Made my first batches of CP!

[Ladeia3]

Well, I finally took the plunge and made my first batches of CP. My first batch (made on Tuesday) as far as I can tell came out fairly perfect. It doesn't have any color but I tried to add some EOs to it but discovered after I did so that I picked the wrong ones. I used lemon, lime and sweet orange EOs but after I took it out of the mold I read that citrus doesn't work well. I was ultra conservative on using them anyway. I think I put about 1.5 fl ml for a 2lb batch of soap with coconut, palm & olive oils. So it doesn't really have a citrus smell but otherwise it seems to be fine. Did the zap test and passed. It's now curing. (Do I really gotta wait 6 weeks?!?!? *pouts*)

My second batch.. ick.. I decided to try just a plain lard soap that can be used in laundry soap. Gross... I'm never using lard again. That stuff stinks really, really bad and I had a hard time keeping my dinner down while melting the oils and then stirring to trace. I have to wait till tomorrow to unmold it but I'm not sure if I'll ever use that stuff. *shudders*

My third batch... hmm.. I think it turned out well but after I made it I was looking up some stuff and found someone had mentioned that ginger wasn't a good herb or EO to use in soaps. I coulda sworn the other day someone said it was okay. So now I'm confused. I added just a little bit of ginger EO (about 1 fl ml) and about a tablespoon of ginger powder. I also added a tablespoon of bentonite clay. I used coconut, olive, castor and crisco oils. (Total about 30 ounces of oils.) It smells good and has an interesting color (if not what I was expecting). I have to wait until tomorrow to unmold it and see what it looks like but I wanted to find out if anyone had used ginger before and if you think I'll have problems with this soap?

I'm totally addicted now. I'm off to plan my next batch. Hopefully this one I'll avoid adding something I shouldn't.

Red Sandlewood powder, Sandlewood EO & Patchouli EO are all okay to add to soap, right? I'm pretty sure I read that somewhere but want to make sure since I keep trying stuff then learning that I shouldn't have.

Thanks

 

[Lindy]

Good for you! I so understand the addiction and I'm betting everyone here does too....

Don't be too hard on the Lard Soap - give it time to cure and I think you'll be pleasantly surprised. I've found my lard as well as my tallow soaps to some of the best I've made for lather . However, I didn't mind the smell while working with it either. Don't get me wrong I love my soaps made vegetable oils too and it's what I usually make, but I also love my tallow soaps.... :roll:

Keep going - it only gets better - keep a soap diary so you'll always know what you did.

Cheers
Lindy

 

[Ladeia3]

Well, I unmolded the lard ones. They don't smell nearly as bad as they did while I was making them but they still don't smell all that great but even if the smell doesn't dissipate anymore I can just add some EOs to cover the nasty smell. Also I used silicone mold (the muffin one) and I noticed on the bottom of some of the soaps that there is an orangey discoloration. Is that okay or a bad sign? That isn't going to affect me using them will it?

My ginger one I just took out of the mold. It does have a bubbly like top. Is that something to worry about? And it also felt very greasy/slippery to the touch. It passed the zap test so I'm hopeful that it will be okay. It doesn't have a ginger smell at all.

I can't get my sandlewood out of the mold. :x It is hard as I rock (and I made it last night about 11pm). Any tips on how to get it out of the mold?

Thanks

 

[surf girl]

(Do I really gotta wait 6 weeks?!?!? *pouts*)

Nope, you don't gotta. The soap will be better (like aged cheese is better) if you wait a few weeks, but I always cheat and try mine out at about 48 hours. It there's no zap, it won't hurt you. I have no self-control and am an instant-gratification kind of person.

I have to wait until tomorrow to unmold it and see what it looks like but I wanted to find out if anyone had used ginger before and if you think I'll have problems with this soap?

I don't have any experience with ginger EO, but I am fooling around with some ginger-infused oil and tea made with fresh ginger (because my other half wanted ginger-scented soap made with fresh ginger). I just made it last night, so it will be a day or two before I can report back on any peppery-ness in the shower. The issue that has been brought to my attention re ginger is that some people can be sensitive to it/irritated by it (cinnamon can be the same, I've read) and it can give a "warming" feeling in things like lip balm, which might not be so good in a soap. We'll see what happens!

 

[Ladeia3]

Nope, you don't gotta. The soap will be better (like aged cheese is better) if you wait a few weeks, but I always cheat and try mine out at about 48 hours. It there's no zap, it won't hurt you. I have no self-control and am an instant-gratification kind of person.

Me too. I am such an impatient, gotta have it now kinda girl. It's killing me to wait. I'll give it another week before I do a test. My first batch was really soft coming out of the mold so I want to give it time to get a little harder before using it.

it can give a "warming" feeling in things like lip balm, which might not be so good in a soap. We'll see what happens!

Eeek! I'll have to be careful of that. I just unmolded mine. It feels a little greasy and has a bubbly top but it did pass the zap test. I'll give it a week and then test it. Let me know how yours turned out.

 

[IanT]

Congrats on the first batches!!!..... its sooo awesome to use your own stuff isnt it!!??!?! i love having confidence in what i use on my body... and what better way to have confidence in something than by making it yourself!

