What soapy thing have you done today?

Soapmaking Forum

Help Support Soapmaking Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
It is Sodium carbonate ( washing soda), which is the same as ash that forms on soaps at times. It is a reaction from the carbon dioxide in the air and the lye. It is harmless and you can either strain it or mix it in the lye solution. However, it will not dissolve so many choose to strain the lye solution.
Thanks a million cmzaha!
 
I made a small batch of olive oil soap with oat milk and honey. I used Zany’s fake sea water to mix the lye and added oat milk to the oils. Got a partial gel which was annoying. Cut the ungelled parts off and put in a box to use for soap dough.
 
Mind smells like a winner! :thumbs:

Just do it! ;) Up your confidence and follow your nose. Set aside a morning or afternoon to "play". You may surprise yourself with what you create.

An easy start is using similar FOs/EOs as @KiwiMoose did. Then add an anchoring FO/EO to give depth and to help make the fragrance last. Patchouli is good. I like oakmoss absolute (10% in jojoba) -- plays nice with just about anything. Other anchors: Vetiver (herbal), Litsea Cubeba (May Chang) (citrus), Benzoin, etc.
Thank you so much for the ideas and encouragement, Zany! Where can I find a list or more info on anchors?
 
I emptied the dehumidifier in the soap dungeon, does that count? I'm going in so many directions lately that most nights I just wander in, look around and then leave. Hopefully I'll get my focus back and work on one project at a time.

This weekend I will be working on:
soap dough for my daughter's school project (she wants to make a model of the earth layers in soap, so I will make the soap dough and then she can form each layer)
lip balms
sugar scrubs
testing a cream body wash recipe
testing a mud mask recipe
soaps: another attempt at linear swirl (kind of embarrassed that I'm hosting a challenge that I haven't successfully done) - I have several soaps on my to do list so I'm ok trying this with several different batches. I'm working through my coconut milk soaps with these FO's
  • NG Snowman Balls
  • BCN LoveSpell
  • BCN Hemlock Forest (@Lin19687 did this one move fast for you?)
  • M&M A Thousand Wishes
  • CC Fudge Brownie
These soaps won't all get made this weekend as I don't have enough molds (or time), but I'd like to get at least three of them made.
 
@amd No I don't think so. I will have to double check, it may work a bit faster but not too bad that I remember. I'll check when I get home.
If I recommend an FO I will say if it was a mover or not.
:)
It is on sale this month so I will be buying more ;) Even if it is just for me
 
I emptied the dehumidifier in the soap dungeon, does that count? I'm going in so many directions lately that most nights I just wander in, look around and then leave. Hopefully I'll get my focus back and work on one project at a time.

This weekend I will be working on:
soap dough for my daughter's school project (she wants to make a model of the earth layers in soap, so I will make the soap dough and then she can form each layer)
lip balms
sugar scrubs
testing a cream body wash recipe
testing a mud mask recipe
soaps: another attempt at linear swirl (kind of embarrassed that I'm hosting a challenge that I haven't successfully done) - I have several soaps on my to do list so I'm ok trying this with several different batches. I'm working through my coconut milk soaps with these FO's
  • NG Snowman Balls
  • BCN LoveSpell
  • BCN Hemlock Forest (@Lin19687 did this one move fast for you?)
  • M&M A Thousand Wishes
  • CC Fudge Brownie
These soaps won't all get made this weekend as I don't have enough molds (or time), but I'd like to get at least three of them made.
Anything even remotely related to soap counts in my book. My soapy thing today was going out in the country and buying a big spool from some guy in a pitiful-looking trailer park. I plan to use it as a display table at our local “bottle shop” where I will offer beer soap for sale.
 
There is something so relaxing about making just a solid color soap (In this case white) No swirls, no morphing. Dont get me wrong, I love being creative most times but tonight, just white coconut milk soap with some TKB white diamond glitter on top did the trick. it's in the mold

The pretty glitter never shows up well in pictures of the top of the loaf

View attachment 41458
I agree - I just love the look of a simple solid colored soap. And the ease of making it is a bonus. My last "complicated" effort was a fail and I soothed my frustration by chasing it with a simple soap the next batch. :)

I made another batch of salt bars. I used cocoa butter in this batch so I colored them a very soft yellow, and used one of those gorgeous chrysanthemum silicone molds. The bars are hefty in weight, but are such a great shape to hold on to - I just love them! I plan to make a couple batches every few months or so. Since they are reputed to improve drastically with a very long cure, I thought I might as well start creating a stock that will be at its best well into the future so I always have bars ready to use. My daughter-in-law is clamoring for some as well so I need enough to share. I hope the EO fragrances stick around through the cure.

I went to Arizona Soap Supply (OMG I just love living close to a supplier) and bought a 16 lb. bucket of coconut oil, and 7 lbs. bucket of cocoa butter. For the most part, cocoa butter and shea butter are the only "fancy" oils I'm using anymore. I keep the rest simple and inexpensive. I am really loving cocoa butter in my soap, but it is a bit ornery and my batter thickens up so fast that I can't do much with it no matter how warm I soap (I use it at 10%.) I just go into the recipe knowing I'm not doing anything fancy with it.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
I cut my rosemary peppermint loaf this morning..green and white tiger stripe pattern,
How about a pic.gif
 
I agree its very pretty and it looks xmasy :) no laughing here :)

how much rosemary to peppermint do you use? I like both scents
 
Last edited by a moderator:
how much rosemary to peppermint do you use? I like both scents
50/50 I used 20 mls of each for 40 oz of soap, eos. I know that doesnt sound Nearly adequate for scenting but those oils are strong, in a way, and burn my eyes if I use more. It is just enough to smell it while showering...I usually go pretty light on the scents..you can use more! Or use a thin strip of a coffee filter and try different ratios--that or the cotton ball method...2 to 1 or whatever you want to try. Get the right scent for you!
 
Last edited:

Latest posts

Back
Top