What soapy thing have you done today?

[Misschief]

Are those soap pics only viewable by people who signed up? Or am I just looking in the wrong place.
Anyway Misschief, they kinda made this challenge FOR her, so I bet Kiwi's are great!

You're right... and they ARE gorgeous!

 

[Dawni]

How do you avoid burning the soap? Have you come up with any techniques for HP that are different than the usual instructions?

Goodness, no! Haha.. It took several failed and semi-failed initial batches for me to figure out the "stages" of hot process, as shown in the tons of videos I watched, and to realize that not all recipes will go through said stages visibly. Several people pointed that out to me here too.

One of our awesome friends here also suggested that I can mold as soon as I see a lil bit of translucency and it'll continue cooking in the mold. So now, if I see my pot has gelled (translucent, as opposed to custard like) about 90% I switch the cooker off and add my additives and what not after.

To me, it was mostly watching out for the stages, and when I learned more, watching out for that last stage. Just cook on low and don't cook it past that and you should be fine.

She doesnt have you see @Dawni 's soaps she keeps saying she is adding colours but its really that she keeps burning them to a crisp

Take 2 for the charcoal clay and poppy seed soap tonight hopefully with no more spillages just check on where the spillage effected last night and looks like my quick clean up has saved all touched surfaces from any damage even the towels are undamaged and cleaned up fine. Am in a foul mood today so need to do something to cheer myself up

LOL it very well could be burnt soap, hence the marbling effect. You guys didn't see the major fail my first batch was, it was difficult to figure out what went wrong and someone even said I managed to create something else haha

Wonder if I dig up that post it'll cheer you up a bit @Chris_S haha

 

[Chris_S]

Goodness, no! Haha.. It took several failed and semi-failed initial batches for me to figure out the "stages" of hot process, as shown in the tons of videos I watched, and to realize that not all recipes will go through said stages visibly. Several people pointed that out to me here too.

One of our awesome friends here also suggested that I can mold as soon as I see a lil bit of translucency and it'll continue cooking in the mold. So now, if I see my pot has gelled (translucent, as opposed to custard like) about 90% I switch the cooker off and add my additives and what not after.

To me, it was mostly watching out for the stages, and when I learned more, watching out for that last stage. Just cook on low and don't cook it past that and you should be fine.

LOL it very well could be burnt soap, hence the marbling effect. You guys didn't see the major fail my first batch was, it was difficult to figure out what went wrong and someone even said I managed to create something else haha

Wonder if I dig up that post it'll cheer you up a bit @Chris_S haha

i think the safest answer to this would just be lets try and see cant do any harm.

Im just waiting for the lye to cool then melting my oils and getting on with making my first second attempt at a charcoal clay and poppy seed soap with lemon eo

 

[msunnerstood]

Hi Dawni! The videos I watched on HP yesterday seemed to say that one wants to keep the cook temp to no more than about 170F to maybe 180F so the soap doesn't burn, and I don't feel capable of judging that without a thermometer.

How do you avoid burning the soap? Have you come up with any techniques for HP that are different than the usual instructions?



Found the flower molds on Amazon. Miss Moose was elbow-deep in soap painting and couldn't reply.

Out for delivery
Arriving today by 8 PM


2 Pcs 6 cavity assorted silicone flower
Sold by: JUSLIN
$11.99


Rectangle silicone soap molds by the Silly Pops
Sold by: MyShopUA
$12.99

I soap at 190. I do stir a lot though. I am just careful to stop cooking as soon as the batter comes together so to speak and get a negative zap test. Its a matter of preference and what you are comfortable with. 170 is a good temp and you dont want to go lower if you want fluidity but you can cook hotter.

 

[Allen]

Today I cut the turmeric colored soap that I made yesterday.
It was really still too soft to remove from the silicone mold and the Pringles can, but I went ahead with it anyway. These are just for our use so the “rustic” look will be ok. The orange color really lightened up and is close to the color that I was hoping for. It appears that soap did not go through gel phase which is fine. I will leave the four other bars in the mold and check it again tomorrow. This soap is scented with the EO mix of 5x orange with a few drops of clove bud and patchouli.

 

[Chris_S]

View attachment 35333 View attachment 35334
Today I cut the turmeric colored soap that I made yesterday.
It was really still too soft to remove from the silicone mold and the Pringles can, but I went ahead with it anyway. These are just for our use so the “rustic” look will be ok. The orange color really lightened up and is close to the color that I was hoping for. It appears that soap did not go through gel phase which is fine. I will leave the four other bars in the mold and check it again tomorrow. This soap is scented with the EO mix of 5x orange with a few drops of clove bud and patchouli.

