What soapy thing have you done today?

[basti]

View attachment 75233

My mount fuji scraped layer soap

I remember seeing this one on youtube. Really great job brother.

 

[Jorah]

I also got away from olive oil. For what it's worth, rice bran oil feels great on the skin, I use it in both soap and lotion bars.

I have an unopened bottle of RBO, and now I have the prompt to get it open! Thanks, Zing!

 

[2lilboots]

Walmart has castor oil in their cosmetics section.

 

[ScentedExpressionsSupp]

I have a big itch to make soap so I came up with a new recipe to try and have picked everything out. I like buying everything slowly and have been looking at scents every single day. Today I bought some fragrance from Scented Expressions. Never ordered from them before.

Snowy Peach Berry
Cherry limeade
Kumquat
Champagne margarita

Our new site has a new review on this fragrance. They said it soaped well and retained retention after. Let us know how you like it!

 

[AliensrReal]

Our new site has a new review on this fragrance. They said it soaped well and retained retention after. Let us know how you like it!

I reviewed the kumquat already. I’ll review the others after 4 weeks cure.

 

[Tammyfarms]

@Jorah, I think that is a really pretty deep green. I am amazed by the people like @dibbles who seem to be able to foresee exactly how colors/shades/tones will come out. For me it is a bit of a crap shoot, but that is part of the fun of it. Or so I tell myself

@Benjifrazer and @Vicki C both of those landscapes are absolutely gorgeous.

I have the same challenge with colors. One of my projects this next year is to perform test batches of colors and document, document, document. What I plan to do is similar to the experiment in this post. How to Test Soap Colorants - The Nova Studio

 

[not_ally]

That is a good idea, I like how they experimented with different amounts of the same color and photographed them side by side so you could see the differences. I just did a single sample with a mica shade that I was unsure of and only did one. I should have done what they did.

 

[Jorah]

Okay, batches 39 and 40 are in the record books.

#39 was an attempt at a label-friendly pure white soap (with a pinch of titanium dioxide to help that along) and a bit of BB's Crisp Cotton FO for scent.

Component	%​
Lard	25​
Rice Bran Oil	25​
Coconut Oil	15​
Shea Butter	15​
Cocoa Butter	10​
Castor Oil	10​

Batch 40 was a reworking of one of my simple recipes, replacing olive oil with almond oil. I also used Faux Sea Water to help firm it up. I put in half a tablespoon of madder root powder for a hint of color and a little spruce EO.

Component	%​
Almond Oil	72​
Coconut Oil	14​
Palm Oil	14​

Two easy recipes to round out my 30s and start my 40s (batches, not years!!).

 

[AliensrReal]

Cherry limeade popsicles using a new recipe that is slow moving. I love this recipe. I played around with the clamshell swirl not expecting much at all, but a little bit of it came through and then some feather type swirls came through too. I used the same neon red but a lesser amount. I love the way this came out!

 

[Tammyfarms]

That is a good idea, I like how they experimented with different amounts of the same color and photographed them side by side so you could see the differences. I just did a single sample with a mica shade that I was unsure of and only did one. I should have done what they did.

I saw another experiment that seemed more scientific but can’t find it…. Grrr. The thing I remember to identify the experiment is that the molds they used were oval bars with a little lip around the outside. This one is close, I would really like to find the other one so I could compare both.

Edited to add: I found the second experiment. It’s a video from Tree Marie.

 

[Shelley D]

Cherry limeade popsicles using a new recipe that is slow moving. I love this recipe. I played around with the clamshell swirl not expecting much at all, but a little bit of it came through and then some feather type swirls came through too. I used the same neon red but a lesser amount. I love the way this came out!

