What soapy thing have you done today?

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I, to no one's surprise, have rushed the reveal on yesterday's soap (hey, at least I haven't unmolded and dented everything...). Here are pix of three of the batches (sorry for the poor lighting, these were taken on my workbench with old school florescent lights).

Okay... the oval bar is my first Borax & Pumice try, based on the ‘Borax Handmade Soap Recipe’ at Borax Soap Recipe | Soap Recipes 101

I added a little cedarwood EO to counter the tallow scent (my staff perfumer hasn't prepped the oakmoss yet! :)). I'm pleased with the bar, less pleased with the apparently mandatory cat hair. This is a really nice looking bar, and if it works as good as it looks, might be a standard for me. I'm going to try a version with lard instead of tallow, as lard is cheaper and more easily available (and doesn't have the fatty smell that the first tallow I bought has). I added a little castor oil out of habit, but this one might not need it for bubbles.

PXL_20230731_111038099.jpg

This is one of the two experimental 8% honey batches (the other is still too soft to unmold). This is the re-do of the 'hockey puck' recipe, with the stearic acid replaced with avocado oil. The discoloring is still there, which makes me think that it's the honey. This batch has no almond oil and no beeswax, the other two possible suspects. I gave it a good stick-blend just before the pour, so I don't think it's a lack of blending. You can see the batter was stiffening up, thus the folding gap on the side of this sample bar. It will be interesting to see what the other version looks like. I may just not be able to use this honey, or I might have to give up on honey soap! (or I might need to add some colorant to hide whatever-this is.)

PXL_20230731_111318401.jpg
Here's the recipe for the curious. The water:lye ratio is 2:1.

Component
%
Grams
Avocado Oil
40​
200​
Cocoa Butter
10​
50​
Coconut Oil
10​
50​
Mango Butter
10​
50​
Palm Kernel Oil Flakes
20​
100​
Shea Butter
10​
50​
Total oils: (500)​
Honey
40​
Faux Seawater
147​
Lye
73​
Honey FO
20​
-=-
Next up is my third batch of the 72% pomace with madder root. I split the water amount between the original (too soft) and the previous one, which seemed brittle. I think this might be the sweet spot, at 1.9:1. Sadly, I ran out of the yummy Bramble Berry scent, so this one has half of another scent. Only time will tell if the combination works. I still only had 7 of the 9 cubes full, so I have to fiddle with my arithmetic a bit more. I think this is going to be a standard for me, depending on what my testers think of it. My first batch, from July 4, is about ready for me to start home testing. This is a very basic/standard recipe, so it should be okay.

PXL_20230731_111535296.jpg

Recipe for the 72% cubes (I jokingly call this ‘Savon du Bon Père Chat’ [Soap of the Good Cat Father*] because my wife refers to me as Cat Dad)
Component
%
Grams
Olive Oil-Pomace
72​
606​
Coconut Oil
14​
118​
Palm Oil
14​
118​
(842)​
Madder Root Powder
5 tbsp.
Bramble Berry FO
39​
Faux Sea Water
181​
Lye
106.5​

-=-
I've got to find a way to leave soap alone. I'm serious, it's like I'm eight years old, not sixty-three. Anyway, this is the slightly mangled other honey batch I made yesterday. another 8%; this one doesn't seem to have the strange color issues, but I'll only know for sure once I cut it.
PXL_20230731_144334223.jpg
-=-

Edited to fix punctuation.
*I used Google translate, so my apologies to the native French speakers for the mangling.
 
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Good morning everyone!
The last couple days all I've done soapy is a batch of milk and honey scented soap, and practicing using my soap stamp.
I need to clean up my bars still, but adding a pic anyways.
One last FO to use on my basic batch recipe - candy cane!

And then I'm going to concoct a very moisturizing cocoa butter recipe.
I've used up to 25 percent in bars, but I'm thinking I'll aim around 15
And use about 15 of this non gmo organic canola. Castor goes in at 5.. and the rest - I'll play around with.
Any suggestions for a super moisturizer winter bar?
I hope everyone is having a lovely week so far.
Work has been going well. First 4 hour shift I did 9400 steps.
I was thankful for my bath salt recipe after that! Soak away the pain lol
Went fishing at 5 am the next morning. Sharing some beauty!

