What soapy thing have you done today?
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@SeattleMartin Hihi, yes, exactly. I don't make it, but they do sell ingredients for it several places. I found my charcoal at a local store. It is from a brand that sell moonshine and wine making ingredients. It is illegal to make vodka (wine and beer is legal) but some do it, I guess. I know one of my neighbours does. But very many, since moonshine is not that widely available anymore. But in the 90's, everybody made it. Or well, but very many. It was really common. In this country, we don't have liquor stores but a state owned monopoly to sell alcohol stronger than beer (which we can buy in grocery stores). Prices are high for alcohol, the stronger the higher the price will be. That's why many made vodka at home. Now, people have more money and just buy it. Or order it from Sweden and smuggle it over the border (or buy in smaller quantities and take it legally over the border). I don't drink anymore, so I don't do that (I used to drink too much beer, every day).
But I do smuggle cigarettes over the border. Cigarettes are very, very expensive here, since they want us to quit smoking. But instead of throw it away, which is really difficult, I go to Sweden and buy it for under half the price. I have to smuggle since I can only buy 10 packages at a time. I like the thrill of smuggling. I have to do something when I don't drink. I guess I am an addictive person. I was even addicted to fish fingers once
But I do smuggle cigarettes over the border. Cigarettes are very, very expensive here, since they want us to quit smoking. But instead of throw it away, which is really difficult, I go to Sweden and buy it for under half the price. I have to smuggle since I can only buy 10 packages at a time. I like the thrill of smuggling. I have to do something when I don't drink. I guess I am an addictive person. I was even addicted to fish fingers once
Dawni
Well-Known Member
Soap is in the pot.. If all goes well tonight I'll finally be posting part 2 of my long overdue natural colorants in HP series, starring indigo
LadySarah370
Well-Known Member
Ok so I made this Wild Rose Soap. I am super bummed at what happened when I cut it, it fell apart. I would cut and chunks would break off. Now I had this happen with one other batch of soap. So now I am wondering if maybe it sets faster this recipe and I need to cut it earlier than 24 hours. The smell od this soap is amazing so I will try again and see what happens. If it does it again I will cry lol.
If you start a new thread and post your recipe we could help you troubleshoot. So many things can cause issues.
If you're interested in quitting smoking, pick up some snus while you're in Sweden. I started using that stuff and was done smoking the same day. Used to have to import it from Sweden but it's become much more widely available in the US which is fantastic.
I tried to bleach my red palm oil 1 hour ago or so. Well, that was a failure like no other! It got all black from the charcoal. And then, when I tried to get it thru a coffee filter, it would not really go thru it at all. But some did, and it was all black as well. I guess my charcoal was in too fine particles, or something. Or perhaps some of it went over and under the filter.
That was perhaps not the worst. The horrible smell when heating the dreadful stuff called red palm oil was unbearable! It smells even worse than the taste. I did have a taste test yesterday, and it taste like chemical waste. Old, rancid motoroil or something like that. How can people even cook with it?
So no, my red palm oil adventure is over. I don't want something like that in soap. Especially not the smell of it.
But I do want to try refined palm oil, so I guess I have to write an email to Khanum and ask if the "flavor" additive in their vegetable ghee is skin safe. If not, or if I get no answer, I will just go for palm free soaps. They do work very well.
I can buy a small amount of palm oil from abroad, but I don't think it is worth it. If I like it, I can't rely on that anyway and have to find a local alternative. Meaning if vegetable ghee don't work, the best thing is to skip palm oil alltogether, which is fine.
It got all black from the charcoal. And then, when I tried to get it thru a coffee filter, it would not really go thru it at all. But some did, and it was all black as well. I guess my charcoal was in too fine particles, or something. Or perhaps some of it went over and under the filter.That was perhaps not the worst. The horrible smell when heating the dreadful stuff called red palm oil was unbearable! It smells even worse than the taste. I did have a taste test yesterday, and it taste like chemical waste. Old, rancid motoroil or something like that. How can people even cook with it?
So no, my red palm oil adventure is over. I don't want something like that in soap. Especially not the smell of it.
