What soapy thing have you done today?

[AliOop]

@TashaBird Well, I was, kinda... my thought was that the breakthrough was happening because trace was thinner when you started. It stopped happening because trace thicker as you got closer to the top.

I noticed that when I tried the pull-through in my 18" mold, too. That's when I thought that using a shorter mold would help me have a more consistent trace with less breakthrough, because I could start with a thicker batter without worrying about it being too thick by the time I reached the top.

But I can overanalyze and overthink and overcomplicate things terribly, so it's perfectly ok to tell me if that's what I'm doing here

 

[TashaBird]

@TashaBird Well, I was, kinda... my thought was that the breakthrough was happening because trace was thinner when you started. It stopped happening because trace thicker as you got closer to the top.

I noticed that when I tried the pull-through in my 18" mold, too. That's when I thought that using a shorter mold would help me have a more consistent trace with less breakthrough, because I could start with a thicker batter without worrying about it being too thick by the time I reached the top.

But I can overanalyze and overthink and overcomplicate things terribly, so it's perfectly ok to tell me if that's what I'm doing here

It looks thinner at the bottom, and like it’s breaking through, but when I release the mold there are good layers, and when I cut, there’s definition, so ... I think whatever is happening at the bottom, that it’s consistent, and that it doesn’t move until the plate is pulled up, has it layer in some kinda way.

 

[AliOop]

Yeah, whatever you are doing, it is working! Meanwhile, the rest of us earthlings are struggling along, trying to figure it all out.

 

[Relle]

I'm just jealous you can get lychees. All I can ever get here are the canned ones - unless that's what you're talking about then carry on. One of the highlights of my china trips is I try to coordinate with lychee season so I can go to the market and have them. And mangosteens.

Love fresh lychees, that's the only way to have them, usually around after Christmas here. Also love rambutans, probably more than lychees.

 

[TashaBird]

Yeah, whatever you are doing, it is working! Meanwhile, the rest of us earthlings are struggling along, trying to figure it all out.

Actually after looking closer at the cut, the best detail was where I thought the batter was too thin. Maybe I need to let my working temp come back down to 90. I had let it creep up a little to 95.
Patience is SO hard!

 

[Dawni]

Love fresh lychees, that's the only way to have them, usually around after Christmas here. Also love rambutans, probably more than lychees.

Yum! We have rambutans almost all year round here, some months insanely more expensive, but we have em lol

Soapy thing:

This colorant has morphed on me several times before... Turned brown, green, tan.. Hopefully it stays this color even if it lightens up a several shades. Fingers crossed...

 

[GemstonePony]

Yum! We have rambutans almost all year round here, some months insanely more expensive, but we have em lol

Soapy thing:
View attachment 50293
This colorant has morphed on me several times before... Turned brown, green, tan.. Hopefully it stays this color even if it lightens up a several shades. Fingers crossed...

Which colorant is that?

 

[Dawni]

Which colorant is that?

Ratanjot infusion.. With a bit of indigo infusion in the superfat. It's a cousin to alkanet I believe.

Hmmm.. I need to update that thread.

 

[Wooddy]

@AliOop This set up has me putting batter all the way down. And as for the cut, the bottom ones actually look the best. So, I guess it’s layering ok after all. Now my color selection is a different story...

I may have finally learned my lesson that alternating contrasting colors s the best way to avoid mush. Oh well...
And my ghosty soap I was hoping for is ok, but my green clay had chunks. Bummer.

They look Amazing

 

[Guspuppy]

This morning I got an order of fresh oils from WSP. I was going to make a test lardy soap of a Nurture fragrance, but realized I wouldn't have time to do all the colors, etc. So I decided to throw together a quick salt bar to test a different fragrance. Only, I soaped really cold (lye cooled to lukewarm, CO barely melted) and it was super fluid for super long! So I thought I'd do an ITP and started mixing colors. Only to realize.... salt bar. How? So i mixed the salt into the colors. It was still pretty fluid so I thought instead of an ITP I could do a ribbon pour, and poured the colors into the long spout pitcher. THEN I realized I didn't have a slab mold for a ribbon pour, only my silicone box that holds a pound of oils. Soooooo..... Clyde slide?! I started to pour it and it came out faster than expected at first (still very fluid!) so I ended up doing a multi-multi-layer ribbon pour. It's probably going to end up just a brownish mess, but I love salt bars and hopefully it will smell good!

