snappyllama
Supporting Member
Sorry it wasn't me; I wasn't in that swap. I do use that combination in scrubs and lotions though. It's really nice! I forget who recommended it to me on here.
SMF December Challenge- high and low water batch
- Thread starter newbie
- Start date
Help Support Soapmaking Forum:
Sorry it wasn't me; I wasn't in that swap. I do use that combination in scrubs and lotions though. It's really nice! I forget who recommended it to me on here.
I've soaped a blend of BB's champagne and crisp anjou pear. Not sure that it was 50/50, I think it was a little heavier on the champagne, and had no problems at all. I used it for a rainbow zebra pour and had plenty of time.
snappyllama
Supporting Member
I wish I could do this challenge, but things are about to get incredibly insane at my house... I'm totally going to try this technique when I get back to soaping in the new year (all my time is going to be spent restocking a few requested soaps that won't lend themselves to the technique. Pine Tar and Shaving Soaps...
At least I can contribute by sharing some well behaved FOs aside from the ones mentioned...
WSP Black Cherry
BB Moroccan Mint
BB Ginger Patchouli
BB Ginger Ale
MO Saucy Santa (discolors really dark)
MO Snow Witch
WSP Vanilla Oak (discolors really dark)
NG Hippy christmas
WSP Very Sexy for Men
WSP Raspberry Lemonade
NSS Nag Champa (old formula - watch out for ashing)
At least I can contribute by sharing some well behaved FOs aside from the ones mentioned...
WSP Black Cherry
BB Moroccan Mint
BB Ginger Patchouli
BB Ginger Ale
MO Saucy Santa (discolors really dark)
MO Snow Witch
WSP Vanilla Oak (discolors really dark)
NG Hippy christmas
WSP Very Sexy for Men
WSP Raspberry Lemonade
NSS Nag Champa (old formula - watch out for ashing)
1. Lenarenee - pretending like I don't know what I've gotten myself into now!
2. Saponista - So many ideas, so little time to soap this month!
3. TheDragonGirl - this looks so cool and I wanted to try it anyhow
4. Dixiedragon
5. Songwind - Sounds fun, I'm in.
6. Obsidian- like I need more soap
7. Sonya-m - ooh I love a technical challenge!!
8. BlackDog - this challenge is totally out of my league!
9. dibbles - I see flops in my future!
10. doriettefarm - I'm game but frantically searching for FOs that behave in low water!
11. Judiraz- I've been wanting to do this with color...lots of ideas.
12. CaraBou - You know I'll do it anyway; might as well commit myself now so I can't back out from showing
13. Mrs Spaceship - is terrified.
14. DeeAnna. I don't have time for this -- it's my super crazy incredibly busy season at work -- but I'm gonna make time.
15. Commoncenz - Why, oh WHY do I do this to myself?
16. KristaY - I hope I have time in the Christmas craziness!
2. Saponista - So many ideas, so little time to soap this month!
3. TheDragonGirl - this looks so cool and I wanted to try it anyhow
4. Dixiedragon
5. Songwind - Sounds fun, I'm in.
6. Obsidian- like I need more soap
7. Sonya-m - ooh I love a technical challenge!!
8. BlackDog - this challenge is totally out of my league!
9. dibbles - I see flops in my future!
10. doriettefarm - I'm game but frantically searching for FOs that behave in low water!
11. Judiraz- I've been wanting to do this with color...lots of ideas.
12. CaraBou - You know I'll do it anyway; might as well commit myself now so I can't back out from showing
13. Mrs Spaceship - is terrified.
14. DeeAnna. I don't have time for this -- it's my super crazy incredibly busy season at work -- but I'm gonna make time.
15. Commoncenz - Why, oh WHY do I do this to myself?
16. KristaY - I hope I have time in the Christmas craziness!
1. Lenarenee - pretending like I don't know what I've gotten myself into now!
2. Saponista - So many ideas, so little time to soap this month!
3. TheDragonGirl - this looks so cool and I wanted to try it anyhow
4. Dixiedragon
5. Songwind - Sounds fun, I'm in.
6. Obsidian- like I need more soap
7. Sonya-m - ooh I love a technical challenge!!
8. BlackDog - this challenge is totally out of my league!
9. dibbles - I see flops in my future!
