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I have a pound of Sal (Shorea) butter that I bought in June of 2011. It has been stored inside away from light. I just opened it and took a sniff. I'm wondering if it should have an odor. It's not exactly a rancid odor, but it reminds me of school days in band class. Maybe the odor of the...

I've been waiting to buy one of these things, thinking that I would make 5 gallon master batches for my favorite recipes, melt the oils overnight, and soap the following morning- just scoop out what I needed for one batch. I received my bucket heater from soapequipment.com a couple of days...

I have been working with some of my favorite recipes to discount the water for a faster cure. I would like to try discounting on salt bars. Anyone tried it? I would think it would trace pretty fast, so I would plan on just stirring by hand. Any tips?

Hi- I'm thinking about trying a premade base. Most suppliers have them, but you can't buy a trial size, and I don't want to commit to 16 oz! Has anyone tried any?

Hi all- I have used WSP's Peppermint Stick FO in CP soap. It does great at .5oz/lb. It scents up the bathroom and has a little "tingle". I want to make a new batch, and have only their EO. I use mostly FO's, and have heard that you use EO's at lower amounts. Any ideas on peppermint EO? I...

I understand this is a supplier that has gone out of business. I am wondering about purchasing their Chai Tea and Dragon's Blood from a soaper who is quitting. Do you know if they are body safe, and if they sold quality oils?

So I got experimental with irrigation pipe, and look what I came up with! Now, I just need to give these a name. They are scented with Dragonsblood. All I can come up with is "Dark side of Moon", or "Space Junk" I was planning on more of a stained glass look, but ended up with too...

So- I just made an Etsy sale to a customer in Canada. I'm wondering what people do: I noticed when I received a mold that I ordered from someone in B.C. that the package said "Gift". Was that to avoid paying a customs fee? How much could the customs fee be for a single bar of soap. And, if...

I am infusing Sweet Almond Oil with calendula flowers. When I make it into soap, I am wondering if I am going to include petals. I have seen fresh bars with petals included, and they are beautiful. I'm wondering about after the cure. I have had many "herby" ingredients turn brown. Do these...

I would like to make a CP milk & honey bar, and for the honey portion, I want to swirl with WSP's Honey M&P base. I think the clear, golden color would be dramatic in a white bar, and the scent is divine. I have never mixed the two, except to do M&P embeds in CP. Any techniques that you...

Do any of you have experience with this? I read on about.com that you can use beeswax or soy wax, 1oz/ppo . I used soy, since that is what I had on hand. It seems to accelerate trace quite a bit. Does beeswax do the same? I stirred by hand, and still didn't have much time for swirling, and I...

I know that I have to soak the luffah to get it to round out the shape, but do I dry it completely before pouring soap over it? Will the slice float in the soap if it is dry? Somewhere I read that it should be damp. Any tips?

I think that my "surf's up" design is jinxed. I have made a 64oz. batch (of oils) for my log mold, mixed up the oils, split the whole thing in half (by weight)- also the lye. Mix it up, then divide it in half for two different colors in the mold. The bottom half is brought to a thick...

I have been making small embeds with the leftover soap from each batch lately. So I have a dozen or so little hearts & stars. I would like to use them in a slab mold, placing a heart or star in the top of each bar. How do I get the embeds to stick to the raw soap? Is just "snuggling" them...

Earlier this week, four representatives from HSMG went to Washington D.C. to meet with lawmakers and oppose the bill. They need our help and support. Check out this link to the president of The Handmade Soapmaker's Guild blog...

I am formulating a recipe for a mechanic's soap, and want to use two different sizes of "scrubbies". One will be pumice. I would like to use a larger size too. I am considering: sand, cornmeal or ground luffa. Any suggestions? Also- would you still use the same amount ppo of each kind of...

Do you all have any suggestions? Some people love the scent, but more can't stand it. Is there anything that will tone it down in CP?

I'm off to Denver at the end of the month for the convention. Is anyone else going? I can't wait to feed the obsession :wink:

I am looking for a good scent for a pine forest, but I am not interested in Pinesol-like scent. Any suggestions? Thanks in advance

I found this blog that has lots of templates, including a soap box. I would like to find a supplier who carries white boxes in more than one size, but if I have to, I will make my own.