What soapy thing have you done today?

[Zing]

I will have to try that blend!

Let me know how it goes. I found out elsewhere that adding salt also helps with scent retention. My mouth dropped open, because as soon as I began adding salt, many things changed. Better natural color retention, my soap stayed much more opaque over the long-term, natural colorants became more vibrant & so on. I did *not* equate the salt with any scent retention at the time, however. You might want to give it a try

I knew it, @Zing ! You're a soap perv! LOL

Tell me more, please. I've long used sodium lactate which is a salt. What do you use?
*This is me ignoring that perv remark....Let's focus on salt.

 

[AliensrReal]

My color wheel cards came in today and I am so happy I got them. Now I can come up with new color schemes for my soap.

My fragrance oils from WSP also came. They all smell wonderful.

 

[hlee]

I looked through a bunch of my fragrance because I thought I would make some soap.
Discovered a lot of faded labels and went through more to see just how many were like that. A lot
Then I got a migraine either from sniffing fo or from being annoyed but pretty sure from sniffing.
So I came here. I can still read a little but no soap will be made today. Maybe tomorrow.

 

[not_ally]

I have tried really, really hard to cut my FO list down to the ones I like/love most and that I know will stick. Also I have an FO chart sorted by type of scent so that as long as I can identify the manufacturer by label/bottle type/color, something, I can generally figure out what the scent is.

It really makes soaping life less expensive because the temptation to go crazy for small amounts of FOs during sales is reduced so much. JK, I just switched to spending money on other soaping stuff

 

[Savage Daughter]

Tell me more, please. I've long used sodium lactate which is a salt. What do you use?

Just plain old sea salt. Not the expensive stuff. Definitely NOT the iodized stuff. The cheapest stuff I can find. Sometimes even dollar store sea salt. The snow-white, refined stuff I don't put in my mouth FYI for anyone buying salt in a supermarket, check the label. Some brands have started adding sugar to their salt.

I add around 3/4 TSP salt per 1 pound batch of soap, dissolved in my water BEFORE adding my lye.

For a 16 pound batch, I use approximately 12 TSP of salt or 4 TBSP.

I was using sodium lactate but when I tested sea salt, I found I liked the results more. It's also far less pricey & available nearly anywhere. Now I have a honking bottle of sodium lactate sitting & gathering dust, because it just doesn't cut it for me anymore.

*This is me ignoring that perv remark....Let's focus on salt.

Don't worry, I have my own favourite fondling materials, so who am I to question the Minnesota manhandling of your bevy of bodacious bevelled bars LOL

From Love Your Suds. Can’t wait to use them next month.

I bought some last year but have not yet used them because they don't fit my cylindrical Custom Craft Tools molds. Boy was I P.O.d when I discovered that. FYI for anyone who is thinking of pairing the two tools.

Are yours clear acrylic? That looks like the sticky backing paper I had on the ones I bought from Chas at Wild Plantanica.

No secrets here, at least soapy-wise. Rosemary 44%, lemongrass 44%, cedarwood 12%. I love it and it's the most requested from friends.

What type of cedar essential oil?

 

[katili]

I was using sodium lactate but when I tested sea salt, I found I liked the results more. It's also far less pricey & available nearly anywhere. Now I have a honking bottle of sodium lactate sitting & gathering dust, because it just doesn't cut it for me anymore.

Ooh, this is interesting. I made a soap not too long ago using sea salt and sugar so I left out my sodium lactate, and now I'm even more curious to see how the final bar feels! It certainly was nice while I was soaping it. I don't *think* I have any problems with the SL but it's certainly nowhere near as cheap as Costo sea salt lol and anything I can do to save some pennies...

I sniffed too many FOs today trying to decide which ones I want to make soap with and which ones I want to attempt to destash, now my head hurts a tiny bit but worse, they all smell the same

 

[Savage Daughter]

Ooh, this is interesting. I made a soap not too long ago using sea salt and sugar so I left out my sodium lactate, and now I'm even more curious to see how the final bar feels! It certainly was nice while I was soaping it. I don't *think* I have any problems with the SL but it's certainly nowhere near as cheap as Costo sea salt lol and anything I can do to save some pennies...

