One year soaping anniversary!

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When do I get my award? ;)

I am about to pull out a bar from my first batch that I have been saving to test at the one year mark. It was 30/30/30/10 - Apricot Kernel, OO, CO and Shea Butter. Essential oils of Palmarosa, Patchouli and Ylang were used - although I did not use very much (as a newbie I thought I didn't need much so probably only used about 5g each for a 1 litre batch). The fragrance now is barley noticeable, I will report back after showering if it perks up a bit with the addition of water.

My recipe has evolved over time, of course, and my newer soaps are undoubtedly a better combination of oils, and mostly all include aloe juice now because I love it so much. If there's no aloe, there's probably oat milk or coconut milk.

My thoughts now turn to which 'flavours' I want to make again. I have already made repeat batches of my lime and coconut (made three times now), Beer soap, Karma Chameleon (lush copy), Fig and Rhubarb, Rose, Charcoal ITP swirl, various confetti soaps, and @Zany_in_CO 's no slime castile. My sister recons I should continue to make my Pumice and Poppy Seed soap, but call it 'Gardeners Soap' ( which it is intended for) because people at markets are drawn more to the name 'Gardeners' than Pumice. I want to develop a 'core' range that I will continue to make.

I have a truckload of FOs and EOs in the cupboard I still need to try. Some others I need to use up, but I wonder if I should maybe just toss 'em if they are odds and ends of flavours that none likes anyway (coffee being one of those). I'm learning which scents have stickability, and which ones fade and, of course - going with the ones that have staying power. White tea is my current fave!

I still have a few of my very early soaps here that are AWFUL! LOL - what was I thinking! I'm wondering if I should just throw them out. One of them has so much dried rosemary in it that I can't even use it for confetti.

Anyhoo - that's a very long story for you to read. Thanks for those making it though to the end!
 
When do I get my award? ;)

I am about to pull out a bar from my first batch that I have been saving to test at the one year mark. It was 30/30/30/10 - Apricot Kernel, OO, CO and Shea Butter. Essential oils of Palmarosa, Patchouli and Ylang were used - although I did not use very much (as a newbie I thought I didn't need much so probably only used about 5g each for a 1 litre batch). The fragrance now is barley noticeable, I will report back after showering if it perks up a bit with the addition of water.

My recipe has evolved over time, of course, and my newer soaps are undoubtedly a better combination of oils, and mostly all include aloe juice now because I love it so much. If there's no aloe, there's probably oat milk or coconut milk.

My thoughts now turn to which 'flavours' I want to make again. I have already made repeat batches of my lime and coconut (made three times now), Beer soap, Karma Chameleon (lush copy), Fig and Rhubarb, Rose, Charcoal ITP swirl, various confetti soaps, and @Zany_in_CO 's no slime castile. My sister recons I should continue to make my Pumice and Poppy Seed soap, but call it 'Gardeners Soap' ( which it is intended for) because people at markets are drawn more to the name 'Gardeners' than Pumice. I want to develop a 'core' range that I will continue to make.

I have a truckload of FOs and EOs in the cupboard I still need to try. Some others I need to use up, but I wonder if I should maybe just toss 'em if they are odds and ends of flavours that none likes anyway (coffee being one of those). I'm learning which scents have stickability, and which ones fade and, of course - going with the ones that have staying power. White tea is my current fave!

I still have a few of my very early soaps here that are AWFUL! LOL - what was I thinking! I'm wondering if I should just throw them out. One of them has so much dried rosemary in it that I can't even use it for confetti.

