Tips?

[CaliChan]

Yikes!! That sounds terribly painful!!

It really was, there was so much of the soapy mixture in my eye that when i went to rinse it out i could literally see it oozing out *shudders* i couldn't even open up my eye for 3 days. I'm actually not sure what was more painful. The initial lye in the eye, or going to the doctor and having them put the dye in my eye and the rinse... omg the rinse.. felt like they were squirting acid into my eye.

 

[judymoody]

Don't try to multi-task while soaping. Give it your full attention.

Don't soap when you're tired or feeling ill - mistakes are more likely to happen.

Do NOT get carried away by the luscious descriptions attached to every fragrance oil available and then buy tons of 1 ounce samples "just to see" or because they are on sale. I have WAY too many 1 ounce sample bottles lying about, enough to last the rest of my soaping life. Spent a lot of money and I didn't care for many of them, and this was after vetting them on the soap scent review board. If you can restrain yourself, buy a few at a time and use them up before buying more. Do as I say and not as I do (did)!

As it turns out, I prefer EOs. I sold/traded/gave away many FOs that I purchased, at a loss.

 

[Genny]

Do NOT get carried away by the luscious descriptions attached to every fragrance oil available and then buy tons of 1 ounce samples "just to see" or because they are on sale. I have WAY too many 1 ounce sample bottles lying about, enough to last the rest of my soaping life. Spent a lot of money and I didn't care for many of them, and this was after vetting them on the soap scent review board. If you can restrain yourself, buy a few at a time and use them up before buying more. Do as I say and not as I do (did)!

As it turns out, I prefer EOs. I sold/traded/gave away many FOs that I purchased, at a loss.

I completely agree with this!! I apply it to molds as well. After a year or two of soaping I had become a big Fo Ho. It was awful. At one time I had over 150 different fo's and almost as many molds. It was chaotic and was making soaping very daunting. So I simplified and gave away/sold about 3/4 of my molds & fo's. It's very freeing, but knowing I wasted so much money on that stuff that I obviously didn't need makes me very sad

 

[Marilyna]

Don't try to multi-task while soaping. Give it your full attention.

Don't soap when you're tired or feeling ill - mistakes are more likely to happen.

Do NOT get carried away by the luscious descriptions attached to every fragrance oil available and then buy tons of 1 ounce samples "just to see" or because they are on sale. I have WAY too many 1 ounce sample bottles lying about, enough to last the rest of my soaping life. Spent a lot of money and I didn't care for many of them, and this was after vetting them on the soap scent review board. If you can restrain yourself, buy a few at a time and use them up before buying more. Do as I say and not as I do (did)!

As it turns out, I prefer EOs. I sold/traded/gave away many FOs that I purchased, at a loss.

Yes! This! and I would add don't get carried away buying 16 oz bottles of FO because it's cheaper, then end up stuck having to make a so-so scent forever.

 

[DWinMadison]

Yes! This! and I would add don't get carried away buying 16 oz bottles of FO because it's cheaper, then end up stuck having to make a so-so scent forever.

Absolutely, I've been thoroughly chastised by my wife for my ever-expanding collection of little $10 bottles. I seem to be coming back over and over to a few basics. That gives me an idea for a new three-or-less thread. :idea:

 

[2lilboots]

I got all crazy once and bought 5-16 oz bottles of FOs due to a sale on a certain website. I have used almost all of the FOs of 4 bottles, but 1 bottle I just haven't cared for the fragrance so it is almost full. So I would go out and buy 16 oz bottles of fragrance or essential oils, just because I would probably end up using them and they are cheaper buying them that way. I did buy 1 sample bottle (1 oz) but that was to make a soap for my mom which is curing nicely.

 

[2lilboots]

oh and ylang ylang eo won't be buying that again, smells like cat pee....YUCK! Bought it from a reputable source too. I just personally can't stand the smell.

 

[Genny]

oh and ylang ylang eo won't be buying that again, smells like cat pee....YUCK! Bought it from a reputable source too. I just personally can't stand the smell.

Yep there are some scents that people rave about, but I just can't stand. Lavender is one of them. But I love ylang ylang

 

[CaliChan]

Yes! This! and I would add don't get carried away buying 16 oz bottles of FO because it's cheaper, then end up stuck having to make a so-so scent forever.

>.< I know what you mean!!! i went to the craft store because my cousin told me i could get them real cheep there... AND FOR A REASON!!! i have to use 2x as much at the brambleberry website suggests to the a lite scent and 4x as much as the EOs i normally use. So look into the company your buying from before you buy from them!!!

 

[DWinMadison]

oh and ylang ylang eo won't be buying that again, smells like cat pee....YUCK! Bought it from a reputable source too. I just personally can't stand the smell.

Isn't "Ylang Ylang" actually Chinese for "Cat Pee?"

 

[jeremmy]

Make sure you have a safe place to store your curing soap away from kids and pets. I know someone whose kid ate some curing soap and had to be in an induced coma for 3 weeks...very scary.

 

[squigglz]

Yep there are some scents that people rave about, but I just can't stand. Lavender is one of them. But I love ylang ylang

horray, I'm not alone in my complete inability to enjoy lavender! Well, aside from the black amber and lavender scent-that's acceptable.

 

[lizflowers42]

I concur, ylang-ylang is yucky, and lavender is my absolute favorite, especially mixed with orange, spearmint, and vanilla!

 

[penguintreats]

Regarding EOs - if you want an idea what a specific EO smells like, hit up your local Whole Foods, health food store, or New Age/hippie store. Most of them have "testers" on the shelf.

I buy my EOs online, and while the exact scent may not be exactly the same (based on manufacturer/distributor), I still have a pretty good idea what I'm ordering. Or in some cases, what I have no interest in ordering!

 

[DWinMadison]

I've done that, and sometimes it translates pretty well. Tea Tree, for instance, smells the same in the bottle as it does in the soap. But the more floral scents, which may smell great when diluted, smell like cleaning chemicals to me in the bottles. I really like those clean "spa" smells. One of my staff heard I was interested in soap and brought me a bar her daughter made. Smells like every rose in a four county area was crammed into one bar...seriously, it gave me a headache.

 

[lizflowers42]

One of my staff heard I was interested in soap and brought me a bar her daughter made. Smells like every rose in a four county area was crammed into one bar...seriously, it gave me a headache.

A co-worker sprayed my office with some air freshener today because my office had smelled of cigarettes from the coat of someone who had been in there...and by smelling, it was as fresh as a full ashtray...the added scent of the air freshener made me sick to my stomach. It's incredible how our bodies react to some scents and not to some others.

 

[melstan775]

I've done that, and sometimes it translates pretty well. Tea Tree, for instance, smells the same in the bottle as it does in the soap. But the more floral scents, which may smell great when diluted, smell like cleaning chemicals to me in the bottles. I really like those clean "spa" smells. One of my staff heard I was interested in soap and brought me a bar her daughter made. Smells like every rose in a four county area was crammed into one bar...seriously, it gave me a headache.

But you politely said thank you and gave positive feedback, right?

 

[DWinMadison]

But you politely said thank you and gave positive feedback, right?

Absolutely. I'm from the south. Bless her heart.

 

[houseofwool]

Oh my gawd, DW, you had me in stitches!

 

[JenSoapySuds]

Glycerin in Addition to suspending them in oil or in PLACE of? I thought oxides and micas were supposed of be suspended in oil.

I mix my micas and pigments in oil first then add a drop or two of glycerin and stir it all together in a small Dixie cup with Popsicle sticks. That's my method.