Liking the colour they turned out thats not far off what the batter looks like with no colour with my recipe.

Iv just finished my charcoal, clay and poppy seed soap and its nicely tucked up in bed last time i used clay it over heated and had bad glyerin rivers so iv wrapped this one just in the one towel so hopefully itll still gel but not overheat just had a quick check and feels like its gelling but it was a medium to thick batter when i poured it

 

[Marilyn Norgart]

It is heartening to know that even experienced spapers deal with trials and tribulations just like us newbies. it gives me hope!

View attachment 35333 View attachment 35334
Today I cut the turmeric colored soap that I made yesterday.
It was really still too soft to remove from the silicone mold and the Pringles can, but I went ahead with it anyway. These are just for our use so the “rustic” look will be ok. The orange color really lightened up and is close to the color that I was hoping for. It appears that soap did not go through gel phase which is fine. I will leave the four other bars in the mold and check it again tomorrow. This soap is scented with the EO mix of 5x orange with a few drops of clove bud and patchouli.

wow that really did lighten up--I love it. I have some orange I wanted to make so its good to see the before and after of the soap. good job

 

[Meena]

I soap at 190. I do stir a lot though. I am just careful to stop cooking as soon as the batter comes together so to speak and get a negative zap test. Its a matter of preference and what you are comfortable with. 170 is a good temp and you dont want to go lower if you want fluidity but you can cook hotter.

Thanks for the tips. I'm about to try this.... Pictures later or tomorrow. (Then it's back to work on Wednesday.)

 

[Marilyn Norgart]

when I do my HP I only take the temps before I do trace and then what I was told to do was put the lid back on the crockpot (if you have a clear top or use the saran wrap that is sticky and cover the pot). I was told not to take the lid off unless it is going to overflow and then you need to stir it down. and you aren't supposed to fill the crock too full-mine is usually only 1/2 full and I haven't had any try to overflow on me. otherwise if you stir too much it dries it out. and you watch the top of the soap and it will start gelling around the outside and then work its way to the middle. I usually don't mess with it till its gelled all the way. and then I turn the crock off and stir and then stir in scents and colors. and glop it into the mold making sure to crack it on the counter a couple times to get rid of bubbles--I usually am using a spoon to much it down. I have used my temp gun on it and it is usually around 170-185--I am thinking if you turn the crock on low it might not get any hotter than that. I have done zap tests and haven't been zapped yet

 

[dragonstar]

Today I made my 4th batch . I used lard olive oil coconut oil and a touch of shea . I'm seem to be be stuck on HP or transparent soap techs. This batch came out bast looking so far. Added mica to turn turquoise. Small batch only 489 g oils.

 

[msunnerstood]

when I do my HP I only take the temps before I do trace and then what I was told to do was put the lid back on the crockpot (if you have a clear top or use the saran wrap that is sticky and cover the pot). I was told not to take the lid off unless it is going to overflow and then you need to stir it down. and you aren't supposed to fill the crock too full-mine is usually only 1/2 full and I haven't had any try to overflow on me. otherwise if you stir too much it dries it out. and you watch the top of the soap and it will start gelling around the outside and then work its way to the middle. I usually don't mess with it till its gelled all the way. and then I turn the crock off and stir and then stir in scents and colors. and glop it into the mold making sure to crack it on the counter a couple times to get rid of bubbles--I usually am using a spoon to much it down. I have used my temp gun on it and it is usually around 170-185--I am thinking if you turn the crock on low it might not get any hotter than that. I have done zap tests and haven't been zapped yet

There are many different methods. I think its a preference thing. I cook hot but for a shorter time and I use a bit more water to account for evaporation when I stir. You will get more bubble ups when soaping hotter ive found.

Tonights soap is Aloe Clover.

 

[Marilyn Norgart]

There are many different methods. I think its a preference thing. I cook hot but for a shorter time and I use a bit more water to account for evaporation when I stir. You will get more bubble ups when soaping hotter ive found.

Tonights soap is Aloe Clover.

good to know there are different methods, I have had good luck with the way I do it so its the only way I have done it--I was just reading a post about adding powdered colorants to the lye, interesting. I usually wait till my lye and oil are around 110-100 to avoid the bubble ups. have you ever had it burn on you? I think mine usually takes around 1/2 hour to gel thru. Aloe Clover sounds interesting--is that a scent or do you use aloe vera?

