Recent content by happyshopper

When you put it like that its obvious, silly me I never even thought of it. Ah well at least I have accurate scales if I ever need to weigh post! Good job I didn't pay much for them.

oh :( I have just purchased a postage scale second hand. I thought it was a good buy as it measures in 0.1 grams up to 2kg. why are kitchen scales better? OP - The first thing I made in your list was teacup candles, very easy to do just pour the melted wax into the teacup making sure you centre...

We don't have extreme weather conditions here but even with some of my soap I gave away the recipient said they liked it but it didn't last long as the bottom keep going soggy. They were using a soap dish but a solid one. Soap dishes need to be like mini racks so the air can get to the bottom...

Are you saying as soon as the lye is mixed with the water you can add it straight to unmelted oils? Wow that sounds like such a better/easier way than waiting for the oils and lye to get the the same temperature. I only soap when my son is out of the house as I don't like the idea of lye...

made some M&P with my son. we did one in an aeroplane mould, I was surprised this unmoulded in one piece as its was a rigid plastic bath bomb mould. We then did 4 layers in a loaf mould. We used micas for the transparent layers but used too much as they came out a solid colour. First attempt...

At what stage do you add the coffee water? is this when you mix the lye and oils? Thanks for the tip about the smell, I will order a coffee FO to add. My high lard content base is normally off white so this should be fine for the colour. I want to make it as simple as possible. Newbie...

I am keen to make some coffee soap as I have some used coffee grounds to use up. I want to do 3/4 coffee base with a 1/4 topping of plain white. If I use brewed coffee instead of water with the lye, do I have to freeze the coffee as you would milk? If yes is there any other way of getting the...

Great idea hamma beads soap. I always get my son to handcraft something for relations at Christmas. Just made my decision what he will do this year. Thanks

Yes it takes effort if you add extra ingredients/additives, or make a fancy design. But just to put some in a jug in a microwave, melt, add a drop of colouring and pour into a mould. Not much effort in that as far as I am concerned :) Not thats theres anything wrong in doing that, I am...

UPDATE found some I went back to The Range and instead of looking at the drain cleaner/household section. I found some with the paints. £3 for 500g 99-100% sodium hydroxide (so not guaranteed 100% pure but I am sure this will be fine for my purposes)

I purchased some clear base = result bubbles :) I thought about it, when I see M&P for sale I have never seen a completely opaque bar, they are always clear with embeds/layers. I always assumed this is because they look nicer but now realise its not just that, it is so the customer get a soap...

I think the idea from M&P being 'cheating' is if you just make a simple bar of soap (one colour, solid block) in both M&P and CP. The melt and pour would be cheating as all you do is heat/colour and mold, the CP takes a lot more effort. However when you start to compare the two when fancy...

you don't need much as a beginner (I am just learning too) I would not get hung up on good quality at this stage. Oil is oil and whilst some might be slightly better than others, for a beginner I don't think it makes sense to spend a fortune. It is a lot of trail and error to start with. Once...

I saw that chart mine is a 6 which seems to be average for the bases they do, so I assumed it would be ok. In hindsight I suspect the soaps have all been tested in soft water. I have ordered some SLSA to use in bath bombs so when it arrives I will try adding that and report back. Good...

Thanks Do you have any European or Asian food shops near you? Look in them thats where I get my castor oil from. You are right that castor oil is difficult to find in chemists here.