What soapy thing have you done today?

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I tested (and liked) a batch of hot process bar soap that I intended for dish washing. Mostly coconut oil, no super fat, with orange oil. I added a little bit of vinegar after the cook, which I know may have turned to sodium acetate. I will make another test batch without the vinegar and compare. We have soft water. It suds nicely and doesn't leave any residue on the dishes. I wanted to try a bar soap because I go through liquid soap too quickly, and I wondered if I'd like it better than the "solid dish cake" recipes with SCI.
 
I was going to box up the 300 soaps today but then this happened when I opened up the window to the East side of the soap room..... that is my soap table- what she is NOT suppose to be on :( But she is old and I can't say no.

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You have a tender heart and she is blessed to have you.

I have never made a shaving soap before, but my son asked me to make one for him ... so that's what I did today. :) All KOH. Another first.
Cool! You’re so adventurous!
 
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Here are some photos of the most recent soap, (A friend calls them "Rustic")and my insulation boxes.
 

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I have a question. I am planing soap today. I wonder if it would be a good idea to take my little planed curls and put them in gossamer bags to sell as sachets? What do you think? Pros and cons would be appreciated.
Thanks!

cut my pull thru pour--I just used 2 colors and I think I like it better with just 2View attachment 40854
Really like that effect!
 
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This is a question. Can't see where else to put it. Supersavers don't do everything! I want to make a light blue soap to go in my (new) silicone moulds. The moulds look great. Have got the coconut, shea butter, and found a very light organic sunflower oil at Tesco's. All set to go. But I haven't used colours before. Should I get these Mica's I have read about and do I just mix them with a bit of the soap mixture at early trace stage?? Don't want to make an expensive mistake with a whole batch.
Many thanks
The beginner's area is a good place to put questions..... Although, your particular one has been answered ever so often on here. Try this?

I've only used micas once, sorry, but I noticed it's not a good idea to put them directly into soap batter.... Your soap might thicken up before you can mix thoroughly.

Also, you don't technically need micas hehe, just maybe if you want em :)
 
Tried my hand on adding fresh fruits (handpicked dragon fruit from a local producer). No designs, no anything 'cause I just really want to learn how to incorporate fresh produce. After mashing and stick blending the the fruit slowly, I add oils in it and eventually incorporated it in my oil pot . Weird though that after pouring the lye H2O in, the whole thing turned from purple pinkish bright color to mashed pumpkin baby food (gooey yellow). Is that natural? Lol. I'll see after curing. Impatiently waiting.
 
I have a question. I am planing soap today. I wonder if it would be a good idea to take my little planed curls and put them in gossamer bags to sell as sachets? What do you think? Pros and cons would be appreciated.
Thanks!

I would use them as embeds. I wonder how long the scent would last in a bag like that? I don't know but I wouldn't think it would last long

took a bunch of soap samples to my sons job, and got an order while there. am photo-ing soaps while waiting for my soapy dishes to finish soaking and am going to try making 3 soaps yet today--I don't think I am going to et them all done cuz I am kinda stalling
 
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Tried my hand on adding fresh fruits (handpicked dragon fruit from a local producer). No designs, no anything 'cause I just really want to learn how to incorporate fresh produce. After mashing and stick blending the the fruit slowly, I add oils in it and eventually incorporated it in my oil pot . Weird though that after pouring the lye H2O in, the whole thing turned from purple pinkish bright color to mashed pumpkin baby food (gooey yellow). Is that natural? Lol. I'll see after curing. Impatiently waiting.
You'll either get nothing, or you'll get brown hehehe.. Show us either way :)
 
Im being featured on a Women In Small Business thing and I had to write a <shiver> Bio. (I am so not comfy with stuff like that) and send photo's of my soap and other products as the blog piece will have the photos and my link. Took me 10 minutes to take the photos and 2 hours to write the two paragraph bio. Then she asked me for a picture of myself.. :beatinghead:. I almost asked her to just call me the anonymous soaper. I settled with the picture I have on my profile here :dance: thats as far as Im going
 
@msunnerstood congrats, I don't do my pic either. Sad but there are few in family photos. Not one on any of my soap pics and barely a few from others at FM/Fairs ;)

Got most of the soaps boxes and labeled.

Last night got 8 batches all ready to go. Lye mixed, Oils measured, Additives all set. I even made a list of the 4 scents I need to make doubles of. So after work today I will be a soaping gremlin
 
There's a bit of a story behind my morning...

My first soap attempt was on the 4th. It went okay, but I did a CPOP on a heavy OO soap, let it go too long to boot, so it separated a bit.

I let it sit for a week or so while I read and YouTubed more, deciding what to do. I decided more CO would be helpful for my impatience, and a bit more castor would help keep my bubbles. So I recalculated my recipe with a higher percentage of both, subtracted everything I'd put in my original batch, and did a hybrid rebatch/hot process, and put it into molds, then sprayed the tops with isopropyl alcohol and did NOT CPOP.

But then I wasn't happy with how it looked and thought I would just tinker with it a bit more, so it went back into the crock and, well... I accidentally made soap that's half clear liquid and half lumpy semi-creamed. Too much water, plus the alcohol and additional castor, extra cooking and stirring... Well, that's my guess.

But it's all definitely soap and not at all hot. I've been handling it bare handed all morning, making a big mess trying to separate the two types into different containers so I can figure out what to do with both. I've washed my hands repeatedly with both types, and it's all pretty nice for a basic, unscented & uncolored first try.
 
Im being featured on a Women In Small Business thing and I had to write a <shiver> Bio. (I am so not comfy with stuff like that) and send photo's of my soap and other products as the blog piece will have the photos and my link. Took me 10 minutes to take the photos and 2 hours to write the two paragraph bio. Then she asked me for a picture of myself.. :beatinghead:. I almost asked her to just call me the anonymous soaper. I settled with the picture I have on my profile here :dance: thats as far as Im going

WOW AWESOME. I hear ya on the bio and pics though. I was like that with my resumes. I am amazed how easy it is for younger people to sell themselves. are you going to share a link with us?? I would love to see it

well I only got 2 small batches done yesterday so I got them cut this morning. a friend has been patiently waiting for a lemon poppy seed bar. I only had enough for half a batch so I found another scent with just enough for half and used my smaller silicone molds and threw poppy seeds in them both. those smaller molds seem to get harder to get the soap out every time I use them
 
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Nothing today due to work, however this last weekend, I ended up having an impromptu packaging session and got all of my packaging of all products done with the exception of printing the name of the soaps that will go on the label. That will probably only take about 10 minutes, and I won't need them until October, so there's that. But that means that I may end up getting the challenge soap done this weekend. :)
 

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