Soap Makers Help!

[cheeptrick]

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You might see different results with the beet juice if you add it to 'cooled' lye/water. My beet juice soap did turn out a 'brownish' reddish tinge....and PREVENT the gel stage as much as possible. My apple cider soap is ALL cider and lye though...the cider turns a bright orange during the mix and I still get a nice brown color thru the cure. I'd post pictures of my beet juice bar but I do not have any made....

I had a friend who used tomato juice...and had good results. She also makes a gorgeous PUMPKIN with real pumpkin in her lye...and it stays so nice and orange. I personally use carrot juice...in place of water for the orange color...its better for your skin. ALSO...keep a LYE container JUST for dyes/juice lye mixes...it does leach into the container if you are using plastic...and the residual will color future batches. ASK ME HOW I KNOW that? LOL I keep molds for dyed and colored soap and one for my WHITE soap...nothing like a speck of PINK

oxide in your nice white lavender bar!

I got my shipment of oxides...I'm just not ready after my chlorophyll debacle!

Send me some of your CREATIVE Vibes ladies!!

 

[cheeptrick]

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Do not store in plastic...I store in wooden crates.

Ask me again HOW I know!

Chlorophyll troubleshooting RAMBLINGS...

Here is what I did...
Soaped at 80 degrees...at trace I added a NEW essential oil from Essentail Wholesale (i have had trouble with some of their essentail oils....when soaping before) (eucalyptus spearmint) and 2 tbsp of liquid chlorophyll. I DID NOT insulate...and did not use goatsmilk. I think the problem was the cooler temps personally....it did go thru gel...I actually watched it. But WHY would the lye separate only on the ends? I did not whisk this batch...so it would gel. I did not insulate either...so maybe that was my problem? I've never had this happen before...I did switch chlorophyll brands? Maybe something in the chlorophyll?? I do not insulate most of my batches...and have never had this problem. I think it was the chlorophyll. I usually USE a ton more of chlorophyll too...for a much darker OLIVE color.

So...I've got 2 new ingredients that I've used in this batch and it could have affected something...and I mixed at cooler temps. I think next time I'm going to add the chlorophyll into the lye/water since rebatching it did not change the bright green color....I added at trace because I was worried the lye would super heat it and if I was going to gel it would super heat it also AGAIN...and I wanted my color to stay intact. So if I add to the lye water right before mixing with oils....I might get a better result. Also...I poured the glycerin soap on top during the end of the gel stage...maybe that was it?????

OK...do not read this far please....ramble ramble ramble!!

It helps me work it thru in my head to post this!

 

[Backyard Buddies]

chiknwhisperer and smom1976 - Congrats on the new soap molds!

chiknwhisperer - The new soaps look great! And, congrats on the new layer and the Kitchenaid! I got mine years ago for Christmas/Bday and it's still one of my favorite kitchen appliances.

cheeptrick - Thanks for your process information with your failed batch. Goodness! It could be a couple of things, couldn't it? Do you still have more of that chlorophyll to try again or are you going to try something new next time you want green? When it gelled, did it go all the way to the corners or did it not? I can't help but think that heat had something to do with it. It stands to reason that the edges and corners would be the coolest part of the batch which could possibly explain why you'd get the lye only there. How are those creative vibes coming along?

 

[cheeptrick]

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U know...I think it was my stirring the liquid chlorophyll into the soap.....I had to really stir EXTRA long after the addition of chlorophyll and trace and agitate it to get it to incorporate. TOO much stirring...can cause separation during the gel phase.

It did gel to the ends...I watched it and was bummed with the GREY color...but it turned out ok....BUT then I cut and the ends were separated....actually the whole batch had lye crystals through out the loaf. The end pieces were worse...and the wood mold insulates the soap....so why wouldn't I get the separation ON TOP also where the soap is at is coolest? I also poured the glycerin on top when it was cooling down from the gel stage...it was PERFECT at this point and I was so pleased with the consistency and color at this stage. The tops were beautiful...I think this glycerin soap seal maybe caused it to seal in the heat and re-gel? I also realized I used CANOLA in this batch. I think I've found my problem! THANKS BB!!

THANKS for listening to my ramblings!! LOL Here is some pictures...it did not show up the gel stage very well...but it turned a GREYish color.

NO separation at all during this stage.
THEN after I poured the glycerin soap and it hardened on top...the swirled goatsmilk one came OUT awesome!

Wish I had better pictures!

The techincal TERM for what happened is called RICE or RICING...

 

[chiknwhisperer]

Um , what kind of wooden crates? Like ones I could make from a pallet or something? I thought they had to be wrapped up. When you sell them or give them to people what kind of packaging do you use? I'm full of all kinds of questions lol. The problem is getting on here fast enough.

 

[TillinWithMyPeeps]

These are all really nice soaps.

If anyone is interested in trying to sell some of their soap, please post it on the "Christmas Market" Thread.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=108384

I really look forward to seeing some on there.

 

[chiknwhisperer]

Maybe I should post some of my " rustic " soaps

Now for a serious note. My MIL hasn't even tried any of my soaps yet but I did just send her some pics. She is already wanting to buy them from me so she can give them as gifts to the ladies at her work

I would feel so bad charging her for them so I am just going to give her some for them. She is also going to give me her old gas range for the basement so I can work down there with ny soaps. I told DH about it and instead of saying no he siad that I could also use it for canning. So I asked him who was going to run the gas line over to it and he said he would.

I would do it but that kinda intimidates me.

 

[smom1976]

I got my kitchen aid from my mother (she does not cook) anyway she got it when I was very little and I am now (almost) 32 so this thing is really old but still runs like crazy..

My next one (after I use this one up, maybe, I might try repair first) will be the cobalt blue one..

 

[ninjapoodles]

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I have both the cobalt KA stand mixer and the food processor from when I got married--received as gifts. I use them ALL the time. I made sauteed sweet potatoes for Thanksgiving that called for grated sweet potatoes, and I was blessing that machine to the high heavens for taking a 30-minute job and doing it in SECONDS.

You will never be sorry for investing in these machines!

 

[smom1976]

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