10. doriettefarm - I'm game but frantically searching for FOs that behave in low water!
11. Judiraz- I've been wanting to do this with color...lots of ideas.
12. CaraBou - You know I'll do it anyway; might as well commit myself now so I can't back out from showing
13. Mrs Spaceship - is terrified.
14. DeeAnna. I don't have time for this -- it's my super crazy incredibly busy season at work -- but I'm gonna make time.
15. Commoncenz - Why, oh WHY do I do this to myself?
16. KristaY - I hope I have time in the Christmas craziness!
17. mazimazi - my first SMF challenge, yaaay!
2. Saponista - So many ideas, so little time to soap this month!
3. TheDragonGirl - this looks so cool and I wanted to try it anyhow
4. Dixiedragon
5. Songwind - Sounds fun, I'm in.
6. Obsidian- like I need more soap
7. Sonya-m - ooh I love a technical challenge!!
8. BlackDog - this challenge is totally out of my league!
9. dibbles - I see flops in my future!
10. doriettefarm - I'm game but frantically searching for FOs that behave in low water!
11. Judiraz- I've been wanting to do this with color...lots of ideas.
12. CaraBou - You know I'll do it anyway; might as well commit myself now so I can't back out from showing
13. Mrs Spaceship - is terrified.
14. DeeAnna. I don't have time for this -- it's my super crazy incredibly busy season at work -- but I'm gonna make time.
15. Commoncenz - Why, oh WHY do I do this to myself?
16. KristaY - I hope I have time in the Christmas craziness!
17. mazimazi - my first SMF challenge, yaaay!
Saponista
Well-Known Member
Welcome mazimazi 
I wish UK suppliers sold the same fragrances. I have to test everything and it drives me mad.
I wish UK suppliers sold the same fragrances. I have to test everything and it drives me mad.
Saponista
Well-Known Member
I asked lilli over on the soap scent review board to add some of the suppliers I use which she has done and I have started to add reviews. I will update with how they work at 40% lye conc as I try them out. Have u joined there? If we can get more uk contributors then it could be really useful for us.
- Joined
- Jul 21, 2014
- Messages
- 1,680
- Reaction score
- 1,132
That's right! At least I kinda helped hehe.
One well behaved, non discoloring FO I have used several times is Sweetgrass from Nature's Garden (NG). I usually soap at 30% to 33% lye concentration, so I can't say what it will do at 40% or so, but I'd be comfortable trying it.
For those who think in lye concentration rather than ratios --
A 2.4:1 water:lye ratio is the same as 29.4% lye concentration.
And a 1.4:1 water:lye ratio is the same as 41.7% lye concentration.
For those who think in lye concentration rather than ratios --
A 2.4:1 water:lye ratio is the same as 29.4% lye concentration.
And a 1.4:1 water:lye ratio is the same as 41.7% lye concentration.
dixiedragon
Well-Known Member
Christmas is coming! That means that every body you know needs soap. Then you can start fresh with lots of space for soap!
dixiedragon
Well-Known Member
I ready the Auntie Clara posts and she mentions experimenting with temp to get the effects. Anybody have any guidelines? It's pretty warm in Alabama right now (temps in the 60s), so room temp is 60-70. Should I wrap the soap in a towel, or should I put it in a pre-warmed oven (probably in the range of 150).
I thought this was true at all times?
Whenever our stash of extra soap gets too large, we just bring it all out during a party or something and let people take whatever they want.
dixiedragon
Well-Known Member
I thought this was true at all times?
Whenever our stash of extra soap gets too large, we just bring it all out during a party or something and let people take whatever they want.
Well, obviously. :mrgreen: But during the holiday season, you can get away with giving gifts your mail person, garbage collectors, random strangers and not be seen as a weirdo.
