amd, I LOVE your description of your eyeball soapmaking session with your daughter. It sounds like great fun was had by all!
What soapy thing have you done today?
- Thread starter FlybyStardancer
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I had to heavily discount my water for the Ash problem to go away. As soon as I up it to give it a bit more fluid time it comes right back... sigh
Chris_S
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I grabbed a bargain when I went the shop and got a new slow cooker so I can use my old one for when I want to try hot process which i have been researching the methods used. Been watching several youtube videos about new techniques i want to try and how best to do them and one about different stages of trace all very interesting
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Chris_S
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I feel so jealous that people can make such amazing creations with soap and I'm one batch in and merely dreaming of such skills
That bottom photo looks like the top of a vienetta ice cream dessert
OldHippie
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You can get a virtual apprenticeship by watching YouTube videos.
Chris_S
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oh I know iv been YouTube bingeing but walk before you can fly and all that after one batch think im better getting few more batches done and getting the more simple techniques sussed before I go trying any fancy designs
lindakschickens
Well-Known Member
For the last week have have been meaning to make soap. literally I have all my oils and fats all measured out but have been unable to get this low cleansing soap for a "hippie" friend of mine using Ayurveda herbs like henna,cassia sandalwood etc made for her and her other friends to try. This is a special request from her and all ingredients were picked by her including palm oil thankfully I found a place that sources it from sustainable places and got one heck of a deal 11lbs of it for under $8-11.
But now I'm wondering about hot processing my soap to speed up the overall cure time and maybe shape it into hand rolled balls for a more rustic look?. next up learn how to hot process soap by tomorrow!
But now I'm wondering about hot processing my soap to speed up the overall cure time and maybe shape it into hand rolled balls for a more rustic look?. next up learn how to hot process soap by tomorrow!
lindakschickens, yes you can form HP soap into rolled balls, and it can safely be used sooner than some CP soaps, but to reach its highest potential as a soap, it still does need a full cure. It is not a shorter cure. I know plenty of youtubers and bloggers out there in the interwebs world claim it's an instant cure, but that's not an accurate claim. It's a misunderstanding of the meaning of the word 'cure'.
Think of cure as 'aging' like wine. Cheap wine isn't aged as long. But fine wine tastes better after sufficient aging. (That's not to say cheap wine becomes fine wine after a long time, because that's not true either. The ingredients and how it is made does affect the quality of the wine, too.)
So HP soaps used a week after they are made can be compared to a brand new wine, while an HP Soap made 3 months or so ago can be compared to an aged wine. Besides losing water during a cure, other things happen at the molecular level as soap cures (or ages) that only starts with saponification. This is true of both CP & HP soap.
Think of cure as 'aging' like wine. Cheap wine isn't aged as long. But fine wine tastes better after sufficient aging. (That's not to say cheap wine becomes fine wine after a long time, because that's not true either. The ingredients and how it is made does affect the quality of the wine, too.)
So HP soaps used a week after they are made can be compared to a brand new wine, while an HP Soap made 3 months or so ago can be compared to an aged wine. Besides losing water during a cure, other things happen at the molecular level as soap cures (or ages) that only starts with saponification. This is true of both CP & HP soap.
Alfa_Lazcares
Well-Known Member
I made a coffee soap with actual coffee. Now I know why everyone says it stinks while you are mixing the lye. It does stink. Anyway, same FO i used once before and once again it behaved beautifully. At least i know i will forever and ever be able to make coffee soap. I also finally got a measure for my mold. It holds 800g. So yay.
CareBearP362
Member
I had to go into the day job today, so didn't get to make soap, but I did deliver an order to the PTO president and am trying to decide which soap I will make tomorrow!!
I also unmolded my dancing Funnel Pour from this weekend. It looks awesome, but is fully covered in soda ash now. Could it be humidity causing it? It was raining cats and dogs this weekend.....
I also unmolded my dancing Funnel Pour from this weekend. It looks awesome, but is fully covered in soda ash now. Could it be humidity causing it? It was raining cats and dogs this weekend.....
I made Sun drenched vineyard. I had just poured the lye into the oil when the tornado warning was issued for just south of here. I HP so its a longer process. just needed to get it to the point it wouldn't volcano if I had to leave it.. tense.
Finally got some soap made today and I remember why I do not like making my Kelpie Mud bars, they are so messy. They are a 50% salt bar with charcoal and Dead Sea Mud. After that I made a batch of my charcoal facial bars with brine and a batch of Lavender. Not much but at least it is something. Also labeled and wrapped some soaps for tomorrow. Off to bed for 3 hrs sleep before getting up for market in the morning. I hate early
lindakschickens
Well-Known Member
Thanks for the heads up on that. as a lot claim shorter "cure" time to use i.e 24 hrs or like right after HP and it cools.
