What soapy thing have you done today?

[Zing]

So to truly appreciate this, you'd have to know my son and his unique sense of humor. In recent days I've been getting several texts from unknown numbers from faraway states I've never been to or know anyone from and the messages are like "need some soap" "where's the soap" "blacksoap son won't you come, wash away the rain" etc. At first I was a little freaked because I guard my phone number and this forum is my only online presence. Then I realized my college boy is punking me -- he's probably just grabbing his friends' phones and texting me. Some people's kids.... I've replied that my son is grounded and full of BS and study break is over. The texts continue....

So my son finally 'fessed up. On his 21st birthday he got 21 dares. He left a bar of my soap with my phone number on it in the lone bathroom of a dive bar. I think that, um...beverages...were involved. Some people's kids!!

 

[Claudette Carignan]

Here are the cut bars from my first real color test. Wile it came out very well overall, lessons learned.
First, I need to get a spray bottle of alcohol. Bad soda ash on top.
Second, need to not be lazy and heat my oils better. Soaped at 100, and lots of white (stearic?) spots in the color. Also, no gel.

But mostly, it was just good to get back to making soap!

They look so pretty!

 

[KiwiMoose]

So my son finally 'fessed up. On his 21st birthday he got 21 dares. He left a bar of my soap with my phone number on it in the lone bathroom of a dive bar. I think that, um...beverages...were involved. Some people's kids!!

 

[GML]

I made a batch of HP 75% olive oil bastile soap on Monday and decided to use both salt and sodium lactate. I'm impressed with how firm the soap is 48 hours after they were unmolded and they're currently curing.

 

[blueginkgo]

I finally broke down and made a batch of the ubiquitous Black Raspberry Vanilla scented soap. I've always put off making this even though I have had requests for it, mainly because I always resisted having to make yet another brown soap due to vanilla in the scent.

Well color me surprised when I recently found that there are RBV FOs out there do not discolor. I ordered a bottle from Nurture and used it today. This ended up being one of the best behaved batches I've made in quite a while. Now If my hanger swirl turns out nice I'll be pleased.

 

[Claudette Carignan]

I finally broke down and made a batch of the ubiquitous Black Raspberry Vanilla scented soap. I've always put off making this even though I have had requests for it, mainly because I always resisted having to make yet another brown soap due to vanilla in the scent.

Well color me surprised when I recently found that there are RBV FOs out there do not discolor. I ordered a bottle from Nurture and used it today. This ended up being one of the best behaved batches I've made in quite a while. Now If my hanger swirl turns out nice I'll be pleased.

I finally broke down and made a batch of the ubiquitous Black Raspberry Vanilla scented soap. I've always put off making this even though I have had requests for it, mainly because I always resisted having to make yet another brown soap due to vanilla in the scent.

Well color me surprised when I recently found that there are RBV FOs out there do not discolor. I ordered a bottle from Nurture and used it today. This ended up being one of the best behaved batches I've made in quite a while. Now If my hanger swirl turns out nice I'll be pleased.

Looks beautiful and sounds delicious

 

[blueginkgo]

Looks beautiful and sounds delicious

Thank you. This one's not my cup of tea but my wife loves it even though it's not even out of the molds yet..

 

[cmzaha]

Shaved, wrapped and labeled 14 lbs of castille and 14 lbs of walnut scrub. I finally caved and shave the soap ash off my soap. It takes off up to almost an ounce off each bar, but people just dont like it. I suppose I can use all the shavings to make laundry soap. I have tried all the methods for removing soap ash, shaving is the quickest and easiest.

There is no way I would waste shaving off that much soap. In all my years of selling soap not, 1 person has ever mentioned, asked about or complained about ash. I never remove it and a lot of my soaps do get ash.

 

[raymondlgraham]

Yesterday I tried to make my first batch of Beer Soap. I boiled the beer to remove alcohol and carbonation...that went fine. Then I froze the amount my recipe called for in the freezer over night. That went fine. But after adding the LYE (Sodium Hydroxide) to the frozen beer and melting it, I was expecting to have a higher temperature that I had. It was about 80 degrees F. My oils were about 70 F. Then I had a slight setback. My Immersion Blender had given up the ghost and the motor wouldn't run. To try and salvage the batch, I tried to warm the liquid in the microwave in 10 second intervals in order to bring the temperature up near 100 degrees F. Then I tried to Wisk the batch by hand to get it to come to TRACE. I think I got there but by the time I did my arm felt like it was about to fall off. I covered the Soap and waited until today to see if it had worked. When I uncovered it I could see it had started becoming solid. But it seemed a bit softer than what I had made in the past. Rather than try to cut it as soft as it was I recovered it with a blanket and I will wait until tomorrow. I said all of this to ask anyone who has had this happen to them before, will my soap continue to harden in a reasonable amount of time so I can cut it into bars and cure it? Thanks for your input.

