What soapy thing have you done today?

[Confused_Penguin]

Here is a picture of the soap log I am cutting tomorrow !

 

[FlybyStardancer]

Got my order from BB today. The main item was more BTMS-50... but I ended up getting soapy things as well. lol Some indigo and activated charcoal for playing with colors, some Rosemary EO because I intended on getting some anyways and it was on sale, some of the heavy plastic mods that she was selling at a discount because they had a small mistake on them... And my sampler FO was "Crisp Cotton". That has an interesting scent.

Now, one of my mix bag of plastic molds was supposed to be a round soap with a celtic cross in the center. When I first pulled it out and looked at it, it looked like a car tire to me! Silly me. Now I kinda want to play with grey and black and see if I can get it to look like one intentionally...

 

[Sonya-m]

My new silicone log mould and 6 cavity arrived today!!

 

[Thistleberryhill]

I am new here but will jump right in I made Spiced Organic Carrot with VT Goats Milk and VT Honey, CP, this morning. I used paprika infused olive oil to boost the carrot color and threw it in the chest freezer to prevent gel before leaving for work. I work overnight so get to peek at it tomorrow when I get home.
I am sitting on break at work here now making a soaping to do list (also a to buy list of course).

 

[powderpink]

I finally got to try my lavender soap
Not as impressed as with my peppermint soap, but still ok. I now know to focus more on butters/hard fats than oils.
And I definitely need to stop going crazy with the pigment powders! Grey suds, yuck!

Now I'm making plans for a manly sandalwood or lemongrass (can't choose, it's so hard) soap recipe for my boyfriend.

 

[Luv2Soap]

I ordered the sampler pack of Brambleberry's Melt & Pour bases along with a mold and droppers. I also researched a bunch of Melt & Pour ideas as well as learning more about CP.

 

[Luv2Soap]

My new silicone log mould and 6 cavity arrived today!!View attachment 13273

AH!!! Love these!!!!

 

[DeeAnna]

"...I have three big jugs of cottonwood buds infusing in the sun, a friend sent me some and I bought some freshly gathered. How do you process them, DeeAnna? ..."

I don't make a lot of this infusion at any one time so what I do would be tedious for large amounts. I pick off the outer shell of each cottonwood bud and use only that part in the infusion. All of the resin is on this thin outer shell. By using just that part, I can get a more concentrated infusion and I don't risk microbial growth by infusing the entire living bud. If possible, I will even remove the shells from the buds while the buds are still on the tree. That way I don't kill the leaf.

I put the shells in a canning jar and cover with oil. I usually use jojoba or meadowfoam for long life, but olive or high oleic safflower or HO sunflower would be fine too. I make "unpetroleum jelly" with the infusion and my beeswax. This recipe makes a golden ointment that stays firm in the container, but softens and spreads nicely on the skin.

Unpetroleum Jelly
Batch size: 100 grams

Ingredients: ... grams ... %
Beeswax ... 15 ... 15% ... Thickener
Cottonwood-bud infused oil ... 40 ... 40% ... Anti inflammatory, analgesic (reduces pain), antimicrobial
Rice bran oil ... 35 ... 35% ... Anti inflammatory, soothing. Could just use more of the infused oil instead.
EO blend ... 10 ... 10% ... Optional. Blend of equal parts lavender, tea tree, lemon tea tree, and thyme EOs. Antiseptic, healing, soothing
Total ... 100 grams ... 100%

Melt all heat tolerant ingredients (beeswax and the oils) in a hot water bath until the beeswax is fully melted.

Remove from heat and stir CONSTANTLY until the salve cools to 140 deg F or below to make a smooth, spreadable salve. The product will go from transparent to opaque as it cools. If any large chunks form during this process, the only way to fix this is to reheat until all is melted and repeat the cool-and-stir step.

Add essential oils and other heat-sensitive ingredients when the product cools below the max temp for the ingredients -- preferably no hotter than 120 deg F.

Put into tottles, jars, tins, etc.

Caution: With the EO level at 10% in this ointment, this product is for short term use only -- a few days at most. I have used it on a sore bum during a digestive upset, mild burns, small cuts and abrasions, and infected scrapes gotten from a coral reef. Omit the EOs entirely for long term use as an everyday skin ointment, lip balm, etc. (And the ointment will also smell nicer too -- the EOs are pungent.)

 

[Confused_Penguin]

I unmolded and cut my Coconut Mango Matrix Soap!The base of the soap is yellow like mango with swirls of brown to represent the coconut. The top has square embed pieces that look like cut mangos! It is also decorated with white soap that looks like coconut shavings. Lastly, I poured yellow melt and pour over the shavings to imitate mango syrup.

I attempted to do a drop swirl... but then panic last minute because I thought that my batter was too thick for the color to reach the middle or bottom of my soap so I spoon swirled just a little bit. Really happy how these turned out .

