Trying the soap recipe Hazel gave me

[MirandaH]

First of all, Hazel: There is no need to apologize at all!! This has been a very good lesson in taking very good notes. I didn't have a printer when I made that batch and went out and bought one to print the recipes that I use. I didn't write anything down because I knew the recipe was here in the forum and when I made this batch and I think I did go with a higher superfat (I believe 7%). I was nervous about not going high enough and making something lye heavy, but also nervous about changing too much, so now I don't know if I did the SF at 5 or 7, but in the future I will take much better notes and I love this soap, so I will be making it again and will probably SF at 7. The brownie batch I made day before yesterday I was able to print out and I have been taking notes all over that paper and will continue on the back as it cures and will know more than I needed to when it is done.

As for the lard, I had someone give me grief about that yesterday. I was at Lowes trying to get PVC for round soap molds and the guy did everything in his power to try to talk me out of soaping at all costs. He told me about how he was a plumber and I shouldn't do it because it is so "nasty." I explained to him that in the olden days, this was how people made soap and it is not only not "nasty" but it feels fabulous. He asked me if I knew how people made soap in the olden days and I said "Yes, they used lye." He then said "They also used LARD!!!" My head automatically cued the "DUN DUN DUN!!" music. He proceeded to tell me how he is a plumber and my pipes are going to be crap and I am rubbing "decomposing fat" on my body. Ugh!! He clearly was not changing his mind, no matter what I said, so I just asked him to please get me the pipe and we would agree to disagree. I get the vegans don't want to have lard in their soap and why, but this guy was no vegan, nor was he a rocket scientist and I just got my stuff and left as fast as possible. The only reason we even got into it was because he was trying to get me to take bent pipe. So frustrating.

 

[neeners]

maybe you should give that guy a piece of your soap to try after a long cure. maybe that'll change his mind.....

and......I usually wait only a week before test driving my soaps..... sometimes i'll try a piece at the sink the next day.

 

[MirandaH]

maybe you should give that guy a piece of your soap to try after a long cure. maybe that'll change his mind.....

and......I usually wait only a week before test driving my soaps..... sometimes i'll try a piece at the sink the next day.

Honestly, I wouldn't give that man the time of day, much less a bar of my amazing soap, lol. In addition to the fact that he didn't look like he had been anywhere near a shower since before my soap was made, I didn't get into where he started telling me how irresponsible I was for soaping in a house with children. One of my kids was with me and she said "We aren't allowed near the soap, Mister. We're not stupid, Mom said it's dangerous." I was so proud of my girl and so offended by the employee that was supposed to be helping me that there is a good chance I will never go there again. There's always a Home Depot next door!

 

[neeners]

ah, one of those "I know better than you" kind of people. those ppl annoy the crap outta me. and yes, time to find another store to shop at!

 

[MirandaH]

ah, one of those "I know better than you" kind of people. those ppl annoy the crap outta me. and yes, time to find another store to shop at!

Yes one of THOSE!! At first I tried to turn it into an opportunity to educate someone on soap and the process, but I should have known it would go nowhere when I had to explain why I wasn't willing to just accept the bent and dented pipe he tried to make me take so he didn't have to go up the ladder.

 

[TVivian]

I hear you! I get the same reaction here! It's like saying I make my soap with poop. So have I'm only making lard soap for myself, and when they ask about my beautiful skin I'll say...lard, baby, lard!

Hahaha! .. I'll do the same Rose! It's funny because the friend who opposed the idea the most, proudly professed that she ONLY uses dove sensitive on her face. When I told her the second or third ingredient (I can't remember now) was BEEF FAT.. There was silence on the phone for a good two minutes. I loved it!

 

[TVivian]

@graceworks that's AMAZING! I'm stealing that picture!

 

[Hazel]

I'm glad you used a higher SF. Next time I make this, I think I'm going to use 8% and compare it with a 5% batch.

He proceeded to tell me how he is a plumber and my pipes are going to be crap and I am rubbing "decomposing fat" on my body. Ugh!! He clearly was not changing his mind, no matter what I said,

I agree there wasn't anyway you were going to change this man's opinion about homemade soap.

grayceworks will now have to change her sign to "Praise the decomposing fat".

 

[Arthur Dent]

Thanks to Hazel for linking me to this thread, I hadn't seen it. I made this same recipe on December 24th and of course tried it the next week only to experience the same "dry hands" phenomenon as previously mentioned. I used the lye calculator at Brambleberry with a 5% lye discount. Interestingly, to get the quantities to come out the same on Soapcalc, I have to change the water to 33% and the lye discount to 7%. Anyway, since the soap hits it's 3 week birthday this week, I'll try some again.

 

[grayceworks]

Somehow, "Praise the Decomposing Fat" just doesn't have the same ring to it... Makes me think I'm on an episode of Bones. lol

I love lard soaps. And lard for some cooking too -- won't use Crisco or shortening or margarine for cooking or baking. Real butter, lard, tallow -- natural is better than hydrogenated fake stuff, in my opinion.

