What soapy thing have you done today?

[cmzaha]

Today I master batched oils. I measured out a ginormous batch, melted and blended everything together and measured out into batch weights in sealable containers that are large enough to mix the recipe in later. Yay!

I'm ready to commit to a base recipe because I have finally found "The One." I have tweaked several recipes for the last year and a half, and I have finally found the one I love. It is not friendly to intricate designs, but it makes a fabulous bar of soap that I love. It feels so good to not feel the need to tweak it anymore. To know how much, and which oils to keep in stock is going to be wonderful. I have found that with this recipe the only things I change are the additives, and the liquid that I use for the lye solution. I've tested several different ones with this base recipe and they are all fabulous.

I am still tweaking a second recipe for swirling and designs. I think I'm close, but may still have some adjustments. I'll be testing that later this evening. Pretty good soapy day.

Congratulations. But do not get too complacent, there are always changes to make soap better.

Now you will have more time to make soap!

I am truly envious. I have concocted a ridiculous number of recipes and still haven’t settled on favorites. Either I’m not very discerning, or I just like soap.

It took me many years almost 8 to settle on my go-to base. Actually it is just the first 60% of my oils, the remaining 40% still changes depending on what I am making. My soaps continue to evolve.

 

[Michele50]

The thing that helped me make the most progress was letting my cleansing number get a nudge higher than I'd previously settled on. It's still low-cleansing, but I found the smidge extra of CO gave me better lather, and I still have a gentle bar that my skin likes. My family and friends love it too. Now I can just change up my additives and liquid. I still have to perfect my swirling recipe. Have to have a project.

Maybe that info will help me and @Mobjack Bay; thanks.

Decided that today was the day that I would make my first attempt at a soap with beer. It started to move a little quick for design but I made an effort at....something. Not sure what it will look like once it is cut. Even if it looks bad I love all my little creations.

You will!!! Love the lather of beer soap, perfect gift for one of my sons who enjoys a good brew.

It took me many years almost 8 to settle on my go-to base. Actually it is just the first 60% of my oils, the remaining 40% still changes depending on what I am making. My soaps continue to evolve.

Good info, I was thinking somewhat on the same line. The majority being pre-set and then the rest dependant upon whether I need my batter to be very fluid or not. Thanks.

 

[Baqn]

Thank you - I usually eyeball it - about half to one teaspoon for a litre of oils batch ( that's for swirling so it's really only 'half' a batch that's coloured. So you actually weigh it?

Yes I weigh it. I use small scale for it.

 

[Kari Howie]

Well I cutted it

Elegant!

 

[Mobjack Bay]

Well I cutted it

Your soap turned out beautifully. I'm curious how the soap feels with that much AC. I really like some of the soaps I've made with various exfoliants, but haven't made one with this much very fine additive. Have you tested a piece? How much color do you get in the lather? I guess a soap with this much AC is sold as a "speciality soap."

It took me many years almost 8 to settle on my go-to base. Actually it is just the first 60% of my oils, the remaining 40% still changes depending on what I am making. My soaps continue to evolve.

I am using the base recipe approach, but still struggling with too many bases until I decide what I like. My recipes for 100% OO and salt bars are settled. I also have a 60% lard base recipe with 15% CO, 5% castor and the rest as high oleics of choice or on hand. I can vary it further by subbing in a small amount of a speciality oil for a bit of the high oleic oil. But then, having recently made an 80% lard and 20% CO soap for Szaza's lard replacement test, I realized that I may prefer 20% CO . The recipe works well for swirls at the emulsion stage, but it's easy enough to take it to a light or medium trace through some combination of SB'ing, higher soaping temp or by adding an accelerating FO. I also have a recipe that is high in soft oils, with 15-20% PO, that pours well for thin layers. It's very nice after a few months of curing, but soft early on. I may have stumbled my way to a nice palm and high oleic recipe when I made pumpkin soap, but maybe I like it because of the pumpkin puree and clay I added. The recipe will need more testing if I decide to keep palm as a base. I'm still working on butters and high oleics or some combo. The goal is to have lard-free recipes that behave well and that I like as much as the lard base. The "like as much" part is an especially tall order. The palm free recipes I've made with butters (30-40%) and high oleics (40-50%) are promising after a cure of a few months, but they are "speciality soaps" in my mind due to the costs of the butters.

