New soap maker here!

[IslandSoap]

Hi everyone! Sooo.. I had bought some handcrafted cold processed soap over the years.. and decided to try my hand in it.. bought a few kits from Brambleberry, watched soap queen, bought a few soap making books, and have followed a few “ tried and true” recipes from SQ along with making some of the projects. No fails as of yet.. I’m only on my 11th loaf... but loving it. So far my favorite is working with coconut milk in cold process... ( I’ve been writing a “ soap diary” of the recipes, fragrances, colors of the soaps I’ve made and what I could have done better with it). Thank you for having me in your forum!! I’m sure I will have lots of questions as I keep moving forward.

 

[Kcryss]

Welcome!

 

[cmzaha]

Welcome, IslandSoap. It sounds like you are already hooked.

I have to ask, is that your beautiful boat as your avatar and your fishing from her? If you fish make yourself a 100% CO soap with no fo to wash off fish slime. But not in the bait tank.

 

[IslandSoap]

Hi!! Yes that is my boat... bf was fishing.. I was floating around. I will definitely have some FO free soap onboard! (Lol... I do use gloves though when fishing.. I’m not a fan of slimy stinky squid on my hands)

 

[cmzaha]

Hi!! Yes that is my boat... bf was fishing.. I was floating around. I will definitely have some FO free soap onboard! (Lol... I do use gloves though when fishing.. I’m not a fan of slimy stinky squid on my hands)

Oh my goodness you would have had a problem on our boat!! Nothing better than slimy Albies on deck!! Coconut soap does work well just do not go over 10-15% superfat for cutting fish slime. It will be a tad harsher, but higher will not lather in the saltwater well.

I forgot to mention that the picture of your soap is beautiful. I never made anything remotely as pretty when I first started. For that matter, I still don't since I make to sell.

 

[Relle]

Welcome IslandSoap .

 

[Jersey Girl]

Hi everyone! Sooo.. I had bought some handcrafted cold processed soap over the years.. and decided to try my hand in it.. bought a few kits from Brambleberry, watched soap queen, bought a few soap making books, and have followed a few “ tried and true” recipes from SQ along with making some of the projects. No fails as of yet.. I’m only on my 11th loaf... but loving it. So far my favorite is working with coconut milk in cold process... ( I’ve been writing a “ soap diary” of the recipes, fragrances, colors of the soaps I’ve made and what I could have done better with it). Thank you for having me in your forum!! I’m sure I will have lots of questions as I keep moving forward.

Looks like you’re “hooked”. Welcome to the obsession!

 

[shunt2011]

Hello and welcome!

 

[lsg]

Welcome to the forum.

 

[IslandSoap]

Thank you everyone!! . Yeah.. I would like to sell someday.. ( at least to recoup some money for the ingredients), but I’m just learning at this point.. made a pretty blueberry soap and figured I could do the same with a raspberry soap .. same recipe but different colorants.. nope! Learned the mica and oxide I used morphed into colors not representing raspberry. ( I used pigment for the blueberry and it stayed true to color) I learned what “ seizing” was when my lemon poppyseed top, in another soap, decided to thicken up while I was making a charcoal vein ... saved that batch and it still looks nice .. but it was an “ omg” moment. My next batches are going to focus on “ tick” season here for the family. I bought some Eucalypus FO and Cedarwood/Amber FO. We will see if it helps keep the ticks off this summer. It definitely will be a bad season since we had the mild winter here in NY.

 

[IslandSoap]

Just cut my “morphed” raspberry loaf and truly surprised!! ( should have used less black) . I thought I overheated the coconut mango- sherbet looking one. I made that one at a cooler temp and wrapped it in a heating pad to force gel. It developed a crack ( which I immediately fixed with 99% rubbing alcohol and a finger)... took it off the heating pad and hoped for the best. Lol.. learning that “ you never know what u r going to get, until you cut it” (no filter on the pics)

 

[Noreen Moore]

Welcome! You have quite the talent! Very inspirational!!!