Eta

I think these were too hard of soaps to stamp clearly. Two day old batch stamped easy
 

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I think these were too hard of soaps to stamp clearly. Two day old batch stamped easy
I’ve had luck with cutting/stamping hard logs/bars by warming them first in the oven just like doing a CPOP: Preheat to lowest oven setting (170° F for me), turn the oven off, leave light on, and put soap in to warm for about an hour to soften. Let me know if this works for you, too. 🙂

Anyway, this is the slightly mangled other honey batch I made yesterday. another 8%; this one doesn't seem to have the strange color issues, but I'll only know for sure once I cut it.
What mold or texture mat did you use for the honeycomb impression @Jorah? I have a mat to use for a batch of OGMH this afternoon, but I like your result better.
 
I’ve had luck with cutting/stamping hard logs/bars by warming them first in the oven just like doing a CPOP: Preheat to lowest oven setting (170° F for me), turn the oven off, leave light on, and put soap in to warm for about an hour to soften. Let me know if this works for you, too. 🙂
I will definitely try that, and let you know! Thank you!
 
I had to go back to work today, but I took time at lunch to finish unmolding my Sunday batches, and after work tried out my stamps again. It's surprisingly hard to judge when the bar is ready to stamp, and to then stamp evenly and not too deep! I'm not showing the ones where the soap was too soft and got stuck in the stamp's face!

The dampness you can make out in some parts of the soap is the alcohol I sprayed on the stamp. It makes it much, much easier to release, and far less likely to get the soap stuck in the face of the stamp.

PXL_20230801_222235279.jpgPXL_20230801_222401545.jpg
 
I had to go back to work today, but I took time at lunch to finish unmolding my Sunday batches, and after work tried out my stamps again. It's surprisingly hard to judge when the bar is ready to stamp, and to then stamp evenly and not too deep! I'm not showing the ones where the soap was too soft and got stuck in the stamp's face!

The dampness you can make out in some parts of the soap is the alcohol I sprayed on the stamp. It makes it much, much easier to release, and far less likely to get the soap stuck in the face of the stamp.

View attachment 73970View attachment 73971
Just curious really ~ are the cubes more functional for household cleaning? They seem like an awkward shape for using in the shower 🤷🏼‍♀️ But then, like your wife, I was a Dove user in my earlier years so I love the softer shapes, plus I have small hands 👐 😄
 
Just curious really ~ are the cubes more functional for household cleaning? They seem like an awkward shape for using in the shower 🤷🏼‍♀️ But then, like your wife, I was a Dove user in my earlier years so I love the softer shapes, plus I have small hands 👐 😄
I would never have thought of using the cube shape for soap, and I agree that it looks very awkward. I did use one cube so far that a friend gave me. It was one from Jordan, I think. It was okay after the first day or two, but I agree that oval bars are much easier to handle. I like your idea that it may have originally been designed for use in laundry or something. I know it's a very traditional shape in some soap making cultures. I just like it because of the visual interest.
 
I would never have thought of using the cube shape for soap, and I agree that it looks very awkward. I did use one cube so far that a friend gave me. It was one from Jordan, I think. It was okay after the first day or two, but I agree that oval bars are much easier to handle. I like your idea that it may have originally been designed for use in laundry or something. I know it's a very traditional shape in some soap making cultures. I just like it because of the visual interest.
It is definitely an attention getter 🤩
 
Just curious really ~ are the cubes more functional for household cleaning? They seem like an awkward shape for using in the shower 🤷🏼‍♀️ But then, like your wife, I was a Dove user in my earlier years so I love the softer shapes, plus I have small hands 👐 😄
The giant sized ice cube trays that I used for shampoo bars turned out to be a very easy shape for me to hold in my hands and use in the shower. Perhaps t4his cube size works well?

It's the Crafter's Choice Honeycomb Loaf #1506.