I love the sea salt. I should just sell my bottle of sodium lactate & be done with it, but it can be used in skin care products, so might hold on to it.

I sniffed too many FOs today trying to decide which ones I want to make soap with and which ones I want to attempt to destash, now my head hurts a tiny bit but worse, they all smell the same

Fragrance oils are absolute poison to my body. I make all of my skin care products at this point, have been making my own products since I was a teenager with severe acne I was learning to sort out. Because none of the products I make contain fragrance oils or petroleum products (fragrance oils are one of many) or any other garbage, my skin looks better than anyone I know. This is according to the people who regularly ask me how in god's name it's possible I don't have any wrinkles when they do, and they are the same age group as I am, often younger. Know what I use? My own soap & my own custom formulated facial oil. That's it. Oh, and the occasional oat-based mask. Fragrance oils also contribute to a whole host of health issues, headaches being one of countless. That said, you're free to use whatever you wish to

 

[Zing]

What type of cedar essential oil?

Cedarwood virginian from Bramble Berry.

 

[AliensrReal]

I bought some last year but have not yet used them because they don't fit my cylindrical Custom Craft Tools molds. Boy was I P.O.d when I discovered that. FYI for anyone who is thinking of pairing the two tools.

Are yours clear acrylic? That looks like the sticky backing paper I had on the ones I bought from Chas at Wild Plantanica.

Mine are acrylic and they fit my Custom Craft Tools mold perfectly. That’s strange they don’t fit yours.

 

[AliOop]

Mine are acrylic and they fit my Custom Craft Tools mold perfectly. That’s strange they don’t fit yours.

The two biggest online sellers of the pull-through tools are Chas at Wild Plantanica, and Belinda at Love Your Suds.

I purchased mine from Belinda. Her website offers many different sizes. Her listings are very clear about the inside dimensions of the molds that will work with each size. She also makes custom sizes.

 

[Iveta Pelá]

Fragrance oils are absolute poison to my body. I make all of my skin care products at this point, have been making my own products since I was a teenager with severe acne I was learning to sort out. Because none of the products I make contain fragrance oils or petroleum products (fragrance oils are one of many) or any other garbage, my skin looks better than anyone I know. This is according to the people who regularly ask me how in god's name it's possible I don't have any wrinkles when they do, and they are the same age group as I am, often younger. Know what I use? My own soap & my own custom formulated facial oil. That's it. Oh, and the occasional oat-based mask. Fragrance oils also contribute to a whole host of health issues, headaches being one of countless. That said, you're free to use whatever you wish to

I haven't added any scents to the soap yet, because I'm still a beginner with soap. But I don't know if I'll use any soap scents at all later because the scents usually irritate me. I use unscented whenever possible. I wanted to include fragrances in some soaps in the future because some people like them, but for me to make sense, the ingredient in the soap has to have some benefit and with the FO ones there is a risk that they can irritate. So I'm looking for something positive, apart from the nice smell, that would convince me that I would like to try having it in the soap...

 

[Savage Daughter]

Mine are acrylic and they fit my Custom Craft Tools mold perfectly. That’s strange they don’t fit yours.

Really????

I haven't added any scents to the soap yet, because I'm still a beginner with soap. But I don't know if I'll use any soap scents at all later because the scents usually irritate me. I use unscented whenever possible. I wanted to include fragrances in some soaps in the future because some people like them, but for me to make sense, the ingredient in the soap has to have some benefit and with the FO ones there is a risk that they can irritate. So I'm looking for something positive, apart from the nice smell, that would convince me that I would like to try having it in the soap...

If you can't handle essential oils either, try infusing some herbs into your base oils & see if they leave a nice, mild scent. try some dried sage, rosemary, things like that. You could even try some cedar leaves or bark.

You can strain or not strain the plant material out later. Your call. It's all play

 

[AliensrReal]

The two biggest online sellers of the pull-through tools are Chas at Wild Plantanica, and Belinda at Love Your Suds.

I purchased mine from Belinda. Her website offers many different sizes. Her listings are very clear about the inside dimensions of the molds that will work with each size. She also makes custom sizes.

