Soapmaker Man

Wess stated and true, Grandma! Paul....

I tested over 30 recipes I've made up using Sooz Calc. trying to get a good, if I can borrow the word, "synergy" from the various oils, fats, butters I use to get the recipe I really like today! At least 30 recipes! I've been at this 2 years now, and still sell a lot more TOG Soapmaking Tools, than The 'Ole Goat Soaps & Lotions! Do I make THE WORLDS BEST SOAP??? HARDLY! Do I after testing over 30 recipes make a decent bar with good synergy, I think so. I was too anxious at first too, but started out making goat milk soaps and never looked back. I wish I would have transitioned from regular CP to GMCP over a period of time though. A good bar of soap, like it's maker, is like a good bottle of wine or cheese, it gets better over TIME! Paul....

Another thing to add to my shopping cart at Tradewinds! Paul....

You know, the other day I was reading a scent description and saw that too! "Discolors to white." It caught my eye, but did not bookmark it. You are correct, I just can't remember where.... ETA: Found one: http://www.brambleberry.com/cybilla3.html The Violet and Sun Kissed Currant. Paul....

This looks like a great, simple, but fantastic recipe! Cool, gotta try it! Thanks!!! Paul....

My suggestion would be to try it with just sea salt or kosher salt first. You won't really need pumice added to this. You can add it if you wanted to for some reason though. The salt, especially the rougher kosher, will add more abrasion to this soap than the finer sea salt. Paul...

I don't with my wood TOG Lined Molds with Wood top. I just put the top on and it is in full gel in 30 minutes or less! So if you don't have good heavy wood molds with a top, you might want to insulate or put into an oven at 170 for a short time. This stuff sets up fast and is uncuttable after a few hours pouring--get the jackhammer! LOL Paul....

I'm like Robin & Misty, I take mine on road trips too. It has been 2 years 3 months since that detergent stuff has touched my skin! Love my GM soap! Paul....

Sure here is my recipe; 75% Coconut Oil 15% Shea Butter 5% RBO or Olive Oil 5% High Oleic Sunflower Oil or just up the OO and/or RBO to the whole 10%. Salt will add a little volume to your mold. I figure my regular amount of oils X 80%. Use that number at a soap calculator to figure the above recipe. To figure salt I use 80% of the weight of my oils in the recipe. I mix my oils to a light trace, color if you want, add FO or EO, then add salt. Hand whisk only the salt until completely mixed and pour! It thickens to a heavy trace pretty fast. I can cut my bars after 1 to 1-1/2 hours, they will be hot to the touch. Hope this helps! Paul....

I just use farm fresh GM in my soaps. I'm lucky to live in dairy country of Missouri! I went to the Meyenberg web site, and cut this information reguarding their powdered goat milk; · MEYENBERG 12 oz. Powdered Goat Milk Canister: Stamped on Bottom Shelf Life: 4 years from date of manufacture - Guarantee 365 days to warehouse / distributor · MEYENBERG 4 oz. Powdered Goat Milk Packet: Code embossed on left side margin of the packet. Shelf Life: 18 months from date of manufacture – Guarantee minimum 180 days to warehouse / distributor Hope this help you a little:grin2: Paul....

Congratulations! I love making only Goat Milk soaps! I love the creamy texture, the good qualities it adds, the lactic acid in the GM. I started over 2 years ago using GM, and never looked back. I burned several batches at first, then developed my own way (not using any frozen GM at all) of keeping my soap a nice off-white GM. It took several attempts but got it! So will you. Great job on this accomplishment so early in your soaping adventure.:highfive: That was faster than I when I first started! Paul....

Yea, a 33% lye solution is 2 parts (by weight) water to 1 part lye (by weight). I edited my post above to explain more! Paul...

A lot soap with a 33% lye solution. If you want a deep discount, up it to a 35 to 37% lye solution. The 33% is a starting, decent discount. Never go over 40% lye solution, as it is not safe. ETA: The reason for a water (or any liquid) discount is multi fold. The main reason is to reduce curing time. Another is to avoid warping of your bars. Too much liquids can cause that. Paul....

I think that is a good, solid recipe! All the numbers look just fine! That will be a great bar for you! Paul....

Same with me guys! I use coconut oil at 23% and palm kernel oil at 11% in my best selling and most favored recipe. AT 34%, arrest me, take me to the "Soap jail" because I'm breaking the rule by 4%. LOL LOL Don't tell anyone, but sometimes I up my PKO to (dare I say it):lipsrseal 14% for a total of 37% for really hard water. I do up my lye discount to 7% though. Paul... (soapmaker by trade...rebel because....I can!

I do mine at 75% coconut oil too, and find it to be very nice, no drying effects what so ever. I use shea with mine too, because of the unsaponificationable values in it, and a few other high conditioning oils. Paul....

So true, Meridith. Sometimes I just blame it on those darn soap fairies! LOL What works perfectly for you may not work for me, and the other way too. I have only been making salt bars for about 2 or 3 months now, and have a lot of learning to experience. I will never, ever know everything about soapmaking, but love to learn and share my results, albeit right or wrong. Thanks to each one of you who shared in this thread! We have heard some interesting ideas, and that is the main thing, sharing. Paul....

Thank you sweetiepie and Meridith for your observations. As I mentioned, I have never had problems with mine either! I do put my labels on the inside, but have never lost even 1 packaging due to glycerin "sweating." Interesting, indeed. Paul...!

I would agree with tallblonde. I would reduce the castor to @5% and replace with perhaps canola oil if you want a store bought less expensive oil. That would be 12% canola, use no more than that though. Better yet would be 6% olive and 6% canola, not too much oilive keeping costs down, but still adding it's great conditioning aspect. I really like canola myself at 7 to 9% in my recipe. Paul....

Thank you Lori. I have never had a problem thus far. I've have not had any issues with sweating bars. I have a dozen in my SUV in the rear. I've had them in there for a week now, 24/7, with no problems keeping them in the hot, humid rear of my Suburban. Guess I'm just lucky. Paul....

Lori, I print on 3 sides of a "cigar" type band and seal it under shrink wrap. It works well for me and my customers can still smell the soap since the ends are open. Here is a pictur of my recent salt bars; Paul....

I gel all my soaps too. I like the looks of the gelled soap especially since I use only goat milk. Many who use goat milk do not like gel, but I embrace it! I also feel the soap is a little firmer faster and has a better texture. I think curing time is a bit sooner also. Just my 2cents worth though. LOl "To gel or not to gel, that is the question!" Paul....

Yer right CareBear, given a good long cure time, her recipe will get harder because of the lard and Olive Oil. Old time lard soap was 100% lard and it cleaned and got hard. Given a good long cure time this recipe as she posted will harden up. Paul....

That recipe is very conditioning, but, no cleaning value and very soft according to the numbers at Soap Calc. You might want to drop a tad of the castor, more of the Crisco and soy oil, and add 20 to 25% coconut oil to it. It will be harder and a better bubbly and cleansing bar for you.:highfive: Paul....

Sandy this is the way I figure my salt bars for oils. If your mold holds you said 24 ounces of oils normally, take 24 multiplied by .8 or 19.2 ounces of oils. Go to Sooz calc and put 19.2 ounces in as your batch size. Figure any percentage of oils you want to use. Figure out your oils, needed lye and liquid of choice. As far as the salt goes, figure .75 of the 19.2 ounces of oils you used for this batch or use 14.4 ounces of salt. I add salt at light trace and hand whisk in until I pour. If you use these measurements, your mold should be completely full as normal. That is how it works every time for me in various size molds I have made salt bars in. Paul...