I've made progress, but think I still have some months to go before I have the base recipes narrowed down for further refinement and, yes, evolution! I also want to try beeswax and soy at some point, but there doesn't seem to ever be enough time.

 

[runnerchicki]

I am using the base recipe approach, but still struggling with too many bases until I decide what I like. My recipes for 100% OO and salt bars are settled. I also have a 60% lard base recipe with 15% CO, 5% castor and the rest as high oleics of choice or on hand. I can vary it further by subbing in a small amount of a speciality oil for a bit of the high oleic oil. But then, having recently made an 80% lard and 20% CO soap for Szaza's lard replacement test, I realized that I may prefer 20% CO . The recipe works well for swirls at the emulsion stage, but it's easy enough to take it to a light or medium trace through some combination of SB'ing, higher soaping temp or by adding an accelerating FO. I also have a recipe that is high in soft oils, with 15-20% PO, that pours well for thin layers. It's very nice after a few months of curing, but soft early on. I may have stumbled my way to a nice palm and high oleic recipe when I made pumpkin soap, but maybe I like it because of the pumpkin puree and clay I added. The recipe will need more testing if I decide to keep palm as a base. I'm still working on butters and high oleics or some combo. The goal is to have lard-free recipes that behave well and that I like as much as the lard base. The "like as much" part is an especially tall order. The palm free recipes I've made with butters (30-40%) and high oleics (40-50%) are promising after a cure of a few months, but they are "speciality soaps" in my mind due to the costs of the butters.

I've made progress, but think I still have some months to go before I have the base recipes narrowed down for further refinement and, yes, evolution! I also want to try beeswax and soy at some point, but there doesn't seem to ever be enough time.

I made a lot of recipes in 1-lb batches side by side so I could compare them. So I would have like 4 different recipes in the shower with me at the same time LOL. All very similar, because I tried to keep the adjustments simple and in the same "realm". For example, I would keep all the oils the same, but the percentages different. Or I would change only one oil in each test batch and note the difference. In the beginning I wanted to try everything LOL and I couldn't nail down what was making something good and what was causing problems.

Since I don't sell my soap, ultimately I just had to nail down a recipe that makes me happy. My family and friends are always grateful to get whatever I give them. They seem to like my current recipe quite a lot - I love it - so I'm happy. I don't have to worry about label excitement, or keeping a bar vegan for a customer base, or following trends. My recipe is fairly simple. It has one "luxury" butter in it, but other than that it is very inexpensive so I can "play" with fragrances and additives.

I have to get my swirling recipe downpat still. And I do want to improve one "specialty" recipe which has RBO and shea butter in it. Two oils that are not in my basic go-to. My son wet shaves every day and wants a shave soap - he's picky about it - and that is going to be a challenge for me. So I've got experiments to keep me busy, but I've got my basic soap recipe that I feel comfortable with (for now hahaha).

 

[Mobjack Bay]

I made a lot of recipes in 1-lb batches side by side so I could compare them. So I would have like 4 different recipes in the shower with me at the same time LOL. All very similar, because I tried to keep the adjustments simple and in the same "realm". For example, I would keep all the oils the same, but the percentages different. Or I would change only one oil in each test batch and note the difference. In the beginning I wanted to try everything LOL and I couldn't nail down what was making something good and what was causing problems.

Since I don't sell my soap, ultimately I just had to nail down a recipe that makes me happy. My family and friends are always grateful to get whatever I give them. They seem to like my current recipe quite a lot - I love it - so I'm happy. I don't have to worry about label excitement, or keeping a bar vegan for a customer base, or following trends. My recipe is fairly simple. It has one "luxury" butter in it, but other than that it is very inexpensive so I can "play" with fragrances and additives.

I have to get my swirling recipe downpat still. And I do want to improve one "specialty" recipe which has RBO and shea butter in it. Two oils that are not in my basic go-to. My son wet shaves every day and wants a shave soap - he's picky about it - and that is going to be a challenge for me. So I've got experiments to keep me busy, but I've got my basic soap recipe that I feel comfortable with (for now hahaha).

I spent a lot of my career running controlled experiments in the lab, and it’s not something I find myself wanting to do a lot as a soap maker.

 

[Michele50]

I spent a lot of my career running controlled experiments in the lab, and it’s not something I find myself wanting to do a lot as a soap maker.

Yes, I can definitely see that!