But I do want to try refined palm oil, so I guess I have to write an email to Khanum and ask if the "flavor" additive in their vegetable ghee is skin safe. If not, or if I get no answer, I will just go for palm free soaps. They do work very well.
I can buy a small amount of palm oil from abroad, but I don't think it is worth it. If I like it, I can't rely on that anyway and have to find a local alternative. Meaning if vegetable ghee don't work, the best thing is to skip palm oil alltogether, which is fine.
@Nate5700 Thanks for the advice But, I have tried snus a few times, and I find it horrible! The taste and everything. Snus is very common here, especially among young people.
So no, no snus for me. I would rather prefer electric cigarettes. But, the fluid thing can be very dangerous and give you lung cancer. Often made in China. I will buy those cigarettes when and if they come with a fluid produced under pharmaceutical control.
Snus is very swedish, yes. Before it became common here, all swedes were using it. Well, perhaps not all, but way many.
It is very common here to try to quit smoking by using snus instead. But, most I know that have done just that, they end up even worse than before. They get addicted to snus AND cigarettes, and often first take a snus and a cigarette at the same time. That you managed to quit smoking by using snus instead is quite impressive I don't think I have the will power yet. But I should quit some day soon.
But, I have tried snus a few times, and I find it horrible! The taste and everything. Snus is very common here, especially among young people.So no, no snus for me. I would rather prefer electric cigarettes. But, the fluid thing can be very dangerous and give you lung cancer. Often made in China. I will buy those cigarettes when and if they come with a fluid produced under pharmaceutical control.
Snus is very swedish, yes. Before it became common here, all swedes were using it. Well, perhaps not all, but way many.
It is very common here to try to quit smoking by using snus instead. But, most I know that have done just that, they end up even worse than before. They get addicted to snus AND cigarettes, and often first take a snus and a cigarette at the same time. That you managed to quit smoking by using snus instead is quite impressive
I don't think I have the will power yet. But I should quit some day soon.@Rune Good luck when you do decide to quit, however you may go about it. It seems like there's a lot of effort going into alternative products so if you can't do snus maybe something else will show up in the future. It looks like here they're going to start selling these pouches called Zyn that just have nicotine and no tobacco in them. I don't know if they have them in Norway or Sweden but it is a Swedish Match product.
It's tricky because as you said some people are so dependent on nicotine that they will just end up using both. But some people are able to either cut back or eliminate the cigarettes with these products so I think it's worth it to have them available.
Sorry to threadjack...back to soap now.
It's tricky because as you said some people are so dependent on nicotine that they will just end up using both. But some people are able to either cut back or eliminate the cigarettes with these products so I think it's worth it to have them available.
Sorry to threadjack...back to soap now.
A
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Last night did some packaging and wrote the dreaded letter I have been avoiding. I have to make changes to my soap of the month club and I have been putting off announcing these changes. Sigh. well, it was either that or quit doing it altogether. I also ordered labels for sugar scrubs and lip balms. I have been super exhausted lately, so I haven't been doing much other than taking care of the fam and going to bed super early every night this week.
I'm going home over lunch today to start washing dishes, hoping to get a head start on tonight's work. Tonight's list is dishes, and masterbatching lye and oils so that I can jump into a 4-day weekend of soapmaking (I.KNOW. I said I wasn't going to make soap this month, but I changed my mind. I'm a girl, I'm allowed to do that.) I have soap cupcakes on the brain for some crazy reason. Hmmm... I might masterbatch the lye quickly over lunch 1) to make sure it's properly cooled for tomorrow and 2) to further procrastinate on those dang dishes.
I'm going home over lunch today to start washing dishes, hoping to get a head start on tonight's work. Tonight's list is dishes, and masterbatching lye and oils so that I can jump into a 4-day weekend of soapmaking (I.KNOW. I said I wasn't going to make soap this month, but I changed my mind. I'm a girl, I'm allowed to do that.) I have soap cupcakes on the brain for some crazy reason. Hmmm... I might masterbatch the lye quickly over lunch 1) to make sure it's properly cooled for tomorrow and 2) to further procrastinate on those dang dishes.
