What soapy thing have you done today?

[Adobehead]

I ordered two loaf molds online, hoping to end up with bars more uniform in size, since I sell them and feel bad for the folks that get the smaller ones. Each of the slabs made in the wooden molds I have used for years need to be cut into three long parts, then each of those is sliced into bars. Lots of cuts to angle off to the side a little. I have been using a long pizza knife to do this first cut, I told you I was old school. I will miss my trapezoids but not the inequity. If the bars turn out to weigh almost the same as each other, I will be pleased. The molds are custom made, so I am getting the finished size bar that I want. I hope.

 

[KiwiMoose]

I searched your posts and found this https://www.soapmakingforum.com/threads/patchouli-and-anise.78169/

Thank you so much! I did try to search but obviously my search skills are rather hopeless

 

[rdc1978]

I did a column pour. Whoever said that it's so tempting to do a few pulses even after you're pretty sure you're at emulsion was so right. The batter wasn't at emulsion as I wanted but I think it was at light trace.

I also read an old thread that informed me that it wasn't good to immediately stick blend to emulsion, but rather to stir and stick blend. So I tried to do that. .

Anyways, it started to get thick as I was pouring and so I wasn't in love with the top of the soap and Drew on the top instead of letting the column pour patters stay on top.

Since I soaped at 90 I put the soap under an upside down box and two electric blankets hoping to force gel phase. Fingers all the way crossed!

 

[Zing]

So my son finally 'fessed up. On his 21st birthday he got 21 dares. He left a bar of my soap with my phone number on it in the lone bathroom of a dive bar. I think that, um...beverages...were involved. Some people's kids!!

I continue to get bizarre texts with soap puns. And then today I get a call, "Yeah, I'm the manager of So-and-so Bar. Why is your phone number on every single poster in our restroom, even the 'employees must wash their hands before returning to work sign?" With a little bit of 'tude, you know? I explained that my son and his friends were punking me. She said, "Do you work for a soap company?" I said, no, I make soap as a hobby, I'm not selling, and I live half a continent away from you. I also said my son is totally grounded. She eventually started laughing herself. Some people's kids!!

 

[runnerchicki]

I made a bastille soap today. Made the mistake of using extra virgin OO. It took FOREVER to trace. It was all I had on hand and I didn't think it would take that much longer - geez was I wrong. I will not be using EVOO in soap ever again.

 

[Claudette Carignan]

I am fairly new to SOAP MAKING. So far I have made 3 batches. But I have already found that after you put it to bed in the mold, the next 24 hours is like waiting for a new baby. You know its there but you are a little anxious as to how it will turn out. And if all went well, when you deliver it out of the mold in 24 hours you experience a feeling of relief and satisfaction at the same time. Well anyway, that's how its been for me...…. Has it been the same way for you?

I’m new to soap making as well and just made my third batch this past weekend. I couldn’t have explained the feeling of waiting to take the soap out of the molds better then you did!

I made a bastille soap today. Made the mistake of using extra virgin OO. It took FOREVER to trace. It was all I had on hand and I didn't think it would take that much longer - geez was I wrong. I will not be using EVOO in soap ever again.

I used extra virgin OO as well but mixed it longer then the recipe called for and it seems to be curing fine. Mind you the recipe did say to let it cure for 48 to 72 hours. I made The batch on Saturday and it feels solid enough to remove from the molds but I’m going to wait the full 48 hours at least.

 

[Adobehead]

I also read an old thread that informed me that it wasn't good to immediately stick blend to emulsion, but rather to stir and stick blend.

I have found that the stick blender makes it appear to be at trace, but often if I stir it down with the spoon, it goes back to liquid. I call this false trace and always check with the spoon before I pour it.
Laurel

You know its there but you are a little anxious as to how it will turn out.

After this many years, I still wake up the following morning excited and want to "go say hello" to my soap. Maybe I have been living alone for too long!

 

[rdc1978]

After this many years, I still wake up the following morning excited and want to "go say hello" to my soap. Maybe I have been living alone for too long!
View attachment 44393 View attachment 44394

LOL, last night I was peeking in on my soap like it was a newborn baby. I need a hobby.....oh wait.....LOL

 

[runnerchicki]

I used extra virgin OO as well but mixed it longer then the recipe called for and it seems to be curing fine. Mind you the recipe did say to let it cure for 48 to 72 hours. I made The batch on Saturday and it feels solid enough to remove from the molds but I’m going to wait the full 48 hours at least.

