Bunny

Buggies grow in water.. That's why many whipped butters don't contain preservative, they normally don't need it. Anything with water, and adding certain elements, such as milks, honey, proteins and aloe (and a zillion other things) make it even more prone to grow bacteria, yeast, and mold. Anything can get moldy, I'm just making a choice that is supposed to lessen the chances. Just try it with the water...

Well, how long has that gel sat on the shelf? Doing the heat and hold like you're supposed to do with water will kill any goodness left in the aloe, kinda defeats the point in using it. Try it with just water.. I really can't tell a difference between it with or without, just makes for good label appeal...lol

Ok, here's the reason I went with the powder instead of the gel. The liquid simply contains more buggies and stuff. In a 6 month test batch, the ones with the liquid gel visably molded, and I made 2 sets with 2 different preservatives. Both of the ones with the powder did neither. So I'm now soaping all that liquid aloe I have!

The clamshell.. I think that would be too much "stuff" in each one if you poured it high enough to keep the breakaway thing working.. Did that make sense? Too much of these babies are NOT a good thing..lol Trying it though is the only way you'll know for sure!

Purple Lilac.. So glad you liked them! Anna.. I have no clue girl.. Did you keep your temps way down?

Lye lasts for years, as long as you keep it away from humidity.

I love me my glue gun.. Can't stand those little wick sticker thingees!

I can't bear to stick mine in soap, it's too pretty!

I sent her to the bootilicious body butter recipe...

Soduim Lactate

Looks like you've got this figured out girl! Now get to soapin! WOOOOOOHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

Check out Robin's CP tutorial.. http://watersgulch.com/howtocp.shtml Once you know this completely inside and out check out How to Build a Soap recipe.. http://www.candletech.com/forums/showthread.php?t=3164 Welcome to a new addiction! (and thanks for the recommendation Mystical!) Edited to add: You can get lye from local grocery stores, not the big dogs or hardware stores. Look in the plumbing section for stuff called Red Devil, it's in cans that have red tops. You don't need essential oils to make soap, I would recommend starting with soap safe fragrance oils to learn with, and you may even decide you like it better! I do some of both. Please feel free to ask questions and search the B&B forums for a wealth of knowledge also!

WOOHOOOO! So happy for you girl! Pictures!!!!

(lookin around for someone smart) You're too funny!

Initially it may be a soft bar due to the high soft oils, but given a good cure time, it should be as hard as a rock due to the high olive content. Personally, I'dd down the apricot kernal about 10% and replace it with palm or lard not only for cost, but to create a harder bar faster. You have AKO - 25% Avacado 12.5 Coconut 12.5 Olive 45% Shea Butter 5% Not a lot of bubbleage, some PKO or babassu in addition to the coconut might help too. Give it a shot like you have it, then tweak from there if needed!

Can you give the ingredient listing please?

It should stay white, not a bright white, but white. Off to SWS..

Yes, it will be orange if you soap hot, and a creamy tan to beige if you keep from scorching it. Why not try coconut milk instead for a white bar?

I agree, Debra and Dreama are awesome!

Just use the regular OO sap on sooz.. Just an added side note, NG's pear berry discolors white! Gotta love it! Edited to add: Be sure to use the max amount of water, and you may have to soap a few degrees warmer to keep from getting a false trace.

Spray it with witch hazel just like you do with MP between layers.. Just spritz it on the top.. Learned this off the dish! It really works! Or put saran wrap directly on the top of soap as it goes through gel...

Thanks for answering the questions Robin & Eugenia, we've been out preparing for the hurricane all day, and still have loads more to do tommorow. Will be out of touch til Tuesday morning if it doesn't hit us, and for who knows how long if it does! Now, everyone better have some soap made by the time I get back!

www.the-buying-group.com Under packaging, they call them H2O bags.. HTH!

I used crisco, as it differ's in regions of the country as what it's make of, but just about the same sap wise. In some parts of the country it's pure hydro soybean, and it others it's a blend of the hydro cotton seed and hydro soybean. I have never seen soy shortening on a lye calc, I would get the sap numbers and run it manually. (And I don't know how to do that, so me, I just wouldn't, my math is way too flaky).

Are you doing CP or HP?