What soapy thing have you done today?

[janesathome]

I the pup!

I bought the puppy mold to make a soap for each of my grandkids a couple years ago. It’s a nice size, and fun to use when I have a little extra batter with little or no scent - kids really like them so I try to make them safe for littles . Not sure whether a well cured (6+ months) sea salt bar might be scratchy on little persons’ skins?

 

[VikingChick]

I bought the puppy mold to make a soap for each of my grandkids a couple years ago. It’s a nice size, and fun to use when I have a little extra batter with little or no scent - kids really like them so I try to make them safe for littles . Not sure whether a well cured (6+ months) sea salt bar might be scratchy on little persons’ skins?

Probably depends on the kid. I don’t think mine would have had any issues with it, but then we all tend to not have sensitive skin.

 

[AliensrReal]

I’ve come to the conclusion that fragrance oils that slow trace have a higher likelihood to separate when poured at a light trace. This occurs even when the batter sits for over an hour before pouring. I’ve been wondering if it was truly false trace causing separation or the fragrance oil. Yup, it’s the fragrance oil.
Solution: buy a mini mixer and see if that helps when I separate the batter into smaller bowls.

 

[jwarnerca]

I bought the puppy mold to make a soap for each of my grandkids a couple years ago. It’s a nice size, and fun to use when I have a little extra batter with little or no scent - kids really like them so I try to make them safe for littles . Not sure whether a well cured (6+ months) sea salt bar might be scratchy on little persons’ skins?

Hi Jane, where can I find your photos?
Jan

 

[Shelley D]

I did get my palm oil but my sodium citrate hasn't arrived yet so no soap making ~ however, hubby and I were out and about today and hit a couple of thrift stores and I found a silicone mold of various flowers for $5
I have a few on my wishlist on Amazon and they vary in in price from $10-$13 and when I mentioned that to the hubby he said then I guess you better get it! Yay me! Too bad we were actually looking for side tables for the living room and didn't find any . . . but I got a flower mold!

 

[VikingChick]

I did get my palm oil but my sodium citrate hasn't arrived yet so no soap making ~ however, hubby and I were out and about today and hit a couple of thrift stores and I found a silicone mold of various flowers for $5
I have a few on my wishlist on Amazon and they vary in in price from $10-$13 and when I mentioned that to the hubby he said then I guess you better get it! Yay me! Too bad we were actually looking for side tables for the living room and didn't find any . . . but I got a flower mold!

I love that mold! It’ll make such cute soaps!

 

[Shelley D]

I love that mold! It’ll make such cute soaps!

That's what I'm hoping! I haven't done the measuring per cavity so I don't know if they will be closer to a full size bar or a "guest bar" size, but they seem to be a decent size. Each cavity has a nice depth to it!
And I was mistaken ~ the mold was only $3 not $5

 

[AliOop]

Along with non-soapy things, today it was time to make a refill batch Creamy Cocoa-Shea liquid soap for my SIL. With oils around 160, hot KOH 50% lye solution, glycerin for the remaining liquid, and my handy All-Clad SB, we reached the sticky taffy stage in a record two minutes of stick-blending!

After an hour, it was zap-free. After melting the stearic in some of the dilution water, I boiled the remaining water, then poured all of that plus all the other additives over the paste. Alternating between stick-blending and reheating it in the microwave diluted everything very quickly. It turned out just lovely, as always!

Confession, I didn't give it all to my SIL... I kept some back for our foamer bottles by the sink. This recipe makes the loveliest velvety foam that doesn't dry out my hands.

 

[dmcgee5034]

I have finally started making some salt bars. I like soleseife - and avoided salt bars until now as I don’t really like what a high superfat does to my sinks and bathtub. Hard water over here!
Anyway, I tested my first batch of salt bars this week, 9 weeks into its cure, and I think it’s nice. Can hardly wait to see what it’s like after 6,9,12 months. Was happy enough with it that I made my 3rd batch of salt bars yesterday; coloured with some madder infused olive oil that needed to be used up. I love the colour!

Those look great! I especially love the freckled little puppy!

