What soapy thing have you done today?

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Today was spent making one loaf of soap (Belle from Beauty and the Beast, a gift for my cousin and her daughters), scented with Black Raspberry Vanilla. I also spent some time on Beard Oil, and a test batch of Beard Butter, both scented with Shave and a Haircut from Bramblberry. Lots of fun!
 
I've used this successfully for scrapers:
https://www.homedepot.com/p/1-16-in-x-4-ft-x-8-ft-Plastic-Panel-63003/202090190?It's easily cut with scissors and even the smallest shapes hold up to scraping if the soap is still soft enough. Also, I know at least two SMF folks with 3d printers who might be open to making you more sturdy scrapers for a reasonable fee - just a thought towards "keeping it in the family" sort of thing. :)
Oh thank you! I’ve plans to use an old plastic tub lid, and will cut it with my pyrography machine. Should cut like butter! I’m just trying to figure out which end of the design is up, and where to create layers, new scrapers, to make the design work.
 
More color testing with ultramarine & charcoal, chrome oxide & charcoal, iron oxide & beta carotene & charcoal. I thought the navy would be too dark but it is setting up into a really pretty dark blue. Also made my challenge soap but I’m not sure I like it, might try again if I have time.

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More soapiness. My son today said his lotion bars are a huge hit with his college friends so I made up a batch to send him. Boxed up my attempt at a Pittsburgh Steelers soap loaf for my sister and BIL for their first wedding anniversary (in Las Vegas, just days before the world came to a standstill, remember planes and crowds?).

My poured challenge soap is not gelling. I had the heating blanket on for 2 hours but the basement is chilly -- MAYBE BECAUSE THE HIGH TODAY WAS FIVE BELOW??!! 🥶 So I've got the oven warming for some CPOP action.
 
Well... I’ve fallen off the wagon. It was a quiet morning and I was itching to make soap. Just a 40 oz batch. So I experimented with my recipe and 40% lye concentration. I used a new fragrance, Peppered Poppies from Nature’s Garden but reviews and tests said no acceleration or ricing. I soap at around 95 degrees. My batter still accelerated. Not horribly but enough to make my design difficult. I’m beginning to think my new kaolin clay is not kaolin clay... maybe next time I’ll leave it out and see...who knows what I’m doing wrong!
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I have acceleration in every batch now no matter how cool I soap or what FO I use. I suspect it is my very cold basement. I made my challenge soap yesterday and I'm pretty sure I saw a lump of solid coconut oil floating around in the batter once I poured in the (COLD, it had been sitting in the unheated garage for about 6 hours) lye water. All the oils were clear prior to that!
 
More soapiness. My son today said his lotion bars are a huge hit with his college friends so I made up a batch to send him. Boxed up my attempt at a Pittsburgh Steelers soap loaf for my sister and BIL for their first wedding anniversary (in Las Vegas, just days before the world came to a standstill, remember planes and crowds?).

My poured challenge soap is not gelling. I had the heating blanket on for 2 hours but the basement is chilly -- MAYBE BECAUSE THE HIGH TODAY WAS FIVE BELOW??!! 🥶 So I've got the oven warming for some CPOP action.
Seriously, your weather is the only reason I'm not complaining about the snow and temperature in NY. I'd be in a wheel chair if I lived where you do. I also found I need to get more Sodium lactate but I'm tempted to get more FOs as well (I don't need any more).
 
This is my 3rd batch of CP soap now (my same HP goat's milk recipe but with added colloidal oatmeal) and my first one in a loaf mold. It's scented with Georgia Peach from WSP (behaved perfectly) and colored with Mango Tango from Nurture Soap on the top and bottom and a middle layer colored with Honey Blush from NS too. It looks like it's going through gel phase now.
I am so glad you posted your soap, I was wondering what Mango Tango would look like, I love, love that color! Please show us the cut, I am probably as excited as you are!

I have acceleration in every batch now no matter how cool I soap or what FO I use. I suspect it is my very cold basement. I made my challenge soap yesterday and I'm pretty sure I saw a lump of solid coconut oil floating around in the batter once I poured in the (COLD, it had been sitting in the unheated garage for about 6 hours) lye water. All the oils were clear prior to that!
WOW, how cold is your garage? Mine is -13F at present! I hate winter...always have, always will!
 
Yesterday's batches were CPOPed and left in the oven overnight. Ash is forming on top, probably on all of them but I can see it clearly on coloured pieces only. My soaps nearly always develop ash. I don't bother about it any more. A friend even said she likes them best so I always take care to choose one for her that is rich in it.
 
WOW, how cold is your garage? Mine is -13F at present! I hate winter...always have, always will!
Well it's attached, under the house, but is walled off from the basement with a cement block wall and has a big wooden door on rollers. I'd guess it's in the 40's in the garage when it's 53F in the basement.

My soapy thing for today: cut my challenge soap. Really pleased how the first try came out!
 
I made the wine soap this weekend. I added the carmine for the color.

I am not sure if the burgundy color will eventually turn into the tan or not..
It's very likely it will. If you don't use a colorant of use one and the "rind" shows a different color from the inside, I'd expect it to match the "rind" sooner or later.
 

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