Soap Makers Help!

[cheeptrick]

Quote:
Its ok...it'll absorb that moisture/oil as it cures. Canola and Olive oil are very similar in SAP value and will 'sweat' during their cure. I'd just watch it...do a tongue test if you are really worried about it. You need to worry when you have an oily oil slick on top of the bar...your sweating was probably essential oils. You can also separate a batch completely even when trying to achieve trace....most folks who use a stick blender have seen this. I have never seized a batch this way so I am not a good person to ask. If you gelled it...remember your soap reached upwards of 190 degrees and MORE if you use goatsmilk. So it could also just be condensation from the heat.
My bars do that sometimes too...

I'm going to be beveling and printing labels for a WEEK....I've got 300 bars of soap curing right now. LOL

 

[Backyard Buddies]

If by "slick" you mean an actual oily layer, no it wasn't that. It was more like drops. If I could gather all of them up, it'd probably be less than a 1/4 teaspoon.

I didn't have Canola in there, though. The recipe did have nearly 36% Olive Oil, though.

It did gel. I put it outside when I saw that happening, but it wasn't all that cool - mid 60s or thereabouts.

How do you do the beveling?

 

[JessicaGrant]

I am getting ready to try my hand at this. (Well, waiting for a shipment...I couldnt' find lye anywhere!) I am so excited!!

I am going to try to make it with the whey left over from making goat cheese. Has anyone done that? I had the idea after making manchego, feta and camembert this weekend and was left with a ton of whey.

I gave some to the chickens and some to the dog, made bread, but I still have a lot left over.

I hope it works!!

 

[redhead83402]

Jessica ~ maaann ~ I wish I could buuy your whey from you ~ I have the most delish caramel popcorn using whey, it stays moist the entire time, days later, even, and no karo syrup in the recipe. I will have to hunt that recipe back up again.


cheeptrick ~ those bars are just BEAUTIFUL! Wouldn't it be pretty to put a sprig of rosemary, or a small flower or other herbs on top, just before pouring that glycerin, so that the herbs would be held sort of ~in stasis~ under the glycerin, but on top of the cp soap. I guess that would make it more ~looking at ~ soap than using soap, though, huh? Oh, & I never did mention it, but WOW on your drying racks!! holy hannah!! Between you & NP & MP, sounds like there is some SERIOUS soaping going on! (yah, yah, yah, ok, so I'm jealous,lol,lol!)

BB ~ YEAHH!!! I'm glad you were able to find some locally!! I also cleaned out the hardware store. But that only equaled 6 jars. When I expressed some sorrow & interest in when they might have more, My husband said "Just how many batches of this soap are you planning on making??" ....Well.... what he doesn't know doesn't hurt him,,lol,lol.

Also, I am trying out a little experiment. I have some very very expensive incense sticks, from Japan, they are by Nippon Kodo, made from pure aloeswood, sandalwood, & rose oils. I just adore the scent, but unfortunately, once you burn them, you only have a touch of ashes left. Anyway, so I had this little brainstorm, and took 20 sticks of it & broke them into tiny pieces, soaked them in about 1/4 cup of water, & have been letting them steep like that for a day now. Talk about strong scent!! But, to make certain it would be ok for use on the body, I dabbed a bit here & there on my skin, to see if there was any reaction ( I have really sensitive skin, so it's a valid test, in my mind). So far, so VERY good. Now I am just hoping that I can discount for the 1/4 cup or so of water ( about 2.5 to 3 oz worth) & add it into the soap at trace & get that heavenly scent into my soap.

So ~ what do you all think? Will it work? My husband thinks I'm just a little bit nuts. I tell him ~ "We've been over this before, you already said "I do".....you've known this for 17 yrs!" ~ lol ~ ;-D
~Red

 

[MissPrissy]

Even when the incense says pure that doesn't make it food grade.

The ingredients for soaps, lotion bars, lip balms must all be food grade and rated for application to the skin.

Personally I wouldn't use it.

 

[JessicaGrant]

Quote:
Sounds yuuummmmmyyyy!

I would love the recipe.

 

[cheeptrick]

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I agree only a certain grade of essentail oils and fragrance oils are cosmetic grade...I BET that incense company sells essential oils. Google Them...and find out if their oils are cosmetic grade. I usually email the company saying I'm a small soap maker yada yada yada. But be forwarned...many perfumes are trade secrets and they will not share their blends with you. Darn them...

Oh...and check out the Globalization Act 2008 and sign the petition at
http://www.soapguild.org/FDA2008.php

 

[cheeptrick]

Redhead...I just googled Nippon Kodo. I JUST FOUND SOME X-MAS gifts!! These products are gorgeous!

http://www.nipponkodo.com/

I did not see essential oils though... )-:

 

[cheeptrick]

Quote:
When I first started out I used a potato peeler...it is very rustic and handmade looking. But I wanted straighter lines...so then I tried a kitchen mandolin...and THEN I found this great beveler. It is called a TOG Beveler...VERY cool and easy and reasonably priced. I'll review the product when it is shipped to me.

I'd just use a potato peeler...it is hard to get straight lines...I never had any complaints though with the rustic and uneven lines. Not a perfectionist AT all either...but I like seeing the bars of soap that all 12 sides are perfectly square and beveled. LOL It was a challenge to me.

I cut my bars from the loaf with a knife....but I have a chocolate chef friend who introduced me to a GUITAR. It is a wooden framed WIRE cutter used to cut chocolate. I saw that and SAID....that is what I need. So my husband is going to try to make one. I'll post photos...of his design. Those soap cutters can retail for $100-200...OY....I can MAKE it for much less.

I'm was a Destination Imagination Coach....can you tell?? LOL

 

[cheeptrick]

Mold pictures for chicknwhisperer

2x4's were used for the sides and I think a 1x8 for the bottom. The 2x4 end/width pieces are screwed in on the bottom and do NOT break away. Only the sides come out. Wooden dowels for the drilled ends so I can break away when I spill a little and by the looks of this mold...it is in need of a BATH itself. I line these molds with freezer paper...my end pieces are usually muddled a bit and I keep them for myself

With these molds I get a 2x4x1 inch depth bar. I ripple cut the ends and bevel the 4 sides...I usually do not cut the ends and bevel until they are fully cured.