What soapy thing have you done today?

[SSC Oregon]

Today I'm cleaning the house, and my workshop room. This week will be using some embeds. I've got a 20 pounds soap goal for the week.
I found another young woman for the co op. Having something positive to do is really going to help center her.
The router/beveler and steamer showed up.
I really need to figure out a website...no shortage of things to do.. And curriculum prep for the school year is starting soon too
Time is flying!

 

[Servant4Christ]

... curriculum prep for the school year is starting soon too
Time is flying!

Right?!

 

[Jorah]

I really need to figure out a website...

Same. I have to learn something called 'LiteCart,' which my provider recommended. The thing is, after 9 hours of site work at work, when I get done for the day I don't have the energy to work on the web any more.

 

[SSC Oregon]

Same. I have to learn something called 'LiteCart,' which my provider recommended. The thing is, after 9 hours of site work at work, when I get done for the day I don't have the energy to work on the web any more.

I'm looking at wix or Facebook
I'd prefer to do neither, but I know everyone local uses Facebook.
I'm still debating. I'm going to look up Litecart.

 

[Jorah]

I'm looking at wix or Facebook
I'd prefer to do neither, but I know everyone local uses Facebook.
I'm still debating. I'm going to look up Litecart.

I run a bunch of sites on WordPress but it seems to attract attackers, so for my soap site I'm going with tools with a lower overhead. If you don't have a hosted site with its own domain name, I don't know that LiteCart will work for you; my hope is built around the recommendation of my provider, a small business I've hosted with since around 2000. He's never led me wrong, but my situation is somewhat unusual.

 

[Zing]

Oh, Soap Peeps,
So glad to have this distraction outlet . It's inordinately stressful at my job because we are relocating this week. BUT I made shower cleaner a la @AliOop's recipe and even tho' I'm neglecting my marriage, house, and yard, I have a kitten-lovin' clean shower!! My one brainstorm was to use a sharpie and write the recipe on the spray bottle. D'oh!

And Mrs. Zing returned from a trip to our former home in Chicago. Zing, Junior, our professional beekeeper, sent beeswax -- pastilles no less! -- and honey! I see more honey and beeswax soap in the near future. AND, Mrs. Zing brought me REAL tortilla chips. Sorry, Minneapolis, you're just not cuttin' it with the chips. This gringo craves the real thang. Sooo crunchy, gives these stressed out jaws a good workout.

And, hey, @Servant4Christ and @Jorah and @Grantxw8 -- good lookin' soaps there and thanks for sharing.

@Jorah , just to get up in your grill, who helps you with colors with your soaps? Our Zing Junior is also color blind and his wardrobe has long been a family affair. The cemetery next to our house in the Spring is THICK with pink cherry blossoms. All he sees is gray. It's fascinating to me.

 

[Jorah]

@Jorah , just to get up in your grill, who helps you with colors with your soaps? Our Zing Junior is also color blind and his wardrobe has long been a family affair. The cemetery next to our house in the Spring is THICK with pink cherry blossoms. All he sees is gray. It's fascinating to me.

Missus Jorah is named Myrriah. She has exceptional color vision and also has aspirations to learn the basics of perfumery. So she helps me with any color decisions and also with scents, which I don't care about in the least.

We started dating 40 years ago this past May, married 35 years ago this coming October. She has somehow managed to keep a good opinion of me despite knowing me this long.

Edit: (Zing Jr.'s color vision sounds worse than mine! He has my sympathy)

 

[dmcgee5034]

Oh, Soap Peeps,
BUT I made shower cleaner a la @AliOop's recipe and even tho' I'm neglecting my marriage, house, and yard, I have a kitten-lovin' clean shower!! My one brainstorm was to use a sharpie and write the recipe on the spray bottle. D'oh!

