What soapy thing have you done today?

[jewels621]

I'd like to get one of these too. May I ask where you got yours?

I ordered mine off of etsy from lilu soap tools. It's bladeless stainless steel with the 5mm bevel. It's so easy to clean, too. I couldn't be happier with it!

 

[SheLion]

I finished making these. The loaf molds can be converted into tall and skinny molds. Also in process is a single wire loaf/slab cutter. I just need to assemble it and decide whether I'm going to wax it or oil it.

 

[dalewaite48]

Bicycle Lovers Soap

Just finished packing up my order of 20 soaps going to Boston. They needed it by Thursday of this coming week so had to get it made quickly.

 

[biarine]

I did not make any soap this week but I indulged myself in my homemade macadamia, orange and ginger ice cream. I am just naughty

 

[shunt2011]

Finally got all the soaps made in February cleaned up, wrapped and labeled. First show in a couple weeks. Need to get lip balm, lotion and scrubs done next.

 

[toxikon]

I made a "kitchen sink" type soap over the weekend to use up some remnants of oils. I usually like to stick to 4-5 oils in my recipes, but this one was 7! Lard, palm oil, coconut, avocado, olive, shea and castor. Added sugar for bubbles, some goat milk powder for creaminess and sodium lactate. Scented with WSP Green Apple which soaped like a dream (if anything, it was hard to get it to trace!) and smells SO GOOD. Wow. I can't stop smelling the loaf as I walk by it. I'm excited to cut it up tonight, I just kinda plopped the coloured batter in without much rhyme or reason so I'm curious to see how it looks.

 

[Saponomancer]

Scupting soap embeds!

 

[bumbleklutz]

This week I:

Made a batch of "butt-naked" soap, unscented and uncolored for a friend who is sensitive to fragrance and dyes. It came out beautifully.

Made a batch of layered dragon's blood soaps that smell wonderful, and look pretty. I really like the fragrance, but I'm afraid it's going to morph. I'm beginning to detect the smell of root beer in the bars, which is a note I didn't notice oob.

Made a completely failed batch of "spa escape" soap. This one really behaved strangely. I added the FO to the oils before the lye, and the FO actually separated from the batter when it came to trace. I stirred it back together, and the FO separated again in the mold. :headbanging: Additionally, it discolored to a peachy/salmon color which I wasn't expecting. Finally it overheated in the mold and is full of toothy caves and pockets of FO.

Here a couple of pictures of the dragon's blood soap just after cutting so it hasn't been cleaned up yet.

 

[toxikon]

And here is the cut... this soap was a bit unusual for me. I decided to try adding the goat milk powder directly to the oils (mixing a couple tablespoons with equal parts oil to make a paste, then adding to the rest of the melted oils and stickblending) and I see that it has left a very subtle grainy texture on the bars. Next time I'll stick with my split lye method.

I had some sweating with this batch as well, I believe the fragrance was leaking out a bit. It might've overheated a tad because it went through gel really quickly. I could've sat and watched the gel spread over the loaf - very cool! Now that I have a wooden box to go around my silicone mold I definitely need to be more aware of overheating.

The sweating FO left some pockmarks on the top of the loaf so I just trimmed that part off. The bars have an interesting translucent quality to them. And the scent is still gorgeous.

 

[Zany_in_CO]

...failed batch of "spa escape" soap. This one really behaved strangely. I added the FO to the oils before the lye, and the FO actually separated from the batter when it came to trace. I stirred it back together, and the FO separated again in the mold. Additionally, it discolored to a peachy/salmon color which I wasn't expecting. Finally it overheated in the mold and is full of toothy caves and pockets of FO.

YIKES! That's as weird as it gets! You have my deepest sympathy.

First of all, if you don't mind sharing, where did you buy the Spa Escape FO? Is there any chance that FO might be for candles and not soap? Secondly, when adding fragrance to the batter before adding the lye solution, I warm the oils, then add the fragrance and SB thoroughly for one full minute (I use the kitchen timer).

 

[bumbleklutz]

YIKES! That's as weird as it gets! You have my deepest sympathy.

First of all, if you don't mind sharing, where did you buy the Spa Escape FO? Is there any chance that FO might be for candles and not soap? Secondly, when adding fragrance to the batter before adding the lye solution, I warm the oils, then add the fragrance and SB thoroughly for one full minute (I use the kitchen timer).

Zany, thanks for your insight. It came from my regular supplier (fssoapworks.com). So it was definitely for soap. I've used several of her FOs in the past without issues other than the normal ones you find across the board. i.e. acceleration and discoloration with certain FOs.

