What soapy thing have you done today?

[Catscankim]

Ever since Covid started, I have been leaving a basket in my entryway (outside my house) with soaps in it - for the postman, FedEx, Amazon, UPS drivers, etc. They really seem to like them - I see them (through the window) picking up each soap and smelling them. I swear the postman hand delivers our mail nowadays because he likes the soaps so much. I have probably given him 20 bars by now!

What a great idea!! My house faces west, so i would be afraid of the sun killing my soaps.

But maybe usps would be more inclined to put packages at my doorstep, instead of squeezing them into the mailbox whether they fit or not lol

 

[linne1gi]

What a great idea!! My house faces west, so i would be afraid of the sun killing my soaps.

But maybe usps would be more inclined to put packages at my doorstep, instead of squeezing them into the mailbox whether they fit or not lol

I can definitely confirm that the service I receive now is much better! I'm sure I have given away more than 100 soaps by now.

 

[Peachy Clean Soap]

What a great idea!! My house faces west, so i would be afraid of the sun killing my soaps.

But maybe usps would be more inclined to put packages at my doorstep, instead of squeezing them into the mailbox whether they fit or not lol

Its worth a try'.

 

[The_Emerald_Chicken]

Did you use actual Ginger Ale and if so, what does it add to the soap? Love all your soaps but I particularly like the Ginger Ale.

No, I didn't add actual ginger ale. I'm sure it could be done, but that sounds like an experiment for someone braver than me

My FO was ginger ale scented. It smells so happy!

 

[violets2217]

I was trying to figure out how to add cocoa butter into my vegan recipe, so i followed BB recipe for her slab mold on yt, except i robbed 2% olive oil to add 2%castor to make it a bit more bubbly.

Guess i needed a softer recipe. 18 hours and it was impossible to get through, and since i dont have a loaf splitter, i ended up cutting with a knife, which is a disaster. The more i try to fix it, the smaller the bars become lol. Guess i will wait a few days and try washing them. Right now they are about 4oz bars. The ones i really screwed up are about 3oz after “fixing”.

Next time, I am following my own recipe without the cocoa butter. Or just stick with my lard recipe. But i was on a vegan kick this week. Leave it to me to use a new recipe with a new mold and cutter...

44% olive oil, 25% palm oil, 20% coconut oil, 6% cocoa butter, 5% castor.

I found this pic on Pinterest... I use the last one I think! The one with lard, cause I love my lard! But not only are they slow soaps but soft too! At least the ones I’ve tried! You want me to make you my handy dandy log splitter? Lol!

Edited to insert image! Silly me!

 

[CatahoulaBubble]

I feel you. I leaned over to turn off a space heater and landed in the ER unable to stand up when i threw my back off. Hope your wrist feels better soon.

Apparently it's De Quervain's tenosynovitis. Which also has no known cause. Ridiculous rreally. And I have so much soaping I need to do. I want to get a start on next year's inventory,

 

[Misschief]

Apparently it's De Quervain's tenosynovitis. Which also has no known cause. Ridiculous rreally. And I have so much soaping I need to do. I want to get a start on next year's inventory,

I have that.... in both hands.

ETA: Don't get me wrong; most of the time, it doesn't bother me any more. But every now and then, it flares up and I need to wear a brace until it calms down. It never goes completely away, though. If it becomes truly debilitating, I would have to have surgery. My Dr. explained that it's similar to carpal tunnel syndrome but in a different spot.

 

[CatahoulaBubble]

I have that.... in both hands.

ETA: Don't get me wrong; most of the time, it doesn't bother me any more. But every now and then, it flares up and I need to wear a brace until it calms down. It never goes completely away, though. If it becomes truly debilitating, I would have to have surgery. My Dr. explained that it's similar to carpal tunnel syndrome but in a different spot.

Well it's being very inconvenient now. I ordered a brace for it and for now am just trying not to move my hand and wrist to aggravate it. This getting old thing sucks. I turned 46 on the 11th and now I'm falling apart. lol

 

[Misschief]

Well it's being very inconvenient now. I ordered a brace for it and for now am just trying not to move my hand and wrist to aggravate it. This getting old thing sucks. I turned 46 on the 11th and now I'm falling apart. lol

LOL.. talk to me when you're 66.

 

[Catscankim]

I was trying to figure out how to add cocoa butter into my vegan recipe, so i followed BB recipe for her slab mold on yt, except i robbed 2% olive oil to add 2%castor to make it a bit more bubbly.

Guess i needed a softer recipe. 18 hours and it was impossible to get through, and since i dont have a loaf splitter, i ended up cutting with a knife, which is a disaster. The more i try to fix it, the smaller the bars become lol. Guess i will wait a few days and try washing them. Right now they are about 4oz bars. The ones i really screwed up are about 3oz after “fixing”.

Next time, I am following my own recipe without the cocoa butter. Or just stick with my lard recipe. But i was on a vegan kick this week. Leave it to me to use a new recipe with a new mold and cutter...

44% olive oil, 25% palm oil, 20% coconut oil, 6% cocoa butter, 5% castor.

Something weird about these soaps. They are chalky looking and feeling (dry). I just washed my hands with one of the pieces, and it actually felt nice and already had some nice lather, but they really look weird.

They were cpop in a wooden mold w/liner. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary while soaping.

btw, the Bourbon Street that i raved about oob smells like a cedar closet now...not a fan. As a matter of fact, these are going to be curing out in the spare bedroom in the garage with the pine tar soaps lol.

