What was an "AHA" moment for you, in learning how to soap

[jcandleattic]

Just curious as to what were some people's "aha" moments when either first learning how to soap, or even as a veteran soaper, something new you learned that made you go "aha".

For me, there are several, but the couple that stick out the most is way back in the beginning when I was afraid to start soaping, not because of the lye, but because EVERYONE kept telling me I would know when trace occurred because it would look like "gravy".. LOL I don't cook! Even though I know what gravy looks like, I didn't know what people were talking about because they would always say, you know how you know when gravy is done? That's what trace looks like - so I didn't soap for about 2 years before actually starting because of this. Once I realized it was really more like pudding *(for my purposes anyway, because I do bake, just don't cook) then I was on my way!! HAHA

As a veteran soaper of 16 ish years, (and honestly I'm still shocked and amazed, and embarrassed with myself about this one) - I masterbatch my lye solution at a 1:1 ratio, and ALWAYS used to add my extra liquid to my solution, then wait for the solution to become clear before soaping. Still not as long as waiting for lye solution to cool, however still a 5 minute or so wait. Wellllll, here recently (like literally only a couple weeks ago) there was a post, and I believe it was @shunt2011 said she puts her extra liquid into her oils. Ummm, AHA
I have no idea why I never thought of that before. What a dingus I am. LOL

What are some of your AHA moments?

 

[shunt2011]

A couple of mine were master batching oils and lye what a timesaver. Also that you don’t need a crap ton of different oils to make awesome soap and third, your oils and lye don’t need to be the same temperature. I’m sure there is others.

 

[amd]

Everything. Still after almost 5 years. Things catch me by surprise all the time. Mostly because I think I read so much that I forget what I've read.

Most recently: finally figuring out masterbatching lye. I was kind of doing it already (for beer and coconut milk soaps I would make my lye 1:1 and let it cool, then add the remaining liquid), I just needed to understand the concept of scaling up. I was extremely grateful for the support provided here when I was talking myself through the process, even with my overthinking questions, and the understanding when I refuse to use percentages when talking about lye solutions. (I'm kind of getting a handle on it, but I will probably never use it for my own calculations, but at least I'm starting to understand how much water we're talking about when using %.)

 

[Lin19687]

I think my AHA moment was eons ago about additives.
All the puree and herbals either made the color turn bad faster or looked like DOS or was scratchy.
Sometimes what sounds good isn't always good and to listen to what others have said before.


Other AHA was look around at what is being sold (if you are looking to sell) If everyone is selling a particular thing, you might not sell much. Find your own niche.
People make BB here and after buying a 5 gallon bucket of Citric Acid I decided it was not worth it.

And like Shunt... All the fancy crap ton of oils (I found) just were not worth it.

 

[loriag]

My aha moment was as a newer soaper was understanding lye concentration instead of using water as percentage of oils. So much better.

 

[Alzie]

My aha moment was figuring out that if I add my additives to my extra water before adding to my lye masterbatch, that they incorporate so much better...now just how to remind myself not to forget to do it until after!

 

[SoaperForLife]

My AHA moment was doing one of the soap challenges that Amy Warden runs - splitting up a batch into many small portions, adding color and creating the design. Learning how to work with the solution as it goes through the various stages, from barely emulsified to almost soap on a stick has been a huge plus for me.

 

[SeattleMartin]

AHA
If I mix my clay into a little oil before hand, then very VERY gently mix it into the batch (not overblend it) then I can keep a light trace longer, get all swirly and all of that.
AHA!
That is what they mean when they talk about how clay accelerates trace and THAT is why people recommend this method

 

[bumbleklutz]

My aha moment was when I realized I could add my FO directly to my oils before the lye. No more dumping it out of the mold because I forgot the FO...again.

 

[SoapCake]

My AHA moment was when I finally mastered controlling the trace and not letting it control me, then also using the RTCP (heat transfer) method and realizing I don't need the oils and lye to be the same temp. This has saved me SO much time! Next I will be masterbatching my lye

 

[steffamarie]

Masterbatching lye for sure. That was always my dreaded task when soaping - and now to have it on hand makes me more likely to whip up a batch and have fun with it rather than having to wait eons for my lye solution to cool.

 

[msunnerstood]

Confession: Never considered oils each had their own benefits. I just chose some oils from what I had available and made my first batch. I used a lye calc of course but it wasnt until I watched a video talking about it that I did the face palm

 

[Alfa_Lazcares]

That if a recipe calls for 100 grams of water i can use 50 to dissolve the lye and 50 for an additive like coconut cream. Duh! I dont masterbatch since i usually dont use water, just with coconut cream. So basically i figured out i just had to divide in two.

 

[Dawni]

I had an AHA when a few people on here told me that you won't always get the stages you see on YouTube hot process soaping videos. I was looking for them ended up overcooking my soap.

 

[IrishLass]

I have had several AHA moments:

1) When I learned about the 'split method' of milk soaping. It was a revelation to me that I could make a full-on goat-milk soap, or any kind of full-on milk soap for that matter (full-on- meaning subbing milk for the entire required water amount) without having to mix any of my milk with the lye. This was such great news to me because I really dislike dissolving my lye into anything but water.

2) When I learned the difference between 'lye concentration' and 'water as % of oils', and why lye concentration was the superior of the two for calculating the water amount for my batches.

3) When I learned about master-batching lye 50/50. Probably my least favorite part of soaping is making the lye solution. It's so nice to be able to make several batches of soap over a period of weeks or even over a period of several months, but only have to make enough lye solution for all of them only once, no matter that my batches don't all necessarily use the same lye concentration.
3A) When I learned that once made, lye solution lasts well over a year+ and retains it's strength if stored properly.

4) When I learned that glycerin mixes wonderfully with mica and/or oil-dispersible oxides and/or water-dispersible ultramarines. No more second-guessing what medium to mix my colorants with before adding to my batch.

5) When I learned that a seize is not the total ruin of ones soap. Just place the seized soap on the stovetop in a stainless pot, or in the oven, or in a crockpot, and then HP that baby into submission!

6) When I learned about chelators and how they could help my soap lather better in my extremely hard water and lessen the formation of soap scum in my shower.

7) When I learned that mixing honey into pre-made & cooled lye water before adding to the oils prevents it from overheating in my soap as well as preventing other issues I was experiencing in my honey soaps, such as weeping honey or honey spots.

8) When I learned my soaping lye was also great for making pretzels!



IrishLass

 

[Dean]

1. CO in soap can be very drying...especially when used on the face.
2. There is no getting around a lengthy cure.

 

[Miki]

[QUOTE="IrishLass

8. I learned my soaping lye was also great for making pretzels!

IrishLass [/QUOTE]

I'm totally stumped..... where can I find more on this?

 

[Relle]

https://www.soapmakingforum.com/threads/lye-dipped-pretzels-laugenbretzel.49024/#post-468983

 

[Miki]

https://www.soapmakingforum.com/threads/lye-dipped-pretzels-laugenbretzel.49024/#post-468983

Thank you, this is awesome!

 

[maya]

Test new ideas, even if *everyone* says it won't work test it in a small batch. Vinegar added to soap. I thought of it and looked it up on a forum, *everyone* said NOOOOOOOO it won't work!

I bet it would if you do it right.