I haven't done much soapy this week except use the stuff I've made. My first couple of batches of bar soap are finally at the 4-5 week mark so I can say they're cured enough to use (even though I've been using them already). Pretty happy with those. The shave soap seems to work well as I still have a face after shaving with it for a couple of weeks. Even the tooth soap experiment seems to be going better than I imagined, I haven't noticed any problems and I think my oral health may actually be slightly improved, but I am doing things like using fluoride mouthwash and xylitol gum that I wasn't doing regularly before. The tooth soap does seem to be getting soapier tasting though than it was at first.
SeattleMartin
Embracing the wonderful madness of soap!
Today we unmolded and cut our 2nd batch of shaving soaps using a new formula. The information in the forums has been invaluable in helping us make a good shaving soap. Anna even tried it on her legs and said it works really well. The shaving soap journey is an interesting one, to say the least, but I feel like we are getting better at both hot process and shaving soaps because of it.
Equally as exciting is that this was the second batch of soaps we molded into our new homemade column molds. (We've done one CP and one HP in them.) Last week we picked up some plastic ABS pipe (it's like PVC) and caps. It was pretty easy and we line them with parchment paper. Will have to take pics to share soon.
@Rune Sorry to hear the palm experiment did not work out very well. I very much enjoy trying things at home as well. I'm doing some small projects rendering fats, as we touched on before.
Very interesting about the moonshine.
If you do decide to try a nicotine vaporizer I recommend an 'open system' where you have more control over it and could even make your own liquids. 'Closed system' e-cigarettes are just awful in my opinion. PM me if you like, I can share much more in terms of info and personal experience.
Equally as exciting is that this was the second batch of soaps we molded into our new homemade column molds. (We've done one CP and one HP in them.) Last week we picked up some plastic ABS pipe (it's like PVC) and caps. It was pretty easy and we line them with parchment paper. Will have to take pics to share soon.
@Rune Sorry to hear the palm experiment did not work out very well. I very much enjoy trying things at home as well. I'm doing some small projects rendering fats, as we touched on before.
Very interesting about the moonshine.
If you do decide to try a nicotine vaporizer I recommend an 'open system' where you have more control over it and could even make your own liquids. 'Closed system' e-cigarettes are just awful in my opinion. PM me if you like, I can share much more in terms of info and personal experience.
Chris_S
Well-Known Member
Thats the ones i like too the other one i think kinda looks like a sound wave! but the bstter was far less fluid by time i got to second loaf so was never going to be as nice
Dawni
Well-Known Member
Eh.. Not gonna post this particular soap as part of my natural colorant in HP series lol, not until I get a semblance of blue.
Belatedly I realized that while red sandalwood powder might have worked in the lye water, this particular indigo probably should be infused in oil and added/used in the main batter.
Oh well, it's still nice. Just not blue haha
Belatedly I realized that while red sandalwood powder might have worked in the lye water, this particular indigo probably should be infused in oil and added/used in the main batter.
Oh well, it's still nice. Just not blue haha
I'm partial to blue that's why hehe but the other one's quite nice, too I think.
Marilyn Norgart
Well-Known Member
that is a very pretty HP soap Dawni!!!!
Chris_S
Well-Known Member
Cant think of one bad soap iv made with that blue in though it always seems to turn out really well. they are first soaps iv ever made that iv had stay tacky for more than a day frustrating because i really wanted to be able to assess the recipes but because of the error i made i cba even trying to work out what the recipe would be when i combined it unless it turns out well
Very nice. Green is a much more natural color—it’s easy to pair with lots of EOs...rosemary, mint, clary sage, etc. Blues and reds puzzle me with how to scent them.
Blues - anything with a mint base or anything with an ozone base, anything "cool" (i.e. cucumber)
Reds - spicy scents, anything fruity, floral, "hot"
Dawni
Well-Known Member
Thanks, sweets
Thank you @DWinMadison
I also associate blue with water, and for some reason, the masculine "green" scents n blues go together for me. Same for the resins..
Which would also go with red, in my book, together with spices and florals like Misschief mentioned. I guess it depends on personal taste.
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