What soapy thing have you done today?

[biarine]

I just cut my forest accord ( perfume blend of essential oil ) soap. Isn't so beautiful but the scent is heaven.

 

[Selaine]

Today I soaped a mold trying the leopard spots shown on the soap queen blog. I used BB Black amber & lavendar, which says it discolor to medium brown, so I had to switch the colors around some. Also cut my first attempt at hanger swirl that I soaped yesterday. It came out meh. Used the leftover dark brown and tried to make poop logs

 

[Selaine]

Biarine, I think your soap is beautiful! Soap has come so far in the last 15 years. I'm amazed at something new every day.

 

[Kittish]

Restocking mostly. Grocery shopping today, so I picked up some more olive oil and a can of powdered goat's milk. I also found some shot-glass size stainless steel condiment cups. Great for mixing pigments and fragrances and easy to clean (I tend to try to avoid disposables- just my thing). Ordered coconut oil, because I'm almost out of that as well as getting some small bottles so I can mix EO blends in advance for soaping and for perfume.

Starting to build my orders for next month- I'll be able to get a huge array of EOs, absolutes and extracts. Most of them will be for making perfume and accompanying lotion bars, though I'm going to try to come up with at least a couple where I can make matching soap, perfume, and lotion bar. Sisters in law will be helping me develop some of the perfumes, which will be perfect since I'm planning on giving them gift sets I've made for Christmas. I've already ordered some pretty little refillable perfume spray bottles in a couple of styles and organza gift bags that should be the perfect size for three or four small items.

Got the small stainless steel prep bowls with lids I ordered in today. Going to try those for measuring out my lye. I'm trying to find a covered bowl that's not too big, not too small, and that my lye beads won't stick to all that much. I had been using a small plastic container, but the beads stick to it a lot. If the SS doesn't work out, I'll start looking at glass. Should be reasonably safe to use with dry lye beads.

 

[Nyathera]

I also did some grocery shopping today! I bought oils for weekends soap making Some sunflower oil, peanut oil and pistachio oil. Pistachio was on sale, woot woot!

 

[divinegoddessoaps17]

Rose Quartz CP Soap

Love this soap, smells soooo goood. I used a pot swirl technique. Himalayan salt accent on the top of soaps.

 

[Kittish]

I also did some grocery shopping today! I bought oils for weekends soap making Some sunflower oil, peanut oil and pistachio oil. Pistachio was on sale, woot woot!

Never seen pistachio oil around here. I'm very hesitant to use peanut oil, peanuts are a pretty common allergen. Friend of mine has an allergy to peanuts (on the mild side, thank goodness!).

 

[earlene]

I also did some grocery shopping today! I bought oils for weekends soap making Some sunflower oil, peanut oil and pistachio oil. Pistachio was on sale, woot woot!

Nyathera, I don't recall seeing pistachio in any of the grocery stores near where I live, and of course I've never soaped with it. Have you used it before for soap? I am wondering what it's like? Is it dark, like the nut? My granddaughter's favorite nut, btw. She'd probably love the idea of soap with pistachio oil.

 

[penelopejane]

Love this soap, smells soooo goood. I used a pot swirl technique. Himalayan salt accent on the top of soaps.

Very pretty but be careful who you give the Himalayan salt too. It scratches the skin very badly and since you are in a hot shower seems to do so before you know it.

 

[Nyathera]

Funny, I tought that we don't have anything very special oil here in Finland but apparently we do have better selection for pistachio oil! I've seen few different brands even

I haven't used it on a soap yet. So can't really tell how it's like, but when I have tried it, I promise to post a pics and tell you guys how it's like!

I found this pic! It's not mine, but it shows the color. smell of the oil is surprisingly similar to olive oil! Only a tiny hint of a pistachio.

 

[Zany_in_CO]

Look at all those lovely oils! YUM! Pistachio, Pumpkin Seed, Almond, ???, Hazelnut?, Walnut. Thanks for the picture!

 

[earlene]

My husband took my planer apart to evaluate the cause of the gouge it is making in my soap and found not only a problem with the wood, but a nick in the blade as well. He said it's better to buy a new planer, so I'm going with this one. The planer I already have already bevels without any problems, so I can continue to use it for that. Plus I am on the lookout for a small handheld chamfer plane like IrishLass uses or something similar to it, and if I find one I may just go that route.

So I placed two orders today; one for the acrylic planer and one for another silicon ice cube tray to use as a soap mold for a project I have in the works. I also planed & beveled a few bars of soap today.

And I tested one of the 100% Hemp Oil soaps; too early really, they need a cure first, but I noticed that when I sprayed the alcohol on the surface and rubbed it with my finger, that the surface started getting really mushy. So I rinsed it off to try and smooth it out; it got more mushy. No wonder the kids of that guy who made Hemp Oil soap loved playing in the bathtub with it. It turns to mush really fast and I can really see kid having fun with that. But it sure tell me that this oil won't be used in high percentages in my soap. Also I won't be wanting to get this one very wet before it reaches a decent cure. Still it's part of the testing process, so copious notes are in order.

 

[Zany_in_CO]

Earlene, maybe this will help?

https://www.thespruce.com/qualities-of-soap-making-oils-517120

That's interesting about the hemp oil. I use it in my Dr. Bronner's Baby Mild Castile Liquid Soap Dupe. Nice.

