Coffee Junkie & Herbal Tea! *Photos Added*

[SilverFox]

It's 3AM. What are you doing?

Soaping, of course! Hah!

Anyway, I'm trying CPOP for the first time right now. I made a coffee soap with coffee in place of plain water and 1Tbsp finely ground coffee beans (24oz recipe).

You guys weren't kidding when you said coffee and lye smells like death! Whoa!

This is my second try at coffee soap. I added WAY too much ground coffee on my first batch and used plain water (that was about 8 months ago).

I had intended for this one to be the "kitchen" soap that claims to get rid of smells, but then I came across a post on here that cited a few websites saying how good coffee/caffeine is for your skin. I then decided to make it a very nice shower soap. I tweaked a few things in soapcalc and went at it.

I can't wait to unmold it!

Photos!

What is up with the white streaks in the middle? I did soap pretty cool so I figure that might have something to do with it.





Herbal Tea! I really like how these came out. I can barely still smell the spearmint, but I don't expect it to stay. I'll add EO's to match the tea next time. I added shea butter and mango butter to these. They should be awesome! They're still pretty soft though, so I'm going to have to let these cure up for a while before I can test

 

[MagiaDellaLuna]

We will want to see pics

 

[SilverFox]

I know!!

I've been peeking at it in the oven and OMG! It's nearly black! It WAS a light tan, lol. I normally do the freezer method of CP so I'm used to my soaps being much lighter lol.

I have an herbal tea soap in the freezer right now This weekend is Beverage Weekend for soaps lol. Beer soap will be made this weekend too!

 

[Hazel]

SilverFox -

I feel like a slacker. At 3 AM, I was asleep.

I can't wait to see the pics.

 

[sudsysarah]

I was asleep at 3 am aswell.
I am hoping to make a beer soap this weekend but I am having a hard time convincing my husband to donate a beer
My coffee soap was made with coffee and cocoa powder. I can't wait to try it (it's still curing).

 

[Dennis]

Sometimes early risers don't mention those great naps about midday.

 

[Hazel]

Sometimes early risers don't mention those great naps about midday.

Early risers? Or staying up late?

 

[Dennis]

Sometimes early risers don't mention those great naps about midday.

Early risers? Or staying up late?

Back in the day... 8)
Believe me, now I am just an early riser. :wink:

 

[Hazel]

Sometimes early risers don't mention those great naps about midday.

Early risers? Or staying up late?

Back in the day... 8)
Believe me, now I am just an early riser. :wink:

By necessity, I'm an early riser...but I don't like it.

 

[SilverFox]

LOL I work third shift (so does my boyfriend). Otherwise I'd be out like a light at 10pm or so lol.

So far I'm not overly thrilled with the coffee soap. The top looks a little oily and grainy, but from what I've read that's how it ends up looking doing CPOP. Eh. I'm hoping that kinda goes away. I've unmolded it (what a PITA that was...) and letting the loaf sit out for a tiny bit before I cut it.

On the other hand, my tea soaps look freaking great! CP in the freezer. And they're round! I am LOVING these PVC molds. The soap pops right out.

I'll get some pics in a bit (after I have my morning...errr nightly lol) coffee. Since, ya know, I just got up a bit ago

 

[Dennis]

I have to try the pvc molds. Sounds pretty handy.

 

[SilverFox]

I have to try the pvc molds. Sounds pretty handy.

I LOVE them! No lining and fighting to unmold. I'm seriously considering switching to making just round soaps lol.

 

[Dennis]

I have to try the pvc molds. Sounds pretty handy.

I LOVE them! No lining and fighting to unmold. I'm seriously considering switching to making just round soaps lol.

Some commercial trim work at floor level is thin pvc. Wonder if that would work to permanently line wooden molds? Might have to check that out.

 

[SilverFox]

I have to try the pvc molds. Sounds pretty handy.

I LOVE them! No lining and fighting to unmold. I'm seriously considering switching to making just round soaps lol.

Some commercial trim work at floor level is thin pvc. Wonder if that would work to permanently line wooden molds? Might have to check that out.

I hadn't thought of that. Sounds like it might work! I thought I was going to have to take apart my wooden mold to get my coffee soap out (it's about a 2lb mold). Anything larger and I'll get one that the sides drop down.

 

[Dennis]

I have to try the pvc molds. Sounds pretty handy.

I LOVE them! No lining and fighting to unmold. I'm seriously considering switching to making just round soaps lol.

Some commercial trim work at floor level is thin pvc. Wonder if that would work to permanently line wooden molds? Might have to check that out.

I hadn't thought of that. Sounds like it might work! I thought I was going to have to take apart my wooden mold to get my coffee soap out (it's about a 2lb mold). Anything larger and I'll get one that the sides drop down.

My second batch in a wooden mold stuck a little. I slid a thin blade bread knife between the liner and wooden sides and the bottom after removing the ends. Only did about half of the loaf and it popped right out. It's a really fine special tool - one of those ultra cheap thin handled thin bladed bread knives in name only. Works great on the soap molds though.

 

[Hazel]

LOL I work third shift (so does my boyfriend). Otherwise I'd be out like a light at 10pm or so lol.

So far I'm not overly thrilled with the coffee soap. The top looks a little oily and grainy, but from what I've read that's how it ends up looking doing CPOP. Eh. I'm hoping that kinda goes away. I've unmolded it (what a PITA that was...) and letting the loaf sit out for a tiny bit before I cut it.

On the other hand, my tea soaps look freaking great! CP in the freezer. And they're round! I am LOVING these PVC molds. The soap pops right out.

I'll get some pics in a bit (after I have my morning...errr nightly lol) coffee. Since, ya know, I just got up a bit ago

SilverFox -

Did you make your own PVC mold? Also, do you oil the tube with mineral oil?

 

[SilverFox]

Hazel - One of my ex's made them for me. It's just 3" diameter PVC tube. They're cut in 2" sections. You could make them whatever depth you want though. Whenever I make some more, I think I'm going to cut them to 1" or 1.5" sections so I can evenly distribute my soap. I have to eyeball these when I'm pouring.

I don't put anything in the molds. I do pop them in the freezer for a bit though (I only had these in the freezer for 10 or 15 mins before I poured the soap. Only because I forgot lol)

Edit: I use a baking sheet with a layer of wax paper, sit my molds on it, and pour away!

 

[judymoody]

What is up with the white streaks in the middle? I did soap pretty cool so I figure that might have something to do with it.

I've had that happen with coffee soap too. It's probably stearic that didn't fully incorporate or began to cool too soon. If it doesn't zap it's probably just an aesthetic problem.

 

[SilverFox]

Good to know! I was thinking about rebatching it but I may not.

 

[Hazel]

Hazel - One of my ex's made them for me. It's just 3" diameter PVC tube. They're cut in 2" sections. You could make them whatever depth you want though. Whenever I make some more, I think I'm going to cut them to 1" or 1.5" sections so I can evenly distribute my soap. I have to eyeball these when I'm pouring.

I don't put anything in the molds. I do pop them in the freezer for a bit though (I only had these in the freezer for 10 or 15 mins before I poured the soap. Only because I forgot lol)

Edit: I use a baking sheet with a layer of wax paper, sit my molds on it, and pour away!

Well, that's a cool idea! When you said PVC mold, I visualized a long round tube. This would be so much easier to work with, IMO. Thanks for sharing the idea.

Do you have any problems with soap leaking out?