What soapy thing have you done today?

[linne1gi]

No, that's CP, I can't seem to upload my HP photo. I'll try again.

Here’s my HP soap.

 

[amd]

I have not made soap in over a month (or been on the forum for several weeks). I finally made full batch yesterday and was very happy with the cut. Today I made 1 half batch that will be cut and placed for another batch (pretty sure that doesn't make sense, it will when I show the cut). Here's today's cut.

 

[msunnerstood]

Here’s my HP soap.

That turned out Beautiful! Great swirl, color and Texture!

 

[msunnerstood]

I wasnt exactly going for Camo Soap... sigh Maybe once it dries a bit more and I get it cleaned up and polished,

 

[Chris_S]

Maybe you added too much liquid when you rebatched? If that’s the problem, it’ll just take some time for the moisture to evaporate out. Leave it alone for a month or so and you may end up liking it.

Its very possible that i have done but i might just of completely fudged up too iv carefully taken them out the silicone liner today so im going to put them on the top shelf of my curing shelves and just forget about them dont think i can even cut them yet. So ill probably just put the loafs on there and have a prod every few days and see if they have hardened enough to cut. Tbh ill just give me friends and family now makes me feel like it was an utter waste doing the rebatch because its same result lol. Ah well could be worse eh.

What soapy thing have i done? Well iv just used one me cured bars that i made about 3 weeks ago in the shower and omg its such a lovely bar lathers really well smells lovely and isnt too drying which given it has more coconut oil than i normally used i was pleasently surprised but very happy once me stuffs cleaned in dishwasher im gunna get another batch made tonight but defo wont forget the eo this time

Is anyone having issues with the website since the update? Its taken me all morning to get this far!

 

[cmzaha]

Its very possible that i have done but i might just of completely fudged up too iv carefully taken them out the silicone liner today so im going to put them on the top shelf of my curing shelves and just forget about them dont think i can even cut them yet. So ill probably just put the loafs on there and have a prod every few days and see if they have hardened enough to cut. Tbh ill just give me friends and family now makes me feel like it was an utter waste doing the rebatch because its same result lol. Ah well could be worse eh.

What soapy thing have i done? Well iv just used one me cured bars that i made about 3 weeks ago in the shower and omg its such a lovely bar lathers really well smells lovely and isnt too drying which given it has more coconut oil than i normally used i was pleasently surprised but very happy once me stuffs cleaned in dishwasher im gunna get another batch made tonight but defo wont forget the eo this time

Is anyone having issues with the website since the update? Its taken me all morning to get this far!

When you rebatch than new a soap you should have just put on gloves and smashed it up. It would have eventually melted down. If you have a stainless steel pot rebatch will meltdown better in an oven using an oven around 220º F. It really would have been better to have just left it as an unfragranced soap since EO is not used as an oil making soap it is used as a fragrance.

 

[Chris_S]

When you rebatch than new a soap you should have just put on gloves and smashed it up. It would have eventually melted down. If you have a stainless steel pot rebatch will meltdown better in an oven using an oven around 220º F. It really would have been better to have just left it as an unfragranced soap since EO is not used as an oil making soap it is used as a fragrance.

I know its just used for scent but our laws mean because i didnt add it i cant legally sell it or donate it and with it being such a big batch i wanted to try get some use out of it

I know i just wont bother next time but it was suggested i rebatch it so i can still donate it. it was to try and not have it go to waste as i cant donate an unscented bar, ah well you live n learn eh if its useable once dried out i can at least use it for myself n friends and family. Ill keep your advise in mind if i ever have to rebatch new soap again though thank you

 

[runnerchicki]

I tried hot process soap yesterday for the first time. I made an essential oil blend that hasn't stuck well in CP and I wanted to see if it would do better using the HP method. Here is what I learned from yesterday's experience:

1. HP is more stressful than CP. My slow cooker that is dedicated for soaping cooks VERY slow. It took 90 minutes for the batch to gel to the center (50 oz. oil recipe). I could not wander too far from the cooker although in retrospect I was never in any danger of a volcano because it was such a slow process. I was afraid to use the high setting though in case my cooker was extreme on both sides of the temp scale. I didn't stir during the cook because I didn't want crunchies building up on the sides of the pot.
2. It is very hard to thoroughly mix in anything before molding. I mixed in a very small amount of mica with my essential oils simply so I would have a visual on when everything was thoroughly incorporated. It takes a while, is tiring, and the soap starts to cool during this mixing which makes it stressful about getting it in the mold without crunchy bits or huge air pockets. I really like in CP that I just mix my fragrance into my oils before the lye so I never have to worry about hotspots.
3. It will take longer for this soap to cure than the same recipe done CP (this is my standard recipe so I know it very well). I used a 30% lye solution so I had MUCH more water than I normally use. Put plastic wrap under the crock pot lid to prevent moisture evaporation (in order to keep the soap as fluid as possible). I cut the loaf into bars today - they are sticky and soft. Same recipe done CP with a water discount I would already be beveling the soaps. I actually like the look of the rustic bars - but I'm sure that my HP bars are going to shrink a lot and I hope they don't warp. So much water left to lose.
4. Before anyone comments on #3 that HP soap cures faster ... I am not a believer of this. I believe it SAPONIFIES faster, but I'm convinced the curing process will take just as long - if not longer than CP because it has to lose all that extra water.
5. Cleanup is easier with HP. Literally this was the most positive part of my experience. No oily plastic to deal with. It's all soap by cleanup time and washes away easily.
6. Only time will tell if the EO fragrance sticks any longer - but as of right now, it IS staying true. So that is encouraging.
7. So in my mind, the only reason I will ever do HP is when I want to use an additive or fragrance that doesn't do well with the lye. Otherwise I like CP better because it is actually faster and less stressful (I don't do many designs so did not worry about swirlability). To be clear - I am NOT dissing the HP process - I am just not cut out to do it all the time I think. Hat's off to those of you who have mastered it!

 

[linne1gi]

I tried hot process soap yesterday for the first time. I made an essential oil blend that hasn't stuck well in CP and I wanted to see if it would do better using the HP method. Here is what I learned from yesterday's experience:

1. HP is more stressful than CP. My slow cooker that is dedicated for soaping cooks VERY slow. It took 90 minutes for the batch to gel to the center (50 oz. oil recipe). I could not wander too far from the cooker although in retrospect I was never in any danger of a volcano because it was such a slow process. I was afraid to use the high setting though in case my cooker was extreme on both sides of the temp scale. I didn't stir during the cook because I didn't want crunchies building up on the sides of the pot.
2. It is very hard to thoroughly mix in anything before molding. I mixed in a very small amount of mica with my essential oils simply so I would have a visual on when everything was thoroughly incorporated. It takes a while, is tiring, and the soap starts to cool during this mixing which makes it stressful about getting it in the mold without crunchy bits or huge air pockets. I really like in CP that I just mix my fragrance into my oils before the lye so I never have to worry about hotspots.
3. It will take longer for this soap to cure than the same recipe done CP (this is my standard recipe so I know it very well). I used a 30% lye solution so I had MUCH more water than I normally use. Put plastic wrap under the crock pot lid to prevent moisture evaporation (in order to keep the soap as fluid as possible). I cut the loaf into bars today - they are sticky and soft. Same recipe done CP with a water discount I would already be beveling the soaps. I actually like the look of the rustic bars - but I'm sure that my HP bars are going to shrink a lot and I hope they don't warp. So much water left to lose.
4. Before anyone comments on #3 that HP soap cures faster ... I am not a believer of this. I believe it SAPONIFIES faster, but I'm convinced the curing process will take just as long - if not longer than CP because it has to lose all that extra water.
5. Cleanup is easier with HP. Literally this was the most positive part of my experience. No oily plastic to deal with. It's all soap by cleanup time and washes away easily.
6. Only time will tell if the EO fragrance sticks any longer - but as of right now, it IS staying true. So that is encouraging.
7. So in my mind, the only reason I will ever do HP is when I want to use an additive or fragrance that doesn't do well with the lye. Otherwise I like CP better because it is actually faster and less stressful (I don't do many designs so did not worry about swirlability). To be clear - I am NOT dissing the HP process - I am just not cut out to do it all the time I think. Hat's off to those of you who have mastered it!

Hi, Hopefully I can give you a couple of tips. I have been CP soaping for 7 years and HP soaping for just over 1 year. When I HP I use the default of 38% water in SoapCalc, but I remove 3 tablespoons of that water. I cook pretty much the same as you elaborated but I cook on high and it usually takes just over a half hour. I do not leave the area, but I prepare my additives. After the cook, I turn off the crock pot but leave the batter inside. I add in 1 tablespoon greek yogurt, 1 tablespoon coconut milk, 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar and 1 tablespoon of a simple sugar syrup. I know that is 1 tablespoon more, but this is HP and you can add a tiny bit more liquid without a problem. I also add in my extra superfat, and my fragrance. I usually calculate 3% up front in SoapCalc and 3-4% after the cook. All these ingredients I warm up. If you add anything to HP soap it will immediately shock it and it will harden. I keep a flat skillet simmering with an inch of water on my stove - I place 2 containers half filled with water inside this water bath - I place a smaller container with my additives inside one of these containers, so that everything that comes into contact with the batter is warmed. I use the 2 containers for my colors - even the container has to be warm. Originally when I started making HP soap, I used the 38% default on SoapCalc but did not remove any liquid and still added these additives after the cook - my soap was quite spongy and took a long time to harden up. This method of removing some of the liquid has worked exceptionally well for me. I hope it works well for you too.