 

[KiwiMoose]

No need for a good memory, here it is just a few days into cure…
Before and after:
View attachment 75973View attachment 75974

@not_ally and @Misschief Look at how it is now:

 

[dmcgee5034]

Got myself a light box for soap pictures and tried it out today. Still working on finding the right pinks for my watermelon soap, and I must not have mixed my green oxide well enough since I got speckles.

 

[not_ally]

Still working on finding the right pinks for my watermelon soap, and I must not have mixed my green oxide well enough since I got speckles.

I love them! Especially the rind, it looks so perfectly rind-y.

Look at how it is now:

You did such a good job of planning for it. It looks delicious this way, but I can imagine a not-so good outcome with a different design. I am really reluctant to use discoloring FOs - especially one that go so dark brown because I feel like it will end up looking like poo.

You did such a good job of planning for it. It looks delicious this way, but I can imagine a not-so good outcome with a different design. I am really reluctant to use discoloring FOs - especially one that go so dark brown because I feel like it will end up looking like poo.

Looked again at bigger size, beautiful. Sorry to post twice, thought I was editing the prior one and now can't delete.

 

[Tammyfarms]

Got myself a light box for soap pictures and tried it out today. Still working on finding the right pinks for my watermelon soap, and I must not have mixed my green oxide well enough since I got speckles.
View attachment 76514
View attachment 76511

Beautiful soap. I know the specks weren’t planned but I don’t think it detracts from the beautiful rind. Love that the red and green layers have several colors. Well done!

 

[Savage Daughter]

I have found my tribe!




@katili I am in sticker shock land this week as well. Just went on to NDA site to order some of my faves which I’m close to running out of - and can’t bring myself to push the button on making the purchase. I’m just a hobby soaper and I give away a LOT of soap as I’m an “enthusiastic” hobby soaper! But over $300 for just 4 100 ml and 2 500 ml containers of “garden variety” EOs? I may need to cross to the Other Side And buy FOs. Haven’t done that as many artificial fragrances give me a migraine.

NDA is not the only place to buy raw materials if you're looking to avoid taxes & duties in Canada. I just bought some stuff from them during their 'up to 20% off' sale. I got 15% off I can often find essential oils elsewhere cheaper than with NDA, but I comparison shop nonetheless.

Compare prices with:

• Voyageur Soap & Candle
• Candora Soap
• Soap & More (standing discount for students of Formula Botanica courses)
• Plants Power (my last choice in most case, to be honest)
• Botanic Planet

 

[Misschief]

NDA is not the only place to buy raw materials if you're looking to avoid taxes & duties in Canada. I just bought some stuff from them during their 'up to 20% off' sale. I got 15% off I can often find essential oils elsewhere cheaper than with NDA, but I comparison shop nonetheless.

Compare prices with:

• Voyageur Soap & Candle
• Candora Soap
• Soap & More (standing discount for students of Formula Botanica courses)
• Plants Power (my last choice in most case, to be honest)
• Botanic Planet

And another to check is Windy Point, also out of Calgary (as is Candora)

 

[Savage Daughter]

And another to check is Windy Point, also out of Calgary (as is Candora)

I knew I forgot one LOL

 

[KiwiMoose]

I am really reluctant to use discoloring FOs - especially one that go so dark brown because I feel like it will end up looking like poo.

I had a half sized end-piece that I was using in the shower that wore down to a small oval shape. I dropped it on the shower floor once and guess what it looked like?

 

[Zing]

I had a half sized end-piece that I was using in the shower that wore down to a small oval shape. I dropped it on the shower floor once and guess what it looked like?

 

[AliOop]

@Zing she said it looked like the mustache on the guy in your meme, only more... squishy.

 

[AliensrReal]

Been busy making soaps. There’s soda ash on them, but I’m not gonna worry about it. Scents used BB champagne and ginger ale, indigo fragrance celebration and Calacazz and JS Rosemary lemon. I am in love with ginger ale and champagne. I need this in everything! Celebration and calacazz are lush dupes and smell exactly like it too. I just hope they stick. Rosemary lemon is perfectly balanced. I used my 1lb molds for some.