Bunny

To make sure it has cooked completely and all the free lye is gone.

That's weird.. These have a super high MP with all the cocoa butter, and shouldn't melt at all...

Thanks MM.. I knew that stuff, just couldn't put it into words! (If that makes any sense...lol) Wonder who's gonna have lesson 103?? Angie, I think many people tend to skip that section.. Me included! Glad I could point it out to you! Lots to learn.. And you haven't been a pain! I'm so glad to see people asking questions instead of making crappy stuff and selling it right away. People who want to learn the right way always come up with a better product, better marketability, and are prouder of their stuff! Be happy! Grumpy Girl, you got it!!!!!! WOOOHOOOO! Now, if you got a new mold, one that holds 4 lbs 2 oz, you know how to handle it? I know you can!

No kit needed for this one.. I promise! Just get some crystals, fo, jelly jars, and daisy lids!

Oh girl.. You're gonna love it! While coconut in soap helps bubbles, and too much is drying - in body butters and lotions, it's wonderful on it's own!

Ummm... Shave it off??? lol.... Ok ok.. What about an intense conditioner?

:p:p:p Oops! I knew I forgot something this week!

Cool! You don't need more than 3/4 oz to a tub, I know normal ice cube trays are way to big. If you use more than this, it'll be a super nasty greasy mess...lol

The ducks were scared... lol Witch Hazel works between layers also! Have fun!

Ok.. The different numbers in lye. I'm assuming you're using thesage's lye calc, and that one has variables for lye. Most crafters the 5% excess fat lye amount. This means, the 5% column has enough lye in it to transform (saponify) 95% of the oils to soap, leaving 5% unsaponified for moisture. Having a 10% superfatted batch can leave too many oils in the batch, causing it to go rancid quickly, and 0% superfat will strip your skin raw! Angied.. Please read this section of the forums, as I'm sure it will help answer many of your questions! Also, check out www.millersoap.com, and know it backwards, forwards, and inside out (or at least know where to go when you need a reference.) http://www.candletech.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=27 HTH ya'll!

I have found that cooling down the lye water quickly does nothing funky to it. When I'm in a super big hurry, I stick my lye pitcher in the sink filled with ice water, so I don't believe you'll have any problems at all!

Have to tell you, I use both also.. Made the mistake once of trying to replace Peaks Cool Citrus Basil with JS's version. Whoa.. I'll keep the Peaks stuff anyday over JS's CCB. Like any new supplier, order in small quantities to make sure it's what you're sniffin for. They both have top notch customer service, but If I could only choose one, it would be Peaks.

I agree, rebatch isn't bad at all! Here's a few of my rebatches: Lime Patch Mint Mango Tea Razzbery Delight

Depends, there's 2 different types of TD.. One dissolves in water, and the other dissolves in oils. I have the water kind, and make it up in advance. I use 2 heaping tablespoons to 6 oz distilled water and my preservative, then use as needed. (I make it in jelly jar, as it needs to be shaken well before each batch.) Takes the guesswork out, and it makes it hard to add too much this way!

Yup, you sure can! Toss in about 15% and experiment from there!

I usually add another 1/4 oz pp of shreds.. If your scent was super strong to begin with, you might not need to add that much. How'd ya get air pockets?

Hmmm... Mine was mixed with orange too.. Will have to try again when I'm back up and running! I imagine it smells devine! Wanting a cranberry scented candle is how I got started in this whole thing! And after years of searching, I finally found my cranberry fo that smells superb! Boy I love the smells of Christmas!

Oh thank goodness you didn't come back with a percentage.. I love the MMS water discount variable... LOL!! Try dissolving it in straight water first, if it doesn't dissolve well, put some saran wrap on top of your lye mixing container, poke a small hole in it for the stick blender, and blend that baby into submission! I wouldn't recommend doing this without saran wrap, even with goggles on. Keeping the milk out in the beginning will make sure you see no crystals, and if you add the milk once the water gets cooler, there's less of a chance of scorching it.

Have you successfully soaped with clove eo? I can't get it not to seize, even in tiny percentages.. Love the look of those, but have another crazy question, won't those cranberries hurt?

Yup Yup, me too! (unless I have a huge oil order I need and shipping will only be a buck or 2 extra, as I love those big buckets!)

How much of a water discount are you using?

I've found that If I'm making a swirled soap, with 3+ colors, I stickblend just until emulsified then whisk. If I'm making a solid colored batch, I stickblend the snot out of it. Also, I've learned to whisk in the FO, and made a habit to do it everytime so I don't forget to do it when I pick a new fo or eo blend to try. Soap on a stickblender bites!

Ok Girl - ger ready for soapmaking math 101...lol You have a 2 1/2 pound mold so that's 16+16+8 (one pound plus one pound plus 1/2 a pound) which totals 40 oz. Soooo.. Talking the super simple recipe I posted, here's how you would break it down. 20% Coconut 20% Lard 60% Olive .20 x 40 = 8 oz Coconut Oil .20 x 40 = 8 oz Lard .60 x 40 = 24 oz Olive Just move the decimal point two to the right, and mutiply it by the total batch amount for your breakdown. If there's any part of this you don't understand, please holler and I or someone else here will explain it differently! Have fun!

It's my understanding that the peg castor IS the emulsifier.

Once again...lol Try www.thesage.com They have slimline lipstick containers.. If that's not quite what you want, let me know and I'll dig for ya!