Angel91805

Does anyone use The Candlemaker's Store Soy Hand & Body Lotion or the Soy Thick Hand & Body Cream? Wondering if they are worth getting (i.e.shipping).....

Thanks!

Donna

Well....I have the prettiest scorched looking chunks this morning! I thought I'd snap a pic of it and share it with you. Hehehe.

So..I got the message...NO SB after FO goes in...EVER. Make salt bars w/ room temp lye and cooler oils. Check!

So...seeing the lovely brown chunks here....after cure time, should I keep this for myself or will the over fragranced chunks cause issues?

Thanks!

Donna

I "third" the vote for flash drives! They are awesome...so convenient too. I also use a laptop and a desk top. (DH has Vista and I'm hissing at him to stay away from *my* computers!) Word of warning though....they are small and easily lost! LOL. Mine are now on neck lanyards...not so much to wear but so they don't get lost! After Xmas I bought 2 - 1GB each jump drives on Buy.com for $35...and had free shipping to boot. Very much loved over the CDR's and CDRW's.

Hope that helps!

Donna

OK...should have done the first cut an hour ago! HA!

BUT....a little piece chunked off....and it soaped up nicely!

:embarasse

Donna

I no longer use the SB after adding FO if I add it at trace, it's all hand stirring from that point on.

Is this FO a problem FO?

Was the FO cold when you added it? (I've seen problem FO's added cold to the soap do some funky things)

Did you add the FO first and then stir in the salt?

What kind of salt did you use?

Oh my....so many questions....lemme try to remember....

I don't know if this FO is a problem FO. I didn't look. :undecided

The FO was room temperature.

I added in the FO...whirred it w/ the SB for about 15 seconds...then ladled out some into a smaller dish to color. THEN I grabbed the uniodined table salt and hand stirred it into the soap.

Now that I think about it......it got the chunks immediately AFTER I put in the FO.

Any hope for the batch?

I'm off to do the first cut on them now. If it's any consolation....the batch heated up nicely and smells really good!

Donna

Your first ever CP batch is a salt bar? I'd recommend backing away from the salt and starting a bit simpler...

What oils did you have in your recipe? Did you pre-melt the oils? Could be a chunk of butter.

Yup.... Like I said, probably not my smartest move. Hehehe.

I used 80% coconut (76 deg), 10% shea and 10% olive. Oil was all melted and at 103-ish when I added the 115-ish degree lye solution. So, it wasn't a chunk of butter....

Donna

So, I'm making my first CP batch, and it's a salt bar. (I know...probably not the best move!)

I get everything all going...pour the lye solution in the oils, stickblend - whir about 20-30 seconds and then stir stir stir - over and over until it was at a light trace. Poured in FO (Backwoods Sea Salt Breeze)....stickblend whir whir whir...Ladled some out to color....and encountered a CHUNK. A chunk of what, I have NO clue. While I was coloring....DH tried to whir back in the chunks. Poured it into the mold at a thick applesauce stage...<sigh>... plopped on the color that thickened like THAT....and then swirled it all with a bamboo skewer....encountering several CHUNKS (walnut sized too!).

What in the heck are the chunks? What'd I do wrong (so I don't do it again)? And are my salt bars salvagable??

I took pics....As soon as I figure out how, I'll post them.....

Donna

God help us all....I'm going to do it. Just as soon as I get up from the computer.

I put on my Big Girl Panties this morning....and I'm still scared.

<breathe breathe>

I can do this. I am NOT afraid of the 2 jars of lye I have. I am armed with the knowledge of hundreds of ladies and gents. I am armed with a dust mask, safty goggles, rubber gloves, long sleeve shirt, long pants and an apron. I am armed with a 9 page print out, with pictures!, of the CP tutorial from this forum. I am armed with a 3 page tutorial on salt bars. My son is happily out of the house. DH is nearby, just in case. I can do this.

<breathe breathe>

WAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

Donna

Don't worry...if you go crazy...we're here for you!

My advise....where you can...GET SAMPLES. You can get samples from KY if you order something else. You can also get samples from Soaper's Workshop (LOVING Lindsay's stuff!) and Essentials by Catalina. Hmmmm....I think that was all the samples I got....I did get some from SFIC, but I wouldn't recommend those. Ew.

If I think of more to fuel your addiction, I'll let you know!

<ducking and running>

Donna

Yeah, when's the first meeting?? From my desk I can see....6, no 7 different bases!

I'm trying to find a happy medium between using bases and making from scratch. Right now I'm happy using bases for some things and then making (dare I say) simpler things from scratch, like cuticle balm and solid perfume. I'm working on a lipbalm that I can live with year round (gets super hot here in the summer).

I did make some lotion from scratch....Coffee Butter Latte Cream from MMS's site...and it was ALOT of ingredients and therefore alot of $$. One of my testers, however, has been sharing the lotion (she's a nail tech) and now I, apparently, have a line waiting to buy their own lotion! (Just found this out last night!) Personally....I'm a bit too skittish of the preservative issue right now. LOL.

Hugs,

Donna

Angel did ya make some soap yet???

Oh gosh, NO!! Are you crazy?? I have to work my way gently into this.....

HAHAHAHA

Donna

You can get them with or without a lid. I didn't get a lid...though in hindsight I wish I had. I did get extra dividers so that I can only pour different sized batches.

Donna

Woo hoo!! *getdown* I'm doing the Happy Dance here tonight! My brand spankin' new Misty Creek mold came today and I'm doing the boogie!!! Loving it. Need another one so I don't have to mess this one up! BUAHAHAHA.

Now I have no excuses not to make my first batch of soap. None. Nope. Not a one. <sigh> :tiptoe: Anyone close enough to come hold my hand???

Hehehe

Donna

I checked on the Fragrance Oil Finder site and ...well...found it. LOL.

http://www.creativefragrances.com/

Donna

I just got mine in the mail yesterday, so I can't offer much help. I will say that the slots in the mold are just a teensy bit larger than the thickness of the cutter...so not too much wiggle room.

Hope that helped a tiny bit....

Donna

Oh my!! :awww: I'm sorry that happened to you!

So, what was it, so we don't do it too???

Hugs,

Donna

Ohhh...I'm so glad you answered this, AJ! <as she furiously copies notes down> I found lye yesterday! I know it sounds like I discovered a new comet, but I was having trouble. After I found lye, I ordered a Mr. Do Right mold and a Misty Creek mold (gotta keep my options open!). This morning I found fresh goat's milk AND canned goat's milk at the store. Hehehe. And now I know what to do with them!

We now return you to the previously un-hijacked thread....

Donna

Has anyone seen the VS dupe of "Sweet Cravings"? It smells JUST like Aquolina's Pink Sugar, but with much less musk.

Hmm, I've never heard of this VS scent. How odd though....I never smell musk in either the Pink Sugar perfume I have nor any of the dupes I've tried.

Donna

Here's the link to Mr. Do Right - I think he's only on Ebay http://stores.ebay.com/NO-LINER-SOAP-MOLDS-AND-CUTTERS .

I finally bought two of his molds...... I can't WAIT to get them- I have about 10 Scents to try !!!!

Oh how funny! I just ordered three molds from Mr. Do Right. I bet he's wondering why he's suddenly so popular!!

Grumpy, you should talk to him about a referral bonus!

Hugs,

Donna

Yup, I love them all. Pink Sugar, Coconut Banana Blast, German Chocolate Cake, Green Clover & Aloe, Hyacinth, Ocean and Storm Watch, off the top of my head are my favorites.

Donna

I have no clue as to their service or quality...but I found it at www.getsuckered.com .

Hope that helps,

Donna

From their website: (hope I'm allowed to copy/paste!)

"To use product: At room temperature, add recommended use level directly to city tap or distilled water. Add 1% fragrance. Preservative already in base.

Suggested Use Level:

• Bubble Bath: 25-50%

• Shower Gels, Shampoo, Washes: 50% "

If you read the reviews for this product, other people have posted how they've used it.

Donna

I thought about pouring at a lower temp, Fern.....but this last batch I did, I had a FO with a low flashpoint (132 degrees), so I let the wax cool down to 130, stirred in the FO and coloring, and poured just shy of 130 degrees. Still had dimplage. <sigh>

Dimples are cute....we love dimples.

Donna

Thanks for the ideas! I have decided that I definately like the blend of 4794 and 4630 better...almost creamier and smoother, if that makes sense. DH has convinced me to embrace my Inner Dimple and not do a repour. That will make my tarts just shy of 1oz...but I think I can live w/ it!

Hugs,

Donna

GRRRRRRRRRRRR

I've been using IGI4794 for my tarts. Love the throws on it....super hate the repours. DH says I should embrace my inner dimple. I just growled at him and told him to shut up.

I got some 4630 and used it at 25% w/ the 4794 last night. I poured to pretty crown at about 165 degrees and still we have dimplage.

Is there a single pour votive wax out there??? Is it hiding?? GRRRRRR

Donna