I have a confession .....

[Mushroom Hunter]

I consider myself a newbie too, although I now have 8 batches under my belt. Just jump right in as you will be so happy that you did! I watched many videos and read many articles on soaping, so I felt pretty confident going into my first batch. So I skipped ahead and went straight to a real goat milk soap and put together a recipe based on what properties I wanted in my soap, rather than following a recipe that I had found online. You want to know how it turned out? Awesome! (so don't be intimidated!) I am 50 and my skin is changing and the store bought soap that I used to use....the only soap I could use....dries me out like crazy now. My home made soap gives me silky skin like a teenager! I am so glad that I made the switch and I will never buy store bought soap again.
My confession is that I rarely use gloves or genuine eye protection (I have glasses so I am somewhat protected)

I also have an online cart filled with probably a years worth of supplies that I want to buy but I am waiting to press the button as I have 8 batches of soap (call it 7...I am only meh about one of them) and hubby kind of thinks we are covered for quite some time. I, on the other hand, feel the need to create. Going to press that purchase button soon and let him figure it out when the visa bill arrives.
Another confession....not a fan of Lavender.

Thank you Deanna!!

 

[LilBeachCottage]

Where do I begin? I don't bevel my soap, use a thermometer or wear goggles or gloves, I am addicted to making soap, buying fragrances oils...

 

[Lin19687]

To all the New soapers here.
I do have to say that NOT using gloves is a big no no all around...... unless you want your hands to look crappy in a few years. Sometimes you won't feel a few small bits getting on your skin at first. I have some marks on my forearm from small bits. It is NOT pretty so I usually wear long sleeves.
I looked back at my post and don't want people to think that I only wear gloves to mix lye outside, I use gloves to mix lye to oils, pouring, until I am completely done soaping and done washing out equipment. If I have multiple batches I will swap out gloves if I get water in them while cleaning off the SB.... because I still only have one and I should get a few more.
I get why some don't use goggles, I don't but I do have glasses on. But you SHOULD till you get the full hang of soaping.

Confession. I have soap I COULD cut this morning before work, but I think I will enjoy my coffee first.

 

[Joanne]

Count me in as one of the glove-and-goggle-free soapers! And there is usually a dog or two milling around, as well. I always try to be in a 'present' frame of mind though and measure, mix and tread carefully! ;-)

 

[amd]

Confession: I have been soaping for 5-1/2 years... and I just switched myself over to grams (from ounces). I'm also still playing with lye concentrations, how much batter to make to get the "best" bar size (right now my OCD brain is needing me to adjust so that my labels fit on the bar all the way), the best way to color soap, and do I really need to use a) kaolin clay and b) silk...

 

[jcandleattic]

do I really need to use a) kaolin clay and b) silk...

You sound like me.

I don't use kaolin clay, because it speeds up trace too much, and honestly I can't tell a difference with it in there or not.

Same with silk, I can't tell a difference, however, I have a TON of it, a little goes a long way, it adds label appeal (if the buyer isn't vegan), and I need to use up the rest of this pound of it I've had for years, so I use it in my masterbatched lye solution. So except for my vegan bars that I make completely different, and with different oil, there is silk in every batch. (I use mainly all veggie oils, but I do use PKO and even though technically that's a 'vegan' oil, I don't use it in my vegan soaps)

I would say, if you don't care about label appeal, and you don't have much, drop the silk. No real need for it, as it doesn't add anything to the soap (IMO that is)
Sorry, I know this is a long post.

Confession: I tend to ramble on and on about stuff...

 

[maxine289]

Mine are very much like those. They work well.

I got safety goggles from home depot. https://www.homedepot.com/p/3M-Clea...esistant-Safety-Goggles-91252-8002S/203030336. They fit over my large trifocal glasses with no problems, cover me from eyebrows to cheek and don't fog up. I'd never soap without them. Wouldn't take the chance. I've had soap batter splash. Can't replace my eyes.

 

[amd]

I don't use kaolin clay, because it speeds up trace too much, and honestly I can't tell a difference with it in there or not.

Same with silk, I can't tell a difference, however, I have a TON of it, a little goes a long way, it adds label appeal (if the buyer isn't vegan), and I need to use up the rest of this pound of it I've had for years, so I use it in my masterbatched lye solution.

Oh! I never noticed kaolin speeding up trace. Since I switched my lye concentration I've been struggling with how fast[er] my recipe moves. I'll have to try a batch without kaolin to see if it helps. I started using clay because I liked the way it felt in my recipe... but I haven't tried my "new" recipe (see below re: silk) so maybe I don't need that either.

