TheQueen

I mix all the butters, oils and other ingredients together, mix well, add the FO and preservative, mix extremely well, then add the sugar TO the melted oils, etc. last of all and mix well with my stick blender. I guess you missed this--it was directly under your original post.

Butt Naked is one of my favorite FOs. Beautiful soapies!!

Hey, Ah've got that southehn accent thang down too as Ah live in Tennessee! And I can tell you this--I AM ALL ABOUT PIMPING MY BUSINESS. Thanks for posting the pic of your scrub--I was right, it IS beautiful. However, I'm a bit confused why your Mom would say it was drying. For heaven's sake it's all oils and sugar essentially. I like my scrub to be rather stiff because it holds up better when you massage it into damp skin. And no, I don't want it running through my fingers either. Just make smaller batches and see what consistency you like best. After all, even the rejects will be mahvelous! I think we're just the bee's knees!!! Here, have another mint julep . . .

"Wow, you are so lucky to be retiring in 3 years!! Are you going to still make lotions and potions, or are you gonna travel, or just sit around drinking mint julips and get fat? lol... Maybe you should get one of those little counter things, that says, only 1,046 days left...My parents have been retired for 15 years, and they do more than I Do!! lol. I just hope I look as good as they do, and can drive, and move around as good as they can when I am that age! (I guess first I better hope I get to be their age!lol)" I have one of those countdown calendars on my computer both at home and at work! Sad, but true. As far as what to do after retirement, the fat part is already accomplished, but I'm thinking the mint julep thing is a winner. Thank you for suggesting it! I do plan to do even more with the B&B thing so hopefully my little business will continue to grow. I leave my business cards simply everywhere--on the table at whatever lunch spot I happen to be in, even slipped a couple of them next to the cash register at the nursery we went to this morning LOL. I give them out by the handfuls to everyone I see and it's beginning to pay off. A woman I know is wholesaling my sugar scrub from me so that's a nice little aspect of this business. Anyhoo, that's my story and I'm stickin' to it!

"I personally enjoy taking a basic foundation and tailoring it to my needs, (once I get through throwing up over the stress of doing something new..lol). I usually make it once as directed, get the process down, and then change one thing, make it again...until I finally get to the point where I think it is perfect" This is exactly what I do when I come across something that I like (most of the time without the throwing up LOL). The scrub recipe I use was great as originally put together by someone else (and graciously shared with me), but I didn't have all the ingredients so I used what I had, changed some of the percentages and now consider it my OWN recipe. In your late-night internet wanderings go look at Lotion Crafters , The Herbarie, and others that I can't remember off the top of my head. They'll have good ideas for you. You can use the cyclo to make a lovely body spray. I use cyclo, sweet almond oil and fragrance oil to make a great silky spray. Am still tweaking the percentages but basically I use 95% cyclo, 2.5% swo, and 2.5% FO. The FO percentage depends upon the FO you use as some are much more pungent than others. The majority of folks at that other not-to-be-named forum are probably just like you and me and are willing to help but the few that seem to be the loudest and rudest kinda ruin it for the rest. And don't think your post was unheeded--I suspect there are tons of members that look but don't post their responses. So you may have actually helped far more than you realize than just the few who actually responded. I'm not much of a soaper and will be giving my mold and cutter to my daughter to add to her soaping repertoire. She's a stay-at-home-mom so she has more time to do the FUN stuff than I do since I have to get my fat butt outta the house every day and go to my job. I'm retiring in just under three years (1,047 days to be exact) and I can hardly wait!!!!

Oh, you're too funny! I don't think it will be too scrubby for BODY use if you use all turbinado, but do understand that white sugar will make it look and feel very different since the grains are much finer (that is what I use--all white--but am thinking of a combination of white/turbinado). I don't think I would use a turbinado based scrub on my face because it is a bit more abrasive, but, oh boy would it be great on the rest of me. And I'll bet it is beautiful with turbinado. You know, when I first decided to make my scrub I waited for nearly a month before assembling all the ingredients and taking the plunge. Then wondered why in the world I had waited so long--it was so simple. And I waited even longer before making lotion. Fear of the unknown, I guess, as I had NEVER done anything like this ever before. But I soon learned, my dear, that it is NOT rocket science. If you can follow a recipe you can do this. Others have graciously shared their knowledge with me and I am happy to pass along what little bit I know to others. Even though I am trying to build a small business with my b&b stuff, I don't believe in keeping the information to myself. After all, there truly is nothing new under the sun. If anyone wants my formulations, hey, they can have 'em. Besides that, I might change it up the next time anyway. So there! :rolleyes2 Please keep us posted on how you're progressing--I LOVE to hear these stories, trials, errors and best of all, the successes.

Yes, you can go ahead and jar it up while runny; keep it covered but don't put on the lids--the scrub will "sweat" from the residual heat and you don't want that water in the scrub. I just lay some paper towels over it so schmutzes don't get in it, especially while it's still soft. You can put the lids on when it's firmed up and cool, I usually wait until the next day. It will be quite firm in the jar but scoopable with your fingers. Being so firm it will hold up better when you massage your skin with it. Hmmmm, cute little chisels attached with raffia? Hmmmmmm. I'm likin' that idea . . .

I, too, use the same weight sugar as butters/oils, etc. and it will be quite firm in the jars. I ABSOLUTELY LOVE SUGAR SCRUBS. My favorite FO for sugar scrub is Pink Sugar, it just seems to fit it perfectly. I think I know the forum of which you speak. Rhymes with "fish?" While there is truly a wealth of information there, more times than not questions are met with contempt and derision. In my deluded little pea brain the whole point in having a forum of any kind is to ask questions and be given answers to those question so that the members, be they newbies or old pros may be edified. Please don't be afraid to ask questions and never be afraid to try something new. Worst that can happen? You'll have to start over. But you know what? Even when you mess up it's probably usable for yourself. Just keep plugging away, making small batches of whatever it is, keep careful notes, and most important of all, just plain HAVE FUN. But, OMG, please don't tell anyone I was nice and just totally RUIN my reputation!!!!!

After the solid butters have melted, I put the container in a large tub filled with ice cubes, add the liquid oils and stick blend the dickens outta them. After they begin to thicken (and have cooled, of course) I take them out of the ice bath and add polysorbate 20, preservative and FO. Sugar goes in last of all so the butters/oils are relatively cool at that point. I usually pour immediately into my containers and let it set up, which takes a few hours, so don't panic if it's still a bit runny for a while. I do NOT bother to whip anything other than blending with the stick blender until everything is mixed very very well. I hear of so many that whip theirs and then once in the container they fall flat. Don't have an explanation for that, but my thinking is "why bother?" HTH

That's just one of the vagaries of soy wax, I'm afraid. And, quite frankly, I like it that way. I have never had a complaint about the way the candles look before or after burning. I explain up front that soy wax has a mind of its own and the less-than-perfect top (and there's almost ