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"Fragrance oils are designed, manufactured, and tested to be skin-safe. Many of them are made with essential oils. But unfortunately, essential oils are unregulated and you never really know what the strength is. Some are sold as 'full strength' but have been diluted. Many are extracted with...

In imperial measurments: LxWxH=volume of the mold in cubic inches. Cubic inches x 0.55 = fluid ounces. The reason we multiply by 0.4 is to both convert to weight as well as to account for the water in the recipe to fill the volume of the mold. In other words, about 72% of the volume of your mold...

There is no legal definition of "natural". A synthetic fragrance is a fragrance oil. Essential oils are derived from plants, BUT some are pressed, others are extracted with solvents, so it would really depend on knowing exactly how each oil was sourced (assuming you could trust your supplier's...

and pie crust. and biscuits. and and and and and.... no, you don't have to worry about the shelf life of your soaps made with either lard. they are mostly no longer lard, they are soap, and the high pH of bar soap tends to be self-preserving (within reason). Think about soaps made with milks...

You live in North Carolina and cannot find lard??? What IS the world coming to? Everyone is making biscuits and dumplings and pie crusts with... what??? :problem:

Every grocery store I have ever been in carries it, usually with the solid shortening like crisco and cooking oils. It comes in a small 1 lb size (cardboard box, but I think they are changing over to tiny tubs) as well as larger tubs. I don't know if whole foods carries it, but ask for it at any...

I see no reason to lambast anyone, either, especially for posts that were obviously silly tongue-in-cheek. So I guess we should all just "consider the source" about anyone who would get their panties in a bunch over it, realize they themselves are "not so bright" and move on? If you were...

I had this problem, too, with one of the manly-man-menfolk in my family. I finally told him "you know, you are washing with petroleum-derived products. You're basically rubbing gasoline on your skin." (Yes, I know, that is not even remotely accurate, I was being a smart-alec) I said,"Try this...

Yes, it has to be on the front of the soap, or on the "principal display panel" Here is a link to the Fair Packaging and Labeling Act (which does cover soap) http://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?c=ecfr&sid=d46d8c24934536de0ef58344303bf174&rgn=div5&view=text&node=16:1.0.1.5.62&idno=16#se16.1.500_16

Yes, it can be very confusing indeed! I have seen several sources saying INCI name is required, and other that say it is not. Again, when possible, I always recommend going to the source. hmlove thank you for bringing up the point that this forum is an international one and yes the regs will be...

Cosmetics labels do not require INCI ingredient names. Start here http://www.fda.gov/Cosmetics/Labeling/Regulations/ucm126438.htm and click around the site, you will find how they define soap, cosmetics, and drugs, and links to the requirements for all of them. I have not read the blog you are...

The usage rates are determined by the IFRA as the maximum safe amount for each application. Good that you stuck to it! I have personally been burned by soapmakers that did not stick to the guidelines, literally. For a fragrance with a usage rate that low, I would definitely try HP'ing it, or...

This thread is 4.5 years old. Yes, the flakes are hydrogenated, and yes, soapcalc does list different values. For practical purposes, however, most of us find the convenience of flakes preferable. I have used both and could not tell the difference in properties in the finished soap. YMMV.

As I said, In My Opinion, the moment you mix anything water based with anything oil based, you absolutely do need a preservative. It is up to the individual whether they want to use one or not, but I do not want moldy lip balm. http://www.snopes.com/medical/toxins/lipbalmmold.asp

Yes, stevia works well in lip balm. If you have a mortar and pestle grind it as fine as you possibly can. On the NG page you linked to (the stuff you bought) it says 1-2 packets to 8oz of balm. I would use one and see how you like it. I never infused it in coconut oil, I just stirred stirred...

I suppose it's possible he knows How To Practice Willful Ignorance For Fun and Profit. He is either aware of the rules and is doing some serious bending over backwards to justify his baloney, or else he is truly WAY out of his depth. I'm not sure which possibility is more frightening. I was...

Rosemary Oleoresin Extract (ROE) is NOT a preservative. It is an antioxidant. Yes, it can help prolong the shelf life of oils, but in tests it really hasn't done much to prevent DOS (Dreaded Orange Spots - rancidity in soap). Vitamin E is also an antioxidant, not a preservative, and can help a...

You made soap. Mixing the lye with the yogurt saponified some of the fats in the yogurt and you had little blobs of soap. It happens when using milks, too. Any liquid that contains fats + lye = soap. Coconut milk will essentially give you soap on a stick.

I am going to have to try that method for hard boiled eggs, I spent waaaaaaaay too much time Easter Sunday trying to peel stubborn eggs.

BBQ pulled pork. A pork shoulder (small enough to fit in the cooker) bbq rub of your choice, apply liberally 1/2 cup water 1/2 cup bbq sauce Cook on high pressure about an hour, let the pressure release on its own. Shred the pork, you can add more bbq sauce. Enjoy! (p.s. this made enough for...