What soapy thing have you done today?

[violets2217]

How? did you melt the surfactants?
Heres mine, they are pressed and i used the noodles for one surfactant.

I've heard you can melt the powder SCI, I've just not tried it. And when would you add the preservative, wouldn't it be too hot? I had a time pressing the powder shampoo bars with my moon cake press. It kept sticking to the top, so I switched to a lined plastic cup. The last batch I made with a mixture of powder and noodle and its my favorite yet! Pressed nicely and a lot harder then my noodle bars, and it seems more sudsy!?!?

 

[Arimara]

Omigosh! I just discovered if you write "lye calulator" (intentionally misspelled) it immediately gets linked to Soapmaking Friend!

ETA: I did not link the last two words above. The "whatever" automatically did that. Interesting? Or not?

It's our Soap Calculator so it's only natural we'd auto-link it.

 

[KiwiMoose]

Omigosh! I just discovered if you write "lye calulator" (intentionally misspelled) it immediately gets linked to Soapmaking Friend!

ETA: I did not link the last two words above. The "whatever" automatically did that. Interesting? Or not?

Is this just a new thing? Or am I just out of the loop?

Keep up Darl

 

[msunnerstood]

Omigosh! I just discovered if you write "lye calulator" (intentionally misspelled) it immediately gets linked to Soapmaking Friend!

ETA: I did not link the last two words above. The "whatever" automatically did that. Interesting? Or not?

Is this just a new thing? Or am I just out of the loop?

Its been there quite a while. Maybe a year. its the only one I use now

 

[KiwiMoose]

I'm really intrigued by your syndet shampoo bars that you can pour.
The only recipe I've tried ended up being quite dry and the only way I could get the batter in the mold was to use a LOT of pressure, so much that I'm considering if I like the shampoo bar enough to do all that effort again (and possibly buy a press).
Do you mind if I ask if you got the recipe somewhere?

I've shared my recipe once with a woman from Germany and she was not able to pour it for some reason. Me - I'm scared of pressing so I'm sticking with pouring. You have to work swiftly or it sets up ( in fact the last one of every batch is for me because it's always a bit messy).
I melt the alcohol/s, BTMS, butters etc in the microwave, then move to a double boiler add the powdered surfactants ( I used to use a percentage of noodles but prefer without so I grind them into powder) and let them all melt in - also add the liquid surfactants at this stage. Remove from heat and quickly add cool down ingredients, but don't let it set up - pour immediately.
The recipe I developed by taking ideas from various sources and then tweaking ingredients to my liking. The foaming apple was a later addition once i found I could order it directly from a US supplier.

 

[The_Phoenix]

Carrot soap cutting.

 

[Zing]

Changing my pull through recipe was an interesting experiment. I should have only changed one thing and not two. It was too thick and moved too fast. Going to try again, comparing my tried and true recipe to a higher tallow%, but not as high as I tried yesterday! Here’s the two 50% batches. The were ready to cut, but the others are still soft so they’re in the freezer.

I love blue, green, brown together! The other one is very psychedelic, peace, man....

 

[TashaBird]

Yep! I just bought the Oatmeal and sugar shampoo bar, a Oil cleansing Stick?? ( Sounded interesting) and the lotion recipes yesterday!

I bought the deodorant recipe from there.

 

[TashaBird]

At least one of my pull throughs turned out. The others I’m not stoked on my color choices at all. And one has weird white spots for some reason. And they’re the same recipe! Maybe I didn’t blend the kaolin clay/EO slurry? Stearic spots? *sigh*
At least packaging my Valentine’s soaps is a nice feeling.

 

[TashaBird]

I love blue, green, brown together! The other one is very psychedelic, peace, man....

The brown and green one the batter was way too thick. The colors don’t pull through much then, each slice only shows two, maybe 3 colors. And, the colors are kind of muted to me. thanks though!
I’m going for major contrast next round!

 

[dibbles]

I took some photos of the soap I made for the February challenge. And then spent too much time ogling other people's soaps on Instagram and YouTube.

 

[violets2217]

I bought the deodorant recipe from there.

I did too! I’m liking it so far! I don’t smell!

 

[violets2217]

Maybe I didn’t blend the kaolin clay/EO slurry?

My kaolin clay always spots no mater how I add it to my soap. I’ve stick blended to oils, mixed it with warm batch water & added it at trace. Never tried to add it to the fragrance though. If I didn’t like it in my soap so much I’d stop using it.
Your soaps are beautiful! My favorite it the pink and red one!

Remove from heat and quickly add cool down ingredients

So do you not use a preservative? Would it not be too hot to add one before pouring? I do so like how smooth your bars are! Lovely!!!

I was read foaming apple’s description on the website...does “•excellent eye tolerance” mean it doesn’t sting the eyes? Is it year free? Lol

 

[Catscankim]

My kaolin clay always spots no mater how I add it to my soap. I’ve stick blended to oils, mixed it with warm batch water & added it at trace. Never tried to add it to the fragrance though. If I didn’t like it in my soap so much I’d stop using it.
Your soaps are beautiful! My favorite it the pink and red one!

I add FO to the clays and it comes out nice. But you need to add exactly the amount of FO and clay that you want or you waste it if doing designs etc, or not add enough fragrance. That's my experience anyway.

 

[KiwiMoose]

At least one of my pull throughs turned out. The others I’m not stoked on my color choices at all. And one has weird white spots for some reason. And they’re the same recipe! Maybe I didn’t blend the kaolin clay/EO slurry? Stearic spots? *sigh*
At least packaging my Valentine’s soaps is a nice feeling.

Well I am totally stoked on all your colour selections! Just love them to bits!

@violets2217 yes i use a preservative and I add it after I remove from the heat. It may well be still to warm but i add it anyway and have not yet had any problems.

 

[Basil]

Yeah coz @Basil is not a bloke.

Hi Kiwi! No, I’m not lol

 

[TashaBird]

Thank you @violets2217 and @KiwiMoose
The kaolin clay soaked with the EOs for almost two days and I stick blended it with the oils. But I think that’s what the spots are. Maybe I didn’t blend that batch as much as the others. *sigh*
Today I have a ginormous mountain of dishes to wash! Also, finish packaging and posting new soaps available.

 

[The_Phoenix]

I masterbatched some oils a few days ago and gasped when I opened my container of lard. From my huge 55 lb cube, I just barely had enough for my batch. Clearly, me and lard are tight. Yesterday, I bought a new 55 lb cube. Never thought I’d one day find myself feeling giddy about buying lard.

 

[Arimara]

Going through recipes seeing which ones I will keep.

 

[Louise Taylor]

I cut this soap today. It is made with chocolate and scented with Orange EO.
Quite pleased with the embed, the mica line is too fine. I don’t know what caused the drag line on every bar, I use a multi bar cutter.