What soapy thing have you done today?

[Guspuppy]

So HI! I haven't been here in a couple years, was just making large batches of my staple soaps for self use. Decided I want to give soaps for Christmas this year so tonight I made a test batch of a lard recipe I've used before, to check scent. Anyway, due to loss of my microwave and me not being willing to buy a new one, I thought I'd try the 'heat transfer method' of melting my lard (which came out of the fridge) and CO. Uh, yeah. That did not work so well for a 1-lb mold! I had to put it on the stovetop to finish melting my oils and by the time everything was incorporated it was already at heavy trace. So my planned swirl was more a gloop. Next time I'll melt the oils first.... But, it's nice to be back!

 

[AliOop]

So HI! I haven't been here in a couple years, was just making large batches of my staple soaps for self use. Decided I want to give soaps for Christmas this year so tonight I made a test batch of a lard recipe I've used before, to check scent. Anyway, due to loss of my microwave and me not being willing to buy a new one, I thought I'd try the 'heat transfer method' of melting my lard (which came out of the fridge) and CO. Uh, yeah. That did not work so well for a 1-lb mold! I had to put it on the stovetop to finish melting my oils and by the time everything was incorporated it was already at heavy trace. So my planned swirl was more a gloop. Next time I'll melt the oils first.... But, it's nice to be back!

Hi @Guspuppy, and welcome back!

Before I started using master-batched lye, I often used the heat xfer method, for up 2500g batches. I do agree that it works much better if all of the hard oils are at room temp - not so much when they are refrigerated. That meant I needed to take my lard out of the fridge the night before, which I didn't always remember to do, either.

 

[TashaBird]

Experimenting with packaging. I’d been wrapping my soaps in tissue fixed with the label. I bought these biodegradable cellulose bags and thought I”d try them. I really love being able to see the soap! Eventually I think I”ll want to shrink wrap them, but this is what I have for now. My husband got real artsy with the labels too, and so we had fun together.
I also registered my business and will have registered my fictitious business name and have my insurance by the end of the week. That’s super exciting!

 

[TashaBird]

Ooh YAY! I mailed a friend of mine some soap and she mailed me some roving wool from her sheep she raises, sheets, and processes herself. Wish I’d already made some soaps to felt! I suppose good soap, but nothing fancy would be appropriate.

 

[MrsMilk]

Absolutely, yes! In whatever way shape or form you can manage, and in whatever way makes sense to your brain, keep a Journal. Keep track of what you did, how things went, any changes to the recipe, and anything else you can remember about what happened that did it didn't go according to plan. Check back and make notes on how it performs over time, both according to yourself and others. Your future self will thank you. And this goes doubly if your batches are spaced out over time, or if you make more soap than you need. You will not remember all the things, and it's amazing all the little things that can add up to big differences.

I did ask for a soap journal for my birthday last night - Hubby said no because I already have so many notebooks/journals/diaries already - I'm an addict. LOL.

 

[earlene]

So HI! I haven't been here in a couple years, was just making large batches of my staple soaps for self use. Decided I want to give soaps for Christmas this year so tonight I made a test batch of a lard recipe I've used before, to check scent. Anyway, due to loss of my microwave and me not being willing to buy a new one, I thought I'd try the 'heat transfer method' of melting my lard (which came out of the fridge) and CO. Uh, yeah. That did not work so well for a 1-lb mold! I had to put it on the stovetop to finish melting my oils and by the time everything was incorporated it was already at heavy trace. So my planned swirl was more a gloop. Next time I'll melt the oils first.... But, it's nice to be back!

Welcome back. Guspuppy! I've used a hot water bath as the heat to melt tubs of the softer hard oils. It may not work with cocoa butter, but it definitely works with the less solid hard oils like, babassu, lard, Coconut (although it's never really very hard here except in the winter), shea. You just have to be careful that your tub doesn't roll over on it's side in the hot water. A tight lid is great, but as the oil melts, it can still leak out and into the water. (I had that happen once, learned a lesson.)

Ooh YAY! I mailed a friend of mine some soap and she mailed me some roving wool from her sheep she raises, sheets, and processes herself. Wish I’d already made some soaps to felt! I suppose good soap, but nothing fancy would be appropriate.

How great to have a friend who processes the wool from her sheep and sends you some! Yes, actually any soap would be appropriate for felting. Even 'fancy' unless you don't want to hide the fancy. I prefer to use blandly colored soap (uncolored or plainly colored, even ugly colors). As for the shape of soap: Anything goes. See my avatar? That's a soap I made in the shape of a fish, then wet-felted the soap, and added details via needle felting.

