new thread. Itsforrest those look well drained!

 

[ItsForrest]

Yeah, little bit of subject drift here. It's relevant though because it's hard to test all your recipes if there's no place to put the partially used soap.

 

[Obsidian]

I've used micas that are scratchy too, one was a purple from TBK but I can't remember which one. It wasn't actually scratchy, you could still rub the soap directly on the skin but it wasn't smooth by any means. I didn't like the feel at all, luckily it was only a couple test bars.

 

[msunnerstood]

I put this here because I think everyone should test each batch with the end cuts. You never know how something might throw off the feel.

Example:
I redid a recipe and liked it after testing one of them so I made a few more batches.
ONE of the batches I used a mica from an Amazon cheap place, silver black color.
All my other Micas are from Micas & More but the black color had not come in so I used the Amazon one and only a 1/8 amount of batter for a swirl.
I took a small end cut because I just love the smell of this batch.
I will blame myself in that I must not have mixed the mica well enough !! It could have been because it is a cheap mica, I don't know.
It is slightly scratchy, not exfoliating scratchy but NOT smooth like it is suppose to be. I DO NOT LIKE SCRATCHY SOAPS, personal preference .

I have to test the other couple of batches I did with this silver black mica already tried one and it also is a bit scratchy.

I will have to relabel it as an Exfoliating soap, and I try not to put that kind of a label on soaps, they are just soap.

So to be safe, always have a sliver to test each batch because you just never know.

OK OK I KNOW you all have like 12 bars in your showers~ I like the end sliver cuts so I can fit more in the shower

Oh snap, I just made a batch with silver black color. A bigger batch to boot. Hopefully I dont have the same result. It hasnt been long enough to cut yet but I keep all my end pieces. My Husband calls what should be the shampoo shelf, my soap shelf because there is a line of soap ends.

 

[Lin19687]

You may be fine as I don't know who you bought from. I am also not sure that all the silver blacks on Amazon are bad. I bet there are some good ones.
It ALSO could have been that I didn't get it incorporated enough in the batter.

I know what you mean about the 'Soap Line' but it is just my DD and I so she sometimes uses them. But mostly she uses the Dove

 

[msunnerstood]

You may be fine as I don't know who you bought from. I am also not sure that all the silver blacks on Amazon are bad. I bet there are some good ones.
It ALSO could have been that I didn't get it incorporated enough in the batter.

I know what you mean about the 'Soap Line' but it is just my DD and I so she sometimes uses them. But mostly she uses the Dove

Ohh you said the "D" word.. Hey its 4 letters and something that gets a dirty look if my Husband even looks at a bar in the store..

 

[msunnerstood]

You may be fine as I don't know who you bought from. I am also not sure that all the silver blacks on Amazon are bad. I bet there are some good ones.
It ALSO could have been that I didn't get it incorporated enough in the batter.

I know what you mean about the 'Soap Line' but it is just my DD and I so she sometimes uses them. But mostly she uses the Dove

I got it from TKB. We will see in a few hours..