When we owned and run our Childcare Center "one" of the hats I wore was "cook" so upon getting home at 6:30ish I didn't even want to think about cooking . Poor husband, but he understood; I've got a real sweetheart.

 

[KiwiMoose]

I've made progress, but think I still have some months to go before I have the base recipes narrowed down for further refinement and, yes, evolution! I also want to try beeswax and soy at some point, but there doesn't seem to ever be enough time.

I use soy to 'replace' other high stearic/palmitic oils in my recipe (being that I'm going for vegan and palm-free). I use it at 20% in every recipe. I urge you to give it a go, as it is very cost-effective. However, I am aware that there seems to be an anti-soy movement in the USA which could work against you. Over here we have the opposite - people are far more anti-palm. Happy to help out with recipe discussions - feel free to PM me.

 

[linne1gi]

I made 100% Coconut Oil soap today for the administrator at the surgery center I work for. She wants it for her animals: horses, and dogs. I used Camomile Essential Oil, because that is pretty much the only safe essential oil for animals. It was quite interesting. I blended to a stable emulsion, added color, teal green and the essential oil. And boom, total ricing - really bad. I tried blending it to a smooth consistency and 2nd boom - total cement. So, I was patient. I waited. After about 10 minutes it started to go into gel phase - I blended and blended till smooth and poured into my molds. I unmolded it about 2 hours later and now the soap is curing already. The other problem is that the color totally morphed and it is a puke green now, but at least it smells good!

I use soy to 'replace' other high stearic/palmitic oils in my recipe (being that I'm going for vegan and palm-free). I use it at 20% in every recipe. I urge you to give it a go, as it is very cost-effective. However, I am aware that there seems to be an anti-soy movement in the USA which could work against you. Over here we have the opposite - people are far more anti-palm. Happy to help out with recipe discussions - feel free to PM me.

I was under the impression that "Soy" tends towards DOS. I think others are under that impression also. Have you found that to be the case?

 

[Mobjack Bay]

I use soy to 'replace' other high stearic/palmitic oils in my recipe (being that I'm going for vegan and palm-free). I use it at 20% in every recipe. I urge you to give it a go, as it is very cost-effective. However, I am aware that there seems to be an anti-soy movement in the USA which could work against you. Over here we have the opposite - people are far more anti-palm. Happy to help out with recipe discussions - feel free to PM me.

You will be the first to know when that soy wax lands on my front porch! I’ve done the reading, but can’t seem to overcome the fear of another learning curve

Today was not my day. I spilled a sizable amount of weighed oil and lard mix on a dish towel on the counter, weighed the remainder to figure out how much was lost, weighed out new fats, put them in the microwave to melt... and then the microwave started smoking, made an angry noise and died. It was old, but I’m sorry to see it go.

 

[Nanette]

I made oatmeal chamomile soap....with honey..just a little, didnt really effect trace. I had two molds, put loofa shreds in the soap in one and one without...I dont even like loofa. Loofa nothing.....but some do so I will see.

 

[Liesel Atwood]

"I'm ready to commit to a base recipe because I have finally found "The One."
Hi Runnerchicki! So this is something I've been wondering about. Maybe you, (or anyone really,) can give me your take on it. Is it common, or usual for soapers who are in business to stick to one recipe, and just vary the scent, additives and designs? Me...I'm just freaky I guess. I haven't branched out into selling my soaps yet....it feels daunting and scary. But I make soap all the time, because I can't help myself! Giving it away to family and friends makes me happy, and they give me their input and opinions. But i know at some point, I will have to face the scary beast and somehow put my soaps on the market. It does seem cost effective to stick with one favourite recipe. I have about 6 favourites! I've never been a business person....I'm a nurse and a soaper. What would you advise someone like myself to do? Try one kind of soap at a trade show? Offer all of my favourites? I've heard that some people put tiny samples in wrappers and leave them in public washrooms, with a name and telephone number. LOL! Sigh.....what's a business- shy soaper gal to do??

 

[Nanette]

Go where your heart takes you! Hows that for help....I have 6 or so favs that I use regularly but I love trying new things too.

