I finally made soap today, which I think the first time since September. I should have been cleaning the house, but I needed a break. The batter for my attempt at a splash swirl stayed nice and fluid. Yay!
What soapy thing have you done today?
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Not today, but I made a pond hockey soap - still refining and I’m going to have another go at it. I made some extruder discs on my 3D printer and used some scrapers I had made previously, and then made a tiny hockey stick stamp. One player got sort of squished, but that’s ok.
I have played hockey for a long time - played in high school and college and after. I got into playing at the beginning of girls and women’s hockey (where I lived) and I just loved it. And I really love pond hockey most of all.
I have played hockey for a long time - played in high school and college and after. I got into playing at the beginning of girls and women’s hockey (where I lived) and I just loved it. And I really love pond hockey most of all.
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I actually waited 3 days before unmolding this Mint Infusion soap I made on Nov. 5. Having to be in the office two days in a row likely helped with that; too busy to get distracted by the soap. Even though I took these photos in indirect light, the camera wasn't able to decide what color to render it in, but if you can imagine a tone about midway between these images, you'd have it. This was an experiment using the leaves of spearmint plants that have taken over our little flower bed. We stripped the leaves and soaked them in canola oil for a couple of days. The color was great when I squeezed out the oil, but (as I expected from my reading here on SMF) none of it / very little of it survived the soapmaking process. Other than the green infused canola, the only other color in the pot was the EVOO and a little ROE.
My wife selected the scents for this, and it came out great. We blended 50/50 spearmint and peppermint essential oils from Bramble Berry, and the bars smell exactly like Doublemint gum.
My wife selected the scents for this, and it came out great. We blended 50/50 spearmint and peppermint essential oils from Bramble Berry, and the bars smell exactly like Doublemint gum.
| Component | Grams |
| Coconut Oil | 807 |
| Canola Oil | 712 |
| Olive Oil - EVOO | 427 |
| Castor Oil | 190 |
| |
Total oils: (2,136) | |
| Spearmint EO (Mentha Spicata) from Bramble Berry | 32 |
| Peppermint 1st Distill (Mentha Piperita) EO from Bramble Berry | 32 |
| |
| Mint leaves | |
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That's amazing.
Zany_in_CO
Saponifier
Correct.I am sorry to say that I think you used way too much spearmint EO though - the IFRA usage is very low for that one
Check out EO Calc for more information. Once you select a blend, you can "Get Usage Rates" and "Learn More" about the constituents. 
AliensrReal
Well-Known Member
Sensitive bits very tingly?Lovely soap @Jorah. I like the subtle color from the spearmint infusion. I am sorry to say that I think you used way too much spearmint EO though - the IFRA usage is very low for that one
Probably, although peppermint can also do that and is considered safe at a much higher usage rate.
Beautiful soap! *goals* Landscapes using a scraper and embeds are two things on my list of things to do.
A couple days ago I made what I hoped was going to be my challenge soap. Hoping someone with more experience can provide insight to what went wrong. I use a high lard slow moving recipe and soap between 80 and 90 degrees. I was using three mica colors dispersed in aloe vera plus a natural base. At emulsion I split 100 grams of batter into three containers for the colors and left 700 grams in the main pot. I was concerned the batter was too thin so I stirred in the colors and stick blended the main batter for a few minutes until I reached light trace. I poured the main batter and when I picked up the colored batters I realized they had gotten pretty thick. The batters were not fluid at all. I was able to get the colors put on top of the batter and swirl them in. After cutting this will not be my challenge soap as the swirls are too thick. Thankfully the soap is still pretty and very usable. Fragrance was an eo blend from eo calc called spearmilyptus. It is a blend of eucalyptus, peppermint, tea tree and spearmint. The only thing I can account for the quicker trace was mica colors, small amount of AVJ, or smaller batches speed trace? My plan for the next batch is to separate at light trace, pour the base, then add in micas and pour the colors. Does that sound reasonable?
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huh. Live and learn, thanks for the pointer. I will check twice in the future! I'll let it age for a few months and then test it for skin sensitivity.Lovely soap @Jorah. I like the subtle color from the spearmint infusion. I am sorry to say that I think you used way too much spearmint EO though - the IFRA usage is very low for that one
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AliensrReal
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When I put your soap weight into the BB fragrance calculator it says IFRA maximum usage rate is 5.77g. So, idk. I don’t really use essential oils though.
