What soapy thing have you done today?

[Mobjack Bay]

For soapy things today, I made my first ever visit to a LUSH store. OMG, it was so much fun and I felt right at home. I’m happy to say that I think that most of the Lush FO dupes I have smell pretty close to the real deal. I bought a Buffy Bar, a shampoo bar and a little tub of purple potato conditioner. I’m calling it market research.

Even on vacation, I can’t seem to catch up on this thread, so here’s a very belated happy b’day to dear @Zing

 

[not_ally]

I have walked by the local one but am afraid to go in in case I get a headache because it smells so strong from the door. That does sound incredibly fun, though. I think I would have had to buy a bunch of stuff to see what the hullaballoo is about as well. You have to let us know how the Lush versions compare to yours.

 

[Mobjack Bay]

I was just telling my DIL today that my aversion to many types of scents has dissipated with time over the 5 years since I started making soap. And, I am not nearly as scent-si-tive as I once was.

 

[AliensrReal]

I used to be a huge Lushie back in the day. I used to spend a lot of money there. I slowly weaned myself off the addiction.

 

[GuacamoleSalad]

I made my first attempt at a mini drop swirl. The errors were plentiful: ran out of two oils so I was substituting as I went; used yellow instead of gold mica; and the loaf is full of bubbles again, I'm going to have to get that under control. But I learned some stuff too. And however the pattern looks when it's unmolded, I did manage to use four colors!
View attachment mini drop swirl maybe.jpeg

 

[Cindy D.]

I made my first attempt at a mini drop swirl. The errors were plentiful: ran out of two oils so I was substituting as I went; used yellow instead of gold mica; and the loaf is full of bubbles again, I'm going to have to get that under control. But I learned some stuff too. And however the pattern looks when it's unmolded, I did manage to use four colors!
View attachment 76600

Such a pretty top!! Did you spray the top with alcohol? Usually the alcohol pops the bubbles on top.

 

[GuacamoleSalad]

Such a pretty top!! Did you spray the top with alcohol? Usually the alcohol pops the bubbles on top.

Ah! Nope. I didn't. I thought alcohol only controlled a particular kind of soda ash. Didn't realize it would help with bubbles. Thank you!

 

[Savage Daughter]

I didn't actually make soap today, or do anything soap related except for build more raised garden beds for the flowers I am growing this year which will be used in my soaps, but did get an amazing compliment on my soaps.

A few months back, I shared some of my coffee pull-through / kaleidoscope soaps with a friend who had really wanted some when she saw the photos. These were from my first successful batch of pull-throughs, which came after several design failures. She ended up gifting a couple of them to a person in my area who I have never met, but who is also a soapmaker.

I spoke with my friend today, who said this woman told her that my soaps were the nicest she has ever used....not *some of the nicest* but *the nicest*....coming from another soapmaker, that's huge praise My friend is going to set up a coffee or lunch date or something so we can meet.

It's almost time to kick things into full gear again....gotta give @glendam's pull-through screens which she made for my 8LB Custom Craft Tool loaf molds a try very shortly

 

[GuacamoleSalad]

I made my first attempt at a mini drop swirl.

Lessons learned from batch #5:

I can do a mini drop swirl!
The problem with batch #3 was the water content, not the recipe. This one was nearly the same recipe (same hard:soft ratio anyway) and it set up fine.
Too much mica, I suspect. I'm anticipating some gross lather.
A color combo that sounds fancy and royal in the planning may end up looking like a preschool play area in the execution.
Gray isn't a great addition to a preschool play area.
And the crinkle cutter works just fine, I don't need to be soaping up my kitchen knives to show off patterns.
View attachment mini drop swirl sorta.jpeg

 

[AliOop]

Those colors look great to me! Great job on the swirl, too.

If you were to change anything, using black instead of blue would make an excellent fire-themed soap.

 

[dmcgee5034]

Very pretty! Great job, @GuacamoleSalad

 

[Misschief]

Now that my g'daughter has taken over my soaping room (sort of), it's a little more difficult to get my soap making in. However, I need to make a few things. Today, I'm in the process of making a batch of DIY B&B's Meltaway Cleansing Balm, to be used as a base for another product) and a batch of Zany's No-Slime Castile. It feels good to be making but it's awkward trying to work around all of Trin's stuff in my soap room.

 

[AliensrReal]

Those colors look great to me! Great job on the swirl, too.