It looks like a strawberry creamsicle

 

[Minerva's Curious Physick]

I started Black Friday shopping! A new stick blender on Amazon, essential oils on Brambleberry, and maybe some packaging elsewhere, not sure! My cat demands my attention now, so that’s probably as much screen time as I’m allowed today

 

[Savage Daughter]

Dehydrated some organic mandarine skins - very rarely do I see the organic variety of mandarins - for some future oil infusions & tinctures to be used in soap / body care / other products. My dehydrator has been very busy as of late!

Finished processing a 50 foot long bull kelp I hauled out of the water yesterday afternoon.....my god that is a whole lot of processing, not to mention I never realized how heavy they can be! Some very kind scuba divers who were just coming out of the water - thank you again! - kindly hauled it to the edge of the stones for me & I did the rest. I had that puppy slung over my shoulders like a feather boa with a 40 foot tail trailing behind me hoofing it from the shore & up the hill, then decided that whacking it into 4 foot chunks & putting it all in my transporting sleds for hauling that way might be easier! It was NOT a planned harvest, otherwise I would have been better prepared. THAT was a learning experience....can't find an emjoi for a DERP face! My neighbour has lent me his apple picker, which just happens to have a 12foot handle WOOT! We've hidden it in the grass & moss so nobody can see it & it won't get stolen, so next time I see the kelp in our cove I can just quickly grab it & start hauling it in by the truckload!

Some of the bull kelp I will be experimenting with in soap & tinctures. Think I will dehydrate some, grind it up & maybe test it as an exfoliant, as well as soak some fresh bits of it overnight in distilled water, pulverize it with my stickblender the next day, strain the goo, then use that goo / water solution for my lye. Things could get weird due to all of the different minerals & elements coming out of that fresh seaweed, such as naturally occurring iodine. Might add some very interesting properties, or very well may go all to Winter is playing time! The other part of the bull kelp has gone into my garden, as well as a batch fermenting liquid fertilizer for next year & into my bokashi compost So much fun playing with this stuff!

 

[Shelley D]

Dehydrated some organic mandarine skins - very rarely do I see the organic variety of mandarins - for some future oil infusions & tinctures to be used in soap / body care / other products. My dehydrator has been very busy as of late!

Finished processing a 50 foot long bull kelp I hauled out of the water yesterday afternoon.....my god that is a whole lot of processing, not to mention I never realized how heavy they can be! Some very kind scuba divers who were just coming out of the water - thank you again! - kindly hauled it to the edge of the stones for me & I did the rest. I had that puppy slung over my shoulders like a feather boa with a 40 foot tail trailing behind me hoofing it from the shore & up the hill, then decided that whacking it into 4 foot chunks & putting it all in my transporting sleds for hauling that way might be easier! It was NOT a planned harvest, otherwise I would have been better prepared. THAT was a learning experience....can't find an emjoi for a DERP face! My neighbour has lent me his apple picker, which just happens to have a 12foot handle WOOT! We've hidden it in the grass & moss so nobody can see it & it won't get stolen, so next time I see the kelp in our cove I can just quickly grab it & start hauling it in by the truckload!

Some of the bull kelp I will be experimenting with in soap & tinctures. Think I will dehydrate some, grind it up & maybe test it as an exfoliant, as well as soak some fresh bits of it overnight in distilled water, pulverize it with my stickblender the next day, strain the goo, then use that goo / water solution for my lye. Things could get weird due to all of the different minerals & elements coming out of that fresh seaweed, such as naturally occurring iodine. Might add some very interesting properties, or very well may go all to Winter is playing time! The other part of the bull kelp has gone into my garden, as well as a batch fermenting liquid fertilizer for next year & into my bokashi compost So much fun playing with this stuff!

Wow! Just Wow! I mean, I know in brain about the benefits of seaweed but to have the chance to harvest some is awesome! I wish I could have seen that whole, um, event <?>

 

[AliensrReal]

It looks like a strawberry creamsicle

It really does and I absolutely love it.

