My first HP Adventure W/photos…

[Jerry S]

I guess I could have put these on the Photo Gallery but there was a thread on here about HP so I decided to post here.

I used this crock-pot, which had 3 setting on it. Hot, medium and warm…
I did a rebatch of shreds about 3 weeks ago just to test out how hot it got and it turned out scorching the stuff a little from bouncing back and forth between hot and medium. The soap turned out ok…great hand soap…looked kidda poopy when I got done…

Then I decided to try HP for the first time and used the medium and low settings eye balling the mix from time to time being sure it didn’t scorch. I’ve included some pictures of my first HP adventure and also the bars that I got from it. I don’t think that working with HP is as easy as CP. I had to really hurry after my final mixing of FO’s and color because it wanted to set up. You’ll notice that I had trouble with getting the top smooth and finally had to just quit working it for fear of making more of a mess… The up side is that the bars will be useable after a week or two. I may have to try HP a few more times getting used to working fast, before I’m happy with the results.

The soap at trace after mixing with a Stick Blender

After about 40 minutes in the Crock pot

After about an hour in the Crock Pot mixed a little

After about 70 minutes (mixed up)

After about 80 minutes with FO and Color mixed

After pouring it in the Bar Mold

Close up of how the top turned out

Bars out of the mold

Another shot of the finished bars.
Thanks for letting me Share
Jerry S

 

[xraygrl]

Jerry,

Your soaps look fabulous! great job on your first HP! And TFS!

 

[Hazel]

Congrats on your first HP batch. I think they look fantastic! I wouldn't worry too much about the rough tops. You ought to see how bad mine look. :roll:

I don't know if you saw some of the discussions about sodium lactate. If you use it in your HP at approximately 2%, it makes the soap more fluid and then your tops may not look as rough. I added SL in my last HP batch and the top come out much smoother but sunk in the middle. I found out later this is a characteristic of HP.

 

[paillo]

Congrats on your first HP batch. I think they look fantastic! I wouldn't worry too much about the rough tops. You ought to see how bad mine look. :roll:

I don't know if you saw some of the discussions about sodium lactate. If you use it in your HP at approximately 2%, it makes the soap more fluid and then your tops may not look as rough. I added SL in my last HP batch and the top come out much smoother but sunk in the middle. I found out later this is a characteristic of HP.

they're beautiful, jerry! one idea for the rough tops, at least with this batch, is sprinkle with a little mica (i bet gold would be gorgeous) and tell everyone the top is for massage

 

[ToniD]

Looks good! I like the color, too.

 

[honor435]

looks awesome, whats the fo?

 

[MidwestSoaper]

I think your soap came out great, I really like the color.

 

[Jerry S]

My first HP adventure..

Thanks for the kudos everyone… I appreciate that. Kim (honor 435) I used some Plumeria Scent that I’ve had for quite a while. It was not from a soap supplier. I had used it before in a batch of CP that I did with the identical coloring. The ladies all went nuts for it so I decided to try it in HP…I’m out now so I’m going to order some along with some other FO’s…probably from Natures garden…

Hazel, that idea of using sodium lactate might be the ticket. Where do you get that stuff? The idea of the sinking tops of the HP bars doesn’t thrill me though. The soap was pretty stiff by the time I was ready to pour and I had to move quickly. Both processes have their pluses and minuses so to speak.
The coloring that I used was McCormack’s red food coloring. It holds up pretty well over time. I still have one bar left of the CP batch.
Thanks for the input everyone…and paillo for the mica suggestion..
Jerry

 

[BakingNana]

Jerry, I think it looks fantastic and exactly how I'd expect HP to look. Nice job!

 

[soapbuddy]

Congrats! Good job!

 

[photoshadows]

Your soaps look great! I love the color and the texture actually adds something quite beautiful as well. I would have thought it was intentional. Thanks for all the pics too. It's always great to see how things look throughout the entire process Well done Jerry S!!!!

 

[Maria]

You can get fairly smooth tops by adding a small amount of water at the end before pouring into the mold. Also try making a wooden top that just fits inside the mold and use it to flatten the soap after pouring.

 

[agriffin]

Very nice! I love the color!

 

[judymoody]

They look beautiful. Like those pink candy melts!

 

[loveit_latherit]

WOW Really lovely! Sometime we get hung up on how it 'should' look. I think you should go with what ya got! Lovely seafoam look, texture and contrast - from an artistic perspective - I know as soapers we all have expectations for smooth creamy perfact bars I prefer my HP bars to wash with - that little lumpyness is fun Do I sound weird? LOL

 

[Kamela]

I love it!! Congrats on your first HP experience! I love making HP soap. The colors are always wonderful!! The trouble I have with mine is when they are curing, the tops always curved inward towards the center of the soap. I don't know why that happens to the center of mine but most of my batches have turned out that way. Maybe I'm not filling the mold up enough or something. But it is so fun to make HP soap!! Great job!!!

 

[LisaNY]

Thank you for sharing this! I am going to be trying hp very soon.

 

[Kamela]

I agree! I love the texture of HP soaps! The lumpyness adds some personality to the soap I think!

 

[loveit_latherit]

The trouble I have with mine is when they are curing, the tops always curved inward towards the center of the soap. I don't know why that happens to the center of mine but most of my batches have turned out that way. Maybe I'm not filling the mold up enough or something. But it is so fun to make HP soap!! Great job!!!

Hi Kamela - that happens to me too - it doesn't bother me too much - except for when I wrap them - the 'peaks' on both sides make it a bit more difficult. Have you tried dropping your mold to pack it down? I drop mine like once or twice from knee level onto my kitch floor. Also this may happen more witha veg based soaps? not sure as I have seen very 'level' looking HP soaps and mine are all veg oils/butters. ANyone know the answer to that? But also, I think it's because the soap has lots of air bubbles and being so hot is in it's expanded from and 'deflates' as it cools - the opposite for CP - it expands then goes back down a bit - That I have found anyway.

It all else fails - you can slice the sides off and use as samples

 

[Kamela]

Glad to know that it just isn't me! *lol* Its not too much of a bother but it does make packaging a little more time consuming because I do have to slice off the curved top. I haven't tried dropping it from knee level though. I'll have to try that and see if it improves the top some. I think you are right about it deflating. I'm sure that is what causes it.