What soapy thing have you done today?

[not_ally]

I also made two small batches of hand & body lotion, one with the same FO, Citrus & Sage and the other is Lily of the Valley.

@Misschief, such a pretty soap, both the color and the top. Did you use NDA's LOV? I've heard it is a really lovely, true version. If so, does it stick in soap?

 

[Misschief]

@Misschief, such a pretty soap, both the color and the top. Did you use NDA's LOV? I've heard it is a really lovely, true version. If so, does it stick in soap?

I haven't tried NDA's version. The one I used is from Village Craft & Candle. It's lovely, more on the green side than overly floral. I find Lily of the Valley can be kind of cloying, which is why I've stayed away from it. It's the first time I'm using it in soap so I'll have to get back to you.

 

[dibbles]

I picked up a couple of Russian piping tips I want to use on my next soap batch.

I’d love to see what you make when you use them.

 

[Zing]

Oh, peeps, peeps, PEEPS! I just finished a session with Zing, Jr.!! This morning he says, wanna make soap today, Dad? Uh, twist my arm! He's the beekeeper and he wanted to use his beeswax and honey. I said each of those ingredients are advanced techniques, are you sure? He likes to over-complicate everything so of course he wanted to make honey beeswax soap. I used @IrishLass 's technique again. Still doing Operation Empty Cupboard so used up the last of my red palm oil. Junior wanted to make a lavender scented soap. I advised him to pick a scent that matched the color so he went with orange and patchouli. He is super stoked and kept saying "this is gonna be fire!"

So the poor kid is color-blind. I showed him how to use eocalc.com. He initially wanted 100% lemongrass. Eocalc returned 2-5% in the red zone, 1% in the green. I told him that and he said, wait, that's red, and that's green? He saw beige and tan. Interesting.

So, yeah, it was a pretty fire day!

 

[dragonmaker]

I made soap after a 6month hiatus. I felt good to soap again

 

[dmcgee5034]

I made a loaf of Watermelon soap for a friend that special ordered the entire batch. I made the soap dough embeds yesterday for the seeds. That BB Watermelon Sugar FO is a winner - soap, lotion bars, sugar scrub.

I also made soap for this months challenge, but that’s a whole other story.

@Zing - what a fun fantastic fire day with Junior! Can’t wait to see the soap!

 

[AliensrReal]

As I was cutting my soaps I had a difficult time deciding which way to cut them as they also looked like an oasis swirl depending on the cut. However, I decided I wanted to show off my Taiwan swirl technique that I intended.

 

[2lilboots]

This morning I prepared my PVC molds. Now I need a day off work to make soap lol.

 

[Zing]

As I was cutting my soaps I had a difficult time deciding which way to cut them as they also looked like an oasis swirl depending on the cut. However, I decided I wanted to show off my Taiwan swirl technique that I intended.

That is a tough swirl to do and yours look great! And the cutting made my head hurt....

 

[AliensrReal]

That is a tough swirl to do and yours look great! And the cutting made my head hurt....

I’m gonna try the oasis swirl soon. The Taiwan swirl was fun to do. I’m a little intimidated by the oasis swirl, but I want to try it.

 

[McKherring Farm]

I started milking my dairy goats today, so I can fill my freezer with frozen goat milk to make LOTS of soap.

 

[AliensrReal]

Just cut my kaleidoscope soap. I used my curl 2 from Love Your Suds. Fragrance is Citrus Explosion by JS. I used my color cards to help me with the colors. I don’t like the color scheme at all though. I poured a little too thin at first and then waited. I was not very hopeful this would come out right as it looked like a jumbled mess when I was making it and the colors got a little muddied. When I cut it today I was shocked that it actually looked pretty good. The spiral came through nicely and it’s my best kaleidoscope soap yet! It’s gorgeous under black light too!

 

[katili]

I just made a simple olive oil/coconut oil/palm oil soap to try out, nothing super exciting but it does smell nice. I'm thinking of also doing more salt bars after lunch but we'll see.

Now I'm looking for some essential oils because I want to try those, and oh boy the sticker shock You'd think I'd be used to my expensive hobbies lol

 

[Marie_with_an_e]

I made a test batch of Zany’s No Slime Castille and I’m in love! It was 15 oz Olive Oil (light), 4 oz faux sea water, 2 oz lye and scented with an eo blend of cedarwood, 5 fold orange and benzoin. I soaped with oil at 100 degrees and lye at about 90 degrees. It took less than 5 minutes for it to reach light trace, at which point I added the eo blend, then another ~4 minute to reach medium trace. Poured into Brambleberry’s guest soap molds and four little heart molds. It was still too soft to unmold at 24 hrs, but came out of the molds beautifully at 48 hrs. Will definitely be making this one again!