 

[linne1gi]

 

[amd]

@linne1gi that is gorgeous!

I'm out of avj but I did manage to finish the second pour for the Lavender Martini soap. I'm out of yogurt so I have some of that going in the instant pot now so I might get another batch done today... If I get soap dishes done. I also need to masterbatch another bucket of my vegan recipe. I also paid in bed for a ridiculous amount of time this morning and reorganized my saved collections on Instagram. I need to look at those collections more often, so.much.inspiration!

Here's the top of the Lavender Martini soap

 

[linne1gi]

I love that top! What is the fragrance of lavender martini? I get the lavender but what else is in there? I’m somewhat of a fragrance hoarder! I have so much - but somehow that doesn’t keep me from buying more.

 

[runnerchicki]

Hi, Hopefully I can give you a couple of tips. I have been CP soaping for 7 years and HP soaping for just over 1 year. When I HP I use the default of 38% water in SoapCalc, but I remove 3 tablespoons of that water. I cook pretty much the same as you elaborated but I cook on high and it usually takes just over a half hour. I do not leave the area, but I prepare my additives. After the cook, I turn off the crock pot but leave the batter inside. I add in 1 tablespoon greek yogurt, 1 tablespoon coconut milk, 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar and 1 tablespoon of a simple sugar syrup. I know that is 1 tablespoon more, but this is HP and you can add a tiny bit more liquid without a problem. I also add in my extra superfat, and my fragrance. I usually calculate 3% up front in SoapCalc and 3-4% after the cook. All these ingredients I warm up. If you add anything to HP soap it will immediately shock it and it will harden. I keep a flat skillet simmering with an inch of water on my stove - I place 2 containers half filled with water inside this water bath - I place a smaller container with my additives inside one of these containers, so that everything that comes into contact with the batter is warmed. I use the 2 containers for my colors - even the container has to be warm. Originally when I started making HP soap, I used the 38% default on SoapCalc but did not remove any liquid and still added these additives after the cook - my soap was quite spongy and took a long time to harden up. This method of removing some of the liquid has worked exceptionally well for me. I hope it works well for you too.

I did warm my additives, containers, and even my silicone utensils in order to not cause temperature shock to the soap - but thank you for bringing that up because I didn't mention it in my post. I don't use the water as a % of oils measurement - I use the lye concentration percentage so I really don't know how much water I could remove to solve the spongy bar problem. I will have to look into that (I use Soapmakingfriend for my recipes) One thing I am uncomfortable with is adding food items after the cook. I plan to search for threads that discuss this so I can be better informed.

I guess - FOR ME, and only having this one HP experience - I just don't see a good reason for doing HP very often. It seems to be more work to come to the same resulting bar. But - I will keep an open mind and try it again soon with your tips (thank you for those!) Maybe I will be converted. I do like that I can actually smell the essential oils. That was the main reason I tried it.

 

[jcandleattic]

The only "soapy" thing I've done today is figure out the coloring scheme for the next soap I'm going to do. That's about it.
I still haven't made my challenge soap, but am trying to figure that out as well.

 

[qtkitty]

I did my first cpop and was able to take soap soup to a solid soap I could cut. So far so good.

I also had guy friend, that has a high risk job atm, he asked about a good cleaning soap. I know he was specifically asking for the best soap to kill/wash off as many viruses as possible. So got into the whole discussion of not wanting to clean skin to much and strip it completely. And the fact that you can't poof soap out of thin air that it needs to cure. I can tell he isn't into the castile soap type of lather, and thinks lots of bubbles = clean. Also he has african skin that is prone to getting ashy. He loves coconut and dragon's blood (which I have that fo) so thinking over a recipe. I would like to make him a good soap that will make him feel like its doing a good job. I don't really want to experiment with this, so if anyone has a good recipe let me know. I have olive oil, coconut oil, caster oil, sweet almond oil, canola oil, unrefined shea butter. I also have lard and unflavored crisco, which I don't use in my soap, but I have at my disposal. I also have some coconut creme, which has sugar in it so it would up the bubbles in the lather. Any ideas?

