Carrie

Did you use milk or honey in your batch?

That's a great idea. Many times I will use a muslin bag.

There aren't any man around my bathroom, darnit, so there are no mystery hairs. I use the bar. I never could get used to a wash cloth. Sometimes I use shower gloves if I've been camping or something where I come home feeling especially dirty.

I put the color in a small bowl and then add about 1/2 tsp of jojoba. I mix them until smooth, adding more liquid if needed. Make sure you mix them until there are no more clumps of color. I use a tiny whisk. Then I add the soap batter and stir with a whisk. They incorporate well and I never get any specks or chunks of color in my soaps.

Saponifier is worth every penny. There is something for everyone and some very indepth articles.

Is there a separate issue with swirling tutorials or a bonus issue or what?

That sounds like a good thing to have.

lol i didnt even pay attention to the 10 pound minimum, i was too busy looking at the overrun when they're gone, they're gone lol

I didn't read this as a 10lb minimum, I'm pretty sure that if you buy 10lbs of an FO you get it for $5/lb.

The one with the seeds and the one with oatmeal may be too scratchy to use. Have you tried them yet?

I make testers in a log mold. I cut the log in half lengthwise and cut each of those into 1/2 bars. They come out just a little larger than a hotel bar. I actually make those for a friend that owns a condo at a ski resort. They are perfect for her weekend renters.

Maybe no one responded because that question should have come with a picture. How can I help you figure out what happened when the only description is "reminds me of a glycerin bar"?

The "Thanks for the help guys" comment was uncalled for. If you want help in the future I suggest you not be so snarky in your posts asking for help. You're likely to be ignored on purpose next time. Your posts are 6 hours apart during a part of my day that I work. Not everyone on this forum lives in your time zone.

The only times my soap is darker in the middle is when I did't get a complete gel.

Don't for the LoveSpell from TN, it is simply the best there is.

I have to vote for Tennessee also. If you every tried Wendy's VBN, that is the one at Tennessee.

I don't know about JS, I was removed from her newsletter list and never approved for her chat room. I figured she didn't want me as a customer so I never tried to order again.

Hi Meridith, I have another question and I'd be thankful if you could help me.

My soaps which are 3 weeks make my skin flakey and a little dry.

I used the same recipe plus grapeseed oil and 6% superfatted.

I'm so disappointed because I wasn't expecting it at all.

I purchased my olive oil from grocery and I suspect that olive oils in grocery might not be so pure although they say they are.

Do you have any idea what could be wrong?

Thanks a lot

Your first bars had a very high percentage of coconut. Many people have problems with itchy skin when coconut is above 15-20% of your recipe.

Also, I never judge a soap until it's cured for 6 weeks. I'd put them back on the shelf for a few more weeks and try them again.

I'm sorry, but that made me laugh.

Me too. What does your religion have to do with customer service?

75/25 here and have wonderful hot and cold throw with the 4627/415 combo.

I don't see that kind of silk on the MMS site, just powder and liquid. I've seen chopped lye at SW and other suppliers though.

I've never seen my silk turn the water brown but it does turn it a little dirtyish, I guess you could say.

If you used 2T in a 2.5lb batch then that isn't too much at all. I've seen soapers use much more than that. It shouldn't hurt a thing.

How much silk fibers did you actually add to the lye water? I use silk fibers in every batch. My silk comes in long, lovely strands and I add a piece about the size of a large cotton ball per pound of oils.

My thoughts are with you and your husband today.

I don't sweeten my lip balms and I don't buy sweetened flavors either. IMO, the "flavors" are really scents that trick your brain into believing you taste them. If they are sweet, people will lick their lips, their lips get dry and they think you make sucky lip balm.

I got a lip balm in a swap the other day and it was so sweet I had to wipe it off.

Are you talking about CP, HP or MP?

Oregon Trails has a brand new flavor oil, Strawberry Shortcake.

Go find me some strawberry shortcake flavor oil that isn't sold on eBay LOL!

http://www.thedishforum.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=113552&st=40

I hope it's OK to post links to the Dish. Check out post #78.

Mini???

Where have you been? There was a co-op at the Dish. They are so darn cute. I got tons of them. Want me to send you a few?

If I have anything to say about it mini lip balm tubes will be the hottest thing to hit my town this summer.

I was using it at 5% but I'm trying to reformulate. It's just too expensive.

All of the testing that I'm doing right now is unscented. I had tested these containers before but lost all of my notes (DS loves spiral notebooks and I think he got his hands on it) I knew the additive percentages because I had that written on the box.