blazerina

Hello all. In my quest to find Citric Acid locally I have come up with a few places for other supplies as well. Although I'm not a fan of the local politcs in this town - it appears that I'm very lucky to live here where there is such a high demand and market for health, craft and organic food and supplies. This may be long winded but here goes... Check out http://www.healthyhealing.com/retail.stores.html I found this link while looking for my local Wyants Health Food store. Big sis had told me she gets her EO's there and gave me an example for price: Eucalyptus EO 2 oz 7.40 - she is not a crafter of b&b or candles or anything- she is just REALLY into the healing properties of EO's. She also gets her Almond oil there as a carrier to apply it in her various ways. And I did btw find my citric acid at a small town local grocery store Ray's Food Place. But I think they only reason they had it is because they bought and took over the store that used to be there- Market of Choice (old Price Chopper) and they were also a health/organic customer based regular grocery store. So the new store kept the products to not upset the locals, lol. But my mothers Rays does not have this stuff at all. But the CA was only 2.88 lb. I think thats good right? I recall the best online price as 3.35 lb (or was that for 5lb dohhh) lol. Then my lil sis showed me her dried hibiscus flowers (she uses them to make a pretty red tea, the website was selling them for bath teas) that she got from a Latino mkt in town. Get this.... 1.23 lb. That is ridiculously low from what I remember seeing on one of the sites everyone talks about. And best of all about any of this stuff........NO SHIPPING!!! I can't wait to see what other goodies these places have. But I hope this gives you some ideas where to look. I know it was driving me mad wishing there was a place local... and lo and behold!:whoohoo: So I figued i'd share the info cuz I know i'm not alone, lol. Good luck. -Laura p.s. the Latino mkt also had lots of other exotic type items from Iraq, India, etc.

I'm going to try my hand at some tonight for the very first time. I'm looking forward to everyone pics. How would a virtual class work? - Laura

Looks like everyone is on the same page here... you both use sugar (and castor oil) to help with suds. That's interesting. What does the sugar do? I've read about the castor oil but never the sugar. I like putting sugar in things, lol. And yes, I think i've just been trying to experiment with too many things at once... I try to pour some kiddie shapes, pour whats left into another little pan to make a dif color.. etc...and then I try to pour a bar and I run out and you are so right, so much of it sticks to the bowl!! I hadn't thought about that. But I try to do little bits of different things because I just don't have homes for too many experiments of the same kind! And then there is the whole thing with the numbers. I HATE numbers. Surely when I bought the molds they said 4oz....surely when I bought the soap base-- any other person would have noticed 32 squares... 2lbs=32 oz... 1square=1oz, lol.. duhh. But nooo not me. I'm oblivious! Yeah I know... possibly the wrong hobby for me? Lol, which is why I went with M&P not CP!!! Thanks for the encouragement and helpful tips! -Laura

Since im still learning and experimenting I've been doing just a few bars/shapes at a time. I'm guessing this is probably why my base cools so fast. But I tried to test this theory and use twice as much as usual for some really beefy massage bars (with lavender buds and Oatmeal), and had plenty left over from which I wanted to make the little icky critter soaps out of... I used metal bows and thick walled glass bowls thinking it would hold the heat inand it all cooled TWICE AS FAST it seems! Since this is my very very very first 2lb block, I grabbed one from the craft store. Is THIS why? Is it a quality thing? Maybe I am afraid to overheat it and it's not getting hot enough? As per instructions i go 40 secs ( i do it on med power in micro) then at 20 sec interals after that. It almost never needs to go longer than the first set of 20 after the initial 40. Maybe my batches are just plain and simple too small. It is a clear base with aloe and e added at the manufacturing level. ( it also doesn't suds up much.. is this normal?) Any ideas about excessive cooling? Or is that also totally normal? The great thing is, with all this cooling, then reheating and or heating more to finish filling up a mold adding to- ect... i guess that's a form of a 'layer' lol.....and so far so good. I got something right if even by accident. Nothing has fallen apart. :tiptoe: Oh by the way... my first bar was a round massage bar for hubby... sorry was too excited to get pics before putting it in the shower. Peppermint FO with Poppy seed (I call it my PP soap, lmaoo) in the massage ball part. Can I just pass on that these lil guys are rather like using an SOS pad for crying out loud!? Oh well.. ya live and ya learn and you make MORE SOAP right??!!! -Laura

guppygirl: And, yup, how would one go about insulting this? Well everyone has their own style, but I'd sneer at it and say,'You stupid roll of wannabe metal... " Followed by a slew of other not very nice words. As I said I couldn't resist. It's nearly 3 am and this night owl is bored, lol. Please forgive me, lol. -Laura

Hi- I haven't started making anything yet really but i've been reading the boards a lot and I'm guessing someone will chime in with 'menthol cyrstals'. I've seen them on some of the sites and plan on using some myself. They are bigger sized from what i've seen but you can grind them down yourself. (with precautions taken to not create or breath in too much menthol dust)But I think you ask a very good question... will the peppermint fo do the same as most cinnamon and warm type oils... only opposite? I think also something like Eucalyptus would be cooling. But again, im not really sure. Hopefully someone else will chime in!

