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My microwave exploded and I am not replacing it because I like the additional counter space. Bain Marie's are a faff so I bought a nice little electric plate. However, can't use my plastic jugs for melting my oils on that so got an aluminium candle melting jug not thinking about lye and...

I mixed up my lye and after doing so, realised I'd used enough water and sodium hydroxide for a full loaf, not the half batch I wanted. Not to worry, I made up the right quantities and carried on. But now I have this lye left and whats a girl to do but make some more soap?! However, I use...

I have done a quick search but struggling to pin down an answer so apologies if it's been asked before. I've made some soap dough embeds for the top of my soap, I'd like to colour these gold. What's the best carrier / medium? A light weight oil or alcohol? I'm veering towards alcohol because...

I've tried a couple of different methods of creating mica lines (dusting using a tea strainer, dissolving in isopropyl alcohol and spraying) but I find that it can lead to my bars splitting between the layers where the lines are. Cutting thicker bars would probably help but I like thin bars that...

Full disclosure, I've never used a salt bar so maybe I just don't know what they're supposed to be like / don't like them. My salt bars seem to lather weirdly. There are some large bubbles to begin with (although we're in a hard water area and I wouldn't say they're massively bigger / bubblier...

Will citric acid dissolve in my lye solution or do I need to add to water before sodium hydroxide?

Hate. Hate. Hate. I'm in the UK, humidity is always a problem. I don't use them. They are ingrained in toddler's hair wash reward system that still results in banshee level screams, but it is the promised land. And yes, they're rubbish for her. But even so, diligently I make these bastard balls...

My little monster in training is obsessed with all things Monsters Inc so I made Mike and Sully soaps. Lots of firsts for me - first significant piping work, first try at making and using soap dough, first attempt at heat transfer method. I expect these were ten a penny back when Monsters Inc...

Those of you who use the heat transfer method, do you generally CPOP? I suppose the usual advice applies, check temps etc but in a devil may care approach I just chucked it into the oven but then questioned my judgement and pulled it out after 5 mins to check on it. It seemed very hot but then I...

Kiddo loves Monsters Inc so I am going all out. I made a sully coloured loaf and the following day I cut it into bars and piped using Russian piping tips all over - front, back, sides and top, adding eyes. She will love them regardless however piping was tricky - getting the angle right for the...

I use lard and soap cool, around 90. I have probably 30 to 40 loaves under my belt and know the difference between false trace and trace. I am in the UK so room temp is around 20c. I am finding that if I do more complicated designs, my soap batter seems to cool and solidify in the mould so...

I got a little tea tray (smaller than an A4 page size) and have used it twice. Each time my soap is very crumbly. Zap tested and its not lye heavy. It also is insanely ashy. I think I'm leaving it too long to unmould seeing as its a smaller batch. It also doesn't gel because of surface area and...

I am finding that no matter how solid my batter, it eventually melts and I just get a puddle dripping out of my piping bag. I've tried using smaller and smaller amounts in my bag but even then, its just not holding shape properly. Husband took the toddler out all afternoon so I could practice...

I'm terrible with names and photos but I made an anatomically correct heart!

I have water dispersed TD and I find that even if I add a dash of boiling liquid before adding to my batter, I still need to stick blend to properly disperse it. I've heard you can add TD to water before adding lye, but this would apply to the whole batch. Today I only wanted half my batter with...

I feel like I'm asking a question every other day at the moment... I'm very grateful to this community for all the support!! So, I've started to mess about with piping CP. I use the same recipe as the main batch, I just leave it longer to set up. The issue i have is that after piping, its still...

I tend to soap at low temps, 90 or so. I tend to keep a cool house, lower than 68f or 20c. How do I know, definitively, if I've reached gel phase? I had one partial gel and that was left to sit in the mold in the coldest room in the house but I did soap at hotter temps that time. I tried CPOP...

So I ordered a soap cutter in the sale from soapkitchen. It looks like they've discontinued the line, probably because it's awful. The wire (which I pull through) doesn't go all the way to the bottom of the soap so no matter what I do, the bottom of my bars aren't cut and look really messy. I've...

Have tried a search but no cigar... I feel like activated charcoal is speeding my trace. Is this a thing? Or do is it more that I'm not leaving it to soak in carrier oils enough before adding? Or something entirely different? I'd like to try a clam swirl with it and am worried its gonna turn to...