Saponista
Well-Known Member
Lol what you don't do that normally? The boiler fixer man was slightly bemused when I gave him some last week, but I foist it off on people all year round!!
I'm planing trying today but I wanted to use my pvc mold and I'm not sure how to gel it. Its cold here so I need to cpop, not sure it will fit in the oven. Guess I'll have to change my plans.
- Joined
- Nov 6, 2010
- Messages
- 6,117
- Reaction score
- 5,420
Thank you, DeeAnna for providing the percentages. I hadn't thought of that.
I have gelled normally (I usually use a heating pad and blankets because I soap cooler and it won't always gel or gel completely) and used the water bath at around 135-145 degrees. Both work but I think I got better results with the water bath. Seems like I got more variation but that is purely subjective.
Also, I think Nurture's Juicy Apricot would work.
DOn't forget that you can leave your low water part unscented and put your fragrance in your high water part, just like you would with a dc'ing FO when you want part of your soap to be white or colored. If you try a couple time, it's worth trying low water unscented because you will be dumb-struck with how much time you have and you can use that as a baseline. One time, I made low water and I was waiting for it to get thick. I turned over my garden, planted 60 bulbs, made a cup of tea, putzed around and two hours later, it was still too thin for what I wanted so I gave up and poured. On the blue soap, I got everything colored and stirred and started, left it on the counter and went to the store, came back and still had to wait and stir and wait and stir to make my soap. It is a big gun in the arsenal if you need/want time to color or do lengthy stuff.
Happy first challenge, Mazi!!!
I have gelled normally (I usually use a heating pad and blankets because I soap cooler and it won't always gel or gel completely) and used the water bath at around 135-145 degrees. Both work but I think I got better results with the water bath. Seems like I got more variation but that is purely subjective.
Also, I think Nurture's Juicy Apricot would work.
DOn't forget that you can leave your low water part unscented and put your fragrance in your high water part, just like you would with a dc'ing FO when you want part of your soap to be white or colored. If you try a couple time, it's worth trying low water unscented because you will be dumb-struck with how much time you have and you can use that as a baseline. One time, I made low water and I was waiting for it to get thick. I turned over my garden, planted 60 bulbs, made a cup of tea, putzed around and two hours later, it was still too thin for what I wanted so I gave up and poured. On the blue soap, I got everything colored and stirred and started, left it on the counter and went to the store, came back and still had to wait and stir and wait and stir to make my soap. It is a big gun in the arsenal if you need/want time to color or do lengthy stuff.
Happy first challenge, Mazi!!!
Last edited:
Thats confusing newbie, my low water portion reached trace much faster then then high water portion. I used masterbatched oils and added the non accelerating FO blend to the oils before splitting it.
Discovered I'm low on oils, if this attempt fails, I'll have to pull out. I could see a color difference in the batters once in the mold, its in the oven now. Not the best of designs, I just kinda dumped it in a slab mold. Should have used a loaf, oh well.
Discovered I'm low on oils, if this attempt fails, I'll have to pull out. I could see a color difference in the batters once in the mold, its in the oven now. Not the best of designs, I just kinda dumped it in a slab mold. Should have used a loaf, oh well.
- Joined
- Jul 21, 2014
- Messages
- 1,680
- Reaction score
- 1,132
A non accelerating fo at 33-30% lye concentration may actually accelerate, and if using low water it will take off. I only use 40% lye anymore, except for November's challenge (because I hadn't used the blue soaps blended fo's before and had one shot to film). It's true. OT's mysore sandalwood took 50-60 minutes to reach medium trace. That's why it's important, if using low water, to bite the bullet and try different supposed non A fos and experiment to see. It's probably the fo does accelerate slightly and using low water accelerated it. I've tried to list all I could and will continue my experiments with fos to find non A ones in low water. I will always be willing to share my findings with smf. Emulsion is important to slow it even further. To go from emulsion to medium is so much slower than reaching a slightly thickened light trace and then going to medium. Emulsion only slows it even more.