View attachment 73951
It’s now in my shopping cart at WSP. 😁

I made oatmeal, goat milk, and honeycomb soap and got first-ever baby alien brains on the top. I included sorbitol and honey in this batch, so maybe that was the problem? The soap puffed up, but luckily didn’t crack. When it cooled, it shrank back to the size of the original pour. I guess the top formed a sort of skin before it shrank, so I guess that’s where the wrinkles came from. (Sort of like people.)
IMG_5176.jpeg


The finished soap also has tiny speckles throughout, which have not appeared in past OGMH batches. The specked are not honey, which was fully dissolved in water before adding it to MB lye. It’s the first time I have used powdered goat milk, and I blended it into the oils. Perhaps specked are from the powdered goat milk? The oatmeal was colloidal oatmeal blended into to oils with GMP. Perhaps I should dissolve both in the water added to MB lye? I can test this on my next OGMH soap when I order my new honeycomb mold.
IMG_5182.jpeg
 
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The giant sized ice cube trays that I used for shampoo bars turned out to be a very easy shape for me to hold in my hands and use in the shower. Perhaps this cube size works well?
Interesting ~ I bet the cube would work well for shampoo bars because I tried using a "regular" shaped soap bar as a shampoo bar out curiosity and that was awkward also (plus I have long hair). So many things to consider 🤔🤔🤔
 
I have no words! You have really upped your game. What is this technique called?! And your gray jacket looks better than my terry cloth towel.
Aw, thanks! ☺️ The technique is called a swing swirl. It’s fairly new, I think, but there’s at least one video out there, from I Dream in Soap. You use dividers To make “stripes” that are perpendicular to the length of the mold, then you drag a hanger tool or other object through to create inverse designs in your soap.

It's the Crafter's Choice Honeycomb Loaf #1506.
Soap Queen (aka Anne Marie from BB) also uses bubble wrap. Although if you’re going to do that pattern a lot, a mold is definitely the way to go!

https://www.brambleberry.com/articl...-process/honeycomb-soap-project/PS000196.html
 
The finished soap also has tiny speckles throughout, which have not appeared in past OGMH batches. The specked are not honey, which was fully dissolved in water before adding it to MB lye. It’s the first time I have used powdered goat milk, and I blended it into the oils. Perhaps specked are from the powdered goat milk? The oatmeal was colloidal oatmeal blended into to oils with GMP. Perhaps I should dissolve both in the water added to MB lye? I can test this on my next OGMH soap when I order my new honeycomb mold.
I dissolve my GMP in my extra liquid (I MB my lye, too) and let it sit while I prep the rest of my soapy stuff. I liked the results better than blending into my oils.
 
I dissolve my GMP in my extra liquid (I MB my lye, too) and let it sit while I prep the rest of my soapy stuff. I liked the results better than blending into my oils.
Thank you @dmcgee5034, good to know. I will try blending GMP with the water for the next batch scheduled right after the honeycomb mold arrives.

Tonight I stamped my Dragon’s Blood soap. I appreciate that I don’t need to stamp the image too deep when I use gold mica. I find I’m not liking soaps with deep impressions that suck up dirt and water during use, so shallow is better.
IMG_5184.jpeg
 
The giant sized ice cube trays that I used for shampoo bars turned out to be a very easy shape for me to hold in my hands and use in the shower. Perhaps t4his cube size works well?
IKR? They are perfect.
Interesting ~ I bet the cube would work well for shampoo bars because I tried using a "regular" shaped soap bar as a shampoo bar out curiosity and that was awkward also (plus I have long hair).
Yes, I used a couple of different shapes until I settled on the giant ice cube for my shampoo bars. It fits into a cupped hand perfectly, and when it wears down to the last little sliver of shampoo it's less likely to break in half compared to a larger diameter shape.

Here's my latest batch - 'Ocean' Shampoo bars.

IMG_6473.jpg
 
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Thank you @dmcgee5034, good to know. I will try blending GMP with the water for the next batch scheduled right after the honeycomb mold arrives.

Tonight I stamped my Dragon’s Blood soap. I appreciate that I don’t need to stamp the image too deep when I use gold mica. I find I’m not liking soaps with deep impressions that suck up dirt and water during use, so shallow is better.
View attachment 73989
Love, love, love the dragons!
 
I started showering two days ago with soap from my first batch of Castile from April. I now understand the term Slimy Castile; fortunately, I don't mind it. The soap lathers like crazy on the scrubby, and seems very mild. I'm not crazy about it compared to my honey soap, but it is nice.
 
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