Sometime tonight I am going to start making some soap with an almond scent. I'm going to force myself to do a real drop swirl. Wish me luck!

 

[Sonya-m]

I like that soap a lot!! Nice job!

 

[SoapStephanie]

Those are absolutely amazing!

 

[CTAnton]

I am floored by the talent I've been fortunate enough to witness on this thread! I'm blown away!
Today I made a batch of facial soap with babassu oil. Made a batch yesterday with activated charcoal and thought I'd repeat the same recipe today only with pink Australian clay and lavender EO. While it was saponifying in the oven I forced myself to do a cost analysis. I did purchase a small amount of the babassu oil so if this recipe works out and I can entice some of my lady friends to purchase some of the soaps I'll definitely be able to bring down the cost in the future...and I used an EO as opposed to a FO simply because if you're going to break the bank you might as well go all the way!!I'm using molds that will give me in the neighborhood of 4 ounces each for the finished bar..$2.50 a pop is what I came up with...no wonder I love lard!

 

[FlybyStardancer]

Just made another soap! I need a soap with pumice since the bar of Dad's that I took is almost out. (I started using one he had abandoned before I started soaping.) Kept it simple with three oils (lard, co, & oo). I colored it with some of my new indigo and activated charcoal (and td, but I already had that ). Indigo went in the lye water and the charcoal and td were used to color small bits of accent color. Needless to say there was also pumice added to the whole batch.

And even though the first layer of the main color went in too thin, I managed to stop myself from steamrolling forward and went back and stick blended the rest to a thicker consistency. After that I layered the black and white before doing a drop swirl with the main color. Covered with the last of the main, did a row each with the last of the accents, and prettied up the top.

I'm hoping the indigo comes out nice. The lye water was rather yucky looking before I poured it in the oils... I thought that maybe the lye had scorched the sugar I'd added.

And for the curious, it's scented with a not-quite-2:1 blend of tea tree and rosemary eo.

 

[nframe]

My new silicone log mould and 6 cavity arrived today!!View attachment 13273

Hi Sonya,

How strange! I got exactly the same moulds and they arrived the same day as yours. I bought them from Ebay, from an outfit in China. I shouldn't because I already have so many moulds but I cannot exercise any restraint when it comes to moulds... :-D

 

[The Efficacious Gentleman]

Not soapy, but I made a whipped body butter -

 

[reinbeau]

I am floored by the talent I've been fortunate enough to witness on this thread! I'm blown away!
Today I made a batch of facial soap with babassu oil. Made a batch yesterday with activated charcoal and thought I'd repeat the same recipe today only with pink Australian clay and lavender EO. While it was saponifying in the oven I forced myself to do a cost analysis. I did purchase a small amount of the babassu oil so if this recipe works out and I can entice some of my lady friends to purchase some of the soaps I'll definitely be able to bring down the cost in the future...and I used an EO as opposed to a FO simply because if you're going to break the bank you might as well go all the way!!I'm using molds that will give me in the neighborhood of 4 ounces each for the finished bar..$2.50 a pop is what I came up with...no wonder I love lard!

Don't undersell yourself. $3 for 4 ounces of nice soap is still a bargain. I love babassu in a soap, but it is spendy!

 

[Sonya-m]

Hi Sonya,



How strange! I got exactly the same moulds and they arrived the same day as yours. I bought them from Ebay, from an outfit in China. I shouldn't because I already have so many moulds but I cannot exercise any restraint when it comes to moulds... :-D

Yeah mine are from China too. I posted in here when I ordered them and someone asked me where from - was that you?

 

[Confused_Penguin]

Just made another soap! I need a soap with pumice since the bar of Dad's that I took is almost out. (I started using one he had abandoned before I started soaping.) Kept it simple with three oils (lard, co, & oo). I colored it with some of my new indigo and activated charcoal (and td, but I already had that ). Indigo went in the lye water and the charcoal and td were used to color small bits of accent color. Needless to say there was also pumice added to the whole batch.

And even though the first layer of the main color went in too thin, I managed to stop myself from steamrolling forward and went back and stick blended the rest to a thicker consistency. After that I layered the black and white before doing a drop swirl with the main color. Covered with the last of the main, did a row each with the last of the accents, and prettied up the top.

I'm hoping the indigo comes out nice. The lye water was rather yucky looking before I poured it in the oils... I thought that maybe the lye had scorched the sugar I'd added.

And for the curious, it's scented with a not-quite-2:1 blend of tea tree and rosemary eo.

Beautiful swirls and texture on your soap!

 

[Confused_Penguin]

Not soapy, but I made a whipped body butter -

View attachment 13284

How big is that jar because it looks gi·nor·mous

 

[Confused_Penguin]

Soap or cake guys? Haha... but in all seriousness I hope the almonds don't fall out once I cut these tomorrow.