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I've been using heavy Pyrex for mixing lye ever since I began which is about eight years ago. It is true that over time the lye will etch the glass, which is why I don't use that piece for anything else but mixing lye. It takes a long time to etch the glass. I've never had any problem at all...

I use pure cucumber puree plus the peels from a couple extra cucumbers (which I keep in the freezer til needed) and add my lye directly to that. The soap comes out nice pale green, smells nice, and is great to use. Never used milk in my cucumber soap, but that's probably the source of your...

The answer is that most herbal colors in the red-to-blue range are very pH-sensitive and will change when they hit the lye. The only reliable, non-morphing pink I know of is madder root, which can be added directly to the lye water. I use alkanet quite a bit, but it has taken me a long time...

There are probably twenty lavender EOs on the market. Some are very perfumey and girly, others are herby and almost camphorish. For soapmaking I like NOW brand, even though it's a multisource oil and not the highest quality. I like it because it's not too sweet, and even men tend to like it...

Got a question that I've posted on other forums, to herbalists, occultists, and more mainstream scientific types as well: What would you say are the most useful plants throughout the history of civilization? I'm not including lumber. I mean the plants that give us fiber, medicine, food...

Sorry about the big print. I use a larger font on my other forums so my old eyes can see better - but the option here kinda overdid it. FWIW I never have known anyone to use marigolds thinking they were using calendula. However it's a bit of misinformation that I see over and over in...

Lavender Tea Tree Patchouli Ylang-Ylang Orange

No, you won't wither away...however, for those who are sensitive it is a good way to become permanently sensitized to some oils. Other than us soapers, people most at risk of becoming sensitized - which is like developing an allergy - are aromatherapists and massage therapists who mix their own...

Hope I didn't come across real critical...I agree with everyone else, you did just fine. I'm not familiar with the SBM lye calc, but it's probably fine too. Most of them are. It's just that there's a real advantage in learning to do it yourself. As for Excel, it's the one program I was...

By my calculation, you should have used a little more lye, but I didn't figure your discount, I just ran it at 5%. FOs often affect trace, which is one reason I don't use 'em. If I really have to have scented soap I use EOs. Still, just because it didn't come out the way you wanted doesn't...

Careful with cedar...it's very irritating to people who are sensitive to it.

I love tea tree oil! It has marvelous properties, and the scent mixes well with other oils. Heck, I even brush my teeth with it - it completely eliminated my dental problems.

Calendula and marigold are not the same plant. They are superficially similar, but the leaves are different and they don't have the same properties. I believe the mistake arose because in England the calendula plant is sometimes called pot marigold. Generations of people who write books on...

Something I put together for another forum....I can't claim this one as original writing as it's put together from a variety of sources...just good info... We've all used essential oils. They are useful in aromatherapy, massage, perfumes and medicines. At the very least, I always have tea...

Yeah, that's one of the sweet things about making such a mess in the kitchen! You can just walk away from it for a day, and the next day cleanup is a snap.

I posted my Short History Of Soap in the General Chat section...

Here's an article I first wrote up a couple of years ago...it's been published a few times. A SHORT HISTORY OF SOAP ©David Lambert Soap is a wonderful thing. Most folks are so used to simply choosing a brand from the supermarket shelf, they never think about what’s in it or how it’s made...

I like to work with graphics, and if someone has an idea they want turned into a logo I'd be glad to help out. Don't ask me if you need it next week! But I have the time and a little expertise, and some fold say some talent. So if you have an idea that just needs work, maybe I can help you...

I use 5 oz powdered oats PPO....this is about 2/3 cup. I also use 2 Tbs honey PPO. This is higher than most folks I know, but it makes great soap.

When I make soap with lard (rarely) I label it HAWGWASH (goes well with my Flying Pig label) and say "this is like your grammaw's ole-fashioned lard soap - only better."