I just unmolded and cut mine. It's only been about 18 hours. I used a huge water discount and I CPOP'd it so it was already very firm and the siliicone mold pulled cleanly away when I checked it. So out it came.

 

[Adobehead]

Lavender soap, about 16 pounds or 54 bars. Smells wonderful. Looks "so natural". A 6 week cure time will be plenty. Get out the pizza knife, more trapezoids to come.

There is no tallow in these 2, in my experiments the essential oils don't smell as loud as in this, my original formula. Will do a small test batch today with lavender to compare. I hope that is not true.

I really want to find oils I don't have to import and pay extra shipping.

 

[Jersey Girl]

Just unmolded this. I had gotten some new FOs from NS and had to try them out! I used Cucumber Melon in this one and it smells so nice. I hope the scent holds. Used 40% OO, 20% CO, 20% PO, 15% Shea and 5% castor.

 

[Adobehead]

Just unmolded this. I had gotten some new FOs from NS and had to try them out! I used Cucumber Melon in this one and it smells so nice. I hope the scent holds. Used 40% OO, 20% CO, 20% PO, 15% Shea and 5% castor. View attachment 44410

wow, so soft and pretty. makes me ashamed of my khaki and gray combination! there is no defending it!

 

[Jersey Girl]

wow, so soft and pretty. makes me ashamed of my khaki and gray combination! there is no defending it![/QUOTE

Awwww...thank you! And no soap is shameful! It’s all awesome!

 

[Jersey Girl]

Lavender soap, about 16 pounds or 54 bars. Smells wonderful. Looks "so natural". A 6 week cure time will be plenty. Get out the pizza knife, more trapezoids to come.

There is no tallow in these 2, in my experiments the essential oils don't smell as loud as in this, my original formula. Will do a small test batch today with lavender to compare. I hope that is not true.

I really want to find oils I don't have to import and pay extra shipping.

View attachment 44409

Thats a lot of soap! Wow! They look great and lavender is my favorite scent.

 

[cmzaha]

Right now I am soap sitting my Creamy Coconut soap I poured a little while ago. It smells wonderful but the fo tends to overheat severely. My attorney informed me he loves coconut scented and I have not poured any coconut for a long while just because the fo is so pesky.

I also masterbatched my last little bit of NaOH so I guess next week I am due for a lye run.

 

[Nona'sFarm]

I finally broke down and made a batch of the ubiquitous Black Raspberry Vanilla scented soap. I've always put off making this even though I have had requests for it, mainly because I always resisted having to make yet another brown soap due to vanilla in the scent.

Looks good enough to eat!

 

[Mobjack Bay]

Thank you so much! I did try to search but obviously my search skills are rather hopeless

Nice new photo!

@Adobehead a pizza knife! I need one of those!

 

[elurah]

I haven't posted in forever but I got the soaping bug again

This soap was super fun to make. For the bottom part, I tapped some finely ground coffee into the mold and then I poured the white soap on top of it. The top color is made from a combination of cocoa powder and mesquite honey. The EO blend includes Sage, Cedarwood, Bitter Orange, and Bergamot.

 

[Megan]

I made orange and red rosettes and stars for on top of a soap I have planned later in the week. Now I have to do yellow, green, blue and purple. From my experience last night, I'm going to try all four at once tonight as it will save a ton of time. I just hadn't piped in a while and wanted to play it safe last night!

 

[Adobehead]

So, after bringing my attention to my uneven cutting and hearing some feedback comments from you-all that were helpful, (thank you) I cut all that lavender soap (54 bars) sooooooo well and evenly. It is the best I have done. I may have to give up my crown as trapezoid queen one of these days.

It will be trimmed up, stamped with a pretty gold stamp and wrapped in handmade or recycled paper. They (customers) won't see it until they get home and by then they will just bury their noses in it. I think the wrapping paper just holds the scent and makes it more apparent. The goat's milk softens the camphorus edge of the lavender in a nice way, too.

The EO blend includes Sage, Cedarwood, Bitter Orange, and Bergamot.

Wow, wow, wow, this is some gorgeous soap, you are a girl after my own heart! Did you use milk cartons to get that shape?