What soapy thing have you done today?

[scotsman]

Good luck. I hope you get them as a client. I had somebody from a local Whole Foods-type store in my area called Fresh Market approach me about potentially sticking my soaps. It would be a financial boon but I'm my only employee and work a full-time day job as well so I'm not sure if I could find the time for a second commercial account. The first one is already stretching my time paper thin, lol!

 

[houseofwool]

I dropped off the soaps at the brewery today. The brewer/owner said he was excited about showering tonight.

 

[IrishLass]

Made another batch of my creamy cocoa/shea glycerin liquid soap. Well, just the paste, so far. I'm going to dilute some of it tomorrow.

IrishLass

 

[jules92207]

Cut a chunk off my lavender olive oil soap, totally not ready. Will stamp my unscented oatmeal coconut milk and honey soap later.

Playing on soapcalc.

 

[neeners]

it's going on 3 months since I've made soap. the itch has gotten really bad. thankfully, I've ordered most of the supplies that I'm missing (except for a mold....), so next week I should be able to make an all lard utility soap, so it doesn't have to be pretty. I also ordered some KOH, and while I'm waiting for my mold (friend is making one for me), I'm going to start dabbling in LS a la Grayce's method. I can't wait!

 

[marie743]

I tried something new today

I have been anxious to slow down trace so that I have enough time to make nice swirl colors. So I traded palm oil for lard and used sunflower oil and olive oil and castor oil. I waited until lye/water and oils cooled down to about 80 degrees. This process slowed down trace and I did some nice color swirls. My soap was poured into the mold about 8 hours ago and it is still very soft and did not emit heat as though the soap did not go thru gel phase. Is this normal to remain very soft after this amount of time and not go thru gel phase. Was 80 degrees a mistake?

 

[marie743]

What do you mean that it wasn't ready?

 

[jules92207]

Its way too soft to cut - needs to firm up more. One of the strangest soaps really, like playdoh. :what:

 

[mintle]

I am in the HP and KOH madness! Just tried it yesterday and I have already made shaving soap (success), cream soap (not sure if partial failure or total disaster yet) and hp laundry soap (naoh only) - still cooking. HP seems much more forgiving than CP.

 

[lionprincess00]

Just made my fourth batch, an avocado puree salt bar. Been an hr and a half since I poured....or there abouts. Terrified it's going to crumble and fall apart! Just put it into the freezer because the sides look like they're cracking kind of....individual silicone mold circles btw. Ahhhhh!!!!

 

[IrishLass]

I have been anxious to slow down trace so that I have enough time to make nice swirl colors. So I traded palm oil for lard and used sunflower oil and olive oil and castor oil. I waited until lye/water and oils cooled down to about 80 degrees. This process slowed down trace and I did some nice color swirls. My soap was poured into the mold about 8 hours ago and it is still very soft and did not emit heat as though the soap did not go thru gel phase. Is this normal to remain very soft after this amount of time and not go thru gel phase. Was 80 degrees a mistake?

I wouldn't worry too much at this point, Marie. Whether a soap gels or not can depend on several factors- water amount and temp being 2 of biggest ones- but it's not a bad thing if a soap does not gel. It'll still firm up and become good soap eventually, it'll just take longer than a soap that goes through the gel phase. Soaps that don't gel are quite soft and can feel much like the consistency of cream cheese for a bit. Some stay so soft that they can't even be unmolded for a 2 or 3 days after pour (depending on the recipe). Just give it some time. Time cures all soap.

How much water did you use in your batch?

IrishLass

 

[LunaSkye]

I made my first attempt at both coffee soap and coconut milk soap and totally botched it up with the technique I used. It would have been fine if I remembered to add the coffee into the coconut milk as I planned, but that delay resulted into a lumpy mass instead of something smooth & creamy. Time will tell if it will still be decent...

 

[grumpy_owl]

Made a bunch of Halloween-themed melt and pours, then a batch of CP swirl in my sexy new mold using amber, neroli, shea blossom and honey beeswax scents for a girlfriend who likes hippie fragrances. I hope the base color darkens to brown since the swirl is gray-black. Right now it's a mustardy horrible yellow.
Licked the red currant (wee bit zappy), sniffed all my babies and glared at the cranberry (scent is gone, and I did such a pretty pencil line), turned them over and tucked them in. A good day!

 

[houseofwool]

Last night, I did the accounting side if the business. Blech

I also made a 4 loaf batch of Milk and Honey soap.

And, i spent nearly $500 in supplies. Yikes!!!!

 

[getagrip]

Maybe I goofed?

I melted my oils and mixed my lye water three days ago, intending to let both cool to room temp (HP), but then stuff happened and it's like I said THREE DAYS. Do you think my lye water is still good? Should I dump it and mix again?

 

[houseofwool]

I melted my oils and mixed my lye water three days ago, intending to let both cool to room temp (HP), but then stuff happened and it's like I said THREE DAYS. Do you think my lye water is still good? Should I dump it and mix again?

Do you know the tare weight of the container? If so, you should be able to weigh the whole thing, subtract out the weight of the lye that was added. What remains is the weight of the water. If it is less than what it should be, add additional water back the container.

 

[IrishLass]

I melted my oils and mixed my lye water three days ago, intending to let both cool to room temp (HP), but then stuff happened and it's like I said THREE DAYS. Do you think my lye water is still good? Should I dump it and mix again?

No need to dump it. I let mine sit for months without any problem (I master-batch my lye solution). If you covered your container well, there shouldn't be any evaporation, but if you want to make sure, you can do as Houseofwool suggested and weigh it, and then add water back in if needed.

IrishLass

 

[jules92207]

Narrowed down my favorite soaps and recipes. 9 months and 70 batches later I think I finally have settled on my favorite recipes and fragrances. Whew.

Also cut my pink grapefruit, fir needle and patchouli batch.

 

[neeners]

awesome Jules! always great to narrow stuff down.

I got my KOH! I'm going to a new neighbourhood today to see if I can find some cheap coconut oil. (don't want to practice on the pricey stuff). the plan is to make some LS paste a la Grayce's method, and have some dish soap (ran out of the bought stuff, and have been using bar soap). and possibly some lye soap. oohhh!!! I'm so excited!!!! haven't made soap in MONTHS!!!!! still waiting on my mold to start CP, but this will tie me over until I get my mold.....

 

[reinbeau]

I made an elder flower honey ale soap from The Essential Herbal. I'm sure it's gellin' like a felon right now under rise towels with three tablespoons of honey in a 6 pound batch!