successful CP soap! (with pics of process)

[MegaSoap]

This is how I made my first successful batch of CP soap! It was my third try, I think the lye I bought from Lowe's was inactive, probably exposed to too much air throughout the lines of distribution; as soon as I got the good stuff the process worked perfectly! My recipe was 30% CO, 35% OO, 25% PO, 7% Castor Oil, 3% Beeswax, with Gurjun Balsam and Sandalwood EOs. I'm a newbie (already hopelessly addicted) and the best information for me for learning comes from forums like this and others posting about their experiences with pictures and videos. Hope this can help another newbie at least a little.



(I know the pics are small, if anyone wants to see any of them larger please let me know and I can upload the larger individual images. I just felt there are too many to post all the singles.)

Happy soaping!

 

[jax1962]

those are some gorgeous bars of soap - congratulations!

 

[MegaSoap]

Thank you, jax!!

 

[judymoody]

Congratulations on your soap! Thank you for sharing your pictures.

I have a few suggestions for your next batches which I hope will be helpful:

For future reference, it's best to use HDPE plastic or stainless steel to mix your lye as Pyrex can shatter without warning. The lye can cause micro-fractures in the glass, undetectable by the eye, until it's too late.

Beeswax can inhibit lather. You might want to reduce your amount to 1% of your recipe.

 

[MegaSoap]

thank you so much, judymoody! i will definitely find a new container for mixing my lye (stat!) and will check out the lather once it's ready in a couple more weeks. i wanted a good hard bar and was hoping the castor oil would provide the lather and creaminess to counteract the hardness of the wax, but i very well may have to reduce the beeswax! i really appreciate your suggestions!

 

[kellistarr]

Congratulations on your soap! Cool pictorial!

 

[MegaSoap]

thanks, kellistarr!

 

[ericllucas]

Lovely. Very nicely photographed. I always intend on taking just a series of pictures, but I forget as I get focused on watching the lye/fat blend and all. I'm envious!

 

[dryalligator]

:!: :?: You can get lye from Lowes? What brand is it and on what aisle?

 

[ericllucas]

Lye is an old-school pipe declogger. Lowes and Home Depot used to sell it until the Meth-heads bought it to excess. You can't get it at Lowes or Home Depot around here. You have to go to Ace Hardware and they restrict the number you can buy.

 

[lemongirl]

Great pictures, congratulations on your first successful batch! They look wonderful

 

[MegaSoap]

thanks guys!

:!: :?: You can get lye from Lowes? What brand is it and on what aisle?

the lye from Lowe's was Roebic brand "crystal drain opener", i already disposed of it or i'd post a picture. it was with the other drain cleaners but took me some time to find in the store. it claimed on the label to be "100% Sodium Hydroxide", and had cautions on the label, but it was ineffective when i tried it for soap, leading me to believe it was exposed to too much air and no-good or was really combined with something else.

i recommend getting it elsewhere, i've gotten it from Essential Depot and Brambleberry since with great results. i've heard others like ericllucas that have gotten it from Ace Hardware, you have to ask for it.

 

[brandnew]

successful CP soap

lovely photos!!! Can I ask what sort of mould you're using? Taking the soap out looks so easy.

 

[falldowngobump]

My first soaps were made with Roebic Crystal Drain stuff (100% sodium hydroxide) from Lowes. It was pricey but it worked great for me. I order from Essential Depo now....It's much cheaper.

 

[VanessaP]

thanks guys!

the lye from Lowe's was Roebic brand "crystal drain opener", i already disposed of it or i'd post a picture. it was with the other drain cleaners but took me some time to find in the store. it claimed on the label to be "100% Sodium Hydroxide", and had cautions on the label, but it was ineffective when i tried it for soap, leading me to believe it was exposed to too much air and no-good or was really combined with something else.

i recommend getting it elsewhere, i've gotten it from Essential Depot and Brambleberry since with great results. i've heard others like ericllucas that have gotten it from Ace Hardware, you have to ask for it.

Did you check to see if it was 100% lye. You cannot get it in a Home Depot or Lowes anywhere around here and I live in San Diego.

