For my first batch I wanted to make it as simple as possible. After weeks of scouring the boards, literally going from no knowledge to first soaping experiment I decided upon a simple castile. Liquid oil, slow to trace and relatively simple.
I got out my scale, measured everything up. Mixed up the lye and set it on my fire escape to cool (it's in a corner alley, so if it were to ever fall no one would ever be underneath). I couldn't find my thermometers so I "soaped blind", worked out just fine and my mixture traced in under 7 min. I did use a SB and I wonder if it's why I am having bubbles in my soaps... I have been making 1 lb. batches and the mixture is spread a little thin over the bottom of the pot while I try to SB it... Poured wonderfully, took a whole weekend plus to harden up... still too soft to cut. Took almost a week to cut properly. Future tinkering will lead me to a higher lye ratio for ease and cutting.
I did add 1t. of honey to the olive oil while it was heating... perhaps I should have done this at trace? Three weeks out I am now noticing light tan swirls in my cut bars... hmm
1 lb. batch- Castile
16 oz. Extra virgin Olive Oil
1 t. honey
5 oz. H2O
2.6 oz. NaOH
Anyway, have a peek at my first batch!
See what I mean about the light tan swirls?!
I got out my scale, measured everything up. Mixed up the lye and set it on my fire escape to cool (it's in a corner alley, so if it were to ever fall no one would ever be underneath). I couldn't find my thermometers so I "soaped blind", worked out just fine and my mixture traced in under 7 min. I did use a SB and I wonder if it's why I am having bubbles in my soaps... I have been making 1 lb. batches and the mixture is spread a little thin over the bottom of the pot while I try to SB it... Poured wonderfully, took a whole weekend plus to harden up... still too soft to cut. Took almost a week to cut properly. Future tinkering will lead me to a higher lye ratio for ease and cutting.
I did add 1t. of honey to the olive oil while it was heating... perhaps I should have done this at trace? Three weeks out I am now noticing light tan swirls in my cut bars... hmm
1 lb. batch- Castile
16 oz. Extra virgin Olive Oil
1 t. honey
5 oz. H2O
2.6 oz. NaOH
Anyway, have a peek at my first batch!
See what I mean about the light tan swirls?!