 

[amd]

I ordered Nag Champa and Sea Salt & Driftwood FO's from WSP's sale... does that count as soapy? I had thought to discontinue those two soaps from my lineup, but they're two of my best sellers so I was glad for the sale.

Today I'm cleaning the soap dungeon (well, the counters anyways) and packaging soap.

 

[Angie Gail]

I ordered Nag Champa and Sea Salt & Driftwood FO's from WSP's sale... does that count as soapy? I had thought to discontinue those two soaps from my lineup, but they're two of my best sellers so I was glad for the sale.

Today I'm cleaning the soap dungeon (well, the counters anyways) and packaging soap.

They sucker me in nearly every time with the fragrance sales. I bought a bunch of new scents including Spiced Winter Apple, Gingerbread & Caramel, Cool Cucumber, Pink Grapefruit, Cashmere Cream, Reindeer Poop, Star Jasmine & Vanilla, and Georgia Peach. I also got some Tussah Silk and I'm going to make some big 6oz goat's milk and silk soaps and package them in these fancy organza bags for Christmas.

 

[Zing]

I soaped tonight and not all went as planned. It's really 2 soaps in 1 mold because one lye liquid was water and one lye liquid was brewed coffee. Wouldncha know it, I had just enough lye for one batter (with 2 grams left over!) and had to go hunting for more lye. And it's not like I can go to the next door neighbor asking to borrow 77 grams of lye.

My soap had 3 layers and I wanted them to be straight layers. I did my research so I poured one layer, let it firm up for awhile and then poured the next layer. But, PEOPLE! While the batter in the mold is setting up, the batter still in the bowl waiting to be "poured" is also setting up!! Think pudding consistency. My bottom two layers are fine. But I think the top one was sooo heavy that it did some breaking through into the previous layer. My first plop kinda sunk so then I painstakingly dropped teeny tiny spoonfuls at a time. I also have no expertise at all in frosting a cake -- my wife is the expert -- so was at a disadvantage. So how the heck do you keep the bowl batter thin and the mold batter firm??!!

Oh no !! As I type this, I realized I forgot the sodium lactate! This is a first for me. What with listening to a certain candidate debate and having to go on a lye run, I forgot my trusted ingredient. Gah! My soaping journey has taught me to let go of my initial vision -- but for this one, I really, really wanted straight layers. *Leaves to pour another glass of post-soaping wine.*

 

[Dawni]

Lol awww.. Hugs Mr. @Zing, it'll be alright. The soap will look fine

So... I cut up the soap I posted last night. I'll post it, and another two soaps (I posted top pics several days back) in the gallery.

 

[AliOop]

That is so kind of you, @Zing to call it a 'fun fact" to discover someone is an attorney. I usually keep it on the DL because once they know, people start secretly plotting about how to remove me from the ____ (forum, club, group, store, their life).

But if I wait long enough to out myself, at least some folks will give me what they believe is the highest compliment, which is, "You are an attorney? I never would have guessed, you are so nice..." (voices trail off at this point as they realize what they are saying).

*Leaves to get another pint of So Delicious Dairy-Free Salted Caramel Ice Cream.

 

[Dawni]

@AliOop what I'll say is... Wooooow, where did you get the patience to study that long lol.

My sister is a doctor, so my dad thought I should be a lawyer (it's an Asian thing I hear haha). Emmm nope. Lol I struggled through just 4yrs and that was more than enough for me.

Hats off to everyone who studied ages, anyone with a masters and/or a PhD, anyone with double degrees... You guys are awesome.

Sneak peek:

 

[Jersey Girl]

I soaped tonight and not all went as planned. It's really 2 soaps in 1 mold because one lye liquid was water and one lye liquid was brewed coffee. Wouldncha know it, I had just enough lye for one batter (with 2 grams left over!) and had to go hunting for more lye. And it's not like I can go to the next door neighbor asking to borrow 77 grams of lye. (I totally trust everyone here followed my instruction to IGNORE THIS ONE on a previous thread, save @AliOop, who, fun fact, I discovered today, is an attorney.)