 

[linne1gi]

I did warm my additives, containers, and even my silicone utensils in order to not cause temperature shock to the soap - but thank you for bringing that up because I didn't mention it in my post. I don't use the water as a % of oils measurement - I use the lye concentration percentage so I really don't know how much water I could remove to solve the spongy bar problem. I will have to look into that (I use Soapmakingfriend for my recipes) One thing I am uncomfortable with is adding food items after the cook. I plan to search for threads that discuss this so I can be better informed.

I guess - FOR ME, and only having this one HP experience - I just don't see a good reason for doing HP very often. It seems to be more work to come to the same resulting bar. But - I will keep an open mind and try it again soon with your tips (thank you for those!) Maybe I will be converted. I do like that I can actually smell the essential oils. That was the main reason I tried it.

Even though the lye is supposedly neutralized after the cook, I personally think there’s some left - that and the high pH of soap in general is probably enough to not worry about adding food items. I wouldn’t add any whole foods like avocado or banana after the cook, but liquids I don’t worry about. Another thing I really like about HP soap is the ability to add my super fat after the cook. The fragrance sticks forever as well, and for me at least the HP soaps have the most bubbly bubbles even with the added SF. Yes, I agree it’s more trouble, but I really love the soap.

 

[linne1gi]

I did my first cpop and was able to take soap soup to a solid soap I could cut. So far so good.

I also had guy friend, that has a high risk job atm, he asked about a good cleaning soap. I know he was specifically asking for the best soap to kill/wash off as many viruses as possible. So got into the whole discussion of not wanting to clean skin to much and strip it completely. And the fact that you can't poof soap out of thin air that it needs to cure. I can tell he isn't into the castile soap type of lather, and thinks lots of bubbles = clean. Also he has african skin that is prone to getting ashy. He loves coconut and dragon's blood (which I have that fo) so thinking over a recipe. I would like to make him a good soap that will make him feel like its doing a good job. I don't really want to experiment with this, so if anyone has a good recipe let me know. I have olive oil, coconut oil, caster oil, sweet almond oil, canola oil, unrefined shea butter. I also have lard and unflavored crisco, which I don't use in my soap, but I have at my disposal. I also have some coconut creme, which has sugar in it so it would up the bubbles in the lather. Any ideas?

What about making your friend some liquid soap. You can use some glycerin/water mix to dilute the KOH which makes it a little nicer on the hands. Even liquid soap is better after sequestering for 2 weeks, but you can use it right away.

 

[amd]

I love that top! What is the fragrance of lavender martini? I get the lavender but what else is in there? I’m somewhat of a fragrance hoarder! I have so much - but somehow that doesn’t keep me from buying more.

It's Lavender Martini FO from Nature Garden.
https://m.naturesgardencandles.com/lavender-martini-fragrance-oilThis fragrance oil by Natures Garden is where Gin martini meets lavender in this creative aroma. We've successfully captured the effervescent carbonation in this unique fragrance. Natures Garden's lavender martini fragrance begins with top notes of tangy lemon zests, orange, and carbonation; followed by middle notes of spicy bergamot, mint, and lavender; sitting on a base note of rosewood.
I get the effervescent, lemon (or citrus) and lavender, but I don't get mint or rosewood. It's really a nice fragrance if you want lavender but don't like herbal lavender (me! pick me). It does accelerate a bit so I recommend hand stirring the fragrance in at the last minute. Works great for layers but it's taken me 3 tries to get the right emulsion / stick blend method to do a drop swirl.

 

[linne1gi]

It's Lavender Martini FO from Nature Garden.
https://m.naturesgardencandles.com/lavender-martini-fragrance-oilThis fragrance oil by Natures Garden is where Gin martini meets lavender in this creative aroma. We've successfully captured the effervescent carbonation in this unique fragrance. Natures Garden's lavender martini fragrance begins with top notes of tangy lemon zests, orange, and carbonation; followed by middle notes of spicy bergamot, mint, and lavender; sitting on a base note of rosewood.
I get the effervescent, lemon (or citrus) and lavender, but I don't get mint or rosewood. It's really a nice fragrance if you want lavender but don't like herbal lavender (me! pick me). It does accelerate a bit so I recommend hand stirring the fragrance in at the last minute. Works great for layers but it's taken me 3 tries to get the right emulsion / stick blend method to do a drop swirl.

I loved your description!

 

[SmockingRN]

I cut my Guinness soap, first time to add anything to basic soap recipe, I think it turned out good! The fragrance is Brambleberry Oatmeal Stout. It is supposed to discolor to brown, but I added a tsp. of extra dark cocoa to be

sure. I washed my hands with a scrap piece and it is very bubbly and creamy...Yay for beer soap!