If you were to change anything, using black instead of blue would make an excellent fire-themed soap.

This gives me an idea.

 

[Mobjack Bay]

Lessons learned from batch #5:

I can do a mini drop swirl!

View attachment 76601

Yay! Very nice job on the mini drops Did you use squeeze bottles?

 

[GuacamoleSalad]

Yay! Very nice job on the mini drops Did you use squeeze bottles?

Thank you! No, I poured from pitchers.

 

[AliensrReal]

Popsicle soaps! I will never forget to use mineral oil to line my silicone molds. I couldn’t get those dang things out the mold for 7. Popped them in the freezer and they finally came out. I scented them with WSP Summer Citrus. It’s an herbal citrus scent that smells nice.

My WSP peach, grapefruit and thyme produced a textured top. I’m happy with the colors.

Took this weekend off from making soap. can’t wait to start soaping next weekend.

 

[CLMP]

Today I watched a you-tube documentary about Lebanese olive oil soap making. They have only three factory's that make soap. It was so interesting the way they make soap. It was like watching them pouring concrete and making a foundation of soap on the ground then they level it and make a whole flooring of soap making thousands of soap at a time. Then they stamp and cut it and make towers of soap blocks to let it dry. So interesting I always use olive oil in my recipes so I really liked this documentary. If you have time you should watch it just punch in Lebanese olive oil soap making its so cool and the tools they use are very old and they have been making soap like this for thousands of years I think they said. I also watched a video on how to make lye with ash from hardwood I might try this in the future making soap like this with ash. Looks fun! Has anyone tried this!

 

[Shelley D]

Today I watched a you-tube documentary about Lebanese olive oil soap making. They have only three factory's that make soap. It was so interesting the way they make soap. It was like watching them pouring concrete and making a foundation of soap on the ground then they level it and make a whole flooring of soap making thousands of soap at a time. Then they stamp and cut it and make towers of soap blocks to let it dry. So interesting I always use olive oil in my recipes so I really liked this documentary. If you have time you should watch it just punch in Lebanese olive oil soap making its so cool and the tools they use are very old and they have been making soap like this for thousands of years I think they said. I also watched a video on how to make lye with ash from hardwood I might try this in the future making soap like this with ash. Looks fun! Has anyone tried this!

I think I watched that same video ~ I watched several actually when I was researching Aleppo soap and olive oil soaps ~ their process is definitely unique and cool to watch!

 

[AliensrReal]

Today I watched a you-tube documentary about Lebanese olive oil soap making. They have only three factory's that make soap. It was so interesting the way they make soap. It was like watching them pouring concrete and making a foundation of soap on the ground then they level it and make a whole flooring of soap making thousands of soap at a time. Then they stamp and cut it and make towers of soap blocks to let it dry. So interesting I always use olive oil in my recipes so I really liked this documentary. If you have time you should watch it just punch in Lebanese olive oil soap making its so cool and the tools they use are very old and they have been making soap like this for thousands of years I think they said. I also watched a video on how to make lye with ash from hardwood I might try this in the future making soap like this with ash. Looks fun! Has anyone tried this!

It’s absolutely amazing to see how they make it. I think they are becoming more popular due to videos about the companies. I might buy their soap and see if I like it, but I’m just not a big fan of olive oil in soap.

Never tried making lye myself.

 

[Zing]

Today I watched a you-tube documentary about Lebanese olive oil soap making. They have only three factory's that make soap. It was so interesting the way they make soap. It was like watching them pouring concrete and making a foundation of soap on the ground then they level it and make a whole flooring of soap making thousands of soap at a time. Then they stamp and cut it and make towers of soap blocks to let it dry. So interesting I always use olive oil in my recipes so I really liked this documentary. If you have time you should watch it just punch in Lebanese olive oil soap making its so cool and the tools they use are very old and they have been making soap like this for thousands of years I think they said. I also watched a video on how to make lye with ash from hardwood I might try this in the future making soap like this with ash. Looks fun! Has anyone tried this!

Sounds similar to Aleppo soap. Did they use laurel berry oil? I bought some Aleppo soap from a local Arab market. I really like the scent, but am not a fan of olive oil.

Speaking of rabbitholes YouTube videos, I've been searching for one and can't find it. This woman starts with burning branches to create lye and then goes through the whole soap making process. It is incredibly elegant and zen-like and mind-boggling.