Janis

Very pretty pink:)

From time to time, I have heard folks say that the sap value for coconut oil on the various soap calcs may be wrong, and that's why coconut oil is so drying in soap. Does anyone have any info on this?

Well, the whole concept of the "salt bar" that many folks make is that the high amount of coconut oil (50-60%) and salt mixed together will make a lathery and moisturizing bar. I imagine if you put an all coconut oil bar in salt water, it would have a similar reaction. I've made salt bars, and they lather up a storm.

I use pko in place of coconut oil because I have an allergic reaction to co. Some people are sensitive to co, too, so you may want to use it in smaller numbers if you are selling. Co and pko both make hard bars, but pko is milder to the skin, imo, and makes bigger, fluffier bubbles. It just depends on what you want in your final product. ETA: some folks like the bubbles co gives better than pko, lol. CO will give you a slightly harder bar.

The curd is nice, but my favorite for soaping is SW lemon verbena. It's a sophisticated lemon scent, not sweet or bakery.

It's beautiful, Sara:D

Those soapies are "wicked" beautiful! How did you do those swirlies?????

Yep, it overheated, lol! Good thing you put it in the fridge or you might have had a volcano! I'm with Bunny, it was probably the honey.

Sorry, I didn't know you were doing hp. I don't know about sodium lactate in hp. Remember that pko and co really do the same thing. They make the bar hard and lathery. So, you can replace the co with pko in any recipe. Go ahead and try your recipe and see how your skin feels. It may be fine. But if not, try replacing the co with all pko. Also, I've never thought that palm make your skin feel dry. Actually, I like the feel of palm. JMHO, lol.

I think your recipe looks lovely. You have lots of linoleic and oleic, which will make a conditioning bar. The numbers look good. There are two things to consider: 1) do you really need sodium lactate (I think you'll have a nice, hard bar without it, and 2) make the recipe and let it cure. If you still have dry, flakey (and especially itchy) skin, then take out the coconut oil altogether and just use pko. Some people are allergic to co and it won't matter how low you go, you will still feel it. If this is your first time making soap, stick with full water. If not, I'd reduce the water a bit. Multiply your lye amount by 2 and use that amount of water. So for this recipe, use 8.86 oz. of water. That way, you'll have less of a cure time. Make sure you use a tried and true fo (check out the reviews here or on "the scent review" (latherings).

I used to use a mitre box with a soap cutter, knife, etc., and it never worked for me. Now I have a Delsie Cutter and it cuts the soap with a wire (a guitar string, to be exact). If I were to try the mitre box again, I would cut with a wire. I think you'll get the most accurate and smooth cut that way. Try making a wire cutter that is about a foot long with handles of some type on the end (like wrapping the wire around wood dowels so you have something to get your hands around). You don't HAVE to have guitar string, but they really do cut better than regulare wire.

Well, I guess for me it is when I get the white powdery-looking stuff on top of my bar. Having said that, when I use my slab mold, the ash occurs on the top where it is exposed to air. With the silicone molds, the ash on the flip-flops is actually occuring on the bottom, because the top IS the bottom, if you know what I mean, lol.

You know, as I look at both of them, I guess the flip-flops DO have less volume than the shells. Maybe the flip-flops did cool down sooner. Just seems like they aren't that much different in size, though.

Yes, they are scented. The test was for an eo blend of tea tree, litsea, lemon, lavender, and rosemary. It smells heavenly. Ya know, both of the silicone molds have about the same volume, I think. I just can't figure this one out, lol.

I haven't had ash in awhile. I'm always curious as to what causes it. This was a test batch I did. I put most of the soap in a sort of cube plastic container. It had no ash at all. Then I put the leftovers into these two silicone molds. The soap in the flip-flop mold ashed, but the soap in the shell mold didn't. My base oil is RBO (I know there is more chance of soap ashing with RBO). I soaped VERY cool (I know ther is more chance of soap ashing when you soap cool). I didn't let it gel--put it in the fridge to make sure it wouldn't. So, why did the flip-flops ash, but the shell didn't?:undecided

I just ordered LLC. Can't wait to sniff it! Sounds like a full water fo, huh?

I got a slightly different lye number on the soap calc. With those oils the soap calc says your lye should be 5.548 oz. It looks like you are rounding your oils up, which is fine. The numbers look good. Looks like a nice bar. You might want to make a test batch before you do 70 pounds of oils, though.

Maybe a little smaller than upchucking cottage cheese, but you've got the basic idea, lol. Let's just say, you'll know it when you see it.

I think they are lovely, just the way they are;)

Yeah, I keep telling myself it's good exercise:tongue2:

I soap in the garage, which is downstairs. Here's what I do: 1. I mix my lye first and let it sit for quite awhile. 2. Then I measure out my hard oils and take them upstairs to microwave. I let them sit for quite awhile as well. 3. I carry the cooled hard oils back down to the garage. I measure out my soft oils and mix with the hard oils. 4. I mix together my eo blend (if that is what I am using). 5. If I'm using colorant or additives, I get that measured out. I mix colorant or clays with a bit of the soaping oil until completely dissolved (I hate spots in my soap, lol) 6. I put away the scale, gloves, goggles, etc. and get everything in place for the soaping (mold, stick blender, paper towels, etc). I don't have to line my mold 'cause it's an Upland. 7. Then I pour the lye water into the oils, add any additives or color, etc. Walaa! Soap!

Some of you remember when the same thing happened to my kitty and he was in the vet hospital for a week. At that time I said I would never soap in an area that a toddler had access to. This is a tragic story. But let's think less tragic for a moment. When I soap, even though I am quite neat and tidy, lye crystal tend to fly all over the place. Do you really want your toddler in an area where lye crystals are on the floor and can get on their feet and hands? Then just think about that toddler putting his hands in his mouth. This is a recipe for disaster! I learned the hard way with my precious kitty. DON'T SOAP IN AN AREA WHERE YOUR TODDLER IS CRAWLING AROUND!!!!

Your bar looks good! Really, the only number I pay attention to is the iodine number. I like to keep it below 80. But for the rest, I like to look at the qualities of the oils, like Robin said. If your bar makes you feel clean and it's not drying, your way ahead of the game. Now you'll have fun tweaking, like we all do!

Mmmmm! Looks and sounds delish!

That soap looks wonderful! I love OMH without fo. That's the only way I make it because I really can't stand OMH fo, lol. It takes some curing before the smell really comes out, but when it does, it's the best! It smells oatmealy and homey and cozy! You'll love it!