Kiwi living in South Aussie

[Dragonkaz]

Kia Ora!

I live in South Australia and have been used home made soaps for many years. Finally decided it was time to make my own ... although not so sure it's such a great idea with the heat wave that's arrived.

Last weekend I made lavender soap using olive and coconut oil ... and I'm impressed, although not happy about the six week wait to use it.

Today I made cinnamon and patchouli soap ... damn ... it seized before I got to add the EO and ground cinnamon. Still added them and tried to beat them in evenly. I spooned the thick mix into two moulds and I'm hoping they'll still be ok. This time I used rice bran oil, olive oil and copha and mixed the lye in when the temp was about 40 C ... so not sure what happened, but from what I've read ... it's one of those things that most soap makers experience.

If it's not too hot next weekend, I'm hoping to make another batch using orange OE and some tumeric for a little colour. Plus I've ordered ground pumice ... and hope to use peppermint EO with it ... and I'm not sure what else, as would love it to have a 'green' hue. I have kelp powder ... so maybe that would be worth trying.

I'm loving this forum and loving making soap ... just hope I can get over my 'seize' ... even better, I'm hoping my 'seize' batch will be ok.

 

[soapbuddy]

Welcome!
Spices like cinnamon and clove tend to accelerate trace. I normally combine lye and oils at around 110 degrees. I'm not sure what that is converted.

 

[Dragonkaz]

I was thinking it might speed to trace after I added the cinnamon, but it went very thick before I added the EO's so I'm thinking it must have been something else ... maybe the mix of oils, lye, water etc. I still added the EO's and ground cinnamon ... but it was hard to mix them in, due to the mix having gotten so think so quickly ... think I blended for only a few minutes after I added the lye and water mix to the oils.

 

[soapbuddy]

Did you use a stick blender? Maybe you need a whisk to slow down the process a little bit.

 

[Dragonkaz]

I did use a stick blender ... is that not such a great idea with all oil mixes?

The first batch of soap I made was with olive oil and coconut oil and using the stick blender, I think it took nearly 10 minutes to reach trace. But ... today ... well maybe I need to use the electric hand held mixer. Is there a way of 'knowing' which is best ... stick blender or electric hand held?

 

[soapbuddy]

I did use a stick blender ... is that not such a great idea with all oil mixes?

The first batch of soap I made was with olive oil and coconut oil and using the stick blender, I think it took nearly 10 minutes to reach trace. But ... today ... well maybe I need to use the electric hand held mixer. Is there a way of 'knowing' which is best ... stick blender or electric hand held?

Depending on your recipe, I would use the stick blender on for a minute, then turn it off and stir with it off for a minute. Repeat til you reach a thin trace. I would not use a hand held mixer. It will mix in too many bubbles.

 

[Dragonkaz]

Thanks so much soapbuddy ... I will definitely do that next weekend if it's not too hot to make soap. I'm keen to either make orange EO soap with tumeric for colour ... or maybe a peppermint EO with ground pumice.

Depending on your recipe

What would make you decide to use only the blending stick or a mix of blending and whisking?

 

[soapbuddy]

Thanks so much soapbuddy ... I will definitely do that next weekend if it's not too hot to make soap. I'm keen to either make orange EO soap with tumeric for colour ... or maybe a peppermint EO with ground pumice.

Depending on your recipe

What would make you decide to use only the blending stick or a mix of blending and whisking?

Don't use Orange oil! It will fade. You need Orange 5X strength or 10X. Those are superconcentrated and have a better staying power in soap.
I keep good notes, so I know which recipes I can use a stick blender on and which require the whisk. Next time you make a batch, try the stick blender off/on and see if that helps. Peppermint EO with pumice would make a nice foot soap.

 

[Dragonkaz]

Thanks soapbuddy ... so trial and error is the best way to learn by the sounds of it, and keeping good notes of what you did.

Shame my orange essential oil won't be enough, I was looking forward to that smell. What if I mixed the following EO's ... sweet orange, neroli, grapefruit ... or some other flavour EO's. Is there a mix that will 'hold' the citrus smell?

I used to have a pagan gift shop and still have many EO's.

 

[soapbuddy]

Thanks soapbuddy ... so trial and error is the best way to learn by the sounds of it, and keeping good notes of what you did.

Shame my orange essential oil won't be enough, I was looking forward to that smell. What if I mixed the following EO's ... sweet orange, neroli, grapefruit ... or some other flavour EO's. Is there a mix that will 'hold' the citrus smell?

I used to have a pagan gift shop and still have many EO's.

Most citrus oils will fade unless you use an anchor like Patchouli, Vetiver or Litsea. I would go 1 oz. per lb. of soap. 0.8 of citrus to 0.2 of an anchor EO.
I would use Patch, but that's because I love the way it smells!

 

[Dragonkaz]

Patchouli is my most favourite smell! Thanks for that ... now I need to change to grams and I'll get calculating.

You're a fabulous resource soapbuddy and the soaps on your website look and sound amazing! Thanks! 8)

 

[soapbuddy]

Patchouli is my most favourite smell! Thanks for that ... now I need to change to grams and I'll get calculating.

You're a fabulous resource soapbuddy and the soaps on your website look and sound amazing! Thanks! 8)

You're welcome and good luck!