 

[KiwiMoose]

I made 100% Coconut Oil soap today for the administrator at the surgery center I work for. She wants it for her animals: horses, and dogs. I used Camomile Essential Oil, because that is pretty much the only safe essential oil for animals. It was quite interesting. I blended to a stable emulsion, added color, teal green and the essential oil. And boom, total ricing - really bad. I tried blending it to a smooth consistency and 2nd boom - total cement. So, I was patient. I waited. After about 10 minutes it started to go into gel phase - I blended and blended till smooth and poured into my molds. I unmolded it about 2 hours later and now the soap is curing already. The other problem is that the color totally morphed and it is a puke green now, but at least it smells good! View attachment 41919


I was under the impression that "Soy" tends towards DOS. I think others are under that impression also. Have you found that to be the case?

That soap looks lovely - the molds are beautiful!
Never had DOS - but my oldest soap using soy wax is 10 month - so there's still time!

 

[Ashleigh]

Went to do all my soapy dishes and tidy up and somehow ended up making another loaf of soap I didn't intend to make today. Since it had 5 different colours and layers I'm back to having a sink full of dishes. It was an accelerating FO so I had to work fast layer by layer so i'm excited to cut and see how it turns out. Hoping to try a beer soap tomorrow for the first time!

 

[Mobjack Bay]

I made 100% Coconut Oil soap today for the administrator at the surgery center I work for. She wants it for her animals: horses, and dogs. I used Camomile Essential Oil, because that is pretty much the only safe essential oil for animals. It was quite interesting. I blended to a stable emulsion, added color, teal green and the essential oil. And boom, total ricing - really bad. I tried blending it to a smooth consistency and 2nd boom - total cement. So, I was patient. I waited. After about 10 minutes it started to go into gel phase - I blended and blended till smooth and poured into my molds. I unmolded it about 2 hours later and now the soap is curing already. The other problem is that the color totally morphed and it is a puke green now, but at least it smells good!

Impressive save! There’s a recent thread, I think, about greens morphing and then morphing back after a few days. Hopefully you will get the perfect green!

 

[runnerchicki]

"I'm ready to commit to a base recipe because I have finally found "The One."
Hi Runnerchicki! So this is something I've been wondering about. Maybe you, (or anyone really,) can give me your take on it. Is it common, or usual for soapers who are in business to stick to one recipe, and just vary the scent, additives and designs? Me...I'm just freaky I guess. I haven't branched out into selling my soaps yet....it feels daunting and scary. But I make soap all the time, because I can't help myself! Giving it away to family and friends makes me happy, and they give me their input and opinions. But i know at some point, I will have to face the scary beast and somehow put my soaps on the market. It does seem cost effective to stick with one favourite recipe. I have about 6 favourites! I've never been a business person....I'm a nurse and a soaper. What would you advise someone like myself to do? Try one kind of soap at a trade show? Offer all of my favourites? I've heard that some people put tiny samples in wrappers and leave them in public washrooms, with a name and telephone number. LOL! Sigh.....what's a business- shy soaper gal to do??

You don't *have* to ever sell your soaps. I don't, and I don't plan to. I've been there, done that (not soap - haircare products - completely created and manufactured by me). It took the joy out of it .. for me. It's a very individual thing. You have to be willing to take on the business aspect of it. It isn't just going to be making soap.

I would suggest checking out the business forum section for more information/advice if you decide that is a direction you want to go in.

 

[KiwiMoose]

I made the same soap as @Baqn today, but alas - the hole in my spray bottle was too small for the mica, so i had to sprinkle it one which doesn't look anywhere near as good.
My final choice of essential oils was as follows ( in descending order): Patchouli, cedarwood, bergamot, palmarosa, litsea cubeba, vetiver.

 

[Michele50]

You don't *have* to ever sell your soaps. I don't, and I don't plan to. I've been there, done that (not soap - haircare products - completely created and manufactured by me). It took the joy out of it .. for me. It's a very individual thing. You have to be willing to take on the business aspect of it. It isn't just going to be making soap.

I would suggest checking out the business forum section for more information/advice if you decide that is a direction you want to go in.

I ABSOLUTELY agree with it taking the joy out of creating. My chemical engineering son has tried to get me to sell (large scale) my beard products that I make him and my other engineering son. No thank you; I developed them for my sons' and husband's beards. I ran a large business (worked my butt off) for decades and don't care to get that involved in my retirement years. There is a lot of work that goes into marketing your products; it's for some but not for others. Checking the business forum section is good advice; it's best to get pointers, information, and advice from those already doing it.