Soaping 101 liquid soapmaking video?

[Zany_in_CO]

I add fragrance while the soap is still warm, not hot, to a bare finger. Never had a cloud up last over 4 hours yet.

I do the same thing, only I do it after dilution. I usually make a gallon at a time, then pour different FOs/EOs into 8 oz. Boston Round plastic containers. For 8 oz., I warm the LS for 45 seconds in the microwave, add 2.5 mls or so of fragrance in, stir, then pour into the container -- sometimes I add food coloring, but not always. I add a drop of color to 10 mls water to thin it, then add by drops until it's where I like it.

 

[DeeAnna]

A person certainly can add scent to the bottle as Zany describes, but I'll add a caution to that advice --

If you're using a fragrance (FO or EO or both) that you're not familiar with, it's always good to test the scent in a sample of soap first. Quite a few fragrances have no effect on the soap, but some will thicken the soap, some will thin it, and some will cause texture changes -- the soap can become chunky or stringy.

Thickness and texture changes happen often enough that it's not a smart idea to assume all will be well and charge forward into adding scent to a large amount of soap especially if it's already in bottles.

 

[Susie]

^^^What DeeAnna said! Always, always, always test before committing yourself to a bottle full of soap. I generally pour a couple of ounces into a Pyrex measuring cup and add a proportionate amount of EO or FO into it. I give it a couple of hours before scenting a bottle full.

 

[Zany_in_CO]

-- the soap can become chunky or stringy.

Just want to add "thin" as well.

 

[Carl]

2.5 ML (AKA 1/2 TSP) seems like a small amount.
I don't know the volume to weight conversion for the oils.

I've been using .25 OZ (by weight) for an 8 oz Boston Round bottle.

Maybe I'm using too much? But it doesn't seem too strong. I understand this could vary by oil, etc.

 

[Zany_in_CO]

2.5 ML (AKA 1/2 TSP) seems like a small amount. ... I don't know the volume to weight conversion for the oils.

Excellent point, Carl! I use volume measurement to fragrance soaps because there's less waste... EO/FO squirted from a pipette directly from the bottle into the container not only wastes less fragrance, but it's just easier and faster to do. Most soapers (IME) use volume measures (mls or teaspoons) for small quantities. But that's just me.

There is no "volume to weight" conversion cuz, as you pointed out, FOs/EOs vary in weight. The only way to do that would be to weigh each and every FO/EO you use.

I've been using .25 OZ (by weight) for an 8 oz Boston Round bottle. Maybe I'm using too much? But it doesn't seem too strong. I understand this could vary by oil, etc.

Whatever works for you is what you should do. Let your nose be your guide... unless, of course, you exceed IFRA guidelines.

 

[Mandymaz]

Hi all,
After many years I am back with my second batch. I re-read most of the thread, followed IrishLass’s recommendations, including dissolve KOH in water then add glycerine. I had a brain fart and used tap water instead of distilled. But the soap seems to have worked. The paste feels like soap, it smells like soap, looks like soap paste. No zap when I tested.
I will be diluting in the next few days/weeks, when I have time. For now here’s a pic of my paste. I got a total of 2.659kg (5lb 13.8oz)

 

[lsg]

Looks good.

 

[Rsapienza]

Excellent thread. Many thanks to Irish Lass, DeeAnna, and Susie. I am happy to report that I finally attempted GLS using IrishLass's 1st recipe and it was a SUCCESS!!! So fast, so easy. I even got the little bubbles floating up in the air (I think I heard life music at this point...LOL). Again, thank you ladies for all that you do. Y'all are amazing!

 

[Tamara Cetkovic]