Finished processing a 50 foot long bull kelp I hauled out of the water yesterday afternoon.....my god that is a whole lot of processing, not to mention I never realized how heavy they can be! Some very kind scuba divers who were just coming out of the water - thank you again! - kindly hauled it to the edge of the stones for me & I did the rest. I had that puppy slung over my shoulders like a feather boa with a 40 foot tail trailing behind me hoofing it from the shore & up the hill, then decided that whacking it into 4 foot chunks & putting it all in my transporting sleds for hauling that way might be easier!

WHY is there no picture or video of this? This sounds hilarious to me. How did you process the kelp? What do you do?

 

[Servant4Christ]

I made a logo. I'm not sure exactly how this will translate to actual labels with ingredients and so forth, but I like it. It's simple and will work for anything I make now or in the future.

 

[Savage Daughter]

It really does and I absolutely love it.

WHY is there no picture or video of this? This sounds hilarious to me. How did you process the kelp? What do you do?

Because I was alone doing this, besides the scuba divers who assisted LOL and as I said, this was completely unplanned. We usually don't get anything like this blowing in unless we have had a wind storm, which was not the case. I also generally don't bother hauling my phone around with me in the bush / by the edge of the ocean. There is far too much potential for something to go wrong in those scenarios I also don't have cell reception out here, so there's really no point, and have never been one for selfies either

Although, to be honest, I was thinking about it today and wishing I DID have video footage of this, because it was bizarre in the most awesome way haha Never in my life have I ever pictured myself hauling a 50 foot bull kelp out of the ocean & up a hill, dragging its tail behind me like the tail of a serpent from the depths of a flaming pit LOL Something to watch when I'm 115 years into things & to show to the grandbabies!

Processing it involved breaking it up into those 4 foot lengths, initially. Then once I got it hauled home in my transport sleds & had my machete, cutting board, kitchen chopping knife & Shimano knife set up, along with a couple of big buckets. I split the 4 foot lengths into half as best as I could. THAT is easier said than done with the slip factor & the incredible awkwardness of handling this stuff.

I then cut those 4 foot lengths into smaller lengths, about 2 feet, then cut those 1 foot lengths into half again, and then one more time in half for easier handling.

Then sliced each piece into long segments, kinda like you would a cucumber for a salad. Think half a cucumber & splitting it lengthwise into triangular type pieces. Except I did about 6 pieces at a time, otherwise I woulda been at it for a week

Then chop those suckers into bit size pieces and dump them into the bucket until all 50 feet are processed. Then use then as intended. That fermenting-bucket-o-bull-kelp is going to stink-stank-stunk to high but the garden is going to absolutely LOVE it! My indoor plants are gonna get a nice fertilization boost over the winter as well

I got half of it processed the first afternoon - about an hour & a half because it was getting dark - and then spent another hour & a half or so the next day finishing chopping. Total process, about 5 hours, including the hauling & equipment organizing. The lessons learned LOL I will be better prepared next time after doing it once!

To say I was filthy is an understatement It was fun though!

Wow! Just Wow! I mean, I know in brain about the benefits of seaweed but to have the chance to harvest some is awesome! I wish I could have seen that whole, um, event <?>

Yes, that's probably the correct word....it was an EVENT I wish I coulda seen it too, because in the moment, all I can think of is HOW ARE YOU GOING TO PULL THIS OFF CHICK? THINK HARD & FAST!

There is a first time for everything, and I was not going to pass that opportunity up. Like I do with a lot of stuff & situations, I figure things out in the moment using the tools I have available to me. And I did so! LOL

It's some beautiful stuff....truly amazing stuff....but that was a whole lot of very dirty, wet work LOL

I love living where I do! Always an amazing adventure, even on quiet days

 

[Shelley D]

Because I was alone doing this, besides the scuba divers who assisted LOL and as I said, this was completely unplanned. We usually don't get anything like this blowing in unless we have had a wind storm, which was not the case. I also generally don't bother hauling my phone around with me in the bush / by the edge of the ocean. There is far too much potential for something to go wrong in those scenarios I also don't have cell reception out here, so there's really no point, and have never been one for selfies either

Although, to be honest, I was thinking about it today and wishing I DID have video footage of this, because it was bizarre in the most awesome way haha Never in my life have I ever pictured myself hauling a 50 foot bull kelp out of the ocean & up a hill, dragging its tail behind me like the tail of a serpent from the depths of a flaming pit LOL Something to watch when I'm 115 years into things & to show to the grandbabies!

