Candybee

I always thought of darker oils as being heavier. But never compared their weights side by side. So it may just be in my head.

I mix CS Pumpkin Pie with Pumpkin Souffle. Love it!

Amen to that! Nothing teaches you faster than a direct hit to the pocketbook! LOL

I thought of the same thing but not until hours later. I could kick myself for not thinking about that at the time. Oh well!!

This time I used a different pot. I have the weight of usual pot I use memorized but this one I don't.

This morning I unmolded and cut the soap. All the bars look good. Held them up for inspection and checked them against my last batch. They are the exact same size and color. So I took one of the end pieces and washed my hands with it. Even though its less than 24 hrs old it feels great and lathers great the way this recipe normally does. To be sure I will bathe with it so I get a chance to see how it makes my entire skin feel. So I will have to wait a bit for it to cure. But so far looks and feels like its okay. I now know something happened when I tared the scale for the olive oil. I think the last oil I weighed may have still been registering and when I hit tare it didn't take. I should have doubled checked it but didn't cause I thought I remembered seeing it zero out. Oh well, another lesson learned. Always make sure when you hit tare that it actually does tare. I could swear I did this but I guess I will have to double check from now on.

Wish we had more interest in having a soap challenge. My problem is the timing. Not sure when I will have time to do a challenge. May not be until the craft show season is over after Dec.

Goes to show you have to be careful and always, always, check the mailing address on your order! I know I always do even when its preset I still check to be sure.

I don't recall ever having a oil crystalize on me before but there is always a first time. I do remember one of my suppliers, Peaks? would send out little slips of paper with instructions for oils that crystalize. Like everyone suggested I remember it saying to warm the bottle a bit and the crystals will dissolve. That its normal for some oils to do that and they will be perfectly fine.

Ever have one of those days where you are busy making your soap. You get everything weighed out, put together, perfectly blended, then you pour it in the mold and realize its short?!! Happened to me today. The only indication something might be wrong was when I was weighing out my olive oil. I know I tared the scale and carefully weighed my oil. I even remember SEEING the correct weight on the scale for it. But after I added it in I thought the batter looked a little smaller than usual. But then I was using a bigger mixing bowl so I didn't think anything more about it until I poured in the mold. Then I realized it was almost an inch too short than normal. So I poured olive oil into the mold. Yes I did! And SB'd it right there in the mold. I have no idea if I have the right amount of OO in the soap or not. I totally eye balled the batter level in the mold as I know exactly how high it should be. Just checked it a minute ago. It looks fine and is halfway gelled. But it could still be either lye heavy or too oily. Sigh. This seems to be the year I am oil challenged!

Okay I just went on Peaks site and read the scent description and comments on it. It sounds really awesome! Will try a test sample next time I shop at Peaks. Thanks! Just one thing... does it A & D at all? If not, would it make a nice shampoo soap scent? The comments say it smells clean and fruity that made me think of shampoo soap.

Good luck! You seem to be pretty good at learning swirling techniques. Can't wait to see your next attempt. I never got the Taiwan swirl worked out. You really, really, really, need a slow mover to do that one. Don't think I ever tried Peaks fruit slices. What does it smell like? I love a good citrus or tropical fruit blend. I have a couple lines of soap and tropical and citrus are soap scents I do.... and am always on the lookout for another one to test out!

You know I have had a couple people tell me how 'white' their white dogs fur is after using the soap. I had no idea when I was making this soap that there was such a thing as a whitener for dogs. So that was serendipity I think! But I am thrilled that people say their dog's coats and skin are softer, fluffier, itch free, and stay cleaner longer. That really makes me feel good to hear that. I won't change a thing as long as its working!

Thanks! You are too kind! I am actually getting repeat dog soap customers! So now I am waiting for feedback on the paw pad formula which I debuted at my local market 2 weeks ago. Now I am getting requests for cat soap and cat paw pad balm! I am working on those now...

Me... I am a goof sometimes and tend to make my mistakes first then learn from them. On the other hand, I can't tell how many mistakes I've made that have helped shape and improve the way I now deal with my wholesale clients.

Wowzer! Those are beeeeeautiful Babs!!

Those came out awesome even if you didn't get the swirl you wanted! That is similar to what I got when I was trying to do the Taiwan swirl. Wish I could smell it!

Karin-- I never found any specific recipe. I researched and researched the ingredients for two yrs before I even attempted my first dog soap. But eventually all my work paid off because my customers have been raving about the soap and telling me how much they like it! But I can say this. What got me started was reading somewhere that if you can make a soap that is safe and mild enough for a baby to use a dog can use it too. That's a very simplistic statement but it should give you a general idea and a starting point.

Oh my! that is really spectacular! Love, love the colors and the swirl.

I feel your pain Trappeur. I hate going in after the fact and having to renegotiate with the vendor. It takes some finesse and assertiveness skills I am sure you have so you should be okay. I've been in that spot before and what helped me was making all my decisions beforehand and writing them down. That way when I went in I was crystal clear on exactly what points I wanted to be firm with and which I could be flexible with. It also helps to prepare some written materials you can give the vendor too. I have used various documents that contain my terms on sales slips/receipts, wholesale flyers, contracts, etc.

I'm getting there! I needed more molds for soap production. I have quite a few but all different sizes. I needed to pick a size and have several of that size so my soaps would match. Now I have 4 in the same size so it will help a lot! When I need to make more soap then I will order some more.

I had these 2 molds custom made. Just picked them up yesterday at my Wednesday market. One of the venders there is a wood crafter so I commissioned him to make these molds. I wanted the Nurture mold liners to fit inside. He did a perfect job, plus the lids fit nicely over the mold so they don't slide. They are made out of pine and are just gorgeous! I will be breaking them in today cause I have to make a couple of batches of dog soap. If anyone is interested PM me and I can give you his email address. He is a local craftsman and doesn't have a website. He is easy to work with and does lovely work! I think I may order some more. These are 7lb molds (with the Nurture liner in them). Not sure how many lbs without the liner. He can make them with or without the holes in the bottom. I wanted the holes so I could easily push out the liner. Forgot to add for this size he is asking for only $35.

Actually I get asked for spicy scents all the time. Especially cinnamon. Today my pumpkin spice was a winner! So you may want to rethink the spicy scents. If it were me, I would add a line of aromatic and incense types like cedar, sandlewood, dragon's blood, nag champa, angel, oakmoss & amber, patchouli, etc.

Thanks for looking! Soapalooza's H. Sandalwood is the only coconuty FO that works for me in CP soap. The coconut notes actually cure nicely and get stronger as it cures. Its a light coconut but its there!

Which candles does she buy from you? Did you give her an exclusive to all your candles? The way I handle it is to offer a different line of candles to the other shop. That way they don't carry the same product and don't compete with each other. For example; in one town shop #1 sells my bath soap, shop #2 sells my castile soap. In my home town shop #1 sells my aromatherapy and incense candles, while shop #2 sells my florals and bakery candles. This works out for me and them and I get some good orders.