 

[biarine]

Earlene, maybe this will help?

https://www.thespruce.com/qualities-of-soap-making-oils-517120

That's interesting about the hemp oil. I use it in my Dr. Bronner's Baby Mild Castile Liquid Soap Dupe. Nice.

I do use hemp too and I like it as well.

 

[Professor_Snape]

I've been experimenting with fruit and veggie HP soaps. The cucumber came out pretty well, but I was a little disappointed with the strawberry, It didn't initially have the pretty red color I was hoping for, just a yucky brown. I'm thinking I added the strawberry puree at too high a temperature, 188 degrees F. Now that it is cooling it seems to be taking on more of a red tint. Any ideas fruit and veggie soapers ?

 

[earlene]

I've been experimenting with fruit and veggie HP soaps. The cucumber came out pretty well, but I was a little disappointed with the strawberry, It didn't initially have the pretty red color I was hoping for, just a yucky brown. I'm thinking I added the strawberry puree at too high a temperature, 188 degrees F. Now that it is cooling it seems to be taking on more of a red tint. Any ideas fruit and veggie soapers ?

The color of most botanicals turn tan or brown in the presence of lye. Calendula leaves will stay yellow, but that is an exception to the norm when it comes to soaping with organic plants. Some natural colorants perform better when added to the lye solution. Others do better added in other ways.

Here are some links to some useful information on coloring CP soap with natural colorants. The first one includes different methods as well as some photos.

http://www.modernsoapmaking.com/join-jo-coloring-soap-naturally/

http://www.diynatural.com/natural-soap-colorants/

http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art50548.asp

I have tried a few botanicals, not strawberries, though. Spinach makes a nice green that fades to nothing eventually, but when the soap hits boiling water the green comes back just like when you cook spinach it gets a deeper green. Interesting, but who is going to bathe in boiling water?

Earlene, maybe this will help?

https://www.thespruce.com/qualities-of-soap-making-oils-517120

That's interesting about the hemp oil. I use it in my Dr. Bronner's Baby Mild Castile Liquid Soap Dupe. Nice.

I also concluded that it would be good as a Liquid Soap, but I am not into Liquid Soaps. The only one I use is for shaving my legs. Other than that, I just don't like LS, so I only make the one recipe. Maybe one day I'll be interested in making other LS recipes, but that would mean I'd have to use them. :think:

 

[Professor_Snape]

Thanks for good info

The color of most botanicals turn tan or brown in the presence of lye. Calendula leaves will stay yellow, but that is an exception to the norm when it comes to soaping with organic plants. Some natural colorants perform better when added to the lye solution. Others do better added in other ways.

Here are some links to some useful information on coloring CP soap with natural colorants. The first one includes different methods as well as some photos.

http://www.modernsoapmaking.com/join-jo-coloring-soap-naturally/

http://www.diynatural.com/natural-soap-colorants/

http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art50548.asp

I have tried a few botanicals, not strawberries, though. Spinach makes a nice green that fades to nothing eventually, but when the soap hits boiling water the green comes back just like when you cook spinach it gets a deeper green. Interesting, but who is going to bathe in boiling water?

Thank you for the excellent information, I'm sure it will help.

 

[biarine]

I also concluded that it would be good as a Liquid Soap, but I am not into Liquid Soaps. The only one I use is for shaving my legs. Other than that, I just don't like LS, so I only make the one recipe. Maybe one day I'll be interested in making other LS recipes, but that would mean I'd have to use them. :think:

Wow.. I like liquid soap than a bar of soap. I don't know why but I preferred it than a soap bar.

 

[earlene]

Today I made up a new batch of 200 grams of 50% EDTA solution. The last batch was 39% and it lasted me 6 months. It will be interesting to see how long this lasts. I am guessing maybe 7 or 8 months. We shall see.

So now I have to figure out what else it is I want to do today. Maybe go take a look at my gemstones in my jewelry cabinet to get an idea for this month's challenge soap. And/or look at my thousands of pictures of travels for the past few years. I know I tend to overdo it with photography, but I also know I have loads of picturesque shots of rock formations from all over the country. I just will have to wade through a lot of other photos; that could take me forever. Also my eldest granddaughter's birthday is coming up and I need to get her present and some things for my not-yet-born 2nd great-grandchild, as well as for ggd#1 (plus daddy) ready for wrapping and mailing. And I want to try out a new mold I picked up at the Goodwill a couple of days ago, so that means making soap. But I am tired and have no energy (only had about 3 or 4 hours sleep).

So maybe I should just take a nap! Or read the book I started yesterday, The Dirt on Clean by Katherine Ashenburg. It is very interesting. I could do both since reading when tired does put me to sleep.

 

[penelopejane]

My husband took my planer apart to evaluate the cause of the gouge it is making in my soap so I'm going with this one. ,

So I placed two orders today; one for the acrylic planer and one for another silicon ice cube tray.

I would be interested in a review when it arrives. I am interested in one that shaves off a paper thin sliver. That's why I like the adjustable timber ones. I like the wider blade which is why I'm interested in your 6inch blade. My is only 85mm wide but the steel and timber are surviving well.