Yep, Perfect Man discolors, mine ends up kind of a peachy color when done. Never seen it go lavender...yikes! I actually added some pumpkin puree to my last batch I made 2 weekends ago.
What soapy thing have you done today?
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Yep, Perfect Man discolors, mine ends up kind of a peachy color when done. Never seen it go lavender...yikes! I actually added some pumpkin puree to my last batch I made 2 weekends ago.
traderbren
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This look lovely!
I have some pumpkin puree held back for soap, but I was worried if the smell would carry over at all?
I'm thinking these might be felting practice. I adore the fragrance, but I'm not fond of the appearance.Thank goodness it's just for my family and friends, and they don't care about appearance.
Yesterday I made up some lotion (Egyptian Dragon), and poured some safflower oil and vitamin E oil in a spray bottle with Egyptian Dragon FO to spray after my shower. It wasn't too greasy sprayed while I was still damp.
Today I'm soaped out. I have enough soap to last me a while, and I need to wait for cure to see how my last batch turned out to see if it's all that and a bag of chips like I'm hoping. If anything, I'll read up on liquid soap.
I hear you on that... my husband figures I've made about 15 batches of soap now and should concentrate on the good ones, of which there are a few. I, too, need to wait for a few batches to cure.
I do have a reason to make soap, though. Yesterday, a customer (at the print shop) ordered 6 bars of my Java soap as a Christmas gift for his wife and children. That means I'll have to order some supplies. I've explained to my husband that buying my coconut oil at the grocery store is getting too expensive. I'll be ordering it online now.
As well, I have an order coming from Voyageur Soap and Candle one of these days; I ordered some Palm oil, which I can't seem to find locally. I really want to try some soap with Palm oil.
HoiPoloi
Active Member
Story from yesterday. Lye water was all set, crock pot set, oils melted, BAM, all the lights go out. Transformer blew in the street. No heat, NO STICK BLENDER!!!! I pulled out our generator that runs our entire house, fired it up just to run a crock pot and a stick blender. I think this soaping thing is getting crazy!!!! LOL!!! Here's to everyone having power for the almighty stick blender!!!!! Good luck out there!!!
Give the color time. It may change from purple (Maybe) No problem with pumpkin puree. I just replaced some of the water with the pumpkin. Then took out a bit and added cocoa powder to make brown and the peachy orange (or light pumpkin in this case).
Hippy-Nerds-Wife
Member
Lining my new Soap Molds
I'm on the hunt for a permanent/semi permanent lining for my new molds. The white liner (for the bottom of the slab mold) was a plastic placemat. It works but it's also brittle which means it won't last. I'm looking for either the silicone you paint on the back of a latch hook rug or the liners meant for cookie sheets (I've seen them at the dollarstore). In the meantime, the placemats will have to do! Cause I can't wait to try my new molds!
My bachelor brother in law, reluctantly custom made both molds for me! If it doesn't produce food! It's a waste of time! (To him).
I'm on the hunt for a permanent/semi permanent lining for my new molds. The white liner (for the bottom of the slab mold) was a plastic placemat. It works but it's also brittle which means it won't last. I'm looking for either the silicone you paint on the back of a latch hook rug or the liners meant for cookie sheets (I've seen them at the dollarstore). In the meantime, the placemats will have to do! Cause I can't wait to try my new molds!
My bachelor brother in law, reluctantly custom made both molds for me! If it doesn't produce food! It's a waste of time! (To him).
whitewitchbeauty
Well-Known Member
All hail Stick Blender! 
penelopejane
Well-Known Member
[ame]https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=GKClapkhZxo[/ame]
Here are instructions on how to make a homemade silicone liner
Here are instructions on how to make a homemade silicone liner
annalee2003
Well-Known Member
Ohhh, I've checked, trust me.
The closest that I got was some drain cleaning product that Lowe's had in stock that says it's 100% pure sodium hydroxide.
Considering it will be my very first batch of soap ever, I'm not sure I'm willing to risk using a drain cleaning product that promises it's completely pure.
I'm fine with buying it online. Only downside is that I have to wait a few more days.
traderbren
Well-Known Member
I've used the "drain cleaner" lye from our local hardware store. It worked fine.
gigisiguenza
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Currently making a dozen oil infusions for colorants. I really wanted to make soap tonight, but I'm so stinking tired I dunno if it's gonna happen. We will see.
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Me too. Mine sells it pretty cheap, better then ordering on-line even.
penelopejane
Well-Known Member
Ohhh, I've checked, trust me.
The closest that I got was some drain cleaning product that Lowe's had in stock that says it's 100% pure sodium hydroxide.
Considering it will be my very first batch of soap ever, I'm not sure I'm willing to risk using a drain cleaning product that promises it's completely pure.
I'm fine with buying it online. Only downside is that I have to wait a few more days.
In Oz it's labelled as "Caustic Soda" but has "drain cleaner" all over the pack. If it's 100% sodium hydroxide it's the right thing :smile:
Gigi,
I would love to see the results of your oil infusions for colorants. I am going to dig up some rhubarb root and will make sure I show you the results. :smile:
I spent so long making rosehip oil infusion and tea infusion when "everyone" (except me) knows it turns soap brown.
gigisiguenza
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Penelopejane I sure will post pics when I soap with them. I've been playing with methods of incorporating the natural colorants, and I found I get the most translucent color when I infuse whatever it is in oil, over a simmering pot of water. The gentle heat seems to do the trick, and the oil picks up a very rich hue. Granted, I'm heavy handed on the ratios (2 healthy tbs of powder in 1 cup of oil) but it does the trick. Plus I've found it's been the easiest way for me to control the color depth and distribution without having to SB the begeebers outta the batter, at least for me anyway LOL.
So I figured I may as well spend the evening with my little makeshift double boiler and make a variety of them. So far I've made turmeric, cinnamon, safflower, annatto, paprika, chamomile, madder root, alkanet, and spirulina is waiting to hit the pot as soon as the alkanet has had its 30ish minutes. I was going to do this for the spinach powder, nettle leaf powder, and activated charcoal, but those particular three don't need it, as they are so very easy to incorporate directly (being very super fine powders). The only color I've found I can't do this way is indigo. I get the best result and truest color from the indigo when I do the lye solution method.
I've purposely stuck with the same oil for every infusion so when I do recipes I can very easily add that oil as a small percentage of the recipe and plot my compensation amounts without much trouble. It's been a lot of experimentation up til now but I think I've found my preferred method for incorporating these natural colorants.
Whether or not I've wasted my time will be told when I make soap on Friday lol.
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spenny92
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Wrapped about 100 bars by hand - luckily, having OITNB on Netflix made it bearable. Whipped up some body butters and lotion bars, too. Lots more soaping to do tomorrow after attending a small school show - not expecting major sales, but it will be a fun morning out!
Ohhh, I've checked, trust me.
The closest that I got was some drain cleaning product that Lowe's had in stock that says it's 100% pure sodium hydroxide.
Considering it will be my very first batch of soap ever, I'm not sure I'm willing to risk using a drain cleaning product that promises it's completely pure.
I'm fine with buying it online. Only downside is that I have to wait a few more days.
As long as it states 100% lye you are good to use it. I used the hardware lye for quite awhile with no problems. My Lowe's didn't carry it but found it at a local ACO.
annalee2003
Well-Known Member
Hmm, good to know! Thank you everyone for your input. I'm still a little nervous about all of this and don't want to use the wrong thing. Almost all of the drain cleaners that I checked at Walmart and home Depot had other ingredients in them (or didn't even state what was in them). It was a bit frustrating.
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