Recent content by Astro

as a newbie I have not heard the term 'salting out' soap. Can someone explain what it is and why you would do it? :smallshrug: Thanks Edit: I found Deanna's explanation and instructions (Salting-out soap | Soapy Stuff) and now understand - Thanks

I would think the reason the melt and pour is far cheaper to make is because it is probably made industrially with chemicals and detergents rather than made with natural products like you can control in your own CP or HP. When I was in the UK I could buy dirt cheap M&P but there were more...

Thank you for all the responses That is exactly what my worry is as we do have high humidity in some areas of our region. The biodegradable film is made mainly from sugarcane but also from corn, and other plant products, here in South Africa. The film is extremely costly so far in my...

As a reasonably new soaper myself, I would like to make a couple of suggestions based on what I have learnt in my soap making endeavours (and a couple of questions too) Questions first... How fast did it start to thicken up? Were you blending all the time or blending in short bursts and...

Hi With Christmas coming, I am wanting to create attractive biodegradable see-through packaging for gifting my soaps. My idea is to create a base box of card with a clear tuck-in see-through lid. The concept of the tuck in lid works (see pic), but the biodegradable part is where I am...

Thank you all for the input and advice. I would be making a liquid soap and just want to add in some of the bar soap to the batch so I dont waste it. The recipe is Olive Oil 80% Coconut Oil 13.33% Castor Oil 6.67% Lye concentration 33.33% And way too much water on rebatch.:smallshrug: I was...

Story so far... I made a batch of bastille soap with lavender EO but overdid the mica decoration on top which I hated so decided to rebatch for the first time. Impatience being my middle name I didnt wait long enough for the soap to melt and kept adding more water.... oops! After cooking for...

Thank you for the responses. This is absolutely great feedback ;);):thumbs::thumbs:

on this subject - can anyone help as to where I can buy a cutter in South Africa. Soap suppliers here charge absolutely exorbitant rates for everything from molds, tools, dyes and essential oils and of course soap cutters. I will delete this question if it is a hijack (apologies in advance if it is)

Here is an article that came through my news feed. Aside from the blatant lack of research and knowledge they are giving a recipe with no safety instructions, just to sell a blender (I think) Let’s try making soap from used cooking oil with ARE-310 ｜ The global standard for mixing, defoaming...

Do you always use the same recipe - could it be a brand of oil you are using?

Hi I am certainly not what I would call an experienced soaper, but I think I have learnt quite fast (pats self on back lol). My soap-making story goes like this... I moved into an amazing little cottage on a farm and my landlady, Lizzy, was buying natural soaps and asking each of the suppliers...

Sorry, bad explanation on my part - what I meant was that I made several batches, some using HP and some Using CP. Not Both at the same time. it has just started in the last week, until then it was fine. I thought I had mixed in the EO thoroughly but this may be the issue. I was wondering...

I have made several batches of soap now using 3 recipes. The first is a Bastille, 80% OO/13.33% CO/6.67% Castor, the 2nd is a Milk soap, 71% OO/26% CO/3% Castor, and the third is my hard bar of 60% CO and 40% Sunflower. They are a mixture of HP and CP with additives and without and all have...

I use a 5% Rosa centrifolia in grapeseed oil