Soap Makers Help!

[Jen4]

Oh my goodness just read some of this thread and told Dh now we need a couple of goats.... I want to make goat soap, cool! Just maybe I can talk him into it...........

 

[ChicksnPacas]

Hi Chiknwhisper,

For colors, most people on the forum try to use all natural such as herbs, flowers, etc. Most of the ones I've tried have ultramarines or oxides in them that I purchased from Wholesale Supplies Plus or Nature's Garden. I love trying out new colors. It's always a surprise. They usually start out really vibrant, then as they cure some stay pretty well and others fade quite a bit. Eventually I'll try using the herbs.

I'm still really confused on the labeling part though. So if anyone can give me advice on that it would be really helpful. Thanks, Michele

 

[Backyard Buddies]

Beautiful ChicksnPacas! I don't know the exact answer to your question, but I have seen soaps on the net where the person hand cuts them. One of them, as I recall, had something like this on their bar:

Approximate weight at packaging: __________

Then they wrote in the weight by hand using a Sharpie or similar dark pen. They didn't try to be too exact - just 4.3 oz or 5.1 oz for example.

Rather than looking less professional, I found it to appear more personal and handmade.

Now, a question for you - I'm on a quest for a natural pink. What did you use?

 

[Backyard Buddies]

Don -

Here's the link to the shaving page that got my hubby all excited about expanding his shaving options beyond the cheap disposables he's been using for years (and which violate our Greenie tendencies

):

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6886845/

It includes some really good instructions and a large number of links to sites throughout the Net with even further info. he began following some of the techniques, even with his confounded razors, and has seen the light. He can't wait to get his badger brush and safety razor!

 

[MullersLaneFarm]

Quote:
The High Oleic Sunflower/Safflower might, but not the High Linoleic.

Thanks MLF! My hubby gave a bar to a coworker and they said "that soap is nasty! cause it's slimy" That almost made me

. I done research on the net and found a site that said Safflower and Sunflower make the bar slimy. I finally got The Soapmakers Companion and I have been reading the past few nights. I so appreciate your help!

I will see if I still have the bottle so I can check to see if it was oleic.

It used to be a few years ago that Sunflower/Safflower were all High Linoleic. Now it has turned and what you can get from the grocery store (or soapers supply, including CF) is High Oleic.

Soaps that are high in oleic fatty acid need to 'cure' a full 2 months or more so the 'slime' can become a wonderful creamy lather. Also, soaps high in oleic FA are more apt to 'slime' when sitting in water (or in the shower)

 

[MullersLaneFarm]

Soap, as long as it is sold as 'soap' and not as something that will help this (i.e. making claims), you do NOT need to list ingredients or weights.

If you DO list weights, your soap must be at least the weight listed on the label. It is okay if it is more, but not okay if it weighs less.

For me ... I merely shrink wrap in a clear cigar band with no labeling at all!


Beautiful swirls, btw!!

 

[MullersLaneFarm]

Don,

a couple good shaving forums
The Shave Den (tell Momma Bear I said 'Hey!'

and Shave My Face

 

[ChicksnPacas]

Backyard Buddies and cyndi - Thanks for the information on the labels! That will make everything much easier.

 

[Don]

Wow, more info! Thanks and thanks again y'all!

Sooooo, since I'm HOOKED now ....

I HAD to make more ...

Here we have some of the first batch aging with the new second batch. I still don't have regular molds so I used a silicone cupcake pan. LOL

Here's a closer shot of some of the new batch:

and, although off subject, I wanted to share a cel-phone captured Texas sunset to cap off my post.

Thanks again for all the pertinent ... and not so pertinent info!

Peace!

Don

 

[chiknwhisperer]

Don I am so jealous right now! Very few of mine ever turn out to be that good looking. They are wonderful!