TAH

I am planning a charcoal soap and I'd like to scent it but I know that charcoal is often used to deodorize. I have enough trouble with scents fading and don't want to do something really dumb like make scented soap with a natural odor neutralizer. So will the charcoal make my scent fade/disappear? On the other hand the scent I'm thinking of is a tea tree essential oil and it smells pretty strong and medicinal so maybe its the perfect combo

I've been using BJ's brand olive oil Wellsley Farms. Its been making a pretty nice and very white castile that get nice and hard as it ages.

I just thought of what I would most love to see. A fragrance review for CP Soap! I know there is one here, but its old and I feel like some of the suppliers must have changed their formulas because some of the recommended ones did not stick for me. I really really struggle with getting fragrances to stick. I like Candybee's idea about featured member each month I personally would find that interesting.

First I'd like to say I love craftserver! The level of experience is unmatched on any other forum, but what really stands out is the willingness to help and share. I trust the advice on this site like no other. What I personally would like to see is some more tutorials. Sticky posts/info sheet/blog type stuff by the more expert soapers (most of the folks on here) on topics like coloring soaps, types of molds, how to package, how to label your soaps and lotions, Top ten tips, Top ten mistakes to avoid... I could go on forever so much to learn. Really I know all that stuff can be searched out here for the most part. I just want more of it.

That rosemary and mints combo sure sounds like something I'd like! Thanks for the input.

Thanks!

Thanks I'm glad to see lemongrass and lavender on your list. I was going to try both of those from WSP today but I stupidly did not order fast enough on their big sale day today. Sigh. I will check the safe use limits on all thanks for the advice and the tip about the INCI being the "code". I guess I'll look at Natures Garden since WSP is out of stock on almost everything right now.

I want to try some soaps scented with essential oils but really don't want to waste money on ones that fade in CP soap. Does anyone have suggestions for me? Also do you find that essential oils vary in strength from supplier to supplier?

This is a fun idea. I'm in. I just made some regular Castile so I'll have to think of a variation.

Just an update. I'm much better at this now after reading all the suggestions and practicing more. I now hold my hand on the soap as I'm doing this that way if its too hot I know it!

Thanks for posting this. I hope to try candles someday.

Not tins but a really good deal on sample size containers. I got some of these at WSP 50 for 4.95. Sorry for the giant picture I can't seem to figure out how to make is smaller.

Thanks everybody. I'll try all the things suggested here and post again how it worked out.

I'm having trouble with my shrink wrap bands for my soap. I decided to package the soaps with clear shrink wrap because well ...they are pretty and I didn't want to cover up the "soap art" with a wrapper. So now I'm shrink wrapping lots of soap today. I want the shrink wrap to cover all except the side ends because its cold process and needs to breathe. The shrink wrap either: melts a hole, shrinks unevenly and doesn't even cover the front and back, is too wrinkled and not as smooth as I had envisioned. My soaps are approximately 31/2" x 31/2". My shrink wrap is approximately 4"x4". So is the shrink wrap too small for the job? Is it the quality of my shrink wrap? Maybe my technique is not good? I try not to blast too high of heat on it. Anybody have any advice for me? Thanks.

Thanks everybody. I bought the FOs from Bulk Apothecary and WSP (the one did last it was an WSP ocean type scent Abalone & Sea< this scent really did stick if anybody likes ocean scents with floral) . The FOs were said to work in CP soap. After reading through the replies I think I need to up the FO a little bit and really comb through the reviews well before I buy my next scent. Could be that "nose blind" thing too. I'll have to ask somebody who doesn't live with the soaps if they can smell them.

I cut the bar the next day if its hard enough. I store on cardboard trays in a spare bedroom and turn them every few days. I am doing cold process. The scent is not really returning when I use it. None of the scents were citrus. One scent has stayed so maybe its just my FO choice. I heard you can add things to soap (cornstarch, benzoin, or anchor scents? ) to make the scent stay better not sure if that's true or its just my methods. I add the FO last, right before I pour.Will it help if I soap colder? I have soaped at 110-120.

I've made 3 batches of scented soap. All three batches I used 2 oz of FO. Each batch is a different FO. All three batches had 50-55 oz of oils in the recipe. Two of the batches the scent has faded so much I can't really smell it anymore. The soaps are all 2-6 weeks old. Should I be using more FO? I read where people talk about "anchoring" a scent but I'm not really sure what that means or how to do it? Maybe I just am bad at picking FO. I do read the review before I buy to see if people think the scent will hold up in CP soaps.

Oh figures I missed that. Well I'm glad to know they aren't going out of business.

They are out of stock on everything. I was wondering if this means they are going out of business or what. Its not just a couple things. Its like every other thing I looked at was out of stock.

Candybee I used blue and green hydroxide powders to color the soap and white TD. For what its worth I think I panicked too soon. The little orange specks have not grown (plus I plucked each one out). The soap seems fine now. I actually like it a lot.

The soap appears to be successful . I divided the soap into two portions and put the clay into one half. I used 1tsp. Kaolin Clay ppo. The color stayed true. I swirled it the rose clay part with the plain part. The plain part I put some TD in because I like it opaque and white. I used an herbal flower fragrance. Its just nice. So happy!

Thanks for the info you guys. I'm going to try it. I'll update when I make something. Hopefully tomorrow.

I bought some rose kaolin clay to try out in a soap, but the truth is I don't know what to do with it. I saw a cool recipe using clay and charcoal and swirling it but the recipe used melt and pour and I want to do CP. How to add it to a soap? I don't even really know why soapers use clay in soaps. So anybody try this? Benefits? Tips?

Thanks everybody for the replies and assurance its probably not the DOS. The spots were tiny orange specks. DH says nobody but me would ever notice the specks. It must be either the FO or the TD as suggested because it was only in the scented colored version. The butters were melted completely. I added the FO after trace. This is actually a very successful batch for me it looks pretty and smells amazing. I tried it and its soapy. I think I did it.

So update: the soap turned out really nice. I made two batches that day same recipe. One colored and scented the other no color no scent. I now have DOS on the scented batch only. Both batches are sitting next to each other curing now. Is this DOS thing going to get worse? Its minor right now. Does it mean I shouldn't use the soap? And most importantly did I do something wrong? I mean can I prevent this in the future? Wait maybe this is something else. I just googled pictures of the dreaded orange spots thing and it doesn't look like mine. My spots are little specks. Not very many only on some of the bars. Is this just how it starts?