I can double attest to @AliOop’s shower cleaner - nothing like blue dawn and vinegar, even better if you can get the super strong not-for-consuming vinegar. And if you need to get extra power, adding baking soda for cleaning to the shower floor gives it extra power without scratching and you get the fun science project effect of vinegar and baking soda lava!

 

[Grantxw8]

Thanks, Ali

I don't think I had the hard oils hot enough; I got them to 122°f. Here's the recipe. I mixed the honey with the oil, as I did on my previous batch, then started adding the lye water. I added if slowly, stirring a bit between dollops. When I had about 1/3 of it mixed in, I paused to check the temperature (it was around 119°f). I suddenly could barely stir it. I tried adding the rest of the lye water, hoping to get it thoroughly mixed in before it hardened, and by then the texture was about like that of clay mixed with cement, that kind of heavy, grainy texture. I tried spooning it into the mold, but it wouldn't really move. I'd guess it took me 20 minutes to transfer it from the pitcher I was mixing in to the mold. This afternoon when I uncovered it it was semi-solid.

Based on what I know about soapmaking so far, I'd guess the combination of hard oils, low oil temps, low water percentage, salt, and honey was just too much.

Component	%​	Grams​
Avocado Oil	20​	150​
Cocoa Butter	10​	75​
Coconut Oil	10​	75​
Mango Butter	10​	75​
Palm Kernel Oil Flakes	20​	150​
Shea Butter	10​	75​
Stearic Acid	20​	150​
	​	​
	​	​
	​	Total oils: (750)​
Honey	​	60​
Faux Seawater	​	189​
Lye	​	111​

Calculator​	Lye Grams​	​	Water Grams​	0.0:0​
SoapCalc​	111.4​	​	189.3​	1.7:1​

Hi Jorah,

FWIW, I used my tool to look at your recipe's oils and percentages and the result was:

As ScentimentallyYours said, I'd suspect the stearic acid as the culprit. I've had the same result with a batch seizing when I added way too much (about 5% from memory).

HTH, Grant

PS [I started typing this last night but it vanished - and then reappeared again this afternoon!!]

​

 

[Jorah]

FWIW, I used my tool to look at your recipe's oils and percentages and the result was:

Given your and ScentimentallyYours' feedback I'm thinking of giving this concoction a second chance this weekend... sans stearic acid!

 

[VikingChick]

I submitted my Soap Challenge soap yesterday! I almost chickened out; I was so intimidated. Actually, they look alright compared to the others! I don’t expect to get even one vote, but that’s honestly ok. I’m happy that I pushed myself out of my comfort zone.

 

[Grantxw8]

I submitted my Soap Challenge soap yesterday! I almost chickened out; I was so intimidated. Actually, they look alright compared to the others! I don’t expect to get even one cote, but that’s ok. I’m happy that I pushed myself out of my comfort zone.

Well done for going outside your comfort zone. I'm curious about the Soap Challenge. What is that?

 

[VikingChick]

@Grantxw8 Soap Challenge Club is a worldwide, monthly, online soap contest. it costs $15USD to enter and you can download the tutorial and keep it. Like the monthly challenge here, there’s a spotlighted technique that you need to attempt. SCC has three categories you can enter your soap into: Regular (if you’ve been making soap 3 years or less); Advanced (>3 years), and Winners (which you have to enter if you’ve ever won a past challenge). Those who enter get to vote for the winners in each category. There are prizes from whatever company sponsors the challenge that month. People from all over the world compete (like here!).

Soap Challenge Club

 

[Shelley D]

I submitted my Soap Challenge soap yesterday! I almost chickened out; I was so intimidated. Actually, they look alright compared to the others! I don’t expect to get even one vote, but that’s honestly ok. I’m happy that I pushed myself out of my comfort zone.

I didn't see it ~ is it in the entry thread?

 

[VikingChick]

I didn't see it ~ is it in the entry thread?

Not here at SMF - it’s at the Soap Challenge Club, where I don’t think you can see at this point unless you’ve entered. I think they show all the entries after the winners are announced.