Anyhoo - that's a very long story for you to read. Thanks for those making it though to the end!
:):nodding::winner::nodding::)
 
When do I get my award?
Um, success is its own award/reward. ;) I am wondering though... were you a total newbie a year ago?
I want to develop a 'core' range that I will continue to make.
Brilliant. Do that. But I hafta warn ya, you need to cut loose and try something different every once in a while to keep the creative juices flowing. I went for 10 years making the same ole soap for a wholesale customer. Not much fun in that. :(
I wonder if I should maybe just toss 'em if they are odds and ends
Gather all the odds & ends and start mixing. Coffee might do well with a milk fragrance. Mix like categories... all herbs; all florals, etc. Mix EOs with a similar FO to give it staying power. Spend time but stop when your nose stops working. :D
I still have a few of my very early soaps here that are AWFUL! LOL - what was I thinking! I'm wondering if I should just throw them out.
Of course not! For one thing, you can grate up 8 ounces and use a "polyol" mix of ethanol (grain alcohol) + glycerin + sugar water to make transparent soap that lathers like a mad dog. Even try a new fragrance that you've just created.

CONGRATULATIONS on making it through your first year. I, for one, want to thank you for sharing your journey with us. Quite entertaining, I must say! Keep up the good work!

Cheers Marilyn Monroe.jpg

CHEERS!!! HAPPY ANNIVERSARY !!!
 
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When do I get my award? ;)

Copying @Kari Howie's idea:
:):nodding::winner::nodding::)


"...... My sister recons I should continue to make my Pumice and Poppy Seed soap, but call it 'Gardeners Soap' ( which it is intended for) because people at markets are drawn more to the name 'Gardeners' than Pumice...."
Isn't it comical how names matter?

".....flavours that none likes anyway (coffee being one of those)..... White tea is my current fave!
Lol, I'm just the opposite. I love the coffee scents but do not like the tea scents. I made some scented with Green Tea and had to hold my face way away from the faucet as I tested the lather. That's probably because I only like Lipton tea (hot with sugar and milk) and cannot pallet any other kind. I do take Matcha powder but (lol) it's wretched.


"Anyhoo - that's a very long story for you to read. Thanks for those making it though to the end!
I love hearing/reading "anyhoo" as my oldest uses this; miss him, he lives so far away. I laughed when I read that you thought this was a long story. You are 'short-winded' compared to me.
 
Happy Anniversary @KiwiMoose!
I passed mine before you but completely forgot about it lol too busy.

Here's to more soap anniversaries here on SMF.. Coz I like having you around ;)

You could do a scent swap with @KiwiSoap when he's not too busy anymore hehehe
Oh yes - he's just sent me a surprise package! I need to go and pick it up from my sister's shop (aka my courier depot)
 
@KiwiMoose

Has it only been a year?
Your knowledge Seems so much greater than a mere year's worth of soaping would indicate.

Life's so funny. .. I started making cp soap 6 months ago and went straight into fragrance testing mode. Every time I soap, it is to test another batch of fragrances!

Kiwimoose congrats on your first year!
 
I still have a few of my very early soaps here that are AWFUL! LOL - what was I thinking! I'm wondering if I should just throw them out. One of them has so much dried rosemary in it that I can't even use it for confetti.

First of all congratulations!

What I do with soap that I don't like, is to cut the bars in half and put it in a store brand ziplock bag and washcloths I bought (and washed) from WalMart and donate them to the local homeless shelter (though I wouldn't recommend doing that with your Rosemary). I was asked this past weekend by the gal that runs the food/household pantry at the church that the craft fair was at if I would be willing to donate some of my whole bars and I said sure. I have a box of 'mystery' soap...about two dozen or so soaps that my daughter mixed up when shrink wrapping with almost non-existent scents...they already have Ingredient labels on them, I just add front labels.

And yes, I know I could rebatch them or grind them up for confetti soaps, but I have zero interest in rebatching and can't see deliberately creating confetti when someone can use my soaps as they are.
 
@Zany_in_CO - don't worry, I don't think I'll get bored wiht a 'core' range. Even though I've made repeat batches of some I still so something different. My confettis are always a licence to do something different too.

Thanks to all you lot on here - (yes I REALLY WAS a beginner a year ago)- I have developed my knowledge and applied it to my 60+ batches I have made in that time.

My advice to anyone starting out is to keep an open mind, take advice from those more knowledgable, and if your soap turns out looking different to what you had planned - just run with it and pretend that's how it was supposed to be ;)

ETA: just checked and it's actually 70+ batches of soap! Wowsa - that means I've spent over $2000!!!!!!!!
 
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