My soap had 3 layers and I wanted them to be straight layers. I did my research so I poured one layer, let it firm up for awhile and then poured the next layer. But, PEOPLE! While the batter in the mold is setting up, the batter still in the bowl waiting to be "poured" is also setting up!! Think pudding consistency. My bottom two layers are fine. But I think the top one was sooo heavy that it did some breaking through into the previous layer. My first plop kinda sunk so then I painstakingly dropped teeny tiny spoonfuls at a time. I also have no expertise at all in frosting a cake -- my wife is the expert -- so was at a disadvantage. So how the heck do you keep the bowl batter thin and the mold batter firm??!!

Oh no !! As I type this, I realized I forgot the sodium lactate! This is a first for me. What with listening to a certain candidate debate and having to go on a lye run, I forgot my trusted ingredient. Gah! My soaping journey has taught me to let go of my initial vision -- but for this one, I really, really wanted straight layers. *Leaves to pour another glass of post-soaping wine.*

The last time I did layers I made up my lye solution and set it aside. Then melted my hard oils and stick blended my soft oils into them well. Then I weighed The oils (subtracting the weight of the bowl) and divided by 3. I separated them into three containers. I did the same with the lye water. Then I made each layer one at a time waiting until the first had set up before making the second and then the third. Or...you could mix it all together in the usual way, bring it to just emulsion, separate into 3 containers and use an accelerating FO one layer at a time so each layer would set up quickly. Does that make sense? Lol. It’s late here and although I’m tired I can’t sleep. We’re camping yet again. I just want my own bed. Lol

@AliOop what I'll say is... Wooooow, where did you get the patience to study that long lol.

My sister is a doctor, so my dad thought I should be a lawyer (it's an Asian thing I hear haha). Emmm nope. Lol I struggled through just 4yrs and that was more than enough for me.

Hats off to everyone who studied ages, anyone with a masters and/or a PhD, anyone with double degrees... You guys are awesome.

Sneak peek:
View attachment 50325

Is this the lychee soap? Wow! The color turned out beautiful. I hope it sticks for you!

 

[Zing]

The last time I did layers I made up my lye solution and set it aside. Then melted my hard oils and stick blended my soft oils into them well. Then I weighed The oils (subtracting the weight of the bowl) and divided by 3. I separated them into three containers. I did the same with the lye water. Then I made each layer one at a time waiting until the first had set up before making the second and then the third. Or...you could mix it all together in the usual way, bring it to just emulsion, separate into 3 containers and use an accelerating FO one layer at a time so each layer would set up quickly. Does that make sense? Lol. It’s late here and although I’m tired I can’t sleep. We’re camping yet again. I just want my own bed. Lol

This totally makes sense, but, seriously, Really, just go be camping and be on vacation! Somehow I will survive my layering and sodium lactate drama!

@AliOop
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How did you get that gorgeous purple??!! And, by the way, I did a lot of (unsatisfying) jiggling and smacking tonight. *anxiously awaits the cut.*

 

[AliOop]

@AliOop what I'll say is... Wooooow, where did you get the patience to study that long lol.

@Dawni you are such a sweetie! Honestly, law school was super interesting and fun for me (which made most of my classmates slightly batty since most hated it). It's working with other lawyers that isn't so fun. Actually, my field tends to attract a kinder, gentler bunch, so I'm very fortunate there, too.

Now, if I could just get my HP to look as smooth and buttery as yours, my life would be complete. Sigh.

 

[Dawni]

Is this the lychee soap? Wow! The color turned out beautiful. I hope it sticks for you!

Not lychee haha I think that was Ms. @KiwiMoose. And yes, I hope it sticks lol

How did you get that gorgeous purple??!! And, by the way, I did a lot of (unsatisfying) jiggling and smacking tonight. *anxiously awaits the cut.*

Haha I always remember you and Dean every time I make soap coz the jiggling n smacking are normal for me now hahaha. The purple is ratanjot infused coconut oil, which is about 15% of the recipe and a bit of madder root infusion mixed with indigo infusion as superfat

@AliOop then I'm glad for you. Must be hard being an attorney, having to think of other people's problems lol.

If you lovely people are up for some reading I posted in the gallery about these