 

[Ladeia3]

Well, I finally got the sandalwood batch out of the mold. Egads!! I had to pretty much hack it out. Never will be able to use that mold again. It has a very slight sandalwood scent which probably won't last, but it did pass the zap test and since I had to hack it out, I had lots of little bits I didn't want to waste. I rolled most of those into little balls to cure with the misshappen bars. I actually used some it because I had some stuck to my hand. It lathered well and other than being a little softer than ready to use bars it did well.

I made another batch earlier with peppermint, spearmint and eucalyptus EOs and peppermint tea. Apparently, I had enough peppermint because this one still smells minty even hours later. I won't unmold it til tomorrow though.

I just made another batch but without any scents. I just added a little oatmeal and coffee to it to use as a kitchen soap. I hope I did that one right and didn't add too much coffee/oatmeal. I have to wait til tomorrow to find out how that one turns out.

I have enough lye to make one more small batch but I have to wait for my mold to be ready so that will be tomorrow.

Has anyone ever tried using soy milk, coconut cream or evaporated milk in CP or can they be used? What were the results if you did?

Congrats on the first batches!!!..... its sooo awesome to use your own stuff isnt it!!??!?! i love having confidence in what i use on my body... and what better way to have confidence in something than by making it yourself!

Yep, I love using homemade stuff.


Well, off to look at FOs & EOs.

 

[carebear]

Bravo for you!!

I don't find lard stinky. Where did you get it, and how long have you had it around?

Re: the sandalwood batch - what kind of mold was it? did you line it with freezer paper or anything?

Re: citrus EOs. yea you were REAL light on your fragrance material, but I gotta tell you that at even an ounce per pound of oils you might not have had much more scent - citrus doesn't hold up well in CP soap. or in any soap actually - it's not very stable.

 

[Ladeia3]

Bravo for you!!

I don't find lard stinky. Where did you get it, and how long have you had it around?

I bought it five hours before I used it at Fiesta but I am very sensitve to smells so it could honestly just be me.

Re: the sandalwood batch - what kind of mold was it? did you line it with freezer paper or anything?

My first batch of CP I decided to just buy a "beginner's kit" from an online store. They included a 2lb plastic mold. The batch I made using their pre-measured ingredients slightly stuck but came out with a couple of light taps. But the batch I made with theirs didn't have any additives. The sandalwood had a couple which could have affected it. Nope, I didn't line it or do anything to it.

Re: citrus EOs. yea you were REAL light on your fragrance material, but I gotta tell you that at even an ounce per pound of oils you might not have had much more scent - citrus doesn't hold up well in CP soap. or in any soap actually - it's not very stable.

Yeah, I found that out after I used them. I had gotten my ingredients earlier in the day and instead of going and looking up what I could use I went through the ingredients I had on hand and thought citrus would be a nice 'safe' scent to start out with and if I messed up I wouldn't be upset about loosing my fav scents. It wasn't til I got online afterwards that I discovered that citrus wasn't reliable. :roll: I really should look up what I can add before just trying it. Oh well.. it's a good learning experience.

 

[jadiebugs1]

Congrats on the first batches, you are one soap makin fool, aren't ya??? You've been hard at it. I made 2 batches today, one more before bed. I made a pink Vanilla Rose, and a brown with a little black Patchouli. Then when I get off this box I'm going to go make my Lard soap......

I've been wanting to make this lard soap now for awhile....I think what everyone keeps asking me for ("LYE" soap) is Lard soap, not superfatted...to use for laundry, poison ivy, etc.

I think the secret to making soap using LARD is to not get it too hot....only heat it until melted...over heating it causes it to stink so I've heard. At least that's what I've been told anyway......

Again, WELCOME to the maddness.....muah ha hahahahah!!!!

 

[ilovedoxies]

That stuff stinks really, really bad and I had a hard time keeping my dinner down

Lard should not smell this bad. Mine has hardly any smell at all and none after mixed with other oils. I did get a hold of a bad batch of lard once, it smelled a little and made bad soap. i don't know how long it had been sitting in the store, there was no date on the bucket.

I love my simple lye soap. (lard, lye, water).

Keep on soaping, best of luck!!

 

[Ladeia3]

It reminded of the smell you get when you get close to the zoo or in an area with a lot of animals. It smelled pretty much from the moment I opened the container. Again, I'm super sensitive to smells so maybe I'm just being a wuss. Then again knowing my luck it could have been bad.

I just checked them and that smell it had while I was making it is gone. I can smell an "oil" smell that I smell with all CP soaps so far but not the animal crap smell from earlier.

 

[Ladeia3]

Again, WELCOME to the maddness.....muah ha hahahahah!!!!

Arghh... I wanna make more.. but I'm out of lye. :x :cry:

I think I'm just a little too obsessed. Must step away.

Next paycheck I'll get some more lye and try out GM soap or something similar.

 

[jadiebugs1]

:roll: you are such a gone'r!

 

[Ladeia3]

:roll: you are such a gone'r!

Yep, if I'd known it was this easy and fun years ago I would've started back when I first heard about homemade soap.

Oh well... I'm making up for those lost years now.