 

[Shelley D]

Not here at SMF - it’s at the Soap Challenge Club, where I don’t think you can see at this point unless you’ve entered. I think they show all the entries after the winners are announced.

Oooh! I didn't catch the distinction ~ good luck! I can't wait to see your soap later then!

 

[SSC Oregon]

Yesterday was the big trip to the city.
I was able to get bulk lye, coconut, shea, and castor.
Figured I spent so much, some jojoba beads and a candy cane FO wouldn't hurt the budget.
I really love Shay and Companies products.
The owner was kind and full of information, and gave me suggestions for getting online.
I'm hoping to make it to the soap room today... I'd like to have atleast 100 pounds of bar soap curing before I move on to my other soapy things.
I still haven't gotten the sponsorship donation requests out for the co op "kids". I'm really praying my community comes through when I do send out info. I figured some sexy soap will help make an impact for donations.
Ahh, I am off and running for today.
I love this forum community.

 

[ScentimentallyYours]

*I'm badly colorblind, so not sure what color they really are, but they look like black coffee (on the leaf molds) and a combo of coffee and toffee on the loaf slices)

The batched soaps are gorgeous, @Jorah! First thought when I saw them is that the lease bars need to be sent it with Dark Chocolate FO, and the other bars with the Mocha FO to represent coffee and chocolate. Of course, then you would need to add a note that they are not that for eating.

I really love Shay and Companies products.

Your comment prompted me to go back and take a second look at their website, @SSC Oregon, especially since they are one of the sponsors of this forum. I was happy to discover that they carry Laurel Berry wax, also known as a Bayberry wax. And they stock Syndopour 200 with more ideas on how to use it than I’ve found elsewhere online. The idea of using it as a binder for other syndet recipes is smart. They help by explaining explaining the vegetable origin of all ingredients except water, which is listed by the accurate-but-chemical-sounding term “solvent.” Not sure yet about the recommendations on Syndopour additives since the Stephenson site says to limit them to no more than 3% total. I originally glanced at Shea & CO’s site, but was concerned about shipping since I live on the East Coast. A second look, however, makes me think for some of their specialty items it would be worth it. I’m so jealous that you can drive there!

 

[Grantxw8]

@Grantxw8 Soap Challenge Club is a worldwide, monthly, online soap contest. it costs $15USD to enter and you can download the tutorial and keep it. Like the monthly challenge here, there’s a spotlighted technique that you need to attempt. SCC has three categories you can enter your soap into: Regular (if you’ve been making soap 3 years or less); Advanced (>3 years), and Winners (which you have to enter if you’ve ever won a past challenge). Those who enter get to vote for the winners in each category. There are prizes from whatever company sponsors the challenge that month. People from all over the world compete (like here!).

Soap Challenge Club

I had a look at some past winners. Wow! There are some talented people out there. I look forward to seeing how you go. Good luck.

 

[SSC Oregon]

Your comment prompted me to go back and take a second look at their website, @SSC Oregon, especially since they are one of the sponsors of this forum. I was happy to discover that they carry Laurel Berry wax, also known as a Bayberry wax. And they stock Syndopour 200 with more ideas on how to use it than I’ve found elsewhere online. The idea of using it as a binder for other syndet recipes is smart. They help by explaining explaining the vegetable origin of all ingredients except water, which is listed by the accurate-but-chemical-sounding term “solvent.” Not sure yet about the recommendations on Syndopour additives since the Stephenson site says to limit them to no more than 3% total. I originally glanced at Shea & CO’s site, but was concerned about shipping since I live on the East Coast. A second look, however, makes me think for some of their specialty items it would be worth it. I’m so jealous that you can drive there!

I'm so glad that you found some more info and bayberry wax is something I will have to look up.
It's about 3 hours to get there (well, Portland traffic is about half of that time) but really worth it for me!
Everyone I've talked to that works there has known their products, and been super helpful.