Soap Makers Help!

[TM Chickens]

MMS has Siberian Fir Needle Essential Oil. Fragrance oil finder has these two http://www.fragranceoilfinder.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=718 http://www.fragranceoilfinder.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=11837

 

[Backyard Buddies]

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I don't believe it! It DID work! Most of them are perfectly normal. A few have little holes in them and a few have rough edges. In all, not bad considering! I'll post pix later.

I will also do an AJP recipe (need to order more fragrance) and like the idea of a pumpkin pie soap - using actual pumpkin in it to color it orange and scented with a pumpkin pie spice. A bit of the actual spice might look nice in the soap as well.

I saw this at one time and thought it was a cute idea:
http://soap-queen.blogspot.com/2008/10/easy-candy-corn-soap-project.html
There's probably a way to do it without as much waste, or even to just do it with regular bars but with the colors. I don't use artificial colors and I don't know if you could do this with natural colors.

For the fall in my home, I tend to enjoy anything with a spice to it, so anything toward the lines of nutmeg, cinnamon, etc would be nice.

 

[Backyard Buddies]

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Those sound nice, ametauss! I like the sounds of Oatmeal Spice! What are you using for the spice part of it?

I haven't put apple peel in my soap, but I do use orange peel in my AJP soap. I would steer clear of the lime *juice* in the soap, but if you dry the lime *peel*, you can certainly add that to your soap.

 

[Backyard Buddies]

OK, here they are, the pain in the backside Plumeria soaps from last night . . .

These are pretty typical of the bunch. I lost most of the natural colored soap while smashing it into the mold, but there are bits and pieces here and there.

And the worst of the bunch. I left this picture a little bit larger so you can see the holes formed where I guess I just didn't smash hard enough:

WDYT??

 

[ametauss]

I use ginger/nutmeg/cinn for my spices... It doesn't come out nearly as strong as I would like so this time I think I'm going to use some cinn EO to get the scent to stay....

The key lime's are almost rock hard now so I don't think there will be any real juice... since they're so small but I'll let you know how they come out once I make it.

I checked out the Texas supply on the other thread and I really like what they have to offer and they're prices seem good... can anyone who uses them offer up their opinion of them??

When you add actual food to soap is there anything special you have to do?? I did a cucumber and didn't add grapeseed extract but was wondering if fruitfresh that I use for canning would be something I would want to add so the color doesn't change??

I like the idea of adding real food especially for the color but wonder about the amount and the effect on the soap.... does that make sense?? If I add pumpkin, what quality will that add to my soap?? is it a skin conditioner??

 

[Morgaine]

BB- I think those look fantastic! I like the chunky swirls, reminds me of chunks of quarts you see in stone. Don't you love it when you get surprised and it turns out.

Ametauss- I think if I remember right, when you add in things like pureed pumpkin, cucumbers, apples, you should count it as part of your water and add it at trace. So, so your recipe takes 200 grams lye, 600 grams liquid (full amount). I would add 300 grams water, milk, whatever liquid and then 300 grams of what ever pureed food you are using. I would also make sure just to be safe, that what ever food you use, that it is purred and not just chunky. Too big of pieces and you risk it going bad.

Also just a word about cinnamon eo- do not discount your water very much, soap cool (-105) and do not insulate at all. A little cinn eo goes a long way. Don't use more than .05 oz ppo. You may know all this, but I just thought I would offer.

Well, I think it's a good thing we didn't go to the fm Saturday. The other soaper was there so I think we made a lot more at the craft fair than we would have at the fm. This Saturday Dh is going to take his motorcycle and the new trailer he bought and set up at the Bryan market and I am going to be at the Tomball market. That'll be my fist time there and since it only meets once a month right now, I'll give it a shot.

I'm also going to go ahead and order me some custom built molds from Logan Bear Candles. Since I use the muslin bags, I have to turn the soap on it's side to get into the bag. When I texture the tops, sometimes it can be hard to get the cigar band around them evenly. So he's going to make me some that will be 2.5 wide by 3.5 tall. I think this is eally going to make them look more professional. And since I'm trying to get into more shows and festivals, I do want that. It's make it faster to label too. I'm getting a 40 bar slab and a 20 bar log.

I'm still looking into the fall scents. AJP with apple cider as the liquid and orange peels for scrubbies, Cedar and Saffron- maybe a green and orangey-yellow swirl or layer, Gingersnap- make it dark brown like the cookies, and Maybe Cranberry Fig, I'm thinking of using sandal wood powder for a reddish color.

 

[Backyard Buddies]

I do love it when I get surprised and it turns out! I was worried about that one. I tried not to panic and just worked at it until I thought I had packed it down well enough. For the most part, I think I did OK. I did learn a lesson, though. I should probably not try to make dinner and soap at the same time.

Those molds look really nice, Morgaine! And, they really aren't all that expensive, considering. I can't wait to hear how they work for you. Glad to hear all went well with your FM/CF choice. Can't wait to see how it works for you and hubby to double-team it. Have you gotten him making soap yet?

Last night I made OMH - with goat milk for a little less than 1/2 of the liquid, added oatmeal, and a smidgen of honey (just because I can!).

Today, I'm doing a bit of an experiment. I have a bunch of shavings of the soaps (Yuzu Grapefruit and Lemon Verbena) that we did for the wedding in order to fit them into the palm boxes. So, I'm going to make the first of two batches of confetti soaps. Today's will be Citrus Mint - with the citrus coming from the trimmings and added mint EO for the body of the soap. Since mint can be so strong, I'm going to use a minimal amount. I'm going to pick up some chlorophyll to color the body as well. I'm still a little uncertain how that works, so if you all have any tips, feel free to speak up.

 

[Morgaine]

I don't have much time, the chai tea I was doing turned to soap in the pot on me, so I chunked it into the oven and I'm forcing gel to better mix it in. I knew I was soaping too high temp but I was in a hurry. I let you know how it goes more later.

For the chlorophyll, if you are coloring the whole base, I would just chuck into the melted oils and then soap. For a light mint green I would use maybe 2 capfuls o 1/4 tsp.

Post more later.

 

[Backyard Buddies]

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Oh goodness! I hope it works for you, Morgaine! Let us know!

Is that 2 capfuls for how many lbs. of oil? I'm not soaping until this afternoon, so whenever you can clarify before then is fine.

 

[Morgaine]

Ok, I got that bad boy in the mold. So here's what happened (so y'all know what NOT to do, lol)

I was going to go to town with MIL, but I already had lye mixed and down to temp and oils melted, though they were a little hot(120ish). I went a head and soaped Sandalwood Ylang, colored it gold with mica, traced a little faster, but I was soaping hot and with discounted water (230 gr lye/330 gr water). So go to do the chai tea. But once that fo hit the oils it started to move. I stick blend as fast as I could, trying to get it all mixed, but it literally turned to soap in the pot, as in I had to pick the solid soap from the blade of the stick blender. So I turn the oven to preheat and threw the whole thing in the oven. Washed the sb and after 5 minutes it was geling. So I took it out and sb it some more, there was lye water on the top of it, and threw it back in because it starting to cool. Did that off and on till I thought I had it mixed in good enough and then I put in the mold and mushed it down. Let's hope it turns out.