SMF October 2018 Challenge - Travel Soap Entry Thread

[SaltedFig]

This is the Official Entry Thread for the October 2018 SMF Challenge - Travel Soap

Please post your entry soap photos here. You may introduce your entry as desired, with a backstory or description of your soap, recipe, fragrance, experience with the technique or process also.

Multiple photo's are welcome, but only one photo can be submitted for the challenge, so if you are including extra photo's, please indicate which photo is your entry photo. In the absence of such indication, one of the photo's will be chosen as the entry photo from the selection you have posted.

This thread is limited to challenge photo's only. All comments, comments, critiques or compliments can be made in the original challenge thread (here) and not in this competitor's Entry Thread. Thank you.

After the closing date (October 28th 11:59 pm GMT) a URL and the password for voting at Survey Monkey will be sent to all members who signed up for the Challenge.

The winner will be announced on October 30th. There is no prize attached to this challenge.

Thank you to everyone who has participated in this Travel Soap Challenge!

If you would like to join in the discussion (compliments for the participants entries are always welcome ), please head to the:
Travel Soap Challenge Thread

Now for the exciting part - the photo's! ...

 

[msunnerstood]

Yay Im so excited!

Ok, I used rebatch to make my soap. I chose some of my scraps in coordinating colors and chopped them up fine.

I placed them between parchment paper an rolled them flat.I lightly scented just a few tablespoons of clear melt and pour soap base an drizzled it over the top. I folded over the parchment paper and ironed it as flat as possible.

I carefully peeled the sheet from the parchment and used a cookie cutter to make heart shapes.


They are paper thin and good for one use as tested.

 

[SunRiseArts]

Here are mine. To me traveling soap is felted soap! For the main reason that as it gets used, one also have a wash rag. There is absolutely no way I would ever use a wash cloth from a hotel, Ever. And I get to use my soap which is skin loving

 

[KimT2au]

When I thought about travel soap I thought of soap you use and either use it all up in one go or what little was left could simply go down the drain. Being of a frugal nature I decided that it should also be possible to use up scraps from existing soap for this. I did two things for my entry. First, I sat and hand rolled little curls that came off when I planed and beveled my soap into small balls. It seemed to me that if you needed to wash your hands in a public bathroom and there was no liquid soap provided, or if you found that type of soap too drying, you could have a small tin in your handbag or pocket with small soap balls in it and simply pluck a soap ball out and use it.

The other thing I did was think about that excess batter that is sometimes left after filling your mould. I purchased a catheter syringe and picked up a handful of straws from MacDonalds. I used the Macca's straws as they are nice and big and the tip of the catheter syringe filled the opening of the straw nicely. Because the opening of the syringe is large it meant the batter could be drawn up into the syringe rather than having to spoon it in from the plunger end. I then pushed the batter into the straws, plugged the bottom end of the straw with a bit of play dough type stuff and stood the straws in a jug for a couple of days. To get the soap out of the straws I simply put the end of my chop stick into the straw, stood the chop stick upright on the bench and pushed the straw down onto the chop stick. Once the soap was out of the straw a couple of inches, I grabbed the soap and gently pulled it out of straw. The straws could be used multiple times and the soap sticks that result could easily be used for showering instead of just washing your hands.

My photos show a variety of tins in which you could pack your soap balls and soap sticks. Personally, I would save the larger tins and the soap sticks for when I went on holiday, while I would use the smaller tins and soap balls to generally keep in my handbag for everyday use. It did occur to me that some people might feel uncomfortable with a fancy tin in their briefcase or pocket so they could put their soap balls or soap sticks in any sort of container, perhaps even an old Eclipse tin even .

If you were travelling for more than a couple of days, I would think that the small tins that fit in your handbag may not give you enough soap for your time away, so you could always take a sandwich bag or something similar of balls and straws to pack in your suitcase and simply top up your small tin as necessary.

Phew, that is quite some thinking and back story. Yes, the lady at the chemist did think my Mother and I were weird going in there to look at their largest syringes and discussing whether they would fit into a MacDonalds straw or not.

The first photo is my official entry. The others are just to show the size of tins etc.

 

[artemis]

While we have already been carrying tins of soap around for use in public restrooms, we like them most for when we're camping. The sites we go to often have a bathroom somewhere, but nobody's restocking the soap pump! So, I confess to just doing the same thing all over again.

My goal with the travel soap is the same as everyone else: something I can use on the go that will leave little to no soap in my hand after washing. The quickest and easiest method is shaving a bar of soap, but I can never get the slices quite thin enough.

During one of the previous challenges, I was working with soap dough and had an idea: what if I just rolled the dough paper-thin and cut it?

