What soapy thing have you done today?

[msunnerstood]

I "bleeping" hate when I forget fragrance. I just want to throw the whole thing away before I see what a pretty soap I made FRAGRANCE FREE. Especially if I went through all the trouble to match fragrance with colors and design.

I've done one or two that I could add the smell to the rest and it turned out fine. But then I've done a few others that it screwed it all up.

I will pour and swirl and oogle and be so proud at the prettiness, then look over and see the stupid container of fragrance. I don't even want to cut it after that. So much time and effort, only to forget one very important thing....

I ALWAYS put the fragrance in the mold. That way, I cant get to the pour without it. - ETA: Ope, looks like others beat me to this tip

Now, can someone direct me to a non-maddening way to line a soap mold? 20 cuss word full minutes and Ive decided I hate doing it.

 

[Sudds]

After a ridiculous amount of researching extruders it came down to the CZech one, the Lucy, or the Art Way. After speaking with one of the owners of Art Way, I decided that’s the one I’d get when I had enough money.
http://www.polymerclayexpress.com/p...ers/hobby-extruders/ace-ii-hobby-extruder-2inThen I found a lady making 2” discs on FB. She is making them to fit this jerky gun. So, that’s what I’m using for now.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07XC8WJLP/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_T4F62BFVV726WZ06MENF?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1I still will probably get the Art Way some day, when I’m working again. They have beautiful discs, and will make custom ones for cheap. You get 6 discs with your order too.
Soap Stamps and Stuff is where I got these discs from.

Thanks!

 

[The_Phoenix]

Now, can someone direct me to a non-maddening way to line a soap mold? 20 cuss word full minutes and Ive decided I hate doing it.

It looks complicated but once you do it a few times it’s quite easy. Zip to 5:30.

This is also good and well explained and demonstrated.

 

[AliOop]

Now, can someone direct me to a non-maddening way to line a soap mold? 20 cuss word full minutes and Ive decided I hate doing it.

1. Buy a roll of oven liner.
2. Cut five pieces: one for each side of the mold, and one for the bottom. You can make a paper stencil to use as a cutting guide if you are a crooked cutter like me.
3. Lay pieces in mold, taping the top edge of the liner to the top edge of the mold if necessary. Or, tape all outside edges of the liner together to make box shape, and set the mold-shaped liner box into the mold.
4. Use mold to make soap.
5. When soap is ready to unmold, peel liner off soap, wipe liner pieces clean, and put away for next time.

AND NEVER USE FREEZER PAPER AGAIN. HALLELUJAH AND AMEN (because this method has saved me from losing my religion).

 

[Laura Vohs]

I was able to spend a lovely afternoon cutting soap. Right to left, Tres Leches, Pineapple Orchid, Snow Queen. I'm very happy with how they all turned out.

 

[hlee]

I was able to spend a lovely afternoon cutting soap. Right to left, Tres Leches, Pineapple Orchid, Snow Queen. I'm very happy with how they all turned out.

These are so pretty!

 

[Zing]

It looks like the color scheme of the early 70s spit our through a meat grinder. View attachment 54248

I call this one "The 70s Are Calling." And I didn't hear any Barry White whispering.

 

[hlee]

I call this one "The 70s Are Calling." And I didn't hear any Barry White whispering.

View attachment 54251

I like these! These are the Pointer Sisters- FIRE.

 

[msunnerstood]

I call this one "The 70s Are Calling." And I didn't hear any Barry White whispering.

View attachment 54251

I LOVE this design, the colors, ALL of it!

 

[Mels]

First, I really want to say thank you for all the valuable information here. As a new soap maker, I am always finding answers to some of the very puzzling things that happen during my soap making journeys. Also all of the soaps posted are amazing! One question that I want to ask is when you started making soap, did you just make one soap for a period and master that or did you go crazy like me and try to do every technique you see? I found one or two recipes that I really like (one for bubbles and the other for conditioning) but then I can't help but to try all different design techniques. It gets overwhelming for me (I guess just my mind going a mile a minute with excitement). Were you very excited to try all designs or did you start with just one design and master that before moving on?

 

[Zing]

I spent waaaay too much time in front of this screen today, so many rabbit holes to YouTube and this forum. Wait, what? It's after 10 p.m. and I haven't taken a shower yet?! Placed 3 online orders for ingredients. Got tons of concrete advice on this forum on a variety of topics. Lord help us but I bought 100 lip balm tubes, so the addiction is clearly morphing. I've been spending a fortune on chapstick my entire life and *smacks forehead* they're just lotion bars!!

I LOVE this design, the colors, ALL of it!

Thank you. It's grown on me. I had a very public breakdown on this forum when I initially unmolded it. There was a weird yellow color that has since re-absorbed.

First, I really want to say thank you for all the valuable information here. As a new soap maker, I am always finding answers to some of the very puzzling things that happen during my soap making journeys. Also all of the soaps posted are amazing! One question that I want to ask is when you started making soap, did you just make one soap for a period and master that or did you go crazy like me and try to do every technique you see? I found one or two recipes that I really like (one for bubbles and the other for conditioning) but then I can't help but to try all different design techniques. It gets overwhelming for me (I guess just my mind going a mile a minute with excitement). Were you very excited to try all designs or did you start with just one design and master that before moving on?

I'll tell you what worked for me. I focused on technique and the order of steps and left out color, fragrance, and design. It was several months before I discovered this whole new sub-culture of soapers, YouTubes, and this Forum, all which opened up a whole new world for me. I tweaked a recipe for the first 6 months to find one I really liked. I make some minor tweaks from time to time. Welcome!

