What soapy thing have you done today?

[Ekuzo]

ZNSB? New lingo

That should be Zany's No Slime Bastille - like the castile version, but the olive oil can get as low as 70% and the rest is something else, like coconut bubbly goodness, or basically anything that's not olive oil

 

[bookworm42]

ZNSB? New lingo

Zany's no slime bastille soap. Here is the thread and recipe. I haven't tried making it yet but there's a lot of people in this forum who love it.

 

[Nonnie]

That should be Zany's No Slime Bastille - like the castile version, but the olive oil can get as low as 70% and the rest is something else, like coconut bubbly goodness, or basically anything that's not olive oil

Has anyone tried this with HO sunflower oil, since it has the same SAP value? I know that strays even further from the idea of bastille soap. Just curious

 

[Ekuzo]

Has anyone tried this with HO sunflower oil, since it has the same SAP value? I know that strays even further from the idea of bastille soap. Just curious

https://www.soapmakingforum.com/thr...and-other-plant-based-soap.93871/post-1016948

Here, people do that. I'm not a purist and if it works, it works - who cares about the name lol

 

[Nonnie]

I'm so freaking upset right now. I've been working toward a bigfestival in my hometown for months. Now I can't go.i drive a truck for a living, it's broke down, and trying to getit back together before Monday. So, now I'm out fee plus sales plus all the extra stuff I'll have now. This sucks.

 

[TashaBird]

Planning to make soap today for the first time in TWO YEARS! (Except for the soap dough last week) I’m so nervous! I just mixed my lye water and realized I forgot to dissolve my sugar in the water first. Is there any way to save it? My recipe needs it for lather?

 

[AliOop]

Planning to make soap today for the first time in TWO YEARS! (Except for the soap dough last week) I’m so nervous! I just mixed my lye water and realized I forgot to dissolve my sugar in the water first. Is there any way to save it? My recipe needs it for lather?

Just take a little extra distilled water and dissolve the sugar in that. Add the sugar-water to the oils as the same time that you add the lye solution. The little bit of extra water should not make much if any difference to the batter. At most, the soap may take a tad longer to firm up in the mold.

 

[TashaBird]

Just take a little extra distilled water and dissolve the sugar in that. Add the sugar-water to the oils as the same time that you add the lye solution. The little bit of extra water should not make much if any difference to the batter. At most, the soap may take a tad longer to firm up in the mold.

I’m worried about the workability and ash. I started over, but may need something help when I go to use the first batch. I’d prefer to keep the recipe as close as possible since I know that’s what’s worked before. And I decided to kick the can down the road and start over today. The lye water will keep for a bit if covered, right?
Also, do you cover your lye water while it cools to prevent evaporation?

 

[ewhitake]

The pic from yesterday wasn’t great as the embed was too soft to cut. Here’s a better slice from today. Now to figure the soap!! I’m thinking maybe OPW?

Do I see a Trek themed soap in someone’s future?

 

[TashaBird]

Do I see a Trek themed soap in someone’s future?

I'm so excited! Nervous I'll mess it up.

 

[AliOop]

I’m worried about the workability and ash. I started over, but may need something help when I go to use the first batch. I’d prefer to keep the recipe as close as possible since I know that’s what’s worked before. And I decided to kick the can down the road and start over today. The lye water will keep for a bit if covered, right?
Also, do you cover your lye water while it cools to prevent evaporation?

It's really a very small amount of water needed to dissolve the sugar - only about half the weight of the sugar. So if you are adding 10g of sugar to a 1000g batch, you only need 5g of water to dissolve it. That 5g of extra water in a 1000g batch should not even be noticeable.

EDITED TO ADD: If you are using only a 33% lye concentration, you may be able to dissolve the sugar directly in that. Sugar alone is very soluble. It's the salts that I find much harder to dissolve in general, and especially in premade lye solution. Anyway, if the sugar doesn't dissolve, or only dissolves in part, then strain your lye solution through a strainer when pouring it into your batter.

Regarding the lye solution, yes, I do cover mine while it is cooling. If it is going to be saved for later, it needs to be stored in an airtight container (not just covered), or it will draw water from the air, and also form soda ash, making your solution weaker.

 

[ewhitake]

I unmolded my first large square mold. Making that much at a time was so exciting and nerve racking at the same time.

 

[ewhitake]

I'm so excited! Nervous I'll mess it up.

It looks good to me!! Where did you get the mold?

 

[TashaBird]

It's really a very small amount of water needed to dissolve the sugar - only about half the weight of the sugar. So if you are adding 10g of sugar to a 1000g batch, you only need 5g of water to dissolve it. That 5g of extra water in a 1000g batch should not even be noticeable.

EDITED TO ADD: If you are using only a 33% lye concentration, you may be able to dissolve the sugar directly in that. Sugar alone is very soluble. It's the salts that I find much harder to dissolve in general, and especially in premade lye solution. Anyway, if the sugar doesn't dissolve, or only dissolves in part, then strain your lye solution through a strainer when pouring it into your batter.

Regarding the lye solution, yes, I do cover mine while it is cooling. If it is going to be saved for later, it needs to be stored in an airtight container (not just covered), or it will draw water from the air, and also form soda ash, making your solution weaker.

I will revisit this after I make today’s soap. Thanks so much! I can’t quite understand it right now, but I may hit you up when I go to use it.
Haven’t made soap in two years so of course I decided to something really complicated.
Decided to add a star so extruded one at the last minute. Almost forgot my fragrance but was able to add it. When my recipe works it really works great and I love it!
I put the soap in a cooler wrapped in a towel with a folded towel on top and a couple microwaved neck wrap things on top.
Do you think that will be enough heat? I used to use an electric heating pad that I would leave on for half an hour and then turn off, but I couldn’t find it.

 

[Nonnie]

Cutting up an impression mat hurt my feelings lol. And I bought one of the cheap, bad reviews, multi cutter for cheap to try. It might not last but I'll give a whirl

 

[TashaBird]

Cutting up an impression mat hurt my feelings lol. And I bought one of the cheap, bad reviews, multi cutter for cheap to try. It might not last but I'll give a whirl

I'm so intrigued! What're you doing with the strips of impression mat?

 

[bookworm42]

I'm so intrigued! What're you doing with the strips of impression mat?

My guess is the October knit/buffalo plaid challenge. I plan on doing the same thing when mine get here.

 

[Chaiat5]

I beveled the white soap

They look beautiful! I love a white soap! (Made one by accident and haven’t been able to replicate it )

 

[Chaiat5]

So today, it’s olive oil and jars … I have ordered annatto, alkanet, calendula and Himalayan rhubarb and hope to infuse the oil for colours

Any other suggestions for colouring soap naturally?

 

[justsomeguy]

So today, it’s olive oil and jars … I have ordered annatto, alkanet, calendula and Himalayan rhubarb and hope to infuse the oil for colours

Any other suggestions for colouring soap naturally?

There's paprika and tumeric and indigo and a few books about other natural colorants.