 

[linne1gi]

Yesterday I tried to make my first batch of Beer Soap. I boiled the beer to remove alcohol and carbonation...that went fine. Then I froze the amount my recipe called for in the freezer over night. That went fine. But after adding the LYE (Sodium Hydroxide) to the frozen beer and melting it, I was expecting to have a higher temperature that I had. It was about 80 degrees F. My oils were about 70 F. Then I had a slight setback. My Immersion Blender had given up the ghost and the motor wouldn't run. To try and salvage the batch, I tried to warm the liquid in the microwave in 10 second intervals in order to bring the temperature up near 100 degrees F. Then I tried to Wisk the batch by hand to get it to come to TRACE. I think I got there but by the time I did my arm felt like it was about to fall off. I covered the Soap and waited until today to see if it had worked. When I uncovered it I could see it had started becoming solid. But it seemed a bit softer than what I had made in the past. Rather than try to cut it as soft as it was I recovered it with a blanket and I will wait until tomorrow. I said all of this to ask anyone who has had this happen to them before, will my soap continue to harden in a reasonable amount of time so I can cut it into bars and cure it? Thanks for your input.

I make beer soap fairly regularly. I don’t boil or freeze. I pour the beer out into a shallow bowl and let it sit for a day or two. Then I just measure and add my lye as usual. I have never had a volcano. I always keep an extra stick blender available. Maybe you added too much liquid? I always water discount. I suggest just letting it sit for a while, maybe it’ll firm up.

 

[raymondlgraham]

I thank you for your reply to my beer soap making entry. I think your idea of keeping an extra stick blender is a good one. My liquid was discounted by at least 5 %. Late last night I checked the soap and it was a little soft but firm enough to cut into bars. Today those bars are beginning to be firmer. So, I think it going to be ok given some cure time. Thanks for you reply.

 

[linne1gi]

I thank you for your reply to my beer soap making entry. I think your idea of keeping an extra stick blender is a good one. My liquid was discounted by at least 5 %. Late last night I checked the soap and it was a little soft but firm enough to cut into bars. Today those bars are beginning to be firmer. So, I think it going to be ok given some cure time. Thanks for you reply.

You’re welcome and good luck. Also, I discount about 25%.

 

[raymondlgraham]

You sure are brave to discount by 25%. I would be afraid I couldn't get it poured fast enough after trace... LOL

 

[Misschief]

I made a batch of Zany's No Slime Castile this morning, a restock. I keep this one as pure as possible, no colour and no fragrance and made with true sea water rather than the faux sea water Zany uses in the recipe.

 

[lynnecancilla]

I made my first loaf today! It's yuzu scented. I cant wait to see how it turns out.

 

[Claudette Carignan]

I finally Got around to making a batch of Castile - Brine soap. So far out of the 3 recopies I’ve made this is by far the simplest and fastest soap to make. Hopefully it turns out as nice as it smells.

 

[KiwiMoose]

Blast! Anyone remember me mentioning a Patchouli and Anise soap? I'm sure I mentioned it somewhere on the forum. I just realised that I didn't make any notes when I made it - so I have no idea of of when I made it, exactly what Eos I used ( I'm pretty sure I used a third EO), and whether I added coconut milk or aloe ( I always use one or the other). It was about a month ago.

 

[moodymama]

Blast! Anyone remember me mentioning a Patchouli and Anise soap? I'm sure I mentioned it somewhere on the forum. I just realised that I didn't make any notes when I made it - so I have no idea of of when I made it, exactly what Eos I used ( I'm pretty sure I used a third EO), and whether I added coconut milk or aloe ( I always use one or the other). It was about a month ago.

I searched your posts and found this https://www.soapmakingforum.com/threads/patchouli-and-anise.78169/

 

[raymondlgraham]

I am fairly new to soap making. So far I have made 3 batches. But I have already found that after you put it to bed in the mold, the next 24 hours is like waiting for a new baby. You know its there but you are a little anxious as to how it will turn out. And if all went well, when you deliver it out of the mold in 24 hours you experience a feeling of relief and satisfaction at the same time. Well anyway, that's how its been for me...…. Has it been the same way for you?

 

[Mobjack Bay]

For most of the time I’ve been making soap, I have intentionally avoided using accelerating fragrances and sugar in my recipes. Yesterday I made a couple of small test batches using sugar and a fragrance that moved pretty fast. I can handle it now, but it’s an entirely different experience from making a nice slow lard based soap with no accelerating additives. I was able to drop and chopstick swirl the second batch after I practiced on the first batch!