What soapy thing have you done today?

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Made a CP bath soap, first batch of the year, but also first batch in a LONG time. A modest 1 lb loaf that'll make four bars, no colors but scented with Cool Citrus Basil from Crafters Choice. Everything went well and now we wait.
How do you like that scent? It's on my list of maybes from WSP. I'm trying to decide if it's different enough from Nature's Garden Mandarin Lime FO to justify buying both.

My soapy thing today is more on the planning and ogling side of things. I have everything but fragrance and mica at my disposal, though that's in the works at DH's encouraging. DH even made me an awesome super adjustable wood mold that allows me to pour batches of 4, 8, or 16 bars in landscape or portrait profile. I'm so excited, I might just make an unscented batch and play with my infusions and activated charcoal while deciding on which FOs to order from where.
 
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How do you like that scent? It's on my list of maybes from WSP. I'm trying to decide if it's different enough from Nature's Garden Mandarin Lime FO to justify buying both.
The scent is not weak that is for sure. I've read mixed reviews on WSP re: strength, however in following the guidelines (27 grams in my 455 grams oil) I can smell it in half my apartment as its curing in my closed linen closet right now. I personally enjoy it, however I can't speak to the differences from the NG scent. It does have more of a sweeter note, neither the citrus or the basil stand out IMO.
 
Earlier this week, I joined a CPLS (Cold Process Liquid Soap) group on FB and received a recommendation for a liquid soap making course. I invested in the book and have been spending a lot of time reading and trying to take it all in. Even though I've made liquid soap before (using Irish Lass' technique), I just found it too intimidating to make on a regular basis.

So far, since Wednesday, I've made a CPLS Castile and a LTLS (Low Temperature Liquid Soap) Palm Olive soap. Next up will be a HTLS (High Temp Liquid Soap). It's been a learning curve but so much fun!
 
@Misschief was it the Ultimate Guide course with their ebook? I found that pretty easy to follow, but didn’t think she focused on CPLS. I started with HPLS, but switched to CPLS and haven’t looked back.
That's the one. I'm going to try the HPLS tomorrow and then I'll decide which I prefer. As much as I like the CPLS, it still takes a fair bit of time, albeit hands off time.
 
Yesterday I made two simultaneous batches one with infused yellow dock root, and one without. I brought both to light trace and mixed the two for a pot pour. The yellow dock batch had a raspberry red color. But I also noticed the yellow dock batch was thickening quickly so I had to work faster than I would have liked. Today I just cut the soap. The top is a red raspberry color, but as I did the cut I found that the color has gone to an orange / yellow. I have no idea why the top stayed red and the center went yellow. I also feel as if the color was fading as I watched. So much for the natural color from Yellow Dock Root, I will start another infusion. I want to try again.
 

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On Saturday my friend came over to learn how to make soap. We did the Trinity and scented it with lavender and yuzu. She picked out orange mica to color it. She cut it this morning, did the zap test last night and got zapped. Didn't get zapped this morning. We have a new Soapmaker lol. She loves it. She brought me flowers too!
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Yesterday I made two simultaneous batches one with infused yellow dock root, and one without. I brought both to light trace and mixed the two for a pot pour. The yellow dock batch had a raspberry red color. But I also noticed the yellow dock batch was thickening quickly so I had to work faster than I would have liked. Today I just cut the soap. The top is a red raspberry color, but as I did the cut I found that the color has gone to an orange / yellow. I have no idea why the top stayed red and the center went yellow. I also feel as if the color was fading as I watched. So much for the natural color from Yellow Dock Root, I will start another infusion. I want to try again.
I love the colour - and TBH if it had stayed red you might have ended up with the dreaded 'meat soap' that we all try to avoid.
 
@Paulie, are you in one of those pictures? I so often wish I could see the fantastic people on this forum!

(if you don’t mind saying)
I am on the left of the left photo 😊 with my best friend. The one on the right is my daughter and her husband. I'm like you and would love to see our fellow soapmakers. That's just where I put the beautiful flowers. Perfect spot 🙂
 
@Mobjack Bay Today I found slab molds that are exactly 5x7 inside and grabbed 4 of them! They are technically little cardboard boxes but I don't care. I'll line em and use em and go get more if I need them because there looks to be an endless supply of them. 😁
Yay! Now I’m expecting to see lots of swirls 😉
 
Today I made CP soap using fuex seawater.
I added tea tree EO, lemon grass EO, frankincense EO and cardamom powder to corn starch.
And used 1 tsp of turmeric as a colorant.
The recipe from soapcalc is below
 

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