What soapy thing have you done today?

[CatahoulaBubble]

Sitting here stirring my soap frosting. I split the batch and colored both. Added the fragrance to the orange one and BAM it set up. Piped it out and when I got back to the other one it was still fluid. Added more purple, added the lavender EO, stick blended it for 15 min. Now I'm sitting here stirring and it's taking it's own sweet time. A bit thicker than pudding. I'd like to get this done so I can go to bed. lol
I do like this soap frosting. Olive oil, coconut oil, avocado oil, castor oil, and sweet almond oil. Seems to behave for the most part unless I add wonky fragrances to it. I don't like to add fragrance normally but customer requested it so here I am. I've never had it take this long to set up before though. Maybe I should have gotten my oils hotter.

 

[Jersey Girl]

I made my first successful LARGE batch of soap! 15 lbs of loveliness! My first didn’t go as planned! Accelerated to fast and was just a blob of soap by the end. This time I split it into 3 batches and worked on each layer separately! I also soaped at room temperature for the first time and I loved it! I’m pretty proud of this soap! The pot swirl layer was so fun! Pink clay is my favorite additive now! So hopefully these will be All cured and ready for Christmas gifts!!!View attachment 50936

These turned out really beautiful!

the only soapy thing I did was cut my silver and gold soap. I lost several of my little embeds so Im going to need to figure out how to reattach some

View attachment 50940

I finally found a mold to make chunky candy bar-shaped wax tarts and just unmolded the flannel ones which are half blue merging into the other half red.

View attachment 50941

I bought two molds prior to this one and every time I tried to unmold, they would crack no matter how careful I was.

I’m loving your Christmas collection. I would love to see a ”group” photo when you have them all done. So creative!

Ugh. Usually I am more of a fly by the seat of my pants type of soaper - not planning the soap out on paper ahead of time. But I decided I really should step up my game and be more professional.

The soap fairies warned me today was not a good soaping day. I was stubborn and ignored them....after all, I was going to professional and use math and formulas and calculators to do it the "right" way.

The number of things that went wrong is just comical; and started with dropping and breaking a sturdy plastic soaping pot. 5 hours later I had ONE batch of red and white peppermint stick soap baking in the oven....because the Trial by Fire mica colored soap was....purple. Yes. P.u.r.p.l.e. My goal: a 7 layer (perfect straight layer technique) of red and white peppermint soap - was obliterated because I decided to be a professional soaper and actually calculate the portions with math - rather than my lazy (but effective) way of eyeballing by volume. (mold holds 7 cups of soap batter)

Determined not give up, I decided on a tiger stripe (I have other Christmas soaps to get done soon) The white batter accelerated, the red batter was perfect....so the tiger stripe was a mess. Doing a simple spoon texture on top was enough to mix the mix and red to make...pink. Hoping the red and white glitter helps disguise the the ugly top. But then it turned more purple than red. This may be a confetti soap in the future.

Lesson learned; be true to your soaping style. And always respect the soaping fairies.

Layers are tough and 7 is very brave! 4 is the most I’ve attempted and it was a lot of work. I split everything and made 4 separate batches about 5-10 min apart. I know some people make the whole batch and then use an accelerating FO adding to each layer before pour, but I Haven’t tried that myself. Ive wanted to try a rainbow layered soap but haven’t got up the nerve yet! I just got the Trial By Fire Mica the other day. What a bummer it went purple. Do you think the purple was caused by the FO possibly?

 

[Suzette]

That’s still quite a lot of water. It’s good to get away from water as a percentage of oils. Water has nothing to do with oils and everything to do with lye. Best to calculate your water as a ratio of water to lye. Or as a lye concentration. A 2:1 water to lye ratio is equal to a 33% lye solution. A side note: The default in SoapCalc was originally intended for HP soap making where a lot of moisture is lost during the cook. That much water/liquid is just not necessary in CP soap. Look further into water discounting. It’s a total game changer.

Thanks so much for this info! I will certainly try this next time!

After getting my hand slapped more than once here, i have settled on 33% Lye concentration on my regular bars. Which also should not be confused with the default. You need to physically change it to lye concentration. It has made a world of difference in my soaps

Thank you!! This will be tested on my next batch for sure!

I use a 2:1 liquid:lye ratio, which works out to around 30% liquid of oils on average in my recipes. 36% is still on the high side IMO, I'd consider dropping it a few more degrees.

Thank you!

 

[violets2217]

I diluted part of my second batch of liquid soap paste. This is unscented for my daughter with the sensitive nose! My last batch had some fragrance oil and I added too soon then diluted the whole batch and it was a pretty Amber, but not so clear! Look how clear this is! Lol... I’m sooo easily impressed overly excited when it comes to my soaps!

 

[Jersey Girl]

I diluted part of my second batch of liquid soap paste. This is unscented for my daughter with the sensitive nose! My last batch had some fragrance oil and I added too soon then diluted the whole batch and it was a pretty Amber, but not so clear! Look how clear this is! Lol... I’m sooo easily impressed overly excited when it comes to my soaps! View attachment 50953

Beautiful! Tell me I can do this. Lol. I’ve been wanting to try liquid soap and don’t know why I feel so intimidated by it!