Hi everyone, this is my first time posting. I've been a member for almost 2 years but I haven't been active as in these 2 years I've been focused more on formulating skincare products (lotions,gels, serums, etc) rather than making soap, even though I started out on this whole skincare journey by making soap due to numerous skin problems that surfaced during my pregnancy 15 years ago.
Anyway, I have always been cp or hp soaper but after coming across this thread, reading through it and seeing the photos of everyone's gorgeous LS, I got a serious itch to try it. So I finally took the plunge and followed the recipe IrishLass had posted using the cp method and 1 part water to 2 parts glycerine, and I just have to say...OMG! I'm in love! A HUGE THANK YOU to IrishLass and her detailed description of the methods. Also a huge thank you to Susie and DeeAnna and everyone else who so kindly took the time to explain and help with troubleshooting on this thread!
When I made the LS, I used a stick blender and I ended up blending/stirring all the way to the thick applesauce stage, until my blender could not move the batter anymore. At first I though I botched the batch because first it took a long time to see a change, then I saw some bubbles but no flying bubbles, then the rest of the stages passed so quickly that I wasn't sure if they were actually the stages mentioned, so I continued blending until suddenly it turned to applesauce. I had to continue mixing manually with a spatula to make sure it was homogenous but I was worried I overblended it since it looked nothing like the beautiful clear taffy-like texture I saw in the photos.
I decided to cover it and leave it alone and sure enough, by the evening, it looked like taffy. Yay! I can't even begin to express how excited I was
I diluted the LS following IrishLass's instructions again and sure enough, it turned to clear liquid gold, the consistency of honey. I even filled some lip balm tubes with the soap paste like Susie's brilliant soap2go idea! Thanks again IrishLass, Susie and DeeAnna for making this such a fantastic experience

 

[IrishLass]

Awesome! It looks great!


IrishLass

 

[Tamara Cetkovic]

Awesome! It looks great!


IrishLass

Thank you

 

[Zany_in_CO]

 

[Tamara Cetkovic]

View attachment 45425

Thank you

 

[Susie]

Well done! It wasn't nearly so hard as some people on the internet make you think, was it?

 

[Ellacho]

Wow! That looks amazing!

 

[KimW]

Ok, one thing at the time.

First off, most of your questions can be answered with a little research in the forums here. Get familiar with the search option, or better yet, Google. I Googled the following: soapmaking forum zap test guide and got this-

The Zap Test: A Visual Guide

It is a sticky on the CP forum.

Second, it sounds to me like you need to do a whole lot more research before you start making anything. Your stick blender(immersion blender) is fine. I would not recommend you use a whisk for bringing things to trace. Your arm will get really tired.

Third- the castor oil is the correct stuff.

Fourth- you don't need Sodium Lauryl Sufoacetate. At all. Some more experienced soapers use it, but it is not necessary.

Fifth- you don't have to use poly 80 or vit E to preserve this. Make small batches until you know what you are doing.

Sixth-here is the soap calculator I use for almost everything. Use the KOH 90% options at the top to account for the impurities in the KOH.

SoapCalc

Last- you need a whole lot more research before making any liquid soap. If you have not made bar soap, you need to do that first before venturing into liquid soapmaking. You need to learn the lingo and the processes. If you have made bar soap, I apologize, but it does not sound like it. Do go to the cold process area of these forums and read every sticky before venturing further. If you have made bar soap, and are now ready for liquid soap, here is a video to get you started:

[ame]

Susie - I do apologize for asking a question on such an old thread. Why do you say no preservative is needed to store this recipe? I'd love to make a LS without adding preservatives, but every recipe I've used highly suggests preservatives for any amount that is stored for later use, and most suggest it even for the amount used immediately. I've read the procedure in this fantastic recipe, but can't see anything in the procedure that hints at not needing to add a preservative to the amount that is stored and not immediately used. Thanks in advance, very much!

 

[Susie]

I don't use preservatives. At all. I dilute as I need it. Once I make paste, I put it into a Ziploc bag or container and stick it on my soaping cart until needed. I had some diluted soap I kept and checked via microscope routinely for over two years before I saw ANY kind of microorganism. So, unless you are selling or using something other than water or glycerin to dilute it, you simply don't need a preservative. Just dilute what you will use in some sort of reasonable time frame. Save the paste for later dilution. I divide mine up in 16 oz packages for later dilution. That serves my household for about 6-8 weeks depending on how many visits I get from the kids.

 

[KimW]

Thanks, Susie!

 

[IrishLass]

I don't use preservatives in mine either. Like Susie, I've kept certain dilutions of my formulas under observation for a little over 2 years and they never came down with a case of the nasties, nor did they develop any off-smells.

I should mention that I don't sell my soap. If I did, though, I would use a preservative because you just never know how a customer is going to treat the soap once they get it home, such as opening it up to add more water to it in order to get more mileage out of it, and things of that nature- the kind of stuff I never do to my liquid soap, because that would introduce nasties into it.

I do the same as Susie with my paste ......i.e., once my paste is made, I dilute as much as I will use up in a reasonable amount of time and store the rest in a Ziploc bag.....only I keep mine in the fridge. Not that it's necessary to refrigerate it, mind you. It's just something I've always done with my paste from the get-go.


IrishLass