Well... it's actually a bottle of soy oil. My sister gave it to me unopened and i had never seen it before. It's a very generic looking bottle and doesn't give any info on what it is for. I did a quick internet search and only found things either touting how soy is good or bad, but not how to use it. The bottle only says Ingredients: Soybean oil. I tried a bit on my skin and it's nice and light but it seemed to change the Fragrance and retained a faint but noticeable corn or vegetable type odor for a while, but did eventually wear off and leave only the smallest amount of fragrance. My pupose for it? Eh- I don't know. Was thinking as an additive to b&b type stuff, massage oil, etc. I was just experimenting and wondering. Heck I don't know, maybe it's for cooking! I barely do any of that either so i'm doubly uninformed, lol.

I'll keep it short and quick...Is there a way to mask a vegetable type smell from an oil in order to allow it to carry your fragrance well? Actually I mean to ask, is there an additive that will essentially deodorize an oil? Thanks for any input. - Laura

Free shipping? Hmm. Very kewl! I will look around and see what else I want, lol. But i'm kind of in a daze right now- how can this be? I'm afraid I will wake up from a dream and realize it all REALLY WAS too good to be true, lol. :tiptoe: Ok ok, sheesh I sound like such a drama queen, lol. Which i'm absolutely not btw, lol. Really, I promise. But I'm sure you all can remember back to when you were doing your research just getting started and everything looked so overwhelming. So yes, a huuuuge unending thank you to Ruba for the link and everyone else for their info. I will put this in my favorites, go look around for now and tomorrow get on the phone to my local Trader Joes and Oasis health food stores. But I can't imagine they'd be any cheaper than that site. Even with the handling charge. A shopping I go!

Ok so I called a few brewery supply houses. Seems beer makers don't normally need to use this much as they typically sell it in 2oz pkgs. for 1.69 They offered to batch me up something bigger... and quoted me $12 for a pound. The other sold theirs in 2,(2oz pkg slightly more then the first place I called) 4 or 16 oz sizes and quoted me just under $9 for the pound pkg. I guess this is 'ok'... but don't I see it online for $3.35lb? How frustrating. In order to avoid shipping costs you have to pay more anyways! But I'm stubborn, lol.... so tell me, lmao- those of you who have found it at pharmacies- are we talking grocery store pharmacies, ma and pa type, Tiffany's??? And what exactly is it used for/where would it be located? If Grandma went in to buy some what would her ailment be? Lol. I'm also going to do as another poster suggested and look in chemicals. Not gonna buy 50lbs, lol, but it's worth a shot.

I assumed the cornstarch was needed as the other half of the fizzie reaction caused by citric acid... meaning I thought the Cs and ca reacted to eachother. But I also always kind of wondered, cuz it is not in every recipie.

Do you already have an idea of what you want to use as the cloth its self? I was going to ask you this and wait to see if you already had an idea so that it wouldn't seem like I was about to try to sell you something, lol... and you dont' have to get it from me... i'm sure SOMEBODY knows an Mk rep that can sell you some facial cloths (2.25 pk 25) I don't know if this is expensive or not... i'm guessing yes because they are after all meant for the face and not available wholesale- well- lol- at least not through MK. Someone on here may come up with a site with something like them even better for your use. These are quite thick and really really durable. A lot of the consultants don't even use them anymore as they prefer big fluffy luxurious wash cloths- they may not even know they exist, lol. But they do. Seems like you could use a multitude of anti bacterial property products whether you wanted to go 'natural' or not with your idea. And then there is figuring out a dispenser/container. It seems very doable once you find the cloth it's self and a base liquid to deliver all them good cleaning things you are going to add:D Also- once you get the basics in hand.... I would think a preservative would be paramount since this product will probably always be in a damp/wet environment? Do I know of any or have any ideas about any of the rest of it? Lol- heck no. But I think you are really onto something! Very clever. It would be nice to be able to just grab something that you know will clean up AND not have to pay big bucks for big company logos. :highfive:

I'll check it out thank you!

Hello and welcome. But I'm going to have to step aside now and let the real experts jump in. <~~~ Still getting my feet wet myself. - Laura

Too funny... so it's NOT just me!

