What is your biggest challenge making cp soap?

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Hi everyone, I am very curious to as what the challenges are for you guys making cp soap? How are you coping? If you can cut down the time of making a large batch of cp soap would you do it? I have been soaping for about 3 years now and I am always trying to find ways that make the process more efficient without breaking my back. Thank you for your inputs!! = ))
 
I don't cut time - I still mix each batch of lye solution as I go. I generally make just 1kg at a time, but occasionally I will do a double batch, so 2kg ( and I split that into two different soap batches using fragrance/colour etc).
I mix the lye solution first - using ice cubes so it doesn't get so hot. I rest that in a cold water bath to cool while I measure then melt my hard oils (on the stove). While they are melting I measure out my liquid oils and fragrance, prepare colours, etc. When the hard oils have melted I turn off the heat and mix in the liquid oils, then pour it all into my mixing bowl to finish cooling until 'warm to the touch' - approx 40 degrees celsius. This takes about 2 - 5 minutes ( if that) and I get everything else ready that i might need - molds, spatulas, extra jugs etc.
Then I mix and pour! The whole thing is usually done well within 50 minutes for a 1kg batch, and maybe an hour or a tad more for a double batch with a separate pour/colours/design etc.
The process is pretty slick and meditative for me, unless I soap in a hurry, which is when I tend to make mistakes and it takes longer than if I'd just done it without being in a hurry, lol.
 
I recently started master batching with a 20-gallon warming tank. Aside from the hour or so it takes to load it every 6 batches, that alone has been a massive time saver for me. I am working on adding a milk can lye tank which will increase my efficiency even more. I've been using 30 lb slab molds for a while. I like the number of bars it produces, but I am not happy with the amount of waste. I ordered a pair of 25 lb molds from For Crafts Sake a few weeks ago, those should reduce the waste considerably while producing the same number of bars. Given the cost of raw materials these days, I don't want to waste anything if at all possible.
 
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I'm like KiwiMoose, I don't cut time because that's when you make mistakes and get into all sorts of trouble. If I haven't got the time to make soap, I wait until I do.
Yes, for me it's not really about how much soap i can make and how quickly I can make it - it's more about the process and creating something new.
 
Yes, for me it's not really about how much soap i can make and how quickly I can make it - it's more about the process and creating something new.
Yep, I'm with you on that and from the start I've only made 1kg batches, easy to handle and if I don't like how it turned out, no biggy, it's not much to use up or give away.
 
Hi everyone, I am very curious to as what the challenges are for you guys making cp soap? How are you coping? If you can cut down the time of making a large batch of cp soap would you do it? I have been soaping for about 3 years now and I am always trying to find ways that make the process more efficient without breaking my back. Thank you for your inputs!! = ))
I would say for me getting the correct color when making CP soap is my biggest challenge. There just are so many things that can effect the color, like what oils are being used, or water based may make color different then Goat Milk based soaps. It pays to write lots of notes so when you finally nail the color you are able to repeat it in the future.
 
Mine is pretty specific to me and others with similar variable chronic illness, and that's finding a day when I have not only the time but also the energy and lack of pain to make soap. ☹️

I've been hoping to soap for about the past 3-4 weeks so it's got time to cure for Christmas pressies, but just haven't got there yet. 🤷‍♀️
 
Mine is pretty specific to me and others with similar variable chronic illness, and that's finding a day when I have not only the time but also the energy and lack of pain to make soap. ☹️

I've been hoping to soap for about the past 3-4 weeks so it's got time to cure for Christmas pressies, but just haven't got there yet. 🤷‍♀️
Very similar here too. I have multiple chronic illnesses as well as two children and caregiver to my elderly mother that lives with us. I need to have the time, low level of pain and not be exhausted

I have some intense OCD so I try to use it to my advantage when I can. I organize my ingredients and over plan each step as well as rechecking constantly. I try to work for the love of what I'm making.
 
Time! Masterbatching my oils and my lye solution, and keeping my soap room organized, really helps.

