jkm8113
Well-Known Member
Please critique away, these are my first batches of soap. Please critique away.
My very first batch, Lemongrass Dill and my mold for the rectangular ones was a gift box that wine came in. I did not know how much soap would shrink and I cut the pieces in half--wish I had left them alone now, but they would not have fit in the soap dish of our shower when they first came out of the mold.
Lavender Oatmeal is the next batch and I learned after making the soap, not to put the oatmeal in until the soap reached trace.
Lavender Bastile--molds were plastic food containers, so the shapes are nothing fancy, but I just wanted to try a creamy soap. I put twice as much lavender as I should, but the smell is not overpowering.
Cinnamon Clove, made in a tube mold, and I had one heck of a time getting it out--probably should have left it in the mold another day, but I am learning I don't have much patience when it comes to waiting to see what the soaps are going to look like. I think maybe I can clean the edges up a bit when they get a little harder, just too soft right now.
Cinnamon Clove-my biggest disappointment, same recipe as the soap in the above pic and it should have been the same color as the soap above, but I had read somewhere to cool oil and lye to 130 deg and then mix, so I gave it a try. I didn't know enough to know that cinnamon and cloves would heat the soap even more. When I poured it into the mold, it separated, so I dumped it back in the pot and stickblended some more. Poured it back into the tray mold again and it was as dark as could be and didn't smell very nice. I finally cut it today and it looks like a chocolate flourless cake. Smell isn't too bad, so I will see what happens after it cures a while. Could have been worse, but it sure isn't the pretty Cinnamon Clove that I was hoping to give for Christmas gifts It is probably going into my own linen closet for us to use.
So, it seems I have learned something with each batch I have made.
Any and all comments and suggestions on how I can improve are welcome and appreciated.
My very first batch, Lemongrass Dill and my mold for the rectangular ones was a gift box that wine came in. I did not know how much soap would shrink and I cut the pieces in half--wish I had left them alone now, but they would not have fit in the soap dish of our shower when they first came out of the mold.
Lavender Oatmeal is the next batch and I learned after making the soap, not to put the oatmeal in until the soap reached trace.
Lavender Bastile--molds were plastic food containers, so the shapes are nothing fancy, but I just wanted to try a creamy soap. I put twice as much lavender as I should, but the smell is not overpowering.
Cinnamon Clove, made in a tube mold, and I had one heck of a time getting it out--probably should have left it in the mold another day, but I am learning I don't have much patience when it comes to waiting to see what the soaps are going to look like. I think maybe I can clean the edges up a bit when they get a little harder, just too soft right now.
Cinnamon Clove-my biggest disappointment, same recipe as the soap in the above pic and it should have been the same color as the soap above, but I had read somewhere to cool oil and lye to 130 deg and then mix, so I gave it a try. I didn't know enough to know that cinnamon and cloves would heat the soap even more. When I poured it into the mold, it separated, so I dumped it back in the pot and stickblended some more. Poured it back into the tray mold again and it was as dark as could be and didn't smell very nice. I finally cut it today and it looks like a chocolate flourless cake. Smell isn't too bad, so I will see what happens after it cures a while. Could have been worse, but it sure isn't the pretty Cinnamon Clove that I was hoping to give for Christmas gifts It is probably going into my own linen closet for us to use.
So, it seems I have learned something with each batch I have made.
Any and all comments and suggestions on how I can improve are welcome and appreciated.