Processing it involved breaking it up into those 4 foot lengths, initially. Then once I got it hauled home in my transport sleds & had my machete, cutting board, kitchen chopping knife & Shimano knife set up, along with a couple of big buckets. I split the 4 foot lengths into half as best as I could. THAT is easier said than done with the slip factor & the incredible awkwardness of handling this stuff.

I then cut those 4 foot lengths into smaller lengths, about 2 feet, then cut those 1 foot lengths into half again, and then one more time in half for easier handling.

Then sliced each piece into long segments, kinda like you would a cucumber for a salad. Think half a cucumber & splitting it lengthwise into triangular type pieces. Except I did about 6 pieces at a time, otherwise I woulda been at it for a week

Then chop those suckers into bit size pieces and dump them into the bucket until all 50 feet are processed. Then use then as intended. That fermenting-bucket-o-bull-kelp is going to stink-stank-stunk to high but the garden is going to absolutely LOVE it! My indoor plants are gonna get a nice fertilization boost over the winter as well

I got half of it processed the first afternoon - about an hour & a half because it was getting dark - and then spent another hour & a half or so the next day finishing chopping. Total process, about 5 hours, including the hauling & equipment organizing. The lessons learned LOL I will be better prepared next time after doing it once!

To say I was filthy is an understatement It was fun though!



Yes, that's probably the correct word....it was an EVENT I wish I coulda seen it too, because in the moment, all I can think of is HOW ARE YOU GOING TO PULL THIS OFF CHICK? THINK HARD & FAST!

There is a first time for everything, and I was not going to pass that opportunity up. Like I do with a lot of stuff & situations, I figure things out in the moment using the tools I have available to me. And I did so! LOL

It's some beautiful stuff....truly amazing stuff....but that was a whole lot of very dirty, wet work LOL

I love living where I do! Always an amazing adventure, even on quiet days

I am both in awe and envious! I also would have gladly captured that event on video had I been there! And I cannot lie, I probably would have laughed way more than would have been socially acceptable

 

[VikingChick]

Because I was alone doing this, besides the scuba divers who assisted LOL and as I said, this was completely unplanned. We usually don't get anything like this blowing in unless we have had a wind storm, which was not the case. I also generally don't bother hauling my phone around with me in the bush / by the edge of the ocean. There is far too much potential for something to go wrong in those scenarios I also don't have cell reception out here, so there's really no point, and have never been one for selfies either

Although, to be honest, I was thinking about it today and wishing I DID have video footage of this, because it was bizarre in the most awesome way haha Never in my life have I ever pictured myself hauling a 50 foot bull kelp out of the ocean & up a hill, dragging its tail behind me like the tail of a serpent from the depths of a flaming pit LOL Something to watch when I'm 115 years into things & to show to the grandbabies!

Processing it involved breaking it up into those 4 foot lengths, initially. Then once I got it hauled home in my transport sleds & had my machete, cutting board, kitchen chopping knife & Shimano knife set up, along with a couple of big buckets. I split the 4 foot lengths into half as best as I could. THAT is easier said than done with the slip factor & the incredible awkwardness of handling this stuff.

I then cut those 4 foot lengths into smaller lengths, about 2 feet, then cut those 1 foot lengths into half again, and then one more time in half for easier handling.

