Getting better, now addicted

[Todd Ziegler]

I made these four yesterday and I feel like I am getting better. They are not as gorgeous as some of the other posts but I'm proud of them. I am getting better at gelling them and I have got four recipes that I like and work very well for me. However I see little white spots and I don't know what they are. I never noticed them on last week's soaps. Castor, coconut, palm, olive for the peach with a higher olive content and the others have a higher castor content. Any helpful critiques will be appreciated.

 

[lsg]

Love the rose clay and charcoal soap!

 

[Todd Ziegler]

Love the rose clay and charcoal soap!

Thanks. My daughter in law requested that one. I wasn't going for beauty on these, strictly technical. I am working on controlling the gel phase and getting the right combination of oils, so I can make soap that cleans well and lasts. I will get more artistical when I have the basics down.

 

[Obsidian]

Are you using a wire cutter? The specks in the bubblegum look like air bubbles, wire cutters can emphasize them.
Take a toothpick and pick at the spots, see if they are bubbles or a actual solid speck.

 

[Todd Ziegler]

Are you using a wire cutter? The specks in the bubblegum look like air bubbles, wire cutters can emphasize them.
Take a toothpick and pick at the spots, see if they are bubbles or a actual solid speck.

Yes I am using a wire cutter. When I picked at them, there was nothing underneath of it. So they might have been air bubbles. Thinking back I might have lifted my blender up a little to far and got some bubbles.

 

[Obsidian]

I often get bubbles. I consider them one of the signs of handmade soap, just adds character.
Pouring a bit thinner and banging your mold will help the bubbles rise.

 

[Todd Ziegler]

I often get bubbles. I consider them one of the signs of handmade soap, just adds character.
Pouring a bit thinner and banging your mold will help the bubbles rise.

The peach was supposed to be half white and half red with swirls. However the white disappeared when I added it, so I added the white back to the red and it got a little thick before I could pour it. So I am just lucky to have gotten what I got lol.

 

[Rsapienza]

Yes I am using a wire cutter. When I picked at them, there was nothing underneath of it. So they might have been air bubbles. Thinking back I might have lifted my blender up a little to far and got some bubbles.

I find that the combination of burping my stick blender well and waiting a little longer to cut reduces, if not eliminates those bubbles when using a wire cutter.

 

[Todd Ziegler]

I find that the combination of burping my stick blender well and waiting a little longer to cut reduces, if not eliminates those bubbles when using a wire cutter.

I "burp" before I add the lye/water but in this case everything was to thick for burping. I'm okay with the way it turned out, I just wasn't sure what they were.

 

[Zing]

All of these look great! I like the blue, and the charcoal/rose clay. Also, to eliminate air bubbles, after I pour, I pick up my mold 1-2" from the counter and drop it. But I also don't mind bubbles either, I call it 'rustic' (my code word for any result I wasn't planning. )

 

[Todd Ziegler]

All of these look great! I like the blue, and the charcoal/rose clay. Also, to eliminate air bubbles, after I pour, I pick up my mold 1-2" from the counter and drop it. But I also don't mind bubbles either, I call it 'rustic' (my code word for any result I wasn't planning. )

Thank you very much. I am really working on the technical side of things. Since I am not very artistic I have decided that making a soap that works at what it's supposed to "cleaning" is job 1,pretty job 2 and scent 3. Every day I comb the forum for more information. I know mistakes will happen but reading about it ahead of time makes them less likely and easier to fix. The thing that I really like is even if you use some one else's recipe, your soap will always be just a little different and therefore it unique.