 

[msunnerstood]

good to know there are different methods, I have had good luck with the way I do it so its the only way I have done it--I was just reading a post about adding powdered colorants to the lye, interesting. I usually wait till my lye and oil are around 110-100 to avoid the bubble ups. have you ever had it burn on you? I think mine usually takes around 1/2 hour to gel thru. Aloe Clover sounds interesting--is that a scent or do you use aloe vera?

I havent burned the soap at 190 but then I waited quite a wile before I increased my temps and had a feel for when it was done but not over done.

Aloe and Clover is a scent but I always do 50% of my liquid as Aloe Juice. Just molded it and popped it in the freezer. This is one of my new favorite scents. Its the first time Ive used it and I really like it.

 

[Meena]

Well, that wasn't so bad. It does take about 40% longer time than CP, but the HP is interesting to watch. Took a page from @msunnerstood 's book and stirred more than the tutorials say or do; and perhaps as a result of the additional stirring, I never got a big rise out of the soap (which is from the air that develops, and that I probably stirred out in the 1st two phases). There wasn't a lot of batter, though -- this was a 17.5 oz oils recipe I wrote. I believe the temperature only got up to 182 F, which didn't hurt my feelings. (One tutorial said it could go up to 200 F before burning the soap.)

The difference in color in the pics is that I began with red wine mica and after cook, added ultramarine blue (not a color morphing thing). Molds are PVC plumbing sections.

Didn't notice how blurry this shot was, sorry.

Today I made my 4th batch . I used lard olive oil coconut oil and a touch of shea . I'm seem to be be stuck on HP or transparent soap techs. This batch came out bast looking so far. Added mica to turn turquoise. Small batch only 489 g oils.

We like to say here, "Pictures, or it never happened."

 

[msunnerstood]

Well, that wasn't so bad. It does take about 40% longer time than CP, but the HP is interesting to watch. Took a page from @msunnerstood 's book and stirred more than the tutorials say or do; and perhaps as a result of the additional stirring, I never got a big rise out of the soap (which is from the air that develops, and that I probably stirred out in the 1st two phases). There wasn't a lot of batter, though -- this was a 17.5 oz oils recipe I wrote. I believe the temperature only got up to 182 F, which didn't hurt my feelings. (One tutorial said it could go up to 200 F before burning the soap.)

The difference in color in the pics is that I began with red wine mica and after cook, added ultramarine blue (not a color morphing thing). Molds are PVC plumbing sections.

View attachment 35345 View attachment 35346View attachment 35344 Didn't notice how blurry this shot was, sorry.

Yay! Congrats! I have a mold I do 17 oz of oils for and it does seem to cook faster than a bigger batch in a bigger crock.

Here is my Aloe and Green clover

 

[KiwiMoose]

Yay! Congrats! I have a mold I do 17 oz of oils for and it does seem to cook faster than a bigger batch in a bigger crock.

Here is my Aloe and Green clover
View attachment 35349

Ooh - that's lovely! Love those colours together, I'm a huge fan of greens and teals.

 

[KiwiMoose]

When I made my first batch for the challenge it accelerated too quickly for me to use as challenge soap. It's still soap, and it smells yummo! I used a combo of Jasmine and Anjou pear. Anyway I had some leftover 'paint' from the challenge soaps, so i thought I may as well do these too:

 

[Marilyn Norgart]

I havent burned the soap at 190 but then I waited quite a wile before I increased my temps and had a feel for when it was done but not over done.

Aloe and Clover is a scent but I always do 50% of my liquid as Aloe Juice. Just molded it and popped it in the freezer. This is one of my new favorite scents. Its the first time Ive used it and I really like it.

I love aloe and am very interested in a soap with this, it sounds very healing. do you throw the juice in the lye then and does it kill the good properties of it then? this is so interesting. cant remember but do you use Nuture Soap for your products?

 

[msunnerstood]

I love aloe and am very interested in a soap with this, it sounds very healing. do you throw the juice in the lye then and does it kill the good properties of it then? this is so interesting. cant remember but do you use Nuture Soap for your products?

Yes it is included in my Lai water and the light does not seem to kill anything.
I do not use products from nurture soap the fragrance came from Aztech In the Mica came from TKB.

 

[JanelleTrebuna]

I made soap on Sunday, scented with BB blossoms and berries fo and colored with purple and green micas.
I attempted an in the pot swirl.
I was disappointed when I cut it. I'm not sure if it was the discoloration caused by the fo (I only added it to the purple) or the fact that my soap is naturally more yellow tinged. It just wasn't as pretty as I had hoped. It does smell great.
Waiting to take pics of inside in case it gets better with the curing.
I've also ordered some titanium dioxide to make my base soap white so the colors show up better.

Janelle