It works! I rolled the dough out between two sheets of Parchment Paper, gently peeled off the top sheet, and then pressed a tiny clay cutter into it (you could also just drag a knife through to make rectangles). Then I left it alone until the clay had hardened. Last step was to gently peel the other piece of Parchment away.

I have had tins begin to rust due to the soap, so this time I melted a little beeswax inside the tin to coat it. That was a pain in the backside.

Also, we will be taking this camping with us, so I decided it's our "Glamping" soap and decorated the tin accordingly.

 

[Cellador]

Everyone's entry is so pretty....and then there's mine which is all about function. Basically, I poured some leftover CP soap batter into a soap-safe dial-up container. I let it sit until it had set-up and then exposed all the soap for curing. I assume this could be done with HP or M&P too.
It's pocket (hello fellas!) or purse sized and can travel anywhere.
It's not super creative but it's a unique way to use some leftover batter, I think. I was really more curious to see if it could be done.

 

[KimT2au]

Everyone's entry is so pretty....and then there's mine which is all about function. Basically, I poured some leftover CP soap batter into a soap-safe dial-up container. I let it sit until it had set-up and then exposed all the soap for curing. I assume this could be done with HP or M&P too.
It's pocket (hello fellas!) or purse sized and can travel anywhere.
It's not super creative but it's a unique way to use some leftover batter, I think. I was really more curious to see if it could be done.
View attachment 32774 View attachment 32775 View attachment 32776

Great minds think alike. I wondered about the same thing but went with the soap balls. I am so pleased you have demonstrated that it can be done.

 

[szaza]

I won't be able to try everything I still want to try, so I'll just post the pictures that I took on sunday..
For me there is a duality between 2 types of travel soap, the emergency hand soap and a soft-on-skin all-purpose bar soap.
For the emergency hand soap, my main criterium was being able to get some soap after I get my hands wet, because that's probably the moment I'm going to think about it. I really like the idea of paper soap, but don't like the package it comes in, because I know I'll try to take one out with wet hands and then make it all wet and mess it up. That's why I thought about soapy toilet paper roll.. Just tear off the bit you need without having to open the box. (though I haven't found a way of making paper soap that I really like yet.. this one will do, but I hope to find a better version one day)
No matter where I am, besides being able to get some hand soap in case of emergency, I also want to have a small piece of soap to wash my hands/body/face/stained clothes and in case of emergency hair. I feel a 0% CO soap with a low SF (3%) and dual lye fits the purpose quite well, so I made some small book shaped bars out of soap dough that last just enough to take a shower and wash your hands a few times (so about one night staying somewhere) or that's the purpose, they're too young to have undergone proper testing, might need to adjust thickness etc..
The mini suitcase contains one roll of paper soap and six mini books, which should be perfect for a one week trip.

 

[KimT2au]

The mini suitcase contains one roll of paper soap and six mini books, which should be perfect for a one week trip.

My gosh, I have only one word - WOW.

 

[SaltedFig]

Just a reminder, for everyone who would like to compliment the challenge entrants on their amazing work, could you please add your comments to the Travel Soap Challenge Thread? (This thread is currently open for Entry Photo's (only)). Thank you.

 

[Alzie]

Here is my entry, just the thing for a holiday to Italy! My bf being Italian saw the piped spaghetti remnants thought it would be perfect with some soap dough sauce and meatballs enjoy!

 

[penelopejane]

I used soap dough - a successful batch - rolled it out and then used a cookie cutter to cut it in the shape of a shell. I use plastic containers to avoid rust. One tiny container holds 6 soaps and the larger one holds 20 soaps. The travel soaps are each 3mm thick and 35mm x 30mm. I had planned them to be a single use soap but they last a surprisingly long time.

 

[SaltedFig]

Entries are now closed.

Voting messages will be sent out in the next few hours (this post will be updated once this is completed).

Thank you to everyone who has participated!

 

[SaltedFig]

Voting PM's have been sent to all who signed up!
Please vote for your favourite 3 travel soaps.

Thank you to all those who have participated in this months challenge!

(If you experience any difficulties voting, please send me a PM - voting will remain open until 12noon GMT on the 31st October )

 

[SaltedFig]

Voting has now closed for this month's Travel Soap challenge - thank-you to everyone who participated!

Congratulations to our winners for this month's challenge!
@msunnerstood (joint 1st place)
@szaza (joint 1st place)
@Cellador

 

[jcandleattic]

Love them all - congratulations!

 

[Cellador]

Wow...I'm surprised Congrats to Msunnerstood and Szaza!

 

[msunnerstood]

Wow...I'm surprised Congrats to Msunnerstood and Szaza!

I loved your creative and functional idea. I would totally use it

 

[zanzalawi]

congrats @Cellador @msunnerstood and @szaza !!!

 

[dibbles]

Congrats to the winners - great ideas from all, and very well done.