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  1. lenarenee

    How much faster does tallow trace than lard?

    I think a mix is best too because tallow is fickle (in my experience). I've had slow moving and fast moving recipes with tallow/lard. The tallow source was from the same container, so perhaps the aging process had something to do with it. (although it contained edta and citric acid to prevent...
  2. lenarenee

    How much faster does tallow trace than lard?

    How tallow heavy? With or without lard also in the recipe? Why type of fo's? Tallow can be friend or foe, I've found and is capable of setting up really fast.
  3. lenarenee

    old, new to me Christmas song

    Hmm. I can't say that I hear this every year, but certainly often enough to be surprised that it's considered obscure. But I listen to a lot of Christmas music, and even enjoy ones like "I want a Hippopotamus for Christmas" and "The Twelve Pains of Christmas". :dance:
  4. lenarenee

    Best type of soap for paintbrushes?

    If you want to make a pH neutral soap, then it won't be a lye (sodium or potassium hydroxide) based soap. You will need to use surfactants only. There are suppliers you can purchase from, plus free and professionally designed recipes for detergent bars. When your teachers suggested a plain...
  5. lenarenee

    Best type of soap for paintbrushes?

    I think it's better to ask another informed artist. There are natural and synthetic brushes and lye soap (liquid or bar) has a high pH which might cause problems (like it does to human and dog hair). It may be better to use a detergent type of soap, with a neutral pH.
  6. lenarenee

    How much super fat, how do you decide?

    I used to do 5% as it's seems to be the most popular level, but lowered it to 3%. Except for salt bars, I don't use more than 20% coconut oil. The higher the superfat, the more it reduces lather, and more importantly reduces the oil going down the drain. I think it also rinses better (but I...
  7. lenarenee

    Why indigofera tinctoria days did not make soap blue

    The high pH of the soap reacts with many natural colorants and often causes....surprises. Indigo can be a myriard of colors...purplish, reddish, gray, blueish...although I haven't had green yet, but still not surprised to hear someone did. Also, see what it looks like after a couple of days...
  8. lenarenee

    Water-less cleanser and diaper changes

    I'm hoping someone can answer whether or not using a product like this : Sorry! Something went wrong! cleans and sanitizes the area after a messy diaper change (if you know what I mean). I see the ad says it "emulsifies" blood, stool, and zinc, but does that mean bacterial cells are killed?
  9. lenarenee

    How does Water:Lye ratio affect tracing?

    Yes, it sure can. Higher water can cause faster trace in some recipes. However, sometimes higher water slows it in others. Fun stuff, right? Not to pry, but I'm curious about using 30% coconut oil, especially with a 0% to 1% superfat? Are you finding this recipe drying on the skin?
  10. lenarenee

    My Experimental Honey & Beeswax Soap

    I don't have much to add either other than wondering if the 10% castor along with the honey is attracting moisture to the soap. 10% castor isn't unheard of, but beyond that amount castor is known to cause a sticky soap. Since honey is a humectant too, it just might be too much in combination. I...
  11. lenarenee

    Oh Boy! I goofed up!

    You've definitely shown the ability to ask great questions, make observations, and accept help - you are well on your way to being a great soap maker Michael!
  12. lenarenee

    Hi

    Hi! Have you made your first batch yet or are you still doing your research?
  13. lenarenee

    Soap going bad?

    What is the brand of olive oil you're using?(lots of brands are adulterated with cheap oils) What is the brand of sunflower (and is it high oleic?). OR...does the oil come already blended in a single bottle? How old are the oils, and how are they being stored? Where are the bars being cured...
  14. lenarenee

    Oh Boy! I goofed up!

    So initially, you had thick batter, but after coloring and pouring, you said that you could tell it wasn't at trace, right? What did you see that made you think you didn't have trace? When soap thickens up without being at trace, it's called "false trace,".....meaning the fats solidified due...
  15. lenarenee

    Best Deal for smaller amounts of lye

    If you have Amazon Prime it's usually better to order from them. The Lye Guy is another economical favorite here, but for small amounts the shipping will make the cost more than Amazon Prime.
  16. lenarenee

    Adding glycerin to CP

    Commercial soaps are made from mass produced soap noodles, and the glycerin is removed from their soap making process in order to sell it as a separate bottled product. Chances are that the soap you're talking about had glycerin added back into the pre-made soap noodles. I also don't recommend...
  17. lenarenee

    Gosh, what happened here?

    I agree with AliOop. Gelling usually helps. Soaping a little warmer, and blending to a thicker trace can help too, but none of these are a perfect solution. Lots of people spray soap several times with rubbing alcohol, and cover with plastic film and think that helps. I didn't notice enough...
  18. lenarenee

    Returning to a hobby I love after a 3 year break.

    I hope you do, and I wish you the best! Pictures would be great too!
  19. lenarenee

    Gosh, what happened here?

    Yes, that's ash. I see that pattern often on many of my soaps; usually ones that were very fluid when I poured or are high in lard.
  20. lenarenee

    Do EOs behave differently when combined with other EOs

    I'm grasping at straws here, but are you hydrating the charcoal and clay in water first? I don't know which eo's you're buying on Amazon, but so many of them are adulterated - hence the appealing price tags! The carrier oils used could be so old that they're filled with free fatty acids -...
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