 

[Angie Gail]

I spent waaaay too much time in front of this screen today, so many rabbit holes to YouTube and this forum. Wait, what? It's after 10 p.m. and I haven't taken a shower yet?! Placed 3 online orders for ingredients. Got tons of concrete advice on this forum on a variety of topics. Lord help us but I bought 100 lip balm tubes, so the addiction is clearly morphing. I've been spending a fortune on chapstick my entire life and *smacks forehead* they're just lotion bars!!


Thank you. It's grown on me. I had a very public breakdown on this forum when I initially unmolded it. There was a weird yellow color that has since re-absorbed.


I'll tell you what worked for me. I focused on technique and the order of steps and left out color, fragrance, and design. It was several months before I discovered this whole new sub-culture of soapers, YouTubes, and this Forum, all which opened up a whole new world for me. I tweaked a recipe for the first 6 months to find one I really liked. I make some minor tweaks from time to time. Welcome!

I got started making my own bath products a couple years ago because I couldn't find lip balm that actually worked. I take gummy vitamins and something in them kept my lips permanently chapped. I did a little research and started making my own lip balm and that morphed into soap making (and selling it). I'm totally hooked!

 

[Peachy Clean Soap]

Oh Peachy that soap is glorious!! ❤

Awww Thank Û so much

 

[GemstonePony]

First, I really want to say thank you for all the valuable information here. As a new soap maker, I am always finding answers to some of the very puzzling things that happen during my soap making journeys. Also all of the soaps posted are amazing! One question that I want to ask is when you started making soap, did you just make one soap for a period and master that or did you go crazy like me and try to do every technique you see? I found one or two recipes that I really like (one for bubbles and the other for conditioning) but then I can't help but to try all different design techniques. It gets overwhelming for me (I guess just my mind going a mile a minute with excitement). Were you very excited to try all designs or did you start with just one design and master that before moving on?

You might want to make this question its own thread in the lye forum where more people would be likely to see it and respond, but I started with my own recipe, and colors and fragrance. I really love to experiment with ingredients, colors, fragrances, and design techniques. If I'm very impressed with how a soap performs, I'll consider duplicating elements of the recipe, otherwise I'd rather experiment and see what happens.

Today I cut and beveled my 5th February SMF challenge candidate. I didn't expect the recipe to harden in time to be a contender for the challenge, but it did. So, it gets a photo shoot tomorrow. Along with a few other soaps I haven't gotten to taking pictures of yet.

 

[TashaBird]

It was a bit of an ambitious experiment trying to fit these monster embeds in one loaf. But, it was a good learning experience! More than a few air bubbles, stuck under tails and between legs, that I would like to avoid in the future. But I’m loving the potential. REALLY wish the rest of my discs from the same place, that I ordered BEFORE these, would arrive. I just really can’t wait to play with them! These are scented with my current fave EO blend of lime, litsea, lavender, and a smidge of cedar.
When soaps shrink will small holes disappear?
Also, how what would be the best way to paint eyes and mouths on these soap dough caterpillars, AC, black mica, water/RA/water?

 

[CatahoulaBubble]

Just measured out all of the hard oils and butters for 4 batches that I want to make tomorrow and made 4 batches of lye and this time I wrote on the container how much to use out of each one for my split so hopefully I won't mess up my soap batches this time.

 

[msunnerstood]

Just finished dragons blood soap. the top is inspired by Cat & Raven Designs but mine isnt nearly that good. the black didnt squeeze out of the piping bag at the same rate as the red so it finally showed up in the last row. We will just pretend it was intentional lol.

 

[Peachy Clean Soap]

Just finished dragons blood soap. the top is inspired by Cat & Raven Designs but mine isnt nearly that good. the black didnt squeeze out of the piping bag at the same rate as the red so it finally showed up in the last row. We will just pretend it was intentional lol.

View attachment 54263

Thats beautiful' love the vibrant red color.

It was a bit of an ambitious experiment trying to fit these monster embeds in one loaf. But, it was a good learning experience! More than a few air bubbles, stuck under tails and between legs, that I would like to avoid in the future. But I’m loving the potential. REALLY wish the rest of my discs from the same place, that I ordered BEFORE these, would arrive. I just really can’t wait to play with them! These are scented with my current fave EO blend of lime, litsea, lavender, and a smidge of cedar.
When soaps shrink will small holes disappear?
Also, how what would be the best way to paint eyes and mouths on these soap dough caterpillars, AC, black mica, water/RA/water?

Oh those are cute'

You might want to make this question its own thread in the lye forum where more people would be likely to see it and respond, but I started with my own recipe, and colors and fragrance. I really love to experiment with ingredients, colors, fragrances, and design techniques. If I'm very impressed with how a soap performs, I'll consider duplicating elements of the recipe, otherwise I'd rather experiment and see what happens.

Today I cut and beveled my 5th February SMF challenge candidate. I didn't expect the recipe to harden in time to be a contender for the challenge, but it did. So, it gets a photo shoot tomorrow. Along with a few other soaps I haven't gotten to taking pictures of yet.

Looking forward to seeing it.

 

[msunnerstood]

Thats beautiful' love the vibrant red color.

Thanks! its a combo of Trial by Fire by Nuture and voodoo by Mad Micas. 3-1 blend

 

[Babyshoes]

Now, can someone direct me to a non-maddening way to line a soap mold? 20 cuss word full minutes and Ive decided I hate doing it.

I'm only 3 batches in, I've watched all the videos I can find about lining moulds, and decided I hate it too. As much as I want to be frugal and use the small plastic pet food tub from my recycling, lining it has been the hardest part of soapmaking so far... A small 500ml silicone loaf mould is on its way. I figure spending a tenner or so on Amazon isn't going to break the bank!

Eventually I'll want to move up to bigger batches and can invest in a larger loaf mould then, but there is only so much soap we and our friends can use, and we live a fair distance from family... Far enough that it may or may not arrive in a few months if posted.