I started using silk with an old recipe I was using in 2015. In 2016 I made a tweak to the recipe - adding 5% cocoa butter - that tweak obliterated the feel of the silk. I couldn't tell a difference between silk and non-silk. I had roughly a lb of tussah silk and several hundred grams of silk peptides, so I've continued to use it. I'm finally down to the last 4oz or so of tussah silk, so when it's gone I won't be buying more. I've never had anyone comment on silk in the ingredients, either negative or positive, so I don't think there's a label appeal at all. I don't draw attention to it by "advertising" that my soaps have silk, so if I don't notice that it's not there, more than likely neither will my customers. I'm really hoping that all of this coincides with my vegan recipe test, because I plan to switch my aloe juice soaps to vegan, and it would be nice if I didn't have to make separate lye MB. I'm already a wee bit nervous about managing vegan oils MB.

Confession: I tend to ramble on and on about stuff too...

 

[Lin19687]

I use a bit of baking soda when I splash lye solution. I learned this from a battery shop. old batteries leak when the mecanic removes them, so they just set them down on a layer of bs!

NO NO NO DO NOT DO THIS. You need to get running water on it to get it off and stop the reaction. The bs only helps to soak up a spill. These are 2 totally different things !

 

[TAS]

I confess I have a lot of Virgo in my natal chart. Makes me picky, compulsive and a pain to live with (and I mean living with myself). I do wear gloves. I do wear glasses, and I have a back up face "helmet" that I bought at Home Depot. I confess I am clumsy. I confess that I worry about my kitty coming down to my soaping area in the basement. She could step on a drop of lye (wet or dry), lick it off her paw, and, well I don't want to think of all the consequence. I confess I am really crazy and paranoid.

 

[szaza]

@TAS I don't think you're crazy or paranoid for wanting to be safe and keeping your dear kitty safe. I think this thread is making not wearing gloves and goggles look like the norm which I don't think it should be.

 

[earlene]

I can't believe not wearing gloves is the norm at all. I am compulsive about gloves. In fact I went in search of longer nitrile gloves to cover my wrists better because if I splatter, that's where it goes - onto the back of my wrists. And I never soap bare-eyed. Granted, I don't use goggles, but my eyes are always covered and I have been on the search for safety glasses that work with both my reading glasses AND my hearing aids. Yet another pair was supposed to be delivered here yesterday, but UPS has not brought them yet, so until they get here and I can try them out, I remain relying on my readers for protection.

I had even thought of buying these plastic side covers for glasses, and perhaps I might one day if I can't find something that works with both my hearing aids and my readers.

 

[TAS]

...And by the way - cats shed a ton and should never be anywhere near where products are made and packaged.
.

Just to be very clear - my cat is not allowed to go into the basement, whether I am making soap or not. Too hazardous for her. Too nerve-racking for me. And, yes, some people are allergic to cat dander.

 

[Nanette]

I got safety goggles from home depot. https://www.homedepot.com/p/3M-Clea...esistant-Safety-Goggles-91252-8002S/203030336. They fit over my large trifocal glasses with no problems, cover me from eyebrows to cheek and don't fog up. I'd never soap without them. Wouldn't take the chance. I've had soap batter splash. Can't replace my eyes.

Yep! I wear safety glasses also, I have splashed in unbelievable places....also wear long kitchen rubber gloves that cover most of my forearms, as I have managed to splash there too.....Ive been soaping for 5.5 years but I am clumsy, I guess...and I only have two eyes..no do overs if you splash in your eyes......

 

[lsg]

I have locked the thread until we admins discuss actions to be taken or not tken.

 

[lsg]

The thread should be open now. Please think before you post and try to be kind in your replies. Information deemed unsafe regarding lye will be deleted

 

[MGM]

I have a confession....I have never knowingly gelled soap nor prevented gel. I don't think I could even tell one from the other. OTOH, I have also never had to worry about overheating, volcanoes, partial gel, getting it into the oven, getting it out of the oven, getting it into the freezer, forgetting it in the freezer, etc. etc. I make it and leave it and come back in 24 hr. V lazy soaper.
Maybe this weekend's project should be one batch, gelling half and not the other.....

 

[Marilyn Norgart]

I have a confession....I have never knowingly gelled soap nor prevented gel. I don't think I could even tell one from the other. OTOH, I have also never had to worry about overheating, volcanoes, partial gel, getting it into the oven, getting it out of the oven, getting it into the freezer, forgetting it in the freezer, etc. etc. I make it and leave it and come back in 24 hr. V lazy soaper.
Maybe this weekend's project should be one batch, gelling half and not the other.....

the main reason I started gelling was the partial gel--lucky you that you have never had that--I hate when that happens. I have had a few alien brains--usually in my slab mold but I did a neem bar in my loaf mold that it happened--I can over look that more than partial gel though

 

[Nanette]

I have a confession....I have never knowingly gelled soap nor prevented gel. I don't think I could even tell one from the other. OTOH, I have also never had to worry about overheating, volcanoes, partial gel, getting it into the oven, getting it out of the oven, getting it into the freezer, forgetting it in the freezer, etc. etc. I make it and leave it and come back in 24 hr. V lazy soaper.
Maybe this weekend's project should be one batch, gelling half and not the other.....

Do a ghost swirl!

 

[MGM]

Do a ghost swirl!

I should do that because it needs to gel? Or doesn't need gel? Or just starts with "g" like gel