Ace Hardware was the only place in my town that carried lye, marketed as a 100% sodium hydroxide drain cleaner - the Rooto mentioned in another thread. I checked the label myself and only thing listed was the lye. Unfortunately, it was not an option for me as it was $15 per pound on the shelf. I got 12 pounds at ED for the price of 2 at Ace Hardware. Now it might have been a pricing error since others reported it only being $5 at their store, but I didn't ask to check the price, I was so shocked

 

[tryanything]

Ace Hardware was the only place in my town that carried lye, marketed as a 100% sodium hydroxide drain cleaner - the Rooto mentioned in another thread. I checked the label myself and only thing listed was the lye. Unfortunately, it was not an option for me as it was $15 per pound on the shelf. I got 12 pounds at ED for the price of 2 at Ace Hardware. Now it might have been a pricing error since others reported it only being $5 at their store, but I didn't ask to check the price, I was so shocked

Yeah, I fall into the $5 category. $15 seems way excessive. Since I'm just a hobbiest, one pound usually lasts me 4-5 batches.

 

[Lilahblossom]

Menards has Lye as well. I bought three last week.

 

[MegaSoap]

Re: successful CP soap

lovely photos!!! Can I ask what sort of mould you're using? Taking the soap out looks so easy.

thanks! it's just a silicone loaf mold i got from Target, it is very easy to unmold the soap, but the sides do bow out quite a bit. i trim the ends and use those pieces for hand soap at the sink. and i'm not too picky about it looking perfect for home/family/friends use. but i did order a silicone loaf mold with the reinforced sides (ridges) for some more professional looking bars. BB and lots of other online retailers sell them.

thanks guys!

:!: :?: You can get lye from Lowes? What brand is it and on what aisle?

the lye from Lowe's was Roebic brand "crystal drain opener", i already disposed of it or i'd post a picture. it was with the other drain cleaners but took me some time to find in the store. it claimed on the label to be "100% Sodium Hydroxide", and had cautions on the label, but it was ineffective when i tried it for soap, leading me to believe it was exposed to too much air and no-good or was really combined with something else.

i recommend getting it elsewhere, i've gotten it from Essential Depot and Brambleberry since with great results. i've heard others like ericllucas that have gotten it from Ace Hardware, you have to ask for it.

Did you check to see if it was 100% lye. You cannot get it in a Home Depot or Lowes anywhere around here and I live in San Diego.

yes, i made sure the bottle said 100% sodium hydroxide, it did and it had the warning labels all over it, so as far as i know it was the real thing, but i think i had a bad batch that was maybe exposed to too much air through the lines of distribution, it can lose its potency over time if not stored correctly, and who knows how Lowe's is storing this stuff in the back. i'm in Austin, TX.

Nice soaps by the way.

thanks

Ace Hardware was the only place in my town that carried lye, marketed as a 100% sodium hydroxide drain cleaner - the Rooto mentioned in another thread. I checked the label myself and only thing listed was the lye. Unfortunately, it was not an option for me as it was $15 per pound on the shelf. I got 12 pounds at ED for the price of 2 at Ace Hardware. Now it might have been a pricing error since others reported it only being $5 at their store, but I didn't ask to check the price, I was so shocked

Yeah, I fall into the $5 category. $15 seems way excessive. Since I'm just a hobbiest, one pound usually lasts me 4-5 batches.

yeah, i've seen a lot of others saying that Ace Hardware is the only place they can get it locally. i'm in Austin, TX and was able to find it at Lowe's. the label clearly said 100% sodium hydroxide and listed no other ingredients, i made sure of that, but i think it might have been a bad batch, lost potency. perhaps they were getting rid of the last of it and discontinuing selling it (delayed response to the meth head recalls of lye elsewhere). i haven't been back since to see if they still have it or not. i order mine now from ED as well, best price.

 

[Clemmey]

Lye Found

Ace or True Value Hardware has Lye in my neck of the woods. They also had lots of other great soaping things, that they didn't realize could be used!