ah-soy

Thanks VY...how do you test your oils? I have the chek-it kit from Snowdrift Farm, but it's for water formulas so I only use it to test my lotions and creams.

Gorgeous! Did you use royal icing or VY's recipe?

A cream should be thicker than a lotion, but not necessarily more greasy. When you blended up your water phase and oil phase did you blend while pouring the oil into the water or water into the oil? The first method will create a water in oil emulsion and be greasier. The second will create an oil in water emulsion and should be much less greasy (of course depending on your recipe). I did a lot of research on o/w and w/o emulsions awhile back and made the switch to pouring the water phase into the oils (while stick blending of course) ...amazing difference. I was able to eliminate cornstarch and other grease busters totally.

If you have a Costco up there, they sell a lot of baking stuff in bulk. I bought baking soda in 12lb bags for a great price...wish I could remember how much, but it's been awhile. I just know it was so much cheaper than the grocery stores. I also buy my sugar for scrubs in 25 lb bags there.

looks delish! How does it feel?

Wish I could post a pic but I tossed them all when I found the mold The mold was growing just on the top of the cupcakes, below the icing, but not on the icing. It must be the water in the icing because I've never had mold occur with my tried and true bathbomb recipe. I used two icing recipes that I found specifically for cupcake bombs and neither one called for a preservative. The first was just the regular old royal icing recipe...powdered sugar, meringue powder, and yeppers...water. The other was the WSP recipe for cupcake icing with melt and pour, foaming bath whip and glycerine...probably glycerine overload there. I was wondering if anyone else who makes iced cupcake bombs has ever found mold?

you think in the icing? The mold is forming on top of the cupcakes...the icing has none?

Very surprised to find out that when I ice my cupcake bathbombs mold starts growing between the top of the cake and the icing. I've made bath bombs for years and have never had mold issues. I just started making them in cupcake shapes and tinkering with icing recipes. I made the regular old royal icing recipe...yep mold grew. Whipped up some melt and pour with foaming bath butter and those molded also. What they heck can be going on? The cupcakes were bone dry before I iced them. In fact a couple of weeks of curing time. The only thing I can think of is the water in the icing is not getting along with the oils in the bomb recipe. Anyone else have this happen?

Daria is right...grams are much easier. I just use the formula that 1 oz = 30 grams (although a gram is actually 28.something) the 30 makes it much easier to convert and much easier to weigh out on a scale. 9.6oz is hard to find (and less accurate) on a scale, but 9.6oz x 30 = 288 grams is much easier to weigh. With this method you get a bit extra, but there is always a little waste in batches of lotions and creams so you are likely to end up with the batch total you were looking for anyway.

looks like you figured it out while I was typing!

It's a simple formula. Just put a decimal in front of the percentages for each ingredient and multiply by the number of ounces you want to make. For a 16 oz (1lb batch): water .60 x 16 = 9.6oz do this for all your ingredients. For the single digit % make sure to put a zero in front of the number... example: e-wax .06 x 16 = .96 oz good luck and have fun

thanks for the tip on the swirls. Oh dear, another thing for me to try...you people need to quit enabling me!

Oh, I should have added that I of course didn't use your recipe...it was from somewhere else and I may have goofed it up somehow and caused the beasties to grow...sure didn't mean to imply that!

gorgeous!!! How did you make the pretty swirls???

glycerin works with the SLSa and helps create the large, long lasting bubbles. Thanks much for the recipe, I'll have to try it too. One questions though...last time I made these, within a few days they were growing mold all over. I attributed it to the glycerine content and no preservative. Have you ever found a need to use a preservative with this recipe?

you don't really have to order the larger amounts although they are cheaper that way. There is a link on each label page to order fewer pages...you can also order samples before you buy.

I found an article online that says you can remove wood stain with vegetable oil...make sense since wood stain (and I assume candle dye) are oil based. I'd try soaking cotton swabs with whatever veg oil you have. If it works then wash the veg oil off with soap and water. Good luck!

Also ordered a sample of this. If it smells as good as the description sounds it will be yummy! Thanks for the heads up on it!

I order a sample of this...sounds soooooo good.

I've picked out about 6 chocolate samplers...probably will end up with more. Thanks everyone for your help. It is so hard to decide. I'm trying to limit my cupcake scents to 6 or 8, but not sure that will happen. Oh well, I can always use the others in something else!

Wow, that surprises me about the FLC although I've never put it in wax. It's lovely in bath and body stuff. Isn't it funny how different our sniffers can be? OK, think I have my list almost done. Still needing a chocolate scent. The only one I've tried from NG is Peppermint Patty, but wanting a chocolate without the mint. Any suggestions? Can't wait to get these ordered, in and the cupcakes made up! I've been using the same scents for weeks and am looking forward to a change!

I also LOVE the yuzu, vanilla pear and mango papaya...good in anything I've put them in. Can't even use the Black Cherry Bomb. It's sooo strong I get a headache I was wondering about the Cotton Candy too so will probably pick up a sample. Ive poured the frangelico struesel in tarts, but never used in B&B...hmmmmmm might be interesting. Thanks for those suggestions. My list is getting longer which is good and bad...ha!

In addition to using spic and span utensils, containers and workspace you should cover your hair and make sure there is nothing on your clothing that can float into the ingredients. I even bought a lab type coat that is only worn when I work. When my allergies are bad I wear a mask too. I also wear gloves and touch nothing with my bare hands. I look like such a nerd...ha! What I was specifically talking about though is boiling and holding the water phase at proper temp...important to pre-kill any nasties in the water.

I also love the frosted lime cupcake. Made some samples up and it is yummy. I've added: Oatmeal, Cream and Honey and I think either orange juice cake or orange chiffon cake plus Raspberry Zinger still trying to pick a chocolate so will probably order samples any other NG recommendations?

I think OMH would be great! I've used it in lotions and love it. Also all the tropical ones would be awesome too. Has anyone used any specific oils from NG that they can recommend?