I have a confession .....

[Guspuppy]

I wear goggles, because I've had too many things happen to my eyes already - like a branch puncture walking dogs in the dark, being hit in the eye with a large metal grill tool while line cooking at a restaurant, etc. I would be devastated to splash lye into them! I also wear gloves because I get soap batter everywhere.

My confession is, I'm not TOO precise with water/lye/oil measurements. A point or two over or under of any ingredient doesn't bother me at all. I also don't measure my micas, but I'm not sure if anyone actually does that? Besides that lady (TreeMarie?) on YT that uses the little palette knife?

 

[Kiti Williams]

The only confession I can think of is that when I am measuring out cocoa butter, I eat a little piece.

I lick the spoon afterward! Yummy!

 

[violets2217]

I also don't measure my micas, but I'm not sure if anyone actually does that? Besides that lady (TreeMarie?) on YT that uses the little palette knife?

I know who you're speaking of and I love her soap designs plus she has such a calming voice, but I can't watch her videos....or I skip ahead to after she mixes her colors. I don't know why it irritates me so, I can't explain it!!! I do measure my micas, but I want to be brave one day and just dump my micas in my melted oils like some big deal soapers I watch on YouTube! lol!!!

 

[Catscankim]

Since we are talking about everybodys bad lye habits...

I dont wear gloves when mixing my lye water. I feel its not messy enough to warrant them. But i do wear them while soaping. I am a messy soaper and am constantly wiping the spout of the container to avoid drips. I change gloves A LOT. I guess its just a habit mostly lol.

No long sleeves. I soap near the sink. I have gotten batter on my arm a few times...i just rinse it off without a burn left behind. The worst burn i have is from touching my arm on the element on the oven when putting my loaf in to cpop. Im still nursing that one.

i dropped my new phone straight into a batter once. Bare handed, in a panic, reached straight down into it to retrieve the phone. I was fine, so was the phone lol.

Yes lye is caustic, but its not going to peel your skin off with a tiny bit of exposure.

Now, i did touch my face once with what i thought were clean hands. I guess i had batter residue or something. My nose under my nostrils started tingling/burning instantly. Rinsed copiously and all was fine.

I wear my glasses, no goggles. Knock on wood, i have been ok, but would recommend goggles. I wouldnt be able to read my recipe without my glasses. I know there are alternatives, i just dont.

I rarely wear shoes in my house, soaping is no different lol.

I guess thats my confession.

 

[Zing]

I also don't measure my micas, but I'm not sure if anyone actually does that?

WHO DOESN'T MEASURE THEIR MICAS??!! What are you talking about? Must. Follow. Recipe.!! You're also probably one of those cooks like my wife who just opens the cupboards and starts throwing things into a pot (and ends up with deliciousness).
LOL. This thread is cracking me up. I have nothing to confess, , full PPE here, and I, ahem, @Kari Howie, wait until after clean up for my .

 

[cmzaha]

I'm another one who doesn't wear gloves when soaping. I had one mishap and I had gloves on and the soap batter went inside my gloves and also had long sleeves on and couldn't get out of it fast enough. Even if a few grains land on my skin I know it as it itches before it gets worse. I'm always by or in the sink. I do wear a shield over my glasses. I haven't made soap in a long time though due to being sick with lung issues for almost 8 months now. I'm not sure I'll be able to go back to it either as they still have no idea what's wrong with me after a zillion tests and biopsies. I've always not breathed in the lye fumes but if I go back to making things I will wear a respirator. Those EO/FO's, curing soaps may have wreaked havoc on me without knowing.

I am so sorry to hear they still have not figured out what is wrong. We just never know what can cause health issues. I will get you in my thoughts and prayers.

 

[lenarenee]

WHO DOESN'T MEASURE THEIR MICAS??!! What are you talking about? Must. Follow. Recipe.!! You're also probably one of those cooks like my wife who just opens the cupboards and starts throwing things into a pot (and ends up with deliciousness).
LOL. This thread is cracking me up. I have nothing to confess, , full PPE here, and I, ahem, @Kari Howie, wait until after clean up for my .

What are you talking about? Eyeballing is one of the most efficient and time honored methods of measuring!

Yeah, there’s no way I’m taking the time to measure micas. Also, TreeMarie’s methods are very meticulous, and I can’t watch her videos until the end.

My soapy confession is that I’ve gotten so intimidated by the designs that “super soapers” make that I’m not satisfied with mine.

And I alway wear shoes for fear of stepping in a spot of dripped soap on the floor and having to walk to the shower to wash.

 

[Kari Howie]

“My soapy confession is that I’ve gotten so intimidated by the designs that “super soapers” make that I’m not satisfied with mine.”

I feel exactly the same way, Lenarenee! It can be paralyzing when I’m trying to decide what soap design to attempt.

 

[Guspuppy]

I know who you're speaking of and I love her soap designs plus she has such a calming voice, but I can't watch her videos....or I skip ahead to after she mixes her colors. I don't know why it irritates me so, I can't explain it!!! I do measure my micas, but I want to be brave one day and just dump my micas in my melted oils like some big deal soapers I watch on YouTube! lol!!!

I was making a single color salt bar recently and added my one mica color to the pot with the melting CO. It took a long time on the stove to melt and I was wondering if cooking mica was actually a good idea, but it turned out fine!

WHO DOESN'T MEASURE THEIR MICAS??!! What are you talking about? Must. Follow. Recipe.!! You're also probably one of those cooks like my wife who just opens the cupboards and starts throwing things into a pot (and ends up with deliciousness).

Ha! I do follow recipes when cooking but I also 'adjust' them constantly. Sometimes I get deliciousness, sometimes I get .

 

[jwarnerca]

Good on ya