 

[TashaBird]

Something weird about these soaps. They are chalky looking and feeling (dry). I just washed my hands with one of the pieces, and it actually felt nice and already had some nice lather, but they really look weird.

They were cpop in a wooden mold w/liner. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary while soaping.

btw, the Bourbon Street that i raved about oob smells like a cedar closet now...not a fan. As a matter of fact, these are going to be curing out in the spare bedroom in the garage with the pine tar soaps lol.

They look pretty! Like marble!

I haven’t made soap in two weeks! This has been the longest I’ve gone without soaping since march. My tallow supply issue really messed me up. I got a lot of other things done though, but I miss making soap!
New tallow arrives today, fingers crossed!!
But, now my garage soap making studio is SO much colder than it was!!
How can soaping in a cold space affect the process?
I”m going to take the temp down there today. But my guess is 50-60F.

 

[Misschief]

Something weird about these soaps. They are chalky looking and feeling (dry). I just washed my hands with one of the pieces, and it actually felt nice and already had some nice lather, but they really look weird.

They were cpop in a wooden mold w/liner. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary while soaping.

btw, the Bourbon Street that i raved about oob smells like a cedar closet now...not a fan. As a matter of fact, these are going to be curing out in the spare bedroom in the garage with the pine tar soaps lol.

Just a thought.. do you spray them with rubbing alcohol?

 

[AliOop]

Something weird about these soaps. They are chalky looking and feeling (dry). I just washed my hands with one of the pieces, and it actually felt nice and already had some nice lather, but they really look weird.

They were cpop in a wooden mold w/liner. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary while soaping.

btw, the Bourbon Street that i raved about oob smells like a cedar closet now...not a fan. As a matter of fact, these are going to be curing out in the spare bedroom in the garage with the pine tar soaps lol.

They look great! And the smell may morph back during cure - let’s hope!

As for the chalky look, could it be ash? Couple things could contribute to more ash than usual: Did you leave top uncovered while you played with the design for awhile? Do you know if the soap gelled?

If it isn’t ash, and this is your normal recipe, my next guess is that the FO isn’t playing nicely with your oil combo or your colors.

 

[Catscankim]

@AliOop im pretty sure they gelled. I didnt actually look at them but they were well insulated and cpop...no partial gel. And i washed my hands with a piece earlier, if it were ash, that woulda washed off, i would think. It dried up and still looks weird.

@Misschief i normally spray will rubbing alcohol, but i was out, so no

i couldnt get the wire cutter through them...and they are crumbly around the edges. Super hard at 18 hours. I was originally blaming the recipe, but i think i am going to blame either the fo (did 6% + a few grams that i overpoured and didnt pour back, maybe 6.5%?) Or i mis-measured something. I am leaning towards the latter. Will never know unless i repeat the recipe i guess.

 

[Guspuppy]

btw, the Bourbon Street that i raved about oob smells like a cedar closet now...not a fan. As a matter of fact, these are going to be curing out in the spare bedroom in the garage with the pine tar soaps lol.

That's a shame, they are so pretty! Hopefully they scent does morph back!!

How can soaping in a cold space affect the process?
I”m going to take the temp down there today. But my guess is 50-60F.

My basement averages 58F. (My upstairs is between 60-65F. Hot flashes are MISERABLE) I just have to make sure I soap pretty warm, which does cause some recipes to accelerate. Once I soaped with cold lye (sat overnight) and barely melted oils, in the cold basement. The batter seemed to trace instantly and I was afraid it was going to be false trace but the end soap came out fine. I do CPOP everything upstairs in the oven though!

 

[AliOop]

@AliOop im pretty sure they gelled. I didnt actually look at them but they were well insulated and cpop...no partial gel. And i washed my hands with a piece earlier, if it were ash, that woulda washed off, i would think. It dried up and still looks weird.

@Misschief i normally spray will rubbing alcohol, but i was out, so no

i couldnt get the wire cutter through them...and they are crumbly around the edges. Super hard at 18 hours. I was originally blaming the recipe, but i think i am going to blame either the fo (did 6% + a few grams that i overpoured and didnt pour back, maybe 6.5%?) Or i mis-measured something. I am leaning towards the latter. Will never know unless i repeat the recipe i guess.

Yes, sounds like an FO problem or a mis-measurement, then. I've had that when I accidentally put in the SL twice. Does the crumbly area zap at all?

 

[Whillow]

I cut these this morning before heading to work.

 

[The Park Bench]

So excited to discover that my labels will stick if I wet them and smooth them on the bars!. This is a great labeling hack for me and will save me a ton of time!

 

[AliOop]

@The Park Bench Do they come off easily after they've been attached for a bit? I would hate to end up with label bits all over my soap, but if they do come off, that's brilliant!

My soaping thing yesterday was watching a bunch of acrylic painting string pull videos, gearing up for my string-pull attempt tomorrow evening. Some of those videos are set to beautiful music and are super relaxing. In fact, they might make you fall asleep on the couch after dinner... but I admit nothing since there is no proof.

 

[earlene]

So excited to discover that my labels will stick if I wet them and smooth them on the bars!. This is a great labeling hack for me and will save me a ton of time!

I would test it over time. I have noticed that my soap continues to shrink (evaporating water) for quite a long time after I have wrapped them. Sometimes I have to tighten the packaging, bit it shrink wrap &/or paper labels.

It seems likely that as evaporation continues and the soap shrinks, your water-glued labels would wrinkle and possibly begin to come loose or fall off.

If you test it over time, you'd have a better idea if they will still adhere & how they look at the 2-month; 3-month; 6-month mark (or however long.)