However, I know not everyone can use lard, or at least not for everything. For example, I have some friends who are practicing Orthodox Jews. They can't use my milk soaps in the kitchen, and prefer to avoid any animal derived soaps in general, but especially lard. I keep a separate stick-blender, whisk, spatula, and steel pot for the soaps I make for her also, to avoid mixing with items that have touched milk or meat products.

I've been playing around with recipes, doing the same recipe with lard or tallow, and again with shea or mango butter. It's been interesting. I like the results of both, but my skin likes the lard and tallow a bit better.

 

[lenarenee]

Miranda, this is a bit off topic, but I can't help myself - I'm in the childcare profession and I wanted to congratulate you on having a child who felt confident enough to voice her opinion in front of such a rude person (the Lowe's guy). I love the "we're not stupid" comment too, because it really irritates me when people underestimate children and baby them too much instead of giving them opportunities to learn and practice. For instance, I have a 6 year old who has been using knives since she was 3....I started with very blunt plastic ones and let her cut bread. Now, she can use short paring knives to cut many things, and enjoys helping slice celery and potatoes for veggie soup. Never been cut once. Her 10 and 12 year old cousins aren't allowed to even use a butter knife to spread butter on their rolls!

That Lowe's employee was really out of line; not only exceptionally rude, but trying to force defective merchandise on you because he didn't want to do his job (going up the ladder for the proper pipe). If a supervisor had witnessed that, he would have had some big trouble!

A big congrats on the successful soap! I'm going to ask Hazel if I can use her recipe too, as I have dry skin (living in s. California, with humidity levels in the teens...blah)

 

[MirandaH]

Miranda, this is a bit off topic, but I can't help myself - I'm in the childcare profession and I wanted to congratulate you on having a child who felt confident enough to voice her opinion in front of such a rude person (the Lowe's guy). I love the "we're not stupid" comment too, because it really irritates me when people underestimate children and baby them too much instead of giving them opportunities to learn and practice. For instance, I have a 6 year old who has been using knives since she was 3....I started with very blunt plastic ones and let her cut bread. Now, she can use short paring knives to cut many things, and enjoys helping slice celery and potatoes for veggie soup. Never been cut once. Her 10 and 12 year old cousins aren't allowed to even use a butter knife to spread butter on their rolls!

That Lowe's employee was really out of line; not only exceptionally rude, but trying to force defective merchandise on you because he didn't want to do his job (going up the ladder for the proper pipe). If a supervisor had witnessed that, he would have had some big trouble!

A big congrats on the successful soap! I'm going to ask Hazel if I can use her recipe too, as I have dry skin (living in s. California, with humidity levels in the teens...blah)

Thank you!! I have five kids and with that many kids, you don't have time to baby them all. At least not in the way that most people do. All of the ones that are walking are in honor classes and none have ever missed the A honor roll in school. My oldest is 9 and he just finished a lego set that is made for kids 16 and up in a matter of 5 hours and has decided that he wants to work at Legoland. While that may sound super childish, he is doing the best he can in school because he feels that in order to get a job at Legoland, he needs an engineering degree from MIT. This was something he came up with on his own after researching online, lol. I am glad I have raised my kids the way that I have. They have no problems speaking up when they hear or see something that is wrong and more than anything, I can trust them. If I couldn't, this soaping thing would be a far off dream. Thank you again and good for you for letting your child learn things! I always say, they are just little big people.

 

[Susie]

I hate that you had such a problem at Lowe's. I got my first lye from my local Lowe's. I would be willing to bet that the manager of that store has no idea he has an employee like that. And I would bet he would appreciate finding out. After all, he can't fix what he is not aware of.

 

[MirandaH]

I hate that you had such a problem at Lowe's. I got my first lye from my local Lowe's. I would be willing to bet that the manager of that store has no idea he has an employee like that. And I would bet he would appreciate finding out. After all, he can't fix what he is not aware of.

I am afraid, at this point (because it has been a few days), they would question my motives, but I was in a really big hurry to get out of there. I can understand the ignorance behind the lard comments, even from people who aren't vegans (side note, before anyone attacks me: I don't think it is ignorance on the part of vegans and understand it is an entirely different issue with them) but I never, in my wildest dreams, expected a stranger to tell me I was a bad or irresponsible mother for soaping! It was quite offensive.

 

[Hazel]

I'm going to ask Hazel if I can use her recipe too, as I have dry skin (living in s. California, with humidity levels in the teens...blah)

Everyone's welcome to try the recipe if they want. I know not everyone will like it since what people like is so individual.

Lenarenee - You may need to use a higher superfat since you live in a drier area. You may even need to use a moisturizer.

Somehow, "Praise the Decomposing Fat" just doesn't have the same ring to it... Makes me think I'm on an episode of Bones. lol

I used to watch Bones. :grin:

 

[Arthur Dent]

Deb and I have been using my soap made from this recipe this week, and the extra couple of weeks cure time has made a difference. (See earlier comments) It isn't nearly as drying to my hands as before. The lather is great and it just feels good. This recipe is a keeper.