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I've passed along the links to the various calculators to my perfumer (my wife!) and asked her to help me be sure next time not to use too much scent.
I don't know if you are using a fragrance calculator (eocalc or Bramble Berry), but they both highlight unsafe usages in red - which might be hard for you to see since you are color blind. If you can see red, those are both easy to use, and EOcalc will let you enter blends.
You can test it, but you are way over the safe usage rate. If it doesn't bother you, keeping it for personal use would be okay. I wouldn't give it to anyone though, or at least give it to them as bars to use for hand washing and let them know to test it on their skin before using. I once made a peppermint soap that didn't bother me, or anyone else with the exception of my MIL. So she is much more sensitive to that than anyone else I know - and I no longer give her soaps with mint.
AliensrReal
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I love this so much! I hope to get to be as good as you! I’m not very creative. Still trying to conquer swirl techniques.
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Today I mostly cleaned the house, but once that and the grocery shopping was done, I made a batch of soap based on one of @Zany_in_CO 's recipes, with green oxide and Green Tea & Cucumber scent from BB. This time I checked the fragrance calculator!
Here's how the soap came out of the loaf:
Far greener than I meant it to be, but it's a keeper. Every time I do anything with colorants, I grow more impressed with you-all who have what seems to be total control over your soap colors!
Here's how the soap came out of the loaf:
Far greener than I meant it to be, but it's a keeper. Every time I do anything with colorants, I grow more impressed with you-all who have what seems to be total control over your soap colors!
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Ahh, see... this is part of the lesson I learned: don't soap in haste. I was trying to get a batch in on short notice that day, and when I ran the lye calculator I spotted the default "Fragrance" line and forgot completely about the fragrance calculator. Unforgivable.
Do not do as I do, fellow beginners! Learn from my errors.
AliensrReal
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I was sick all last week and finally felt good enough today to try my hand at soaping. I am using this double funnel thing I bought online so I’m trying to figure out the best way to use it. I used Caribbean pineapple and I’m not a fan of the scent. I don’t like pineapple and am not sure why I bought it. It smells okay though. The soap separated a bit because I poured too early and I had to mix the colors and repour. I was able to do some colors with it but it’s not very pretty. As long as it’s soap and it smells okay I’ll take it. I think I should use 3 or fewer colors with this contraption I got. Next time I try this double funnel it will be a success!
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Blue1969
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Hi all!
Haven't been here for a while - the activities of daily loving took over and curbed my enthusiasm to make soap. However, went on a binge the last 2 weeks to replenish stock on the basics and try some new things. Hopefully I will soon get around to posting some pics.
Have just had an enquiry regarding macadamia oil. What is the highest percentage of macadamia oil that can be used in a soap to still have a nice bar that foams and hardens?
Haven't been here for a while - the activities of daily loving took over and curbed my enthusiasm to make soap. However, went on a binge the last 2 weeks to replenish stock on the basics and try some new things. Hopefully I will soon get around to posting some pics.
Have just had an enquiry regarding macadamia oil. What is the highest percentage of macadamia oil that can be used in a soap to still have a nice bar that foams and hardens?
AliensrReal
Well-Known Member
@Blue1969 I have seen people use it at 10% but I don’t know the maximum. Hopefully others can answer your question.
I think I know why peche de vigne and Caribbean pineapple separated. I don’t think the batter was fully emulsified by the time I started pouring. I’ve been trying to pour at a thinner trace and I’m pretty sure those two batches weren’t fully emulsified like they should have been. I’ve been trying to see how thin I can get the batter lately. So, I’m glad I figured that out. I’m also soaping with all new fragrances I’ve never tried before. I love the unknown.
I think I know why peche de vigne and Caribbean pineapple separated. I don’t think the batter was fully emulsified by the time I started pouring. I’ve been trying to pour at a thinner trace and I’m pretty sure those two batches weren’t fully emulsified like they should have been. I’ve been trying to see how thin I can get the batter lately. So, I’m glad I figured that out. I’m also soaping with all new fragrances I’ve never tried before. I love the unknown.
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