What soapy thing have you done today?

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My son wanted to make a presentation for his Chemistry co-op, so I helped to record the video. He made coconut oil soaps with kaolin and activated charcoal. His sister says the design reminds her of cows.

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For this week’s travels, I grabbed a small bar of soap that was the end of a ciaglia loaf made quite a while ago (for a SMF challenge, actually, I think). It’s at my hotel room sink and as I’ve been using it, I’ve noticed how nice it feels and how beautifully it lathers. Now, I’m in San Antonio and up the water here is super hard, so the hotel water is pretty softened. But still, this bar was better than most soaps that I travel with. I looked back at my notes and discovered that this batch was made in January 2023. I think this is probably the first time I’ve tried an old bar of soap that’s from the era where I feel I’m making good soap. I knew that older bars were nicer than newer ones, but wow! And this was when I was still using 20% lard. I’ve now gone to 30% so I’m excited to see what those bars are like in the future!
 
I've been in a funk lately so I made soap. ZNSB soap at that. 4 loaves. Bergamot (colored with spirulina), juniper and cedarwood (Himalayan rhubarb & indigo), tobacco & Amber (Himalayan rhubarb & activated charcoal), and lemon (tumeric). 2% sorbitol and .5% sodium gluconate.

This time I made the main batter uncolored and without the castor oil. Soaped really really cool. the oils were at 88° and the lye water was 110°. The main batter was fluid forever🎉

Set up the colors in each of 6 bowls, then added the appropriate amount of batter. Of course spillage was not accounted for🤦🏿‍♂️

🤞🏿I really hope this works. Cause it's so much less bowls to cleanup and time spent working.

There's a hanger swirl for the tobacco and amber and a very very bad attempt at a feather(ed?) mantra swirl with an accelerating juniper and cedarwood fragrance. 🤞🏿 The cut is pretty😬

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And, because, bowls and gear ties and dividers, oh my😂
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I've been in a funk lately so I made soap. ZNSB soap at that. 4 loaves. Bergamot (colored with spirulina), juniper and cedarwood (Himalayan rhubarb & indigo), tobacco & Amber (Himalayan rhubarb & activated charcoal), and lemon (tumeric). 2% sorbitol and .5% sodium gluconate.

This time I made the main batter uncolored and without the castor oil. Soaped really really cool. the oils were at 88° and the lye water was 110°. The main batter was fluid forever🎉

Set up the colors in each of 6 bowls, then added the appropriate amount of batter. Of course spillage was not accounted for🤦🏿‍♂️
And the cut of 3 of the 4🤯
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I think I did okay. Patterns match my vision. Colors, not so much. But that blue is BLUE BLUE😳

The lemon is still to soft to unmold. And the scents are all missing😭 I hope they return🤞🏿
 
The lemon is still to soft to unmold. And the scents are all missing😭 I hope they return🤞🏿
Given that you didn't smell the pine tar, either, my guess is that you are "nose blind." People tell me all the time how great my soap room smells, but I barely get a whiff now and then.

You could have someone else come over and tell you what they smell. Alternatively, you can try leaving the house for a few days; then come back and tell us what you smell. ;)
 
Given that you didn't smell the pine tar, either, my guess is that you are "nose blind." People tell me all the time how great my soap room smells, but I barely get a whiff now and then.

You could have someone else come over and tell you what they smell. Alternatively, you can try leaving the house for a few days; then come back and tell us what you smell.

I smell the Auson's pine tar fine. It's that other one that escapes me completely. I am nose blind to grapefruit and lavender now though. I have those grapefruit bars curing and the smell is potent but I only smelled it when I got back from a week long vacation.
 
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