 

[Jersey Girl]

Made these yesterday. Used OT Peche de Vigne....wow do they smell delicious...just like a fresh sweet white peach. I hope it sticks. When I was photographing them this morning I noticed the cute little owl in the center of the two I placed together. Soaping is like a Rorschach Test. Lol

 

[TashaBird]

I usually make soap in the afternoon so going to sleep helps with the impatience! Made some this morning now it’s almost making me crazy wanting to unmold!!!

 

[msunnerstood]

Finally got the rest of the snowman dookie out of the molds and was able to fix the one that got messed up so 5 outa 5 dookies for me.

 

[TashaBird]

Finally got the rest of the snowman dookie out of the molds and was able to fix the one that got messed up so 5 outa 5 dookies for me.

Any tips on using those molds? Did you do a ITPS?

 

[msunnerstood]

That's exactly what I did I poured a 3rd of the batter into a measuring cup And colored one blue and 1 white and then I took the blue batter and started from a little bit of height and poured it in a circular motion into the white batter and then as I continued this circle got closer. Then I just spun the bowl a couple of times to make sure it was good and swirly and poured.

I had to ask others how to tell when they were done and someone said that the top of the soap will feel like cheese and that is exactly accurate. If it feels sticky at all when you touched the top don't unmold it

I had to put my molds up on a shelf so that I wouldn't be looking at them because I am terribly impatient. I left them for A-day and a 1/2 before I was finally able to unmold the rest.

Any tips on using those molds? Did you do a ITPS?

 

[KiwiMoose]

I've been AWOL from soaping due to a very heavy workload. But I managed to squeeze in a rainbow soap today. Here's the top:

 

[TashaBird]

That's exactly what I did I poured a 3rd of the batter into a measuring cup And colored one blue and 1 white and then I took the blue batter and started from a little bit of height and poured it in a circular motion into the white batter and then as I continued this circle got closer. Then I just spun the bowl a couple of times to make sure it was good and swirly and poured.

I had to ask others how to tell when they were done and someone said that the top of the soap will feel like cheese and that is exactly accurate. If it feels sticky at all when you touched the top don't unmold it

I had to put my molds up on a shelf so that I wouldn't be looking at them because I am terribly impatient. I left them for A-day and a 1/2 before I was finally able to unmold the rest.

I’ll probably also pop em in the freezer for a bit before I unmold, and maybe I’ll add some extra SL. I’m excited to try!

 

[Arimara]

So HI! I haven't been here in a couple years, was just making large batches of my staple soaps for self use. Decided I want to give soaps for Christmas this year so tonight I made a test batch of a lard recipe I've used before, to check scent. Anyway, due to loss of my microwave and me not being willing to buy a new one, I thought I'd try the 'heat transfer method' of melting my lard (which came out of the fridge) and CO. Uh, yeah. That did not work so well for a 1-lb mold! I had to put it on the stovetop to finish melting my oils and by the time everything was incorporated it was already at heavy trace. So my planned swirl was more a gloop. Next time I'll melt the oils first.... But, it's nice to be back!

Long time no see. The heat TF method is probably better done when it's way warmer than it is now. It may be that I live in an old build but it's been so cold in the house as of late.

As for my soap venture, My soap entries crumbled horribly (I used 15g of salt per 500g oils not thinking much of it initially). The kicker is that I have no butters in this recipe and it's mostly lard.

 

[TashaBird]

@earlene thats great to learn! The one video I watched she suggested round or with no hard edges. I have JUST the soap!!! It’s a lovely ovalish shape, but ugly left over batter, but great soap. Should be perfect! Oh wow! Guess I’m doing this!

 

[shunt2011]

@Guspuppy Welcome back!

 

[SPowers]

I cut my 'marble' soap this morning and it doesn't look like marble! In retrospect I would have had a different/better result had I cut the soap horizontally. For some reason my brain doesn't think about that option until after the fact. The soap looks fine however I doubt I will post it on the challenge page as it clearly is not marble.

 

[Soapdragon]

I've been AWOL from soaping due to a very heavy workload. But I managed to squeeze in a rainbow soap today. Here's the top:
View attachment 49794

that is gorgeous! What did you use to colour the black? What percentage?

 

[TashaBird]

Just barely enough time to cut before I have an appointment. Almost waited too long. The sound my poor wire cutter made was VERY spooky! Just in time for Halloween. The yellow and greens glow in the dark! Yay! The busy one is a double plate pull through. First time doing that. Thanks for the idea @glendam ! And I swear sometimes the end slices have the best design of the whole loaf!

 

[glendam]

Just barely enough time to cut before I have an appointment. Almost waited too long. The sound my poor wire cutter made was VERY spooky! Just in time for Halloween. The yellow and greens glow in the dark! Yay! The busy one is a double plate pull through. First time doing that. Thanks for the idea @glendam ! And I swear sometimes the end slices have the best design of the whole loaf!

Totally agree! Sometimes I wish that what is in the end pieces would replicate in the whole loaf!