 

[violets2217]

Beautiful! Tell me I can do this. Lol. I’ve been wanting to try liquid soap and don’t know why I feel so intimidated by it!

I was nervous at first too! But it was a lot easier than I thought it would be! Made me think I’d like to try hot process soap bars... so after seeing your soap challenge video (I’m now in love with your husband... btw) and seeing your entry soap, I totally think you can do this!!!!

 

[TashaBird]

Just got home from a very challenging hunting trip and was happy to find a few soap supplies had been delivered.
Do we have a “soap dough extruder tips” thread? Because we may need one!
Also, the first company to make a mechanical one can have my money. My arms are tired!!!
Also, got my goat milk frozen!!

 

[CatahoulaBubble]

I got my national shrink wrap system today. Now to pick a spot to set it up.

 

[Jillyb]

Finally got some confetti soap done. These will go on a rope. Colour is Spirulena and indego..

 

[Jersey Girl]

Finally got some confetti soap done. These will go on a rope. Colour is Spirulena and indego..

Very pretty! You should post this picture in the confetti soap ideas thread!

 

[Zing]

So not really a soapy thing that I did, but tangentially: Mrs. Zing has a temporary job (collecting ballots outside in a park and we're in Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA and it's been several days below freezing and it's ONLY OCTOBER 27!! and she comes home an icicle and doesn't thaw out for hours. God bless her and her coworkers for working for our democracy!) and her coworkers were talking about their plans on how to survive winter in a pandemic, like who's going to take up knitting? And her coworker said she's a soaper! And teaches soaping classes! And she comes on here from time to time! So, looking at you, J---- B---- from the Twin Cities! What's your screen name?

Also worked on plans for two new soaps, one with a mountain and moon (new mold, yeah!), one an Ione (that's Lone in New Zealandese) swirl using colors from our new kitchen (in the house we bought WITH NO KITCHEN!)

And finally,

Just got home from a very challenging hunting trip and was happy to find a few soap supplies had been delivered.

What the heck were you hunting?! Is there no end to your talents?

 

[TashaBird]

@Zing deer. Can’t wait to see your mountain and moon soap!

 

[GemstonePony]

So not really a soapy thing that I did, but tangentially: Mrs. Zing has a temporary job (collecting ballots outside in a park and we're in Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA and it's been several days below freezing and it's ONLY OCTOBER 27!! and she comes home an icicle and doesn't thaw out for hours. God bless her and her coworkers for working for our democracy!) and her coworkers were talking about their plans on how to survive winter in a pandemic, like who's going to take up knitting? And her coworker said she's a soaper! And teaches soaping classes! And she comes on here from time to time! So, looking at you, J---- B---- from the Twin Cities! What's your screen name?

Also worked on plans for two new soaps, one with a mountain and moon (new mold, yeah!), one an Ione (that's Lone in New Zealandese) swirl using colors from our new kitchen (in the house we bought WITH NO KITCHEN!)

And finally,
What the heck were you hunting?! Is there no end to your talents?

Oh, there's another soaper nearby? I'm also curious and live in the cities.

 

[Peachy Clean Soap]

the only soapy thing I did was cut my silver and gold soap. I lost several of my little embeds so Im going to need to figure out how to reattach some

View attachment 50940

I finally found a mold to make chunky candy bar-shaped wax tarts and just unmolded the flannel ones which are half blue merging into the other half red.

View attachment 50941

I bought two molds prior to this one and every time I tried to unmold, they would crack no matter how careful I was.

Beautiful Soap..

 

[msunnerstood]

Oh, there's another soaper nearby? I'm also curious and live in the cities.

Born and Raised in the Cities. Only moved out of state 3 years ago

 

[Louise Taylor]

@Louise Taylor those are gorgeous!!

Thank you

Lovely design!

Thank you

I made more Christmas themed soaps today. Christmas cake with all the spices you expect in cake and Mulled win with spices and citrus EOs.

 

[Jersey Girl]

I made more Christmas themed soaps today. Christmas cake with all the spices you expect in cake and Mulled win with spices and citrus EOs.

Very pretty! I especially love the one with the little holly.

 

[Louise Taylor]

Very pretty! I especially love the one with the little holly. ♥

Thank you . That is Christmas cake. It smells Devine.

 

[TashaBird]

I was supposed to be making a simple soap to test some new colors. I was having a crappy day and it was therapeutic to lose myself in the process. Tested my new extruder embeds, and practiced piping.
I have GOT to make myself wait for the piping! No definition at all.
Was supposed to be a silver, gold, and green ITPS.
And I was supposed to add plain batter to the gold mica, because my batter is kind of yellow.
then add some white mica before adding batter to my silver and green. Instead I accidentally added the plain batter (no white) to my green. So it’s sadly a bit brownish now, due to the yellow batter.
its in the oven now. I’m so glad I started oven processing! I used to use heating pad.CP is way easier!
It’ll be fun to cut!

 

[Catscankim]

I thought i was so careful. But it seems like i broke through. And im not talkin tampons lol.

Anyway, its seems the rest looks pretty good