- Joined
- May 13, 2023
- Messages
- 337
- Reaction score
- 1,216
So glossy!!Happy Steamed Soap Saturday!
I was getting these soaps ready to photograph. Maybe I will post some pics later.
So glossy!!Happy Steamed Soap Saturday!
I was getting these soaps ready to photograph. Maybe I will post some pics later.
At what stage in the cold process do you add the colorants?Oh the green you have in your soap is beautiful! Do you have access to Ratanjot (inci Onosma echioides) or Gromwell (inci Lithospermum Erythrorhizon) both give purple. I think Gromwell will be easier for you to find. You could try Craftiviti I think they sell it. Treat them the same as the Alkanet and you will have lovely purples (one slightly more pink the other leans more blue).
Madder is inci Rubia Tinctorum and Manjistha is Rubia Cordifolia both give pink and I think you will find Manjistha easier to find maybe. They are different herbs as you can see by the inci. Always look for the inci so you know what you are buying and using.
You may well find it MUCH easier in an Asian store that has healing herbs as both are very good for us or even an online store that sells herbs
Gromwell's Chinese name is Madder's Zicao
Madder's Chinese name is Qian Cao Gen
Fingers crossed you are able to find them now
Thank you @AliOop for suggesting my work xx
Yes, the problem was putting it in the fridge. Oops.Need advise please. I followed the recipe and instructions found in a post from 2023 rwgarding sugar scrubs from soap shavings.
Everything worked well, blended well together. I did not add stearic acid. Thought it would be ok, since I am using 100% tallow soap scraps.
Then I placed it in the fridge to cool down - now it is one solid block - definately not whippable!
Is the problem the lack of stearic acid or the fridge? Should I remelt and add more glycerin or water?
Please help?
I hope you feel better soon!I threw out my back today so I’m sitting in the hot tub watching Soapmaking videos on YouTube![]()
I love the 'peek-a-boo' effect with the salt crystals. Reminds me of those geodes you see at gem shows!I made my first salt bars yesterday and unmolded today. Used the recipe from the current issue of Willow & Sage, with Ylang Ylang, Lime, and Lemon Zest essential oils, and French green clay as colorant. I’m quite pleased with how they turned out!
I'm not experienced with sugar scrubs or working with stearic acid but when I experimented with whipped body creams I noticed there is a sweet spot when timing your mixture in the fridge ~ it only needs to partially firm up, not fully. I had a couple bowls get too firm and had to let them sit out to come back to room temperature before I could whip it, whip it goodNeed advise please. I followed the recipe and instructions found in a post from 2023 rwgarding sugar scrubs from soap shavings.
Everything worked well, blended well together. I did not add stearic acid. Thought it would be ok, since I am using 100% tallow soap scraps.
Then I placed it in the fridge to cool down - now it is one solid block - definately not whippable!
Is the problem the lack of stearic acid or the fridge? Should I remelt and add more glycerin or water?
Please help?
Sounds like pretty good therapy ~ keep it up!I threw out my back today so I’m sitting in the hot tub watching Soapmaking videos on YouTube![]()
This is a CP-soap-based scrub. Unlike syndet bases, if you put this base in the fridge, it will get waaayy too hard for whipping.I'm not experienced with sugar scrubs or working with stearic acid but when I experimented with whipped body creams I noticed there is a sweet spot when timing your mixture in the fridge ~ it only needs to partially firm up, not fully. I had a couple bowls get too firm and had to let them sit out to come back to room temperature before I could whip it, whip it goodBut I have no idea if that's the same scenario as what you were dealing with
![]()
Ah ~ interestingThis is a CP-soap-based scrub. Unlike syndet bases, if you put this base in the fridge, it will get waaayy too hard for whipping.![]()
Thx for the reply. Was still stonehard at room temperature, so remelted it and added more glycerin and water. Whipped up lovely. Will try tonight and see how it feels.Yes, the problem was putting it in the fridge. Oops.
I've always whipped mine starting at room temp. Once you let it come to room temp, it should be much softer and very whippable, especially since you didn't add any stearic. Let us know how it works out!
These look fabulous!! You did a great job!! I took a look at the recipe on their website but couldn't work out the batch size and why there was no castor oil. Or maybe you need the mag to get the full recipe?I made my first salt bars yesterday and unmolded today. Used the recipe from the current issue of Willow & Sage, with Ylang Ylang, Lime, and Lemon Zest essential oils, and French green clay as colorant. I’m quite pleased with how they turned out!
View attachment 78170
It depends on the way you have prepared the colorant. Some are infusions so they go in with the oils, some are added to hot lye water before it cools to room temp and some are rehydrated and added at trace. It honestly depends on which one you are using and how to get the best out of that particular plant.At what stage in the cold process do you add the colorants?
Here’s the recipe by Becky Zepeda from the magazine:These look fabulous!! You did a great job!! I took a look at the recipe on their website but couldn't work out the batch size and why there was no castor oil. Or maybe you need the mag to get the full recipe?
Correction, Becky’s recipe has 44 gr EO, I used 40 since that’s all the combined EOs I could get out of the bottles I was using.Here’s the recipe by Becky Zepeda from the magazine:
Coconut oil 765 gr
Almond oil 72 gr
Cocoa butter 63 gr
Distilled Water 153 gr
Lye 127 gr
4 gr kaolin clay
40 gr EO
16 gr blue Cambrian clay (I used French green clay)
400 gr fine sea salt
~ 30 gr coarse pink Himalayan sea salt
I added 2 tsp sodium lactate to the lye water; probably didn’t need it with all the other salt, but it was force of habit)
Becky used 21 g eucalyptus EO, 12 gr lavender EO, and 11 gr lemongrass EO
I used a combination of ylang ylang, lime, and lemon zest EOs to make 40 gr total (didn’t measure each oil, just used what was left in the tiny bottles)