This was a new fragrance for me, and I should've made a test batch; but I got cocky and went ahead and soaped it untested. I did not stick blend this batch. I've been hand whisking lately as my favorite recipe has a lot of hard oils, and hand whisking gives me better control of trace.

I "think" the batch may have cooled off too much before I added the lye (my dogs decided they HAD to go out while I was soaping); and I experienced my first "false trace". Then it heated up after I added the lye and separated; and even though I whisked it back together it wasn't enough to hold the emulsion together in the mold, if that makes any sense.

So my lesson for today is: test new FOs and take the dogs out BEFORE you soap.

 

[Vallaby]

Don't judge strictly It is my first soap. I added lavender flowers, avocado oil, ylang-ylang oil and a little fir oil. Smells goood. I am happy

 

[psfred]

I spent $40 on fragrance and essential oils. Going to be making lots of small batches to figure out something I like in bath and shaving soap scents.

And I shaved with my sandalwood scented shaving soap this morning, wonderful stuff.

 

[Spunky]

I'm binge watching Christmas soaping videos for ideas. I also ordered some seashell silicone molds. I have a friend getting married soon and I found out today that she has a running joke with her fiancé about how she is going to move in and redo the bathroom to a ocean theme and put seashells everywhere. So what is a friend to do? Why make sure she has some seashell soap to bring with her! lol. I'm also making a sea salt soap and have 5 various sea type scents to try out too. Ooo. and i have some kelp to try in one too. off to go start planning

 

[wearytraveler]

I made a batch then ate potato chips. I'm lazy... sue me.

 

[Dahila]

Made 500 g of my Plantain Salve, packed, labelled, price on it ready to go

 

[MySoapyHeart]

Hey, long time no see! My autoimune disorder has put me out of comission for a long time, so had to take a break. Only posted stuff on instagram about soapy stuff since I could do that with my cell laying on the couch. Gently crawling back to life now : D

And today I made 4 pounds of soap!

2 pounds was made with Natures Garden fresh cut roses (yumm!) I am soo exited to see how it cures out, but have a feeling this one is an ok sticker. It is not cloying, or sickly sweet, as rose scents can feel, and I am really looking forward to see how this one fares.

You can smell the green and it smells clean, not overly sweet and fresh.
I made SURE I just stickblended the batter to emulsion before I added it (as rose scents seem to accelerate trace like cah-razehh) I handwhisked it in and I had no issues whatsoever. Had a few minutes working time, but decided to keep my colors simple from the get-go since it was my first time with it.
Next time I know what to expect and will venture out a bit more, using more color. I made it soft, light pink with a light green base, inspired by the scent.

Then 2 pounds was made with Nurture`s Sambucus. LOVE. IT!!

Ya`ll have tried that one from Mad Oils and I have heard how everyone has really raved about it, and how clean and lovely it has been. Well, it was my first time with it, and all I can say is that I agree. I am SO happy Nurture duped it!
For me it is a sort of a shampoo smell to it, which was what I was hoping it to be. I have been looking for a shampoo type that was just the right ammount of clean, yet not getting all herbal on me. I love herbal, but wanted to have something like this, and I am not disapointed.

Can`t wait to see how it cures. Time will tell, but I really love it, and so did my husband, when he sniffed the cork. I asked him if this was a scent he would use in the shower (albeit I did warn him that the caustic batter could change the scent into something a bit different)
It was all thumbs up from him. It just smells sweet, clean, with a perfect undertone. So think this one will make do with the gents too that prefer simple, no-fuss scents.

Ok, enough rambling from me! : D

 

[Spunky]

I've not made a layered soap before and decided to do it in an ocean theme for the wedding gift I mentioned upthread. I am making each layer on its own and hoping that 38% lard can counter the acceleration of the sea FO.... because I want 13 layers :think: yeah, probably not my brightest idea, but I have a whole evening devoted to it and I'm ok with wavy layers. Next issue is will I be able to make the layers different enough that it will look like a cool ombre? I've done the planning, we will see if I can manage to pull it off. I have about 6 sea theme soaps planned, so one of them are bound to look good!

 

[artemis]

I took inventory of the soaps I made for end-of-year teachers' gifts. (Left to right) Plain, oatmilk honey, lemongrass, "Satsuma Orange," rosemary mint. We have PLENTY. I think maybe I over did it.

 

[Greenmeadow]

Cut my first cucumber& aloe loaf !