Ok- I thank you so much for that info. I clicked on the link and I don't really know what Im looking at/ or for. Do I do a search for the B&BW brand or fragrance name? I thought it would be easiest to use this oil as I dont know what EO's or FO's were used to create this perfect match. Also, at .99 cents for a 1/4 oz I thought that was a cheap way to try before I commit to bigger quantities. -Laura

Ok, here's one for you experts! I located an Ebay store that sells massage oils, dry spray oils for hair body, roll on purfumes... room sprays, etc. She has one that is a B&BW dupe from a discontinued line ive been aching for! I ordered a sample of the Massage oil made only of sweet almond oil and FO, and it's absolutey right on. Can I make a soap with it? Do I use the same measurement as I would for any FO? I think this is a silly q - i'm sure its 'safe' --but I want to make sure you CAN add Sweet Almond Oil to say... a clear M&P base, do I add more since it is 'cut' with the Sweet Almond oil, does it blend, is it like any other oil, are there oils that just DONT blend, etc. And while I have your attention:grin2: I know this is the b&b board but do any of you cross overs know if I can also make a tart or maybe in the future, a candle with it if i like it in the soap? Is there a general rule that if you can use it in B&B you can use in a candle? Or is that a no no? I want to start with tarts for a while. I like the idea that I'm less likely to be responsible for something BURNING. Lol. Ohh i hope this makes sense! I love this fragrance (Water Blossom Ivy) so much it makes me loopy, lol.

Wow. That's depressing, lol. But excellent info to have. Thanks everyone for sharing. I think maybe I'll just use them as back up and practice for now. And I should have thought about the price dif equaling + shipping to working at the same in the end. You are right. It is 9.99 for 2lbs. at a craft store. But I got excited because I thought I'd seen online prices for ONE lb at a time + shipping that worked out to the same. So I thought I stumbled onto a deal, lol. Duhh. Lol. I think I've been looking at sooooo many sites i'm going mushy in the brain. I have a few more presssing q's that I will start a new thread on. I think that's the proper procedure, lol. Have a great waxy and soapy day all! - Laura

Thank you so much everyone! - Laura

I know the original poster was asking for some serious info, lol.. but I can't resist stating that sometimes, if it's the right guy... at the right time....his SWEAT is sexy, lol. I know ya all are goin' ewwwwwwww, lol. I jes said 'sometimes' Lol. How many of you hate Polo... and yet remember the confident cocky guys who wore it that you loved to hate... but hated loving to smell? It's not what I would say appeals to me as sexy in general. But the smell of it at all just says 'sex sex sex' to me. Ok boys... don't all rush to Hirons Drug store at once!

But it might be worth a try to find an actual butcher... or 'Meat Cutting School'- that is if im thinking of the same paper, lol. Someone also mentioned the rest. supply and I thought I'd add a note that a lot of people either dont think they are allowed to buy from there if they arent a rest or they just dont know it exists because it's not strictly advertised as something the general public should go to- and same for a meat cutting school/butcher. So do a yellow pages search if you havent already. I know... ask your local deli where they get theirs. Maybe they can help. Just try to think of anyone that might possibly have a need for the stuff. It shouldn't be this elusive. Bakery? School cafeteria? Local college? Surely they have cooking classes right? Any body who hunts or fishes profusely would need this stuff or at least know of where they take their 'catch' (lol) to have it prepared for use and storage. I hope you find some. Good luck for sure! -Laura

Wow. You people are busy on here! I havent gotten off my duff since I posted the q- except to alleviate myself -and so far four people have my answers! This place is awesome and you guys rock! It seems like you are all familiar with it and I can be assured i'm being pointed in the right direction! Gotta love the experienced! I'm not going to tell my sister that I found it - im just going to get it make it and gift it, lol. She'll love it. I hope I do it justice. Thank you thank you thank you all soo much. (I can tell already i'm going to be a weeping blubbering gracious idiot for a while around here, lol. Thanks peeps. Seriously) - Laura

I'm new to this craft so I have many q's! Right now though, i'm just noticing that everyone gets their supplies on line it seems. I stopped into my local Joanne Fabrics and Craft store just to see if and what they had. They actually had quite a selection of scents, dyes, wicks, etc. Wax and soap too, as well as kits. The main brands seem to be Yaley (?) and 'Life of the party'. I'm guessing that these maybe are not as pure of products as what can be purchased on line? My own assumption is that online prices are cheaper but that's only before shipping. Maybe once I get into it I will find that the scent and additive selection is weak... but for me -right now- I'm just so giddy that I can get my hands on this stuff with out having to pay shipping! But I do intend to seriously get addicted, lol - and therefore HAVE to sell either to afford it or unload it! So I do want to know anyone's opinion on these brands and if the quality is there and if it is worth my money. Thanks so very much! - Laura

Hi- I have someone asking if I can replicate the Burts' Baby Bee scent. This entire offshoot line of products carries the same scent. But of course they aren't giving out any clues as to what it is. It is described as a soft/creamy/floral, not harsh but definitely full of scent. I haven't smelled this product myself yet and im new to this craft and all the available Fo's, but I'm hearing that it is 'divine!' If any one has any ideas it would be so greatly appreciated. Thanks all. -Laura:confused:

Crap- I just realized... now I have to get OFF the boards and get back to house work! <grumble %#@!!@#$*!! grumble> Maybe I need a second opinion? Lol. Ok, fine!