I love some of the ones from Wild Plantanica, but I don’t know how the soaps will look. I need pictures of finished product.

Really????

Yup. Did they perhaps send the wrong size?

 

[dmcgee5034]

I love some of the ones from Wild Plantanica, but I don’t know how the soaps will look. I need pictures of finished product.

Yup. Did they perhaps send the wrong size?

I went with a starter set from Amazon, and they work very well. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B099F9ZLLP/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&th=1

 

[Zing]

I haven't added any scents to the soap yet, because I'm still a beginner with soap. But I don't know if I'll use any soap scents at all later because the scents usually irritate me. I use unscented whenever possible. I wanted to include fragrances in some soaps in the future because some people like them, but for me to make sense, the ingredient in the soap has to have some benefit and with the FO ones there is a risk that they can irritate. So I'm looking for something positive, apart from the nice smell, that would convince me that I would like to try having it in the soap...

Are you sensitive to essential oils? I only use essential oils, just because that's how I learned using some beginning recipes. I have used soaps that have fragrance oils. I don't know how to explain it, but I get like the beginning of a headache. I'm not judging my talented friends here who use fragrance oils, just saying how it affects me. Also, have you checked into benzoin resinoid? It is not an essential oil or fragrance oil, I don't know what it is but it smells like heaven -- chocolate-y and vanilla-y. Pine tar soap is an advanced technique but I do like that scent as well.

 

[not_ally]

I am researching how to do pull through soaps - I know it is geeky, but I really love researching so will spend days looking at videos on a technique before doing it. Tonight I am looking through the Soap Challenge pull through winners. I realized what a small, petty person I am when I read the description of the winning entry by Holly/Kapia Mera, whose entry was "made with a basket that she cut and adapted to pull through the soap." I literally rolled my eyes and said (albeit only to the screen) "could you BE more of an overachiever?" And I love Holly's videos! Soap envy makes mean girls of us all. Or at least one of us.

 

[Iveta Pelá]

Are you sensitive to essential oils? I only use essential oils, just because that's how I learned using some beginning recipes. I have used soaps that have fragrance oils. I don't know how to explain it, but I get like the beginning of a headache. I'm not judging my talented friends here who use fragrance oils, just saying how it affects me. Also, have you checked into benzoin resinoid? It is not an essential oil or fragrance oil, I don't know what it is but it smells like heaven -- chocolate-y and vanilla-y. Pine tar soap is an advanced technique but I do like that scent as well.

I think I should try it in my soap later. Maybe it's just some EOs or a certain concentration that irritates me.

 

[Iveta Pelá]

I am researching how to do pull through soaps - I know it is geeky, but I really love researching so will spend days looking at videos on a technique before doing it. Tonight I am looking through the Soap Challenge pull through winners. I realized what a small, petty person I am when I read the description of the winning entry by Holly/Kapia Mera, whose entry was "made with a basket that she cut and adapted to pull through the soap." I literally rolled my eyes and said (albeit only to the screen) "could you BE more of an overachiever?" And I love Holly's videos! Soap envy makes mean girls of us all. Or at least one of us.

I have a similar situation, I spend a long time looking at pictures from the video and reading information and experiences of others. That's how inspiration and ideas arise that I want to try. Soap making is a wonderful world of so many possibilities…

 

[not_ally]

Regarding SL v salt, I've gone back and forth but stayed with SL because I had read somewhere that SL is good for for bubbles, and because I like to keep my coconut oil levels low-ish I do whatever I can to maximize that (I also add sorbitol.) Has anyone else heard about the SL-bubbles connection, or am I just mis-remembering?

 

[NewlyCreative]

Regarding SL v salt, I've gone back and forth but stayed with SL because I had read somewhere that SL is good for for bubbles, and because I like to keep my coconut oil levels low-ish I do whatever I can to maximize that (I also add sorbitol.) Has anyone else heard about the SL-bubbles connection, or am I just mis-remembering?

I thought the bubbles were more associated with vinegar?

I recently did a whole water replacement with vinegar and that soap is rock hard a week later! The first batch I tried crumbled when I went to cut it 12 hours later.

It’s only been a week so I don’t know how the bubbles are yet!