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Exquisite. I am beginning to think there are distinct groups of soapers out in the world. The reason why they make soap at home is because: * They want at least 20 perfect fragrances to throw in them *As kids, they wanted at-home chemistry sets but never got one *They want to swirl & mound soap...

Where can a girl find deodorized lard? The web isn't being very useful with such a search.

All of you who use lard, doesn't it add a fatback/bacon kind of smell to the finished and cured soap when used above ~20%? Other forums mention this and to some, the smell NEVER goes away. To others, the "piggy" smell goes away after about 4 weeks of cure time. In general, I prefer using...

Hello fellow member! When you hold scent up to your mini schnauzer who either sneezes or stays a while to sniff more because the humans in your household are tired of you saying, "what about this one, like it better or not so much, does the citrus smell true?" you know things are getting serious.

Never made a beer soap. It sounds like you guys are saying it adds a scent to the soap that is complimented by masculine, woodsy, and spice like scents. Or is it the philosophy or a beer soap being more masculine not feminine?

Awesome, Susie. I was going to suggest tracking the moisture over time by logging lye amounts left in the container after every use. I suppose a little clumping /water gain is the equivalent of superfatting since the lye is less active once it gains moisture.

Very lovely. When I look at them I think, maybe ayurvedically, "ohhhmm." I never knew you guys were so diverse in your cosmic concepts. How very cool! Mrs. Spaceship, I'd swear you are my cousin Aingeal Rose who does tea readings, akashic record readings, and her Irish boyfriend is a spiritual...

not_ally- I was speaking of 75-85 bubble factor being a total of SoapCalc's creamy and bubbly values. The recipe posted has a total of 80. I don't use any additives with consistency. The recipe usually gives me 5 minutes to color and add fragrance before it is like pudding in its consistency...

not_ally, Palm 30% Kokum Butter 10% Coconut Oil 76 12% Castor Oil 25% Olive Oil Pomace 23% Cleansing is 8 Hardness is 34 Creamy is 49 Bubbly is 31 Hardness is 34 Iodine is 61

Thanks for your inputs, all. I was suckered by the post calling me and insisting I purchase Rustic Escentuals 20 FO samples for a buck each. I have a loaf that uses 1 oz almost exactly so I'll be practicing a lot soon. Lard/manteca here I come!!

lenarenee- You will be shocked at the castor oil input, lol. Here is a typical recipe: 30-35% palm oil, 10- 12% coconut, 10-15% butter (cocoa, shea, mango, kokum), 20-25% castor, and the rest olive, olive pomace, or avocado. No additives except maybe nat vit e added to soft oils before use as a...

Ok, fessing up. I have bought CP soap colors since I want to swirl like you guys so beautifully do, BUT, that means a slow tracing recipe and those typically don't lather nearly as much as I like. I like suds almost as much as I like shopping for fragrances, which, let's be honest, is the real...

Your uncle sounds like a hoot. Bet he enjoys being around his peer group, your kids. Lol. I'm already planning for my old age, neon colored clothes, Mickey Mouse watch, paper clips for hair barrettes (which my professor once used in a round table discussion, so distracted was I, I had trouble...

Y'all, I am very glad I did not swell up, have to phone a friend, 911, or the poison control center. The bag of ice cubes I sat on was almost as unbearable as the burning. Lots of screaming in my house that day. The dogs looked nervously at me but they seemed to snicker as well when they grouped...

Did you use a fragrance and if so, was it added to all colors?

Aw. How long is his incarceration period? Poor baby. Hope he feels better soon.

Lovely screened in porches, people! I got one myself in this 1950's gem. The living room and dining room were made into one some time ago and is ~ 40 feet in length with an old fashioned wood burning fireplace. One wall in the living/dining combo is all glass, floor to ceiling with 2 sets of...

Clumping of the lye granules is the first sign of moisture collection. And, yep, humid locations in the south hold MUCH promise to cause clumping faster than drier locations. And no boiling water for tea while soaping!

Oh. That's a tricky concept. Containers would be very, very important should you decide to change from the vendor provided container to an at-home container. I would strongly suggest that you contact the/a NaOH manufacturer and ask what containers are most suited and which are not suited for...

Oooh that cooling menthol Looks like the reason why the amount of menthol and "cooling" essential oils like peppermint is recommended to use at or below ~1-2% per lb is not mentioned. LOL. My experience with a bar of peppermint soap I made at ~ 2% was exciting since the, ah, um, lesser...