sawyer's moon

Oh dear. That recipe is the Great Recipe from the Dish which is meant as a total joke. Hence why you really really really need to have done your research, etc before delving into making your own creations. Through research you would know that yes, in fact, that is way too much and you would have never attempted that recipe. The Great Recipe was started as a joke because someone came to the Dish, took all the recipes, and flounced away with some pretty awful remarks. I'm sorry that you didn't get the joke and you made the product and used it on yourself but it's a perfect learning opportunity for you to do some research and learn how to formulate your own safe recipes. Jen

I just recently got hooked on Soap Calc and trying to make my numbers look better. I love the soap I make but hey...there's always room for improvement...right? Anyway - I decided on three recipes to test. One had pretty poor soap calc numbers (imo) but I had gotten the recipe from a very experienced soapmaker along with a bar and it had the hugest bubbliest lather that turned into the richest, thickest, creamiest lather I've ever seen. Again...this has poor soap calc numbers! Keep that in mind! The next one had amazing bubbly and creamy numbers but not so great on the hardness. This one bubbles like a dud. I can barely work up a lather of any sort and the bar is way too soft. I will reserve final judgement and try the bar again in a couple of months. The last one had pretty great bubbly and creamy numbers and I was able to up the hardness. This one definitely bubbles better than the second but near as well as the first. I test all of these against what I consider my base recipe. I love my base. Don't get me wrong. The numbers on the first are slightly less than my base. My base does not look awesome in soap calc...but I love it. I have rich, creamy, bubbly lather in a very moisturizing and hard bar. Anyway...the first one above with the poorest numbers...is kicking every other soap's butt! I mean it! So I'm a firm believer in the synergy of the oils that a soap calc cannot capture. I obsessed with soap calc numbers for about a week and then moved on to obsessing over other things once I figured out that the soap calc numbers represent only a guideline and not the finished product. Just my long 2 cents! Jen

I seriously love both Peak's Amish Harvest and Celtic Moonspice. They are very similar but I don't think exact. The Celtic Moonspice seems to have just a titch of sweetness to it wheras the Amish Harvest is all about the spice. I definitely wouldn't sell both (imo) but I burn both at home and love them both. I'm thinking the Celtic Moonspice is my favorite but only by the smallest margin. Jen

What I meant was... Many people really do have a hard time working with 4627. It's sticky and hard to wick. And lets say you get the wick to throw well...then you have to worry about smoking (lots and lots of smoking). I decided all of this hassle was not worth it to me...that the scent throw (at that time) from J50 was *good* enough for me. Because 4627 is so challenging to work with, people give up and never achieve *that* hot throw that can be achieved when the proper wick is used for each individual fo. With 4627, you literally need to use all different series of wicks and sizes. With J50, you can get consisitent results with a single wick series. I'm stubborn so I worked on the 4627 until I felt fairly comfortable with it. Once I felt I *mastered* it, I switched to an easier to use wax...J50. Again....my opinion. In my opinion, someone who hasn't gotten 4627 to throw for them (better than anything else they've ever tried) and gives up on it is missing out. Can we agree to disagree now? I'm getting bored. And I'm a titch cranky which probably isn't helping matters :smiley2: . Jen

Well thank goodness you finally got the point! I've been saying all along that it's opinions only and everyone has to decided for themself what works the best. Trust me...I've created hundreds of candles with J50. It's a great wax. Never said it wasn't! I can get J50 to work splendidly for me so I'm not missing out on anything there. I have half a case of 4627 left if you'd like to try to conquer it and see what you're missing (<== ok there I am kind of joshing with you). Best of luck! Jen

You just aren't getting my point are you? Poor thing. It's great that you've formed your opinion. That's all it is though. Your opinion. Doesn't mean you're right or wrong...it's just your opinion. And as such...thank you for your opinion. Jen

:highfive:

For awhile, 4627 was winning that survey but it looks like the number of voters for J50 was greater (in the end) than for 4627 which makes sense. 4627 is a tricky wax to work with. Many people cannot make it work or don't like working with it (ooey gooey factor). *If* you can get 4627 to work (ie right wick combo for each fo) it makes an amazing candle (sounds like you're missing out!). Sorry that you couldn't get 4627 to work. I like a challenge myself and don't like to give up so was able to get 4627 to work for me. And when it works...it blows J50 out of the water. But that's just my opinion. And my opinion matters just about as much as yours or anyone elses. Hence why extensive testing to find what works best for you is really the only way to go. Jen

Cryptic - many people will use the stove (or microwave) to melt their hard oils/butters like pko, cocoa butter, etc. HTH - Jen

I'd have to go home and sniff Stone Washed Cotton..it's been a while... Jen

Blackberry Jam Butter Cookies - the only fo ever that's made me gag...couldn't get past that Buttercreme Frosting - yumm!!!! wonderful in b&b too Mulled Spices & Cider - great in cp soap but light in candles Paradise - amazing in cp soap...have not candled Stone-Washed Coton - wonderfully strong Kitchen Spice - wonderful Vaniglia de Madagasca - use this for candles and SW's for B&B HTH! Jen

I love BCN's eggnog... Jen

I voted 4627 and I've tested all the usual suspects...J50, J223, J300, 4630, 4627, GL 70/30, JS 50/50, JS 123, various soys, various blends of all the above, etc. I too use quality scents from ScentWorks, Sweetcakes, etc and scent at 7.5% (yes - I do detect a noticeable difference between 6% and 7.5% so I chose to go higher). I think J50 is a great all-around wax that is easy to use (great for beginners!)...it's what I started with and what I ended with until switching to GL 70/30 (for various reasons and am not 100% convinced I'm sticking with the GL 70/30 either) but I don't think it has nearly the hot/cold throw of 4627. I think it's so funny how we're all different and yet I'm sure each one of us thinks we're right! I know many people will argue the 6% thing and that's ok...I did my own tests and came to my own conclusions that I find a higher amount (oftentimes but not always...hence why the need to test) to be better. Jen

I personally did have to wick up on Peak's clove. Jen

Sandalwood eos can differ in smell (or have different nuances I should say...of course they all smell like sandalwood :smiley2: )...I have the Sandalwood Blend from EOU and it's my favorite sandalwood eo. SC Sandalwood smells just like it (to my nose) but I've only used in soap and leave-on products...not candles. Jen

Forgot to say...I agree on the throw part of it though (for WYW)! Holy cow...that is one strong fo! Jen

See...I think WYW Perfect Pumpkin is very spicy! I always use it in a blend to kick up the spice a notch and give the blend more depth! Jen

I'm trying to think of why you want vit e as you only apply a roll-on to places like your wrist or along your neck....does your wrist need vit e? I could see using it as an antioxidant but you're using a very stable oil...fco. Just curious... Jen

Peak's smells like dill pickels to me...and I thought I was crazy until someone else said the exact same thing! Jen

I use 1T ppo of the pink kaolin and get a lovely pink . Jen

SW Sandalwood Vanilla is positively delish in candles! I've also done LLC but will stick with Lemon Pound Cake for that (cheaper), and some others...I use SW Ambra de Nepal for soap and B&B but Daystar's for candles - cheaper! Pink Sugar, as already mentioned, is wonderful. Has a depth that I've not come across in any other Pink Sugar. Jen

I've lately gotten hooked on playing with expensive eos so right now I'm playing with and wearing blends using rose absolute, amber resin, cocoa absolute, sandalwood, folded citruses, cardamom, etc. Yum, yum, yum! Jen

Yup - it's only the saponification process that makes it drying...I love love love it's silky feel and moisturizing qualities in lotions and butters. Jen

That is awesome, Laura! Jen

See - I tried the 'wait till the next day' method again this weekend (after reading this thread) and I still think it's way harder then just cleaning it right away! Wonder what I'm doing differently than the rest of you! Ah well... Jen