Recent content by Saranac

Could it be the clay? 60 grams seems like a lot for 800 grams. I ask because while I've ever used kaolin in soap, I make a vegan bar with 85% hard fats (coconut and refined shea) and a 40% NaOH concentration, and it has never crumbled when cut about 10-12 hours after pouring. Have you tried...

I saw this at a recent craft fair, too. I don't get it.

My top three sellers are: Adirondack Fir (my own blend of Fir needle and a couple of other fir/pine fragrances). Lilac (NG) Cracklin' Birch (NG) I cannot give away: Lavender OMH Patchouli My favorite right now--that I though would sell but is an absolute dud--is Hemp Flower from WSP. I...

I'm a member of two different farmers' market co-ops. One charges a $35 yearly membership fee plus $10 per day if you're a seasonal member (my market is once a week for 19 weeks); day vendors pay the membership and $15 per day The second co-op charges a $50 membership and market pricing is...

I've blended Cracklin Birch with Apple FO, and that was nice. I've never used juniper, but I just mixed a small amount of Cracklin Birch lotion with some fir needle lotion and it's nice! It brings out the spicy notes of the Birch; the cinnamon is more prominent. Maybe the juniper would have...

I can't speak to the acceleration, but with regards to the ascorbic acid and sodium sulfite, the two work together to prevent oxidation (and color change). Ascorbic acid works very quickly to scavenge oxygen, but once it's "used up", the product can discolor; in fact, juices can discolor...

www.oberk.com/packaging-crash-course/plastic-bottle-paneling-5-causes-and-the-cures I'm leaning towards Causes #2 and #3 in the above article. I've had full bottles of LS do this, so I ruled out #2 when it occured to me. Temperature fluctuations, pressure changes, and the gas permiability of...

Unfortunately, this ingredient list brings forth so many questions that the only thing we know for sure is "could be"! Now, if Kiti is Hades-bent on duping this product, I'd recommend (based on my interpretation of the ingredient list) starting with a salt bar of some sort, but like you...

Not to muddy the waters, but . . . the ingredient list contains commas and semicolons; I interpret it like this-- Saponified Coconut Oil*, Hawaiian Sea Salt; (Not sure why these two ingredients are grouped together; perhaps it's a mistake?) Saponified Castor Bean Oil*, Olive Oil, Almond Oil*...

I used to use their OMH and agree that it's just a nice oatmeal scent without all the almond. I like that it's less sweet than some. (I stopped using it because it just doesn't play nice in my LS.) NG's is similar to my nose, doesn't discolor as dark in CP as SS, is less expensive, and plays...

I'll try not to derail this thread too much, but there are more differences between red and white wine making than the maceration of skins (in fact, it's not uncommon to macerate white grape skins, too), and those differences may contribute to your soap's stink.* For reasons of stability...

I'm sorry that I missed this thread. I find my hybrid bar with SCI to be more bubbly than one without. Additionally, I have hard water here, and I find it rinses better, and leaves my skin feeling less squeaky after rinsing. I don't think soap needs a lot of SCI; I think of it as a...

Thank you for sharing this, @earlene; it's all very interesting. Both products look promising, and I’m curious to hear what you learn about the shortening from Soaper’s Choice. At the moment, I blend HO sunflower with GW415, and I’m thinking that either of the products you’re investigating...

My favorite bar of CP soap (for personal use--not a dish soap) is a blend of soap and sodium cocoyl isethionate, and I don’t see why you couldn’t make a bar with coconut oil and SCI as your oil phase, and sodium carbonate added at trace. I make hybrid bars, and I make surfactant shampoo bars...

It seems like I was once again put in my place, and as a result, I've edited my earlier post. Don't place that order or start experimenting yet! There's a good possibility that I've led you down the wrong path; better wait for the experts to weigh in on this subject.