I received the can of Pine Tar to make Zanys No Slime Soap for my Mama. Gonna do the OO, CO and Castor oil formula. So excited. Gonna make it at 20%. Looking for an easy salve to add Pine Tar also so it can go directly on the Psoriasis. She has it on her lower back, the back of her head/neck and one ankle. I‘ll be making it as soon as it isn’t humid.
What soapy thing have you done today?
- Thread starter FlybyStardancer
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Just returned from a quick trip to my hometown. Very grateful that Sis no longer displays my soap but actually uses it. Sis and BIL are not fans of my pine tar salve experiment, which is fine, it's a strong scent.
Awhile back my dad was very clear that I no longer need to give him my soap anymore. He keeps one of my bars on the guest bath sink. It's old and starting to get DOS. I looked in a drawer, and hoo boy, found soap 2-3 years old, all with DOS and smelling not so fresh. Erg. I've been so open on how improved my skin is, kinda puzzled why he refused to be converted....
Awhile back my dad was very clear that I no longer need to give him my soap anymore. He keeps one of my bars on the guest bath sink. It's old and starting to get DOS. I looked in a drawer, and hoo boy, found soap 2-3 years old, all with DOS and smelling not so fresh. Erg. I've been so open on how improved my skin is, kinda puzzled why he refused to be converted....
Just made a batch of @Dawni's Triple Rice Soap. My oil blend is a little different than hers, but it did include RBO, plus rice water, rice slurry, and sweet rice flour. Does that make it quadruple rice soap? 
Unfortunately, I measured something wrong. Despite the heat from HP, and the fact that I hadn't added in any additional liquid yet, the batch wasn't coming to trace. Thinking back, I was pretty sure I had under-measured the MB lye solution by 100g. But even after adding that back in, the batch was still was barely tracing even with heat and lots'o stick-blending. So I did what I should have done to begin with, which was to dump everything back into a mixing bowl on the scale. Somehow the total of oils + MB lye solution came up 60g short.
Decided to cook it, mold it, and see what happened. Poured at gel and tried to texture the top. Bad idea - it firmed up too quickly and now just looks "rustic." The scraps aren't lathering well at all. Makes me wonder if my trusty little scale, which has brand new batteries in it as of yesterday, may actually be failing.
Unfortunately, I measured something wrong. Despite the heat from HP, and the fact that I hadn't added in any additional liquid yet, the batch wasn't coming to trace. Thinking back, I was pretty sure I had under-measured the MB lye solution by 100g. But even after adding that back in, the batch was still was barely tracing even with heat and lots'o stick-blending. So I did what I should have done to begin with, which was to dump everything back into a mixing bowl on the scale. Somehow the total of oils + MB lye solution came up 60g short.
Decided to cook it, mold it, and see what happened. Poured at gel and tried to texture the top. Bad idea - it firmed up too quickly and now just looks "rustic." The scraps aren't lathering well at all. Makes me wonder if my trusty little scale, which has brand new batteries in it as of yesterday, may actually be failing.
Thanks, @Mobjack Bay those are good suggestions, and I will give them a try. It could just be that I was distracted and measured the oils wrong, too. My phone rang twice while I was measuring. Doesn't take much for me.
Ugeauxgirl
Well-Known Member
I hear you. My dad likes my soap but my mom wouldn't even try it till she gave it to some of her friends and THEY told her how nice it was and asked her for more. Same with my oldest son. He thought it was a nerdy hobby till his friends went gaga over it. Whatever.
You had me intrigued by the weights on the scale with the coins, but then again someone talked me into placing a magnet on my covid vax site lol….no, its not magnetic lol…. Just being funny. But yeah, I really did that and felt incredibly stupid after.
My 2021 nickel weighs 6g. Pennies…i weighed a brand new, a 2006, and a 1986 penny, and they are all 3g, even though that 1986 penny is incredibly thin. However, my scale doesn't do tenths. So i guess the scale rounds up.
Now I think i need a scale that takes more accurate measurements. I have a friend who works in Weights and Measures. I might pick his brain the next time i see him. Thanks for the rabbit hole LOL
Update on yesterday’s Triple Rice soap. It was firm enough to cut, but greasy inside with visible oil drops. It isn’t zappy, and a piece of it did lather a bit. I’m going to let it sit for a few days and see if the oils reabsorb. If not, it will probably become shreds for confetti soap.