Past challenges have included severe ashing, and of course, acceleration from soaping too hot, stick-blending too much, and using naughty FOs. Well, that last one still happens sometimes but I usually know ahead of time bc I read reviews now.

I recently moved my colorants from a closed cabinet to an open shelving unit, and organized them by color families into four small tubs. It really helps me pick colors more quickly, which can be the longest part of my process, frankly.
 
I don't cut time - I still mix each batch of lye solution as I go. I generally make just 1kg at a time, but occasionally I will do a double batch, so 2kg ( and I split that into two different soap batches using fragrance/colour etc).
I mix the lye solution first - using ice cubes so it doesn't get so hot. I rest that in a cold water bath to cool while I measure then melt my hard oils (on the stove). While they are melting I measure out my liquid oils and fragrance, prepare colours, etc. When the hard oils have melted I turn off the heat and mix in the liquid oils, then pour it all into my mixing bowl to finish cooling until 'warm to the touch' - approx 40 degrees celsius. This takes about 2 - 5 minutes ( if that) and I get everything else ready that i might need - molds, spatulas, extra jugs etc.
Then I mix and pour! The whole thing is usually done well within 50 minutes for a 1kg batch, and maybe an hour or a tad more for a double batch with a separate pour/colours/design etc.
The process is pretty slick and meditative for me, unless I soap in a hurry, which is when I tend to make mistakes and it takes longer than if I'd just done it without being in a hurry, lol.
That's exactly how I do it as well.

My biggest challenge to soap making is.......... me. Even though I'm still making soap (and bath & body items), I'm in a bit of a funk lately and it's been challenging to make the time to do what I normally love to do.
 
I’m much the same as Kiwimoose. I’m not in any hurry, it’s just a hobby for me and I have plenty of free time. The one thing I do which makes the whole process more enjoyable is,I often put the jugs etc in the dishwasher. I give them a really good wipe with rags first.
 
My biggest challenge to soap making is.......... me. Even though I'm still making soap (and bath & body items), I'm in a bit of a funk lately and it's been challenging to make the time to do what I normally love to do.
Still waiting for that care emoticon like facebook has...
 
It’s ME! I am my biggest challenge! Days like today I seem to have too many things on my mind and I definitely wasn’t paying enough attention. I may have just made my first totally unredeemable soap😭 I made so many stupid mistakes - the WORST of which was leaving my coconut oil out of the batter. Couldn’t figure out why the batter wouldn’t get to trace. I finally rechecked my recipe and realized my error. I got the coconut oil melted, divided into the correct amounts for the three portions and stirred in like the dickens - but the batter just didn’t want to trace. Was it too late at that point? I have no experience or knowledge of what to do or when it’s too late to add the missing oil.
I finally got it into the mold. Cleaned up all my mess and went and poured a glass of wine.
Mold is in the oven and I guess I’ll find out tomorrow whether I have a muddy mess from the colours running together - or a wet gooey muddy mess from unsaponified batter - or maybe some kind of soap. I’m so saaaadd
 
Oh
It’s ME! I am my biggest challenge! Days like today I seem to have too many things on my mind and I definitely wasn’t paying enough attention. I may have just made my first totally unredeemable soap😭 I made so many stupid mistakes - the WORST of which was leaving my coconut oil out of the batter. Couldn’t figure out why the batter wouldn’t get to trace. I finally rechecked my recipe and realized my error. I got the coconut oil melted, divided into the correct amounts for the three portions and stirred in like the dickens - but the batter just didn’t want to trace. Was it too late at that point? I have no experience or knowledge of what to do or when it’s too late to add the missing oil.
I finally got it into the mold. Cleaned up all my mess and went and poured a glass of wine.
Mold is in the oven and I guess I’ll find out tomorrow whether I have a muddy mess from the colours running together - or a wet gooey muddy mess from unsaponified batter - or maybe some kind of soap. I’m so saaaadd
Oh please let us know how it turns out, hopefully it will all be fine 🙃
 
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