Hi From FL

[JenSoapySuds]

Hi everyone.. ~waves to all

I'm happy to have found you all. Tap into the collective soaping wisdom here. I'm new to the soaping world. Started soaping test batches last September. I've learned so very much over the last few months.

I'm an avid CP soaper. I will incorporate MP embeds from time to time tho (to make things interesting and cute).

I just reformulated my recipe to a very mild bar. Cleansing at 14% and really worked on the texture issues I was having. I have a new stick blender now (no more tiny surface bubbles) and figured that I wanted to "no gel" my soaps. I'm really keen on smooth flawless texture of soap. I also prefer a lot of white in my soaps and very rarely make an all dark or brown soap.

I recently swapped palm oil out too. Didn't like the gloppy texture of it before melting. It's only 20 percent of the batch. I use canola oil now instead. Nice light colored oil. The majority of my recipe is olive. Like 40%

I soap at 30 percent LC when I'm not familiar with a FO.
I soap at 33 percent LC when I know a FO behaves.
I soap at room temperature.

I hope to get to know you all and learn a thing or two. I like to push the "soaping envelope" from time to time. Come up with some wild ideas and look forward to input and wisdom from you all.

Here is the most recent soap I finished and cut. Scented "Berrylicious".
It was my first attempt at a "hanger swirl".

~The photo of this soap was taken before I cleaned it up with my plainer. The surface is flawless now. And yes that's cosmetic glitter on top. -grins

 

[Hazel]

Hello and welcome! That is gorgeous soap and you did a wonderful job with the swirl. :grin:

 

[Marilyna]

Welcome! That soap is gorgeous!!

 

[AlchemyandAshes]

Hey! Where are you at in Florida? I'm in Land O' Lakes (just North of Tampa) :wave:

 

[JenSoapySuds]

Hey! Where are you at in Florida? I'm in Land O' Lakes (just North of Tampa) :wave:

I'm in Plant City! ~waves back

 

[lsg]

Welcome, and that is beautiful soap.

 

[Lynnz]

Welcome soap looks awesome

 

[lizflowers42]

Wow! Beautiful color!

 

[MaitriBB]

Welcome, beautiful soap!

 

[2lilboots]

And the weather is just great today in FL.

 

[JenSoapySuds]

The weather is unbelievable it seems all the month of Jan. hardly any humidity.
Been really dry. Great time of year for the attractions.

TY~ all for the warm welcomes and compliments on my soap.

 

[melstan775]

Oh you lucky Floridians! It's so cooooooold her ein Northern Nevada at the moment. Welcome to the forum, lady of the beautifyl hanger swirl. Your red is so red, do you mind if I asked how you achieved such a pretty shade? And do you mind telling me what LC means? Never heard that one before. Welcome again!

 

[JenSoapySuds]

Oh you lucky Floridians! It's so cooooooold her ein Northern Nevada at the moment. Welcome to the forum, lady of the beautifyl hanger swirl. Your red is so red, do you mind if I asked how you achieved such a pretty shade? And do you mind telling me twhat LC means? Never heard that one before. Welcome again!

Sure! LC means Lye Concentration or Lye Solution or the amount of water used with lye. You can work all this out with a soap calc. The lower the number say 30% the more water you have and ~usually more time to play and wiggle room for Fragrance oils, essential oils, creams, milks, sugars or anything else to behave and not turn to cement before pouring.

The higher the number say 34% the less water you have in your recipe. This accelerates trace time and usually cure time as well.

I'm sure another more seasoned/experienced soaper could go into more technical description. But this is the way I understand it from what I have soaped. I haven't been soaping long and certainly am NO expert lol

I've had the nerve to email one or two ~very talented and experienced successful soapers and ask them to look at my recipe and offer wisdom to point me in the right direction. I was blessed to have received graciously, that wisdom. It's not a perfect process tho. Colorants, micas are hard for me still.
And I'm horrible at mixing my own fragrance oils and even more horrid at mixing essential oils with ~anything lol

I think the trick to coloring must be mixing all different kinds of micas,pigments or labcolors together. I think certain colors anchor each other you know? If I'm doing a red or berry color I will take a mauve red, and a deep red like Cellini red mix together basically with anything red I have in Colorants. Same with pinks.
Add a dark pink mica added to a electric vibrant pink pigment. I mix pigments and micas together. I mix pigments and micas together and adjust hues or saturation with white (titanium dioxide). That's what I do. It works for me.

I haven't mastered orange or yellow yet. And I really messed up the liquid colorant labcolors from bramble berry. But I think I got a good idea on how to make that work now.

So you have to mix shades and pigments together.
Hope this helps.

 

[melstan775]

Sure! LC means Lye Concentration or Lye Solution or the amount of water used with lye.

Now that you've pointed it out, it seems Captain Obvious. Thank you so much for clearing that up and all the other info too!