Second batch!!!

[IanT]

Alright everyone...got my second batch under my belt... I used nearly the same formula as my first one but made some slight modifications...
2lb batch:
75% extra virgin olive oil

25% coconut oil

1Tbsp sugar

1 oz bees wax

2 Tbsp aloe vera fresh blended

15g Tea tree oil

Paprika to color

and a some dried flowers.

I originally was going to use about 63 g of aloe vera but when i mixed that, and a tincture i made with the flowers it turned a nasty color and the lye would not dissolve all the way...i neutralized this with some vinegar and put it ina glass bottle to be discarded...


one thing i learned: dont put EO's in plastic cups....they eat through them!


heres some pics! tried to do a little swirl, hard to tell now but i hope it comes out well!

let me know what you think!!!!

 

[SouthernEssence]

Looks good. I can't wait to see what the cut bars look like.

 

[Neil]

IanT

That looks really good, I also cant wait to see cut bars.

 

[PhillipJ]

Wow Ian. It's so glossy looking. Like a clear coat. Ya think that's the bees wax that does that?

 

[IanT]

Thanks for the relpies/feedback!! im so proud of this newfound hobby ive sent pics to everyone in my fam!!


I think the clear glossy effect would either come from the beeswax or the aloe vera (or the combination of the two) i think its probably the combo becasue the last batch i made was with only beeswax and seemed a bit creamier, this ones a little glossier! I cant wait to see it cut either and Ill put some pics up tomorrow when i cut it!!


soooooooo happy! i cant wait to get some more oils to play with!!

Peace Love and Guidance,
IanT

 

[7053joanne]

looks great! I can't wait to see it cut. I always share my new soaps with family and friends....they like it but don;t truely get how much i love doing it.....hence why this is such a wonderful place to be. WE ALL GET IT!!!

congrats again

joanne

 

[IanT]

thank you soooo much!! I know!! Im addicted to soaping as well as this forum now!!! so glad to be around a positive atmosphere that makes me want to learn soooo much!

I wouldnt be doing this right now if it wasnt for all of those answering my endless onslaught of questions from the forum!


Thank you a million times to everyone!!


I will post pics as soon as I cut it!!


Peace love and Guidance!~

 

[kaelynn]

Oh, that looks yummy! I'm looking forward to seeing the cut bars too!

It's funny, I told my hubby the other night that I was interested in trying to make soap and he just looked at me like I was nuts and said "Why the heck would you want to do that? Just buy some!" I tried to explain about how handmade soaps have less chemicals (my son and I both have very sensitive, eczema prone skin) and his eyes just glazed over.

*sigh*

At least I know I'll be able to talk to you guys about soap! lol

 

[IanT]

he'll come around once he sees how much better you feel after you get out of the shower!

the old adage proves true...actions speak louder than words!!

 

[LaLuna]

My husband's reaction wasn't much different when I started making soaps! It didn't help that my first few batches were a little too experimental! (I cut up a heap of lemongrass and added it to the mix for exfoliation/smell/loveliness ~ but it remained hard and very uncomfortable and unlovely to use!) "so how much does a bar of soap cost anyway?" He would ask as he faithfully cleaned with my painful failures!
But as my soapmaking skills improved so did his attitude. Now he compliments me after showering, and even wants me to make shampoo bars for him! He's helpng me source materials now and has hinted at the possibility of making me a large mold
Kaelyn, it won't take your husband long to see the light, I could almost guarantee it!

 

[IanT]

Im still working on my girlfriend...but I know shell come around once i get better recipes going!!


hoping this last batch will turn out nice


Ian

 

[7053joanne]

My husband isn't sold on handmade soap. He has it in the shower and ignores it.....but he is seeing the potential to make money on it.....and has now asked me to make little sampler bags for the ladies in his office.

Joanne

 

[IanT]

hey its a start!!

once he sees how much everyone else likes them..its a social thing, "ooooh if they like it so much...there must be SOMETHING cool about it..." either that or hes stuck on old spice or something like that lol.... that stuff smells good but i wouldnt even want to know what they put into it (gonna try to make my own bay rum soap....mmm i love that smell...but they dont make oldfashioned bay rum much any more!)

 

[SouthernEssence]

My husband isn't sold on handmade soap. He has it in the shower and ignores it.....but he is seeing the potential to make money on it.....and has now asked me to make little sampler bags for the ladies in his office.

Joanne

LOL my husband LOVES my soap. His favorite is my Tea Tree Oil Soap. He used to have really dry feet and now his feet are baby soft. Has your husband tried it yet? Once he tries it he'll never go back! My husband is my human test subject.

 

[IanT]

alllllllllllrighty....heres the pics of the cut soap... (apparently i need to work on my swirl technique lol...but its my first time doing that so its all good...and i only used paprika for color)

the flower petals didnt bleed the color out like i had planned, oh well...its all good though! I tried some on my skin and it feels nice, I notice that the lather is a little more fine (most likely from the sugar i added)


looks kind of cool and i can definately smell the tea tree oil in it!

is there a way to get an infusion (say a tea) to last colorwise through the lye process?? or should i just kind of keep the mindset, 'who cares' about the color...its natural and beneficial to your skin!??

Id like to start adding some more oils to my recipes as soon as i get another employment situation started where im taking in money reliably.


anyone have a recipe for a tea tree oil shampoo bar they wouldnt mind sharing?? or at least the combo of oils you tried (i can play with soapcalc myself ...got to learn somehow!! )

 

[Laurie]

Looking good!!!!

 

[mandolyn]

Coooooooooool! Congrats on the babies. :wink:

 

[IanT]

Thank you sooo much for the congrats! Glad it looks nice! Iwonder how it will turn out after a month of cure! cant wait!!

 

[kaelynn]

Hey, that looks great! You say you only colored with paprika? Very cool.

Got my m&p base and my shea butter and FO's today and my dh looked sideways at it. "How much did all that cost?" he says. "Never mind, " I said, "I used my jewelry-making money for it." "Well, ok" he says, "but do I have to use it?" :roll:

 

[IanT]

Yup!! just used paprika to color (I have susan millers natural soapbook and she mentioned about using spices to color such as cloves, paprika, cumin, saffron...and some others i cant remember off the top of my head) I dont want to include anything unnatural or potentially unsafe in my soaps and I agree with miller that you really shouldnt add anything for the sole purposes of appearance,


cant wait to see how the soap turns out!


(and for those who were wondering...i used hibiscus as the dried flower...its my favorite.. I love how they open in the day to greet the sun and go to 'sleep' at night, closing up to keep in the warmth.~!)


i thought they would sort of make the soap a little red but it turned out to produce a blue-ish brown...i wonder if theres a way to make them keep their color throughout without handmilling.???


anyone ever tried the drink called 'Sorrel' its a caribbean thing... christmas time, but the color inspired me to see if itd work in a soap


EDIT: hahaha about the hubby situation!! lol, im sure he will WANT to use them once he finds a scent/soap combo he likes ....now your job is to try and emulate a scent you know he enjoys ...(noo baby its for my potential customers...research.... lol but little does he know!!)

going through the same thing with my girlfriend, i know she loves vanilla-jasmine soap (i think its by dove?? ...the body wash type) to be honest i love the smell as well, i cant stop sniffing her whenever im close lol...she thinks im weird but i dont care! I want to try and find a recipe/create my own for that scent combo...specifically so she will use it instead of the mystery bottle!....who knows what they put in that stuff~


Ian