 

[AliOop]

I made a test batch of Zany’s No Slime Castille and I’m in love! It was 15 oz Olive Oil (light), 4 oz faux sea water, 2 oz lye and scented with an eo blend of cedarwood, 5 fold orange and benzoin. I soaped with oil at 100 degrees and lye at about 90 degrees. It took less than 5 minutes for it to reach light trace, at which point I added the eo blend, then another ~4 minute to reach medium trace. Poured into Brambleberry’s guest soap molds and four little heart molds. It was still too soft to unmold at 24 hrs, but came out of the molds beautifully at 48 hrs. Will definitely be making this one again!

Looks great! I especially like the hearts.

If you don't want it to take so long to trace, try soaping a lot hotter. My sweet spot for high OO recipes is 120-130F.

 

[FFLinOhio]

I made a test batch of Zany’s No Slime Castille and I’m in love! It was 15 oz Olive Oil (light), 4 oz faux sea water, 2 oz lye and scented with an eo blend of cedarwood, 5 fold orange and benzoin. I soaped with oil at 100 degrees and lye at about 90 degrees. It took less than 5 minutes for it to reach light trace, at which point I added the eo blend, then another ~4 minute to reach medium trace. Poured into Brambleberry’s guest soap molds and four little heart molds. It was still too soft to unmold at 24 hrs, but came out of the molds beautifully at 48 hrs. Will definitely be making this one again!

beautifully shaped soap,
at first I thought they were the backs of dominoes . lovely soap!

 

[Marie_with_an_e]

Looks great! I especially like the hearts.

If you don't want it to take so long to trace, try soaping a lot hotter. My sweet spot for high OO recipes is 120-130F.

Thank you for the advice! I was a little nervous to soap hotter as I always soap cool and I wasn’t sure how it would react. Next time will definitely take a walk on the hot side!

beautifully shaped soap,
at first I thought they were the backs of dominoes . lovely soap!

Thank you! I love the smooth edges of that mold.

 

[janesathome]

Sometimes I make soap just because I don't want to clean.
I know I can't be the only one.

I have found my tribe!

I've always said, when you are no longer part of this earth, that they are going to say, I remember her, she kept a clean hou

I just made a simple olive oil/coconut oil/palm oil soap to try out, nothing super exciting but it does smell nice. I'm thinking of also doing more salt bars after lunch but we'll see.

Now I'm looking for some essential oils because I want to try those, and oh boy the sticker shock You'd think I'd be used to my expensive hobbies lol

@katili I am in sticker shock land this week as well. Just went on to NDA site to order some of my faves which I’m close to running out of - and can’t bring myself to push the button on making the purchase. I’m just a hobby soaper and I give away a LOT of soap as I’m an “enthusiastic” hobby soaper! But over $300 for just 4 100 ml and 2 500 ml containers of “garden variety” EOs? I may need to cross to the Other Side And buy FOs. Haven’t done that as many artificial fragrances give me a migraine.

 

[janesathome]

I have finally started making some salt bars. I like soleseife - and avoided salt bars until now as I don’t really like what a high superfat does to my sinks and bathtub. Hard water over here!
Anyway, I tested my first batch of salt bars this week, 9 weeks into its cure, and I think it’s nice. Can hardly wait to see what it’s like after 6,9,12 months. Was happy enough with it that I made my 3rd batch of salt bars yesterday; coloured with some madder infused olive oil that needed to be used up. I love the colour!

 

[katili]

@katili I am in sticker shock land this week as well. Just went on to NDA site to order some of my faves which I’m close to running out of - and can’t bring myself to push the button on making the purchase. I’m just a hobby soaper and I give away a LOT of soap as I’m an “enthusiastic” hobby soaper! But over $300 for just 4 100 ml and 2 500 ml containers of “garden variety” EOs? I may need to cross to the Other Side And buy FOs. Haven’t done that as many artificial fragrances give me a migraine.

Oof. Yeah, I spent $100 on small amounts of the few I wanted to try (and nothing fancy at all) and that is just not sustainable for me right now. For FOs, I look at the SDS for all of them and pick the 'gentle' ones; I don't tend to get a headache from them unless I sit around sniffing a bunch to decide what to use next, but of course your mileage may vary. FOs are definitely not all made the same though.