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I've resigned myself that my dad won't be converted, despite his own derm issues. I adore my dad, and because he is 87 years old, every day I spend with him is precious.
I'll add a little side story. My dad paints ceramics and gives them to us for holidays like Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter. Every holiday. Every year. Sometimes even Valentines Day, St. Patricks Day, Independence Day get a ceramic. My now grown sons each get their own. My wife and I have been married 29 years. Do the math!! I know I push my soap on everyone but I like to give consumable gifts. I also like to receive consumable gifts because my wife and I have reached a max on "stuff" and are constantly down-sizing. Thinking positively, he has a hobby that brings him pleasure. I'm hoping to have his steady hand and keen eyesight when I turn 87.
That is so sweet. Even if you are overwhelmed with ceramics I’m sure you are gracious about receiving his gifts.
I am having a terrible time lately with fail after fail. My stripe soap went ok but I have made three attempts at pull through soaps that have ALL failed - too thick, then too thin, then too thick. And I am struggling with crumbly soap, I think because I made a master batch with some palm that was from the end of a bucket, which was dumb because I have about 5 kg of MB left. I made two loaves of lemongrass, always a big seller, that look terrible and have a bottom edge that is almost powdery. I have been trying to make spin swirl soap - I tried it once and it went perfectly .- and ever since then I haven’t gotten anything to work, I spin and the batter just sits there. Wah, wah wah. Also just got rejected from a farmers market because they aleady have a soap vendor. Nuts. Recently got rejected from a different one that charged $15 just to look at my application.
I love my soapmaking craft/business but sometimes I feel like my learning curve doesn’t seem to be leveling out. I feel like I’m floundering!
ok - end of rant.
FWIW, I remixed my most recent MB because I wasn't happy with the first soaps that came out of it. I knew my starting weight, and subtracted the total weight of the batches that I'd made. That gave me the remaining weight.That is so sweet. Even if you are overwhelmed with ceramics I’m sure you are gracious about receiving his gifts.
I am having a terrible time lately with fail after fail. My stripe soap went ok but I have made three attempts at pull through soaps that have ALL failed - too thick, then too thin, then too thick. And I am struggling with crumbly soap, I think because I made a master batch with some palm that was from the end of a bucket, which was dumb because I have about 5 kg of MB left. I made two loaves of lemongrass, always a big seller, that look terrible and have a bottom edge that is almost powdery. I have been trying to make spin swirl soap - I tried it once and it went perfectly .- and ever since then I haven’t gotten anything to work, I spin and the batter just sits there. Wah, wah wah. Also just got rejected from a farmers market because they aleady have a soap vendor. Nuts. Recently got rejected from a different one that charged $15 just to look at my application.
I love my soapmaking craft/business but sometimes I feel like my learning curve doesn’t seem to be leveling out. I feel like I’m floundering!
ok - end of rant.
I already had the percentages of each oil, so I entered those into the soap calc. Then I made a SWAG about what oils would improve it. Added those oils to the soap calc to soap calc, decided I liked the numbers, and added them to the mix. So far, I'm happy with the revised mix (other than my messed up 3x Rice soap, which I believe was mismeasurement on my part).
You know, I’ve been thinking about doing that too, although I’m not sure what would fix my situation. But I could experiment with adding to a batch at a time.
I always feel weird posting in this thread because it's more accurate for me to be like "This is the soapy thing I did last night and what I plan to do today"
Anyhow, with that disclaimer: I made a lavender EO soap last night, my regular recipe but was the first time doing a plain lavender EO soap (four years almost of soaping and it's my first time...it's kind of crazy to me...especially because I like lavender). Anyway, it went okay...I soaped very cold which I'm nervous about. The oils and lye were in the low 70s when combined but I CPOPED it and I'm hoping for the best. It's been cold here in OH and my soap room only has a space heater at the moment. Here's hoping I don't have a lot of stearic spots when I cut.
I have two loaves to cut when I get home. An incense & oud scented loaf I made three or so days ago and this lavender one. I'm finally starting to fill my shelves back up for the summer craft fair season.