I'm also doing my HP right now waiting for the petroleum jelly stage I heard that's when it's done then will let it cool a bit and roll into balls she also wants quite a bit of EO's and 2 FO's in it. Read a few places saying add these in the middle before the end process other wise it will be hard to add so I added it then now I'm reading right at the finally stage because the others are wrong :s
lindakschickens
Well-Known Member
those sound nice do the kelpie mud bars have like grainy type bits in it?Finally got some soap made today and I remember why I do not like making my Kelpie Mud bars, they are so messy. They are a 50% salt bar with charcoal and Dead Sea Mud. After that I made a batch of my charcoal facial bars with brine and a batch of Lavender. Not much but at least it is something. Also labeled and wrapped some soaps for tomorrow. Off to bed for 3 hrs sleep before getting up for market in the morning. I hate early
A
amd
I cut the eyeball soap. Fragrance is oozing out of it, leaving pockets in some places. Grrr. I've left it cut with a fan blowing on it to see if the soap will dry out a bit quicker and the fragrance will reabsorb. The oil itself is not zappy, and I checked the end cuts with no zap, so I'm certain it is FO oozing out. If the oil doesn't reabsorb, I will need to figure out if I can save the eyeballs and rebatch.
Tonight I am stopping by the brewery to pick up beer. The FO's should be here on Friday, so that will give me time to prep the beer (I prefer to boil off the alcohol for safety's sake) and I can start the first two soaps on Saturday morning. The other two soaps will be a few weeks to start because they are out of the beer, so I need to wait until they brew. One of the beers recipe has changed a bit, so the brewer said he would call me for a tasting when it is done so we can better choose the fragrance.
Other miscellaneous stuff: made labels for my Jade soleseife. Darnit, wouldn't you know that I have 9 bars but it was more efficient to print 8 labels... guess I'm going to have to use that 9th bar myself Made the Etsy listing, photographed and edited photos. I'll finish packaging the soaps at lunch today. Finished the monthly newsletter and scheduled that for sending out. Priced out ingredients for shampoo (syndet) bars and entered the recipe in SM3. On the list for today is working on the website, video editing, and masterbatching oils.
Tonight I am stopping by the brewery to pick up beer. The FO's should be here on Friday, so that will give me time to prep the beer (I prefer to boil off the alcohol for safety's sake) and I can start the first two soaps on Saturday morning. The other two soaps will be a few weeks to start because they are out of the beer, so I need to wait until they brew. One of the beers recipe has changed a bit, so the brewer said he would call me for a tasting when it is done so we can better choose the fragrance.
Other miscellaneous stuff: made labels for my Jade soleseife. Darnit, wouldn't you know that I have 9 bars but it was more efficient to print 8 labels... guess I'm going to have to use that 9th bar myself
Made the Etsy listing, photographed and edited photos. I'll finish packaging the soaps at lunch today. Finished the monthly newsletter and scheduled that for sending out. Priced out ingredients for shampoo (syndet) bars and entered the recipe in SM3. On the list for today is working on the website, video editing, and masterbatching oils.
I HP and i add fo's at the end. Watch for over cooking. If your batter starts sticking to the sides and is difficult to reincorporate, then its over cooked. Zap test is really the best way to make sure its done. The stages arent set in stone. Sometimes you skip one or it goes by so quick you miss itThanks for the heads up on that. as a lot claim shorter "cure" time to use i.e 24 hrs or like right after HP and it cools.
I'm also doing my HP right now waiting for the petroleum jelly stage I heard that's when it's done then will let it cool a bit and roll into balls she also wants quite a bit of EO's and 2 FO's in it. Read a few places saying add these in the middle before the end process other wise it will be hard to add so I added it then now I'm reading right at the finally stage because the others are wrong :s
lindakschickens
Well-Known Member
Well I think mine skipped a lot and went straight to almost over cooked zap tested it and it tastes like soap no burn or sting or anything rolled it into balls while some of it was still hot build each ball like you do when you build a snow man small then keep adding hands burn a little but think that's cuz I ended up dipping into the hotter stuff. at the end I got 9 large balls 2 samples and like half a sample lol. Quite a bit flaked off or was stuck in the pot (maybe a small ball size amount anyway). But! I'm sure it will leave my pot nice and clean LOL I made a low cleansing bar I know it don't top 6 if this bar (or ball) turns out good I might keep making it.
Now I'm thinking of making a HP pine tar "herbal " soap
lindakschickens, did you read up on the specific EOs for that soap? There are different usage limits for different EOs when it comes to soap (category 9). Some are not recommended at all by children, some are not to be used by pregnant women, and some are so strong they have very small safe usage rates. Just thought I'd mention this, in case you didn't look into it. If you have, of course, disregard.
I have even found that some EO's that seem fine in hand soap cause discomfort on certain more sensitive areas of the body.
I have even found that some EO's that seem fine in hand soap cause discomfort on certain more sensitive areas of the body.
lindakschickens
Well-Known Member
I used what was EO's were asked for thus I used tea tree, french lavender,lemon,rosemary,cypress,pine & peppermint all were used at 20-30 drops max each along with Rose FO and A dash of Peach FO. The soap batch was about 3-4 lbs one of my largest batches, I know tea tree and peppermint can cause irritation if used in a large amount the rest I'm not 100% sure but I know they are normally thought of as safe in soap.
Think I might make another low cleansing (6 and under) bar with palm oil,cocoa butter,shea butter,sweet almond oil,castor & coconut oil as atm I have a load of all these and feel the need to make soap (it stops me from buying things lol).
You may find this helpful for reference in the future as it relates to fragrance safety usage:
https://soapmakingrules.com/2017/11/30/how-to-read-ifra-rates-fragrance-oils/
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