Nervous

[beachgurl]

Well I'm a little nervous about the batch I did tonight. Normally, when I clean up I don't need to use any dish soap because hey ... there's already wonderfully bubbly soap all over all of my equipment. However, tonight it wasn't bubbling like normal. It didn't bubble up enough to clean the dishes. I don't know if I'm being paranoid, but this has never happened before. I just threw it in the oven at 170 for an hour and I'll leave it there overnight and see how it goes I suppose.

 

[earthsessencellc]

I don't know, I have recently been having the same issue with my soaps here. I've been using more Olive oil lately and I remember my clean up being bubbly, however lately it's more 'oily' i guess you could say... My bars Have beem some what normal, although they are still on the cure racks..... I am not too nervous about it, but I did switch from a very soft water home to the city and hard water, i don't know if that will make that big of a difference as far as clean up goes....... And I just started buying my lye from a new supplier, so I am kind of wondering whats up too..................

 

[beachgurl]

I tried a sliver this morning and it did bubble. They're ugly bars though .. LOL. I used a colorant for the first time (Mica) and the stearic acid made it trace more quickly than I was used to What a fiasco; however, lesson learned and now I know that if I use the stearic acid I need to make sure I stop at a very very light trace if I want to swirl!

 

[digit]

I tried a sliver this morning and it did bubble.

So glad it worked out for you.

They're ugly bars though .. LOL. I used a colorant for the first time (Mica) and the stearic acid made it trace more quickly than I was used to What a fiasco; however, lesson learned and now I know that if I use the stearic acid I need to make sure I stop at a very very light trace if I want to swirl!

Yep, got my fair share of these. Every batch is a lesson for me.

Digit

 

[reallyrita]

"Every batch is a lesson for me".....ah, Digit, truer words were never spoken. :wink:

 

[MikeInPdx]

Glad it turned out good for you. I almost always have oily cleanup if I CP....one reason why I'm so fond of my crock pot.

 

[Black soap n candle lady]

Every batch is like x-mas. Lol. None of my brand new concoctions ever provide me with the type of lather that i need. I must wait at least a day or two to try a sample.

 

[beachgurl]

It would help if I wasn't so impatient!! Maybe I'll give hot process a whirl too, but I think CP soaps have a much better texture and look.

 

[Chay]

It would help if I wasn't so impatient!! Maybe I'll give hot process a whirl too, but I think CP soaps have a much better texture and look.

For the most part I CP, but when I am wanting to achieve a more rustic look (ie, citronella with rosemary) I will HP the batch.

 

[beachgurl]

That makes sense, but I've heard that HP bars are soft and squishy? Is this true or just lore? I've never HP'd, but I'm interested in it because I'd like to try liquid soaps, shower gels, and shampoos.

 

[MikeInPdx]

That makes sense, but I've heard that HP bars are soft and squishy? Is this true or just lore? I've never HP'd, but I'm interested in it because I'd like to try liquid soaps, shower gels, and shampoos.

I think it depends on the recipe. My HP bars are as hard as a rock.

I'm going to do some liquid soap after I get around to getting some KOH, but I like the instant gratification of HP and the ability to drop it all in the crock....stick blend and run.

 

[beachgurl]

Mike, got a great book entitiled, "Making Natural Liquid Soaps" by Catherine Failor. It has techniques and recipes for making herbal shower gels, shampoos, body wash, hand soap, bubble baths, etc. I really like it and she does a great job of explaining the techniques and chemistry behind the process. I want to say that I purchased it at Barnes and Noble. I'm going to try HP before I jump into liquid soaps, now that I know that HP makes for a good bar of soap, I'm going to bust out my crock pot