Then sliced each piece into long segments, kinda like you would a cucumber for a salad. Think half a cucumber & splitting it lengthwise into triangular type pieces. Except I did about 6 pieces at a time, otherwise I woulda been at it for a week

Then chop those suckers into bit size pieces and dump them into the bucket until all 50 feet are processed. Then use then as intended. That fermenting-bucket-o-bull-kelp is going to stink-stank-stunk to high but the garden is going to absolutely LOVE it! My indoor plants are gonna get a nice fertilization boost over the winter as well

I got half of it processed the first afternoon - about an hour & a half because it was getting dark - and then spent another hour & a half or so the next day finishing chopping. Total process, about 5 hours, including the hauling & equipment organizing. The lessons learned LOL I will be better prepared next time after doing it once!

To say I was filthy is an understatement It was fun though!



Yes, that's probably the correct word....it was an EVENT I wish I coulda seen it too, because in the moment, all I can think of is HOW ARE YOU GOING TO PULL THIS OFF CHICK? THINK HARD & FAST!

There is a first time for everything, and I was not going to pass that opportunity up. Like I do with a lot of stuff & situations, I figure things out in the moment using the tools I have available to me. And I did so! LOL

It's some beautiful stuff....truly amazing stuff....but that was a whole lot of very dirty, wet work LOL

I love living where I do! Always an amazing adventure, even on quiet days

Wow! What a story - and how industrious you are! **goes off to research bull kelp**

 

[Misschief]

Because I was alone doing this, besides the scuba divers who assisted LOL and as I said, this was completely unplanned. We usually don't get anything like this blowing in unless we have had a wind storm, which was not the case. I also generally don't bother hauling my phone around with me in the bush / by the edge of the ocean. There is far too much potential for something to go wrong in those scenarios I also don't have cell reception out here, so there's really no point, and have never been one for selfies either

Although, to be honest, I was thinking about it today and wishing I DID have video footage of this, because it was bizarre in the most awesome way haha Never in my life have I ever pictured myself hauling a 50 foot bull kelp out of the ocean & up a hill, dragging its tail behind me like the tail of a serpent from the depths of a flaming pit LOL Something to watch when I'm 115 years into things & to show to the grandbabies!

Processing it involved breaking it up into those 4 foot lengths, initially. Then once I got it hauled home in my transport sleds & had my machete, cutting board, kitchen chopping knife & Shimano knife set up, along with a couple of big buckets. I split the 4 foot lengths into half as best as I could. THAT is easier said than done with the slip factor & the incredible awkwardness of handling this stuff.

I then cut those 4 foot lengths into smaller lengths, about 2 feet, then cut those 1 foot lengths into half again, and then one more time in half for easier handling.

Then sliced each piece into long segments, kinda like you would a cucumber for a salad. Think half a cucumber & splitting it lengthwise into triangular type pieces. Except I did about 6 pieces at a time, otherwise I woulda been at it for a week

Then chop those suckers into bit size pieces and dump them into the bucket until all 50 feet are processed. Then use then as intended. That fermenting-bucket-o-bull-kelp is going to stink-stank-stunk to high but the garden is going to absolutely LOVE it! My indoor plants are gonna get a nice fertilization boost over the winter as well

I got half of it processed the first afternoon - about an hour & a half because it was getting dark - and then spent another hour & a half or so the next day finishing chopping. Total process, about 5 hours, including the hauling & equipment organizing. The lessons learned LOL I will be better prepared next time after doing it once!

To say I was filthy is an understatement It was fun though!



Yes, that's probably the correct word....it was an EVENT I wish I coulda seen it too, because in the moment, all I can think of is HOW ARE YOU GOING TO PULL THIS OFF CHICK? THINK HARD & FAST!

There is a first time for everything, and I was not going to pass that opportunity up. Like I do with a lot of stuff & situations, I figure things out in the moment using the tools I have available to me. And I did so! LOL

It's some beautiful stuff....truly amazing stuff....but that was a whole lot of very dirty, wet work LOL

I love living where I do! Always an amazing adventure, even on quiet days

Just out of curiosity, where DO you live (general area)?