Anyhow, with that disclaimer: I made a lavender EO soap last night, my regular recipe but was the first time doing a plain lavender EO soap (four years almost of soaping and it's my first time...it's kind of crazy to me...especially because I like lavender). Anyway, it went okay...I soaped very cold which I'm nervous about. The oils and lye were in the low 70s when combined but I CPOPED it and I'm hoping for the best. It's been cold here in OH and my soap room only has a space heater at the moment. Here's hoping I don't have a lot of stearic spots when I cut.
I have two loaves to cut when I get home. An incense & oud scented loaf I made three or so days ago and this lavender one. I'm finally starting to fill my shelves back up for the summer craft fair season.
Ugeauxgirl
Well-Known Member
I unmolded yesterday's Oakmoss and sandalwood scented soap, and I rendered some deer fat into tallow. It's taken me 6 months to get my hands on some. The tallow turned out snow white and odorless. Yay!
I made another challenge attempt and a batch of charcoal.
I went to a market last weekend and sold over $300 of soap and lotion bars (@Zing) with a few painted stones. Luckily my work closes for 5 days over Easter ( including the weekend) so I made soap each day for three of those to try and make up for it.
Frangipani, Grapefruit and Mint, and Egyptian Amber.
Then my sister decided we would go to one this coming weekend as well ( it's another long weekend because of ANZAC day on Monday - google it) so here I am tonight frantically writing up labels and getting platters of soap ready for that. I will leave to tomorrow straight after work - the market is in a coastal town about an hour from here. She has a beach house there and it' school holidays so my son and I will make a weekend out of it.
Frangipani, Grapefruit and Mint, and Egyptian Amber.
Then my sister decided we would go to one this coming weekend as well ( it's another long weekend because of ANZAC day on Monday - google it) so here I am tonight frantically writing up labels and getting platters of soap ready for that. I will leave to tomorrow straight after work - the market is in a coastal town about an hour from here. She has a beach house there and it' school holidays so my son and I will make a weekend out of it.
That’s awesome. I hope you have another great event! You’re stones just amaze me every time I see them.
@KimMoose - I like your table display; I can see your product and read the description. Well Done.
KeepItSimpleSoap
Well-Known Member
I just typed a paragraph then I mashed the wrong button and cleared it, so here it goes again.
I've spent the last few weeks on a steady schedule of rendering my bacon grease. I have been collecting it for going on 2 and a half years this go round. I'm using the three step or times rendering method so it takes 3 days of rendering the LARD to have enough ready for the 12 bar molds. I'm using 25.25 oz of LARD for every 12 bars. I'm down to my last bar and my "dorm room" size refrigerator is full of jars of captured bacon grease only. It holds well under refrigeration and doesn't smell rancid. It will take several weeks to get through all of the batches making 2 batches, 24 bars a week. I have some sample scents on the way and I hope I can get my wife to use the soap that smells like all of the "girly" scents. As much as she likes to bake and do crafts in general, I was hoping that I could get her into this "craft" a bit. However she just won't act interested. I wish that she wasn't so negative about my soapmaking.
I've spent the last few weeks on a steady schedule of rendering my bacon grease. I have been collecting it for going on 2 and a half years this go round. I'm using the three step or times rendering method so it takes 3 days of rendering the LARD to have enough ready for the 12 bar molds. I'm using 25.25 oz of LARD for every 12 bars. I'm down to my last bar and my "dorm room" size refrigerator is full of jars of captured bacon grease only. It holds well under refrigeration and doesn't smell rancid. It will take several weeks to get through all of the batches making 2 batches, 24 bars a week. I have some sample scents on the way and I hope I can get my wife to use the soap that smells like all of the "girly" scents. As much as she likes to bake and do crafts in general, I was hoping that I could get her into this "craft" a bit. However she just won't act interested. I wish that she wasn't so negative about my soapmaking.
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@KeepItSimpleSoap some things that might help: masterbatch some lye solution, make a sugar syrup with CA in it, and get some mica sample packs. Then she could try making soap without having to do much measuring or figuring, and she could do something with colors and swirls, too. Personally I enjoy soapmaking a lot more now that my lye and oils are masterbatched.
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