Soap Makers Help!

[MullersLaneFarm]

It won't help menopause in a wash off product. PM me though, I might be interested. I am not only pre-menopausal but a Doula as well. Black and Blue Cohash is great for childbirth also.

 

[bockbock2008]

I have never had to deal with ash no matter what method I use, so I don't know if this cuts down on it or not. I think is mainly environmental, atleast in my experience. I get ash in maybe 2 or 3 batches a year that doesn't just go away with a very quick rub with a cloth, it is always end bars that have it so it seems.

I find ash so complexing, lol. Some people get it every batch, others like me, hardly deal with it. I seem to soap alittle differently each time too. Some times I cover the soap, sometimes not if I soaped a little hotter than normal. If I do get ash, it is almost ways in my lavender or Saucy Wench soap for some reason, Oh one batch of OMH last year had a lot of ash after I took off the bubble wrap, but I havn't had any others. And out of the 40ish batches I have made this year, none have had ash.

What is the temp and humidity like in your soap area? What oils are you using? High coconut % seem to have more ash I have noticed, but not always. I also think that soaps that use more water get ash easier. I almost always do 45-48% lye solution which is VERY strong. Try going with a 38% solution and see if it helps. I personally like the Wham, Bam, Thank you Mam soaping, lol. I hate when I have a long trace.

As far as room temp, this is the way I prefer to soap. Now, I do not have a recipe that is super high in hard oils like palm, shea or lard. Coconut melts so easily I don't worry about that one too much. If my buckets sit around for up to a month, the oils start to solidify some, but it is more like a slurry consistancy, which is why I make sure to stick blend my oils very well if they have gotten cloudy, before I add my lye. I don't not want any chunks since my batches can move with such a strong solution. I don't want to take the risk of it not melting and mixing right.

If you are doing 8lb or less batches, go to the Ace Hardware Store. In the pain brush part, they also have paint buckets. They have ones from 1, 2 and 5 gal sizes that all have lids. Get a couple of those and measure and melt your oils. Put the lid on it and then take it out when ready to soap. You will be amazed at how fast it can be to soap

So, what scents did you get? I got an order from scent works last night. Black Raspberry Cream (they have the BEST!!), Blue Sugar and cranberry yuzu, yum!

I was just finishing up a response to this post last Friday and our power went out here at work. I don't really get on the computer much at home so I'm finally getting back I got vanilla vanilla cybilla, OMH, Strawberry, Lavender 40/42, Cranberry Fig, Dark Rich Chocolate and
Butter Cream And Snickerdoodle. I also got some pigments, micas and labcolors.

 

[Morgaine]

BB has the BEST omh ever!! I strayed and bought some omh from other suppliers and they are no where as good as BB. Never again, lol.

Their snickerdoodle makes me want cookies, lol. I haven't tried the others. I'm going to go out on a limb and say you like vanilla huh

So I thought I would share a neat recipe I can across. This is for solid bubble bars. I think I might try my hand at these.
http://www.pvsoap.com/recipe_bubble_bath_drop.htm

 

[bockbock2008]

Guilty! I loooove vanilla and coffee smells. I made a batch with the vanilla vanilla cybilla and probably added too much because I wanted a strong scent of vanilla. It looks like it should smell like hersheys!

After only about 10 batches of soap in my 3 1/2 month long soaping career (ha! career), I decided to try the funnel pour method. We will see tonight how that turned out. I didn't even clean up the kitchen last night. I got interupted 2 or 3 times while trying to make it. Luckily those interuptions never came at a crucial time but I didn't get done until midnight. It was a pretty big batch too. Almost 11 pounds! I wanted some to be ready for Easter gifts so I had to get on it.

Those bubble bath drops sound good. On the rare occasion I take a bath and not a shower, there definately has to be some bubbles!

 

[bockbock2008]

So here's how my funnel pour batch turned out

 

[Morgaine]

Very cool and Groovy!! Beautiful

 

[Bettacreek]

Be careful with tinctures. Alcohol speeds trace and can seize your batch. May be best to add it shortly after adding your lye to prevent seizing. Late in trace might make it turn to soap mixing container shaped soap.

 

[itsy]

Thanks for the tip, Betta!

Bock - VERY cool soap!

 

[AllTheseCreatures]

I've been trying the funnel pour swirl and it's so compelling to see the patterns that develop in each bar as you cut it. FUN METHOD! Lovely soaps.

As far as adding tinctures to soap, I would experiment with adding it to hot process soap after the lye has been consumed and the batch can't seize. Lye also tends to take apart most everything it touches so it probably destroys any beneficial compounds in the tinctures.

I think issues with ash have more to do with the fragrance than the method or the environment. But I'd be willing to experiment the water % theory. As I gained experience started using stronger lye solutions I have also noticed less ash on my soaps, but I also got pickier about who I bought fragrances from. I don't know if either is correlation or causation.

 

[KMoran]

Hello guys... I am new to soap making. I have never done it before. My question is where is the best place to get fragrance oils? I talked to a lady at the fair last year who mentioned a place that had the best smelling oils but I cant find it. Thanks so much