Castile for the New Year anyone?

[roseb]

Hopefully it will last her long enough for the new ones to cure. I don't know what she does to the soap but I think she might be eating it because she uses bars up fast.

My brother too! I made him a 2 lb loaf that lasted him 2 months. That is 10 bars in 60 days!

 

[The Efficacious Gentleman]

I'll be making a Castile in the next couple of days ready for next year (11.5 months or 12 months is not such a difference!)

But big thanks to Skatergirl for getting us back on to the right track - Castile is only olive oil. Adding another oil gives you a Bastille soap! There was a whole other thread on this, but I am such a pedant when it comes to things like this

 

[neeners]

^^ but but....would pomace count too? or just regular olive oil?

 

[StarSoaper]

I made two batches a few days ago. The first was a true castile soap 100% olive oil I wanted to see how it turned out. My second batch was using honey as an additive. So I guess it's not true castile soap? even though I used 100% olive oil? Oh well, I hope it turns alright. I'm thinking of letting it cure for a whole six months.

 

[boyago]

^^ but but....would pomace count too? or just regular olive oil?

I think that would REALLY be getting down to splitting the split ends. I'm sure there is a purist out there that would get down to the patch of trees that grew the olives but I think any olive oil would be Castile.

 

[SudsyPM]

I'm in. I want to try with the castor oil too, the patience it is going to take to wait for the cure. Grant me the strength

 

[hlee]

I will make one too. It's about time I try it.

 

[MzMolly65]

I'm going to do it too, probably on NYD. I was thinking I'd try it as a facial soap -- does anyone have thoughts on this??

I made a liquid castille, I have really dry, sensitive skin and I LOVE IT for my face! No more moisturizer for me!

Now I'm thinking I'd like to make a CP version. I've always done this oil cleanser thingy http://www.ilovenaturalskincare.com/oil-cleansing-method.html

So I'd love to hear what people think about turning those ratios into a bar.

 

[engblom]

Castor does just bad to Castile, unless you also add coconut oil. A castor single oil soap will not lather at all. Castor oil strengthens lather only. It does not add any by itself. My Bastile soaps with castor oil has been extra slimy. My pure Castile soaps are far better than those with castor oil.

EDIT: When I have been reading about oil properties, I learned Castor oil gives a softer soap. This could explain why castor is a disaster in Castile. Castile is quite soft and runny even if you dry it for a long time.

 

[seven]

I did it. Mine is sleeping peacefully in the oven with just a gentle push to gel. Hopefully i dont get partial as i am using a silicone mold. Added a dash of castor to mine (5%). Left it unscented. It's really a plain jane. No colors no swirls no nothing.

 

[neeners]

I think that would REALLY be get down to splitting the split ends. I'm sure there is a purist out there that would get down to the patch of trees that grew the olives but I think any olive oil would be Castile.

ok! i'm going to aim to try to make some tomorrow

 

[AngelMomma]

Canned Coconut Milk has guar gum. I think the only way to find CM without it is to buy a coconut and make your own. Soaping 101 has a video on this process:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wiA1wtqYQ80


Me, I'm going to use the canned stuff.

You absolutely can find coconut milk with no additives at all that can be purchased in the store. I have scoured shelves looking for interesting food items or items that were gluten free because I have Celiac. I have come across coconut milk a few times and its not always where I would think it should be. Try searching in fresh veg sections and search in the "specialty" food sections that would have organic, and gluten free foods. Also look in drink sections. At our local Kroger I found cans (like a soda can, only taller) that were coconut water (the liquid out of the center of the coconut). This reminds me I totally want to make a soap with that. Out of all the stores we have in our area, 2 would have these items readily available(now that I know where they keep them). The main difference that you might see in the coconut products that do not have the additives like the guar gum is that they are not nearly so thick. But that may be just stating the obvious :grin:

Putting Castile at the top of my soap list today! I think I will make 2 small batches. One that is a true castile with just OO, Lye and Distilled water. And one with carrot juice that I have left.......and maybe honey, yogurt......I don't know, but I will jazz it up. I have never used a true castile so it will be fun to try it.

 

[GrantLee63]

OK ... I jumped on board and made two 2.5 pound loaves this morning. 100% OO with lye and distilled water only, so a true Castile. First time I made this particular soap, and the first time I used my new Waring Commercial Immersion Blender (Model WSB33X) my daughter and son-in-law gave me for Christmas. WOW! What a beast! I love it - HUGE upgrade from the cheapie I've been using.

 

[Candybee]

Already made my goat milk and coconut castiles. I like making bastiles instead of straight olive oil or castile. I just don't like an all olive oil soap. I love bastiles as they are still high OO and very gentle and for me they are nicer soaps.

 

[Tienne]

I'm not fond of Castile, but I want to join in on this except, I'll just make a high OO champagne soap instead with any leftovers there might be after tonight. I don't know how much will be left, though! I looove champagne! *hiccup*! :crazy:

Happy New Year, folks!

(I can't find the post where someone asked about using pomace in Castile, but yes you can. It'll even speed up your trace time.

 

[CaraBou]

Mine is in gel-bed too, a New Years Eve baby, my very last batch of 2013. 100% olive, with a smidge of lavender EO. And I also made a *******, a quasi-comparison batch with 95% OO, 5% caster, the same smidge of lavender and 1 Tbls ppo of green clay. The clay in the bastille was mostly to see if it holds the scent better in a long cure, and while that precludes an unadulterated direct comparison I just had to try it (when else am I going to cure something so long, unless I reeeeeally end up liking the castille?). Before engblom's post (which I didn't see until after they were both in bed), my impression from others was that a tiny bit caster really makes a positive difference. But I knew I'd never be happy with myself as a soapmaker until I have made and tried a long-cured pure castille. So maybe next year by this time I'll be happy. Regardless of whether I like either of these batches :-D

 

[boyago]

Okay, I'm in the mold.

Had to reverse calculate to use the last of my Lye. Will probably jones tomorrow and wind up cruising the drain cleaner isles. 100% pomace OO with nothing but time to acquire. Now that it's done though am kind of thinking I should have used my nice OO since it would be more authentic. darn it!

Out of lye so I'll start working on my stamp.

 

[Lin]

pomace olive oil has more unsaponifiables, so I don't know about "authentic" but many consider pomace to be the best kind of olive oil for soapmaking.

 

[Candybee]

Okay okay! I am making mine right now. 100% olive oil with only lavender EO thrown in because I want mine scented. I guess the enthusiasm was catching so I broke down and made a full castile.

They hard part will be not touching it until next year!!!! :lolno:

 

[AngelMomma]

Anyone take any pics of their Castile yet? I didn't get to make the one with additives because I got sick. The family went to the party without me and I stayed home. I started feeling better and went ahead and made the plain Castile with a steep water discount. This is the first time making it and I was surprised how creamy the batter was. It didn't take as long as I though it would to get to trace because of the water discount. I molded into a silicone mold with square cavities. I popped them out this afternoon. Now we wait