Double feelings

[Zany_in_CO]

@Putzi Thank you! I you! You made my day today!

Are you familiar with science or anything like that?

Nope.

@DeeAnna is the Science Guru. You would do well to spend some time browsing her Soapy Stuff. It's SMF's most reliable source to learn more about the science of soapmaking and to answer any questions that you have.

 

[Putzii]

Nope. @DeeAnna is the Science Guru. You would do well to spend some time browsing her Soapy Stuff. It's SMF's most reliable source to learn more about the science of soapmaking and to answer any questions that you have.

I WILL Zany!
Thanks for that, cheers

Nope.
@DeeAnna is the Science Guru. You would do well to spend some time browsing her Soapy Stuff. It's SMF's most reliable source to learn more about the science of soapmaking and to answer any questions that you have.

That’s so good to hear! You’ve made MANY days for others too

 

[TheGecko]

I have two bars of soap that I keep in my desk...one is from my first month soap making, the second one is from a batch from a year later. Now what is interesting (IMHO) is that these soaps look completely different yet they were the same recipe with no scent or colorant. So what happened? Time.

The first few months of soap making, I had a lot of flops...50/50. Notice I didn't say 'failure' and that's because I don't believe in failure per se...only in 'opportunities to learn more'. One of the biggest mistakes I see beginner soap makers do is trying to run before they have even learned to crawl and then they get all bummed out because this or that turned out badly. I watched other soap makers doing the whiz whiz whiz stir, whiz whiz whiz stir, whiz whiz whiz stir and pour. When I tried to do the same, there was no pour, just plop. What I 'learned' is that I was making a 50 OUNCE batch and they were making a 10 to 25 POUND batch of soap. Then there was that orange & white layered soap I made with the most gorgeous mica swirl on top (sigh)...it shattered into small chunks when I tried to cut it. I 'learned' the difference between using 3 teaspoons of dispersed TD (1 tab of TD, 3 tabs of water) and 3 tablespoons of dry TD.

It's a process, don't be so rough on yourself. Is it soap? YEAH! Is it usable soap? FANTASTIC!!! Is is 'pretty' soap? I thought my Blue Man Soap was butt-ugly, but a lot of other folks that it was great.

 

[Putzii]

I have two bars of soap that I keep in my desk...one is from my first month soap making, the second one is from a batch from a year later. Now what is interesting (IMHO) is that these soaps look completely different yet they were the same recipe with no scent or colorant. So what happened? Time.

The first few months of soap making, I had a lot of flops...50/50. Notice I didn't say 'failure' and that's because I don't believe in failure per se...only in 'opportunities to learn more'. One of the biggest mistakes I see beginner soap makers do is trying to run because they have even learned to crawl and then they get all bummed out because this or that turned out badly. I watched other soap makers doing the whiz whiz whiz stir, whiz whiz whiz stir, whiz whiz whiz stir and pour. When I tried to do the same, there was no pour, just plop. What I 'learned' is that I was making a 50 OUNCE batch and they were making a 10 to 25 POUND batch of soap. Then there was that orange & white layered soap I made with the most gorgeous mica swirl on top (sigh)...it shattered into small chunks when I tried to cut it. I 'learned' the difference between using 3 teaspoons of dispersed TD (1 tab of TD, 3 tabs of water) and 3 tablespoons of dry TD.

It's a process, don't be so rough on yourself. Is it soap? YEAH! Is it usable soap? FANTASTIC!!! Is is 'pretty' soap? I thought my Blue Man Soap was butt-ugly, but a lot of other folks that it was great.

Again you made me laugh, buttugly
BUT I get your point
Thanks
I’ll send you my first and second buttuglies too
The charcoal turmeric soap my husband loves it’s really lathered soapy, for now.
the only soap I really like up till now is the green one, per—haps, one two more. But the cut is ugly, soap lathers nice, for now.

 

[Zany_in_CO]

the only soap I really like up till now is the green one

VERY impressive! I like the green one too! Well done! You've come a long way in a very short time. Keep up the good work!

TIP: You will want to show off your soaps in the Photo Gallery for all to see! That's where you will get the most feedback. We LUV pictures.

 

[Catscankim]

Maybe late to the conversation here...

My soap making adventure started when I was a kid ....to be clear, I did not start making soap then, my grandmom did. I was just fascinated that you can make soap out of bacon fat. She had two kitchens in her house, and one kitchen had cans and cans of bacon fat.

A bunch of years ago (2007) I gave soapmaking a go. I made some soap without knowing what I was doing, just following a book recipe. My grandmother didn't make soap anymore, so I had no resources other than a book.

Looking back, it was decent soap!! It was frustrating waiting for it to cure, but after that my girlfriends husband kept asking me to make more soap. I dunno what he saw in it, guess just the fact that it was homemade was label appeal all on its own. I made it in a plastic shoebox. It was super thin, like a hotels soap. But it was soap and i used every last bar of it, then went back to ordering Kathy Millers soap LOL. I have always used homemade soap... But my soap did not compare to Kathy Millers soap that I was used to .....

But since then, I actually learned some stuff about making soap and all the science that goes with it...I'm never satisfied. I need more bubbles, I need something more slick. I don't like the feel of the bar in my hand. I need a better router.

Just have fun with it, and if you can afford it, do some experiments. Either way, you made soap and you learn what you want to do different on your next one.

I feel like making soap is a life skill. If you can control how pretty it is, or how many bubbles it gets, if its scrubby.... then great. Otherwise, you possess a skill that not many people have by just knowing how to make soap.

 

[Putzii]

Never too late

Have been so busy on our ward with nights lately. Felt just a bit like sleeping and eating only tbh.
️Thank you guys for all the helpful tips and helpful answers!️
Have been going through the reads and it’s interesting how everyone has their own story and observations on soap making. A lot to learn fromand absorb.
Currently am on the next batch of nights so after that some time for the making and experimenting.
During my nights I could possibly read more and look more up.
I hope you’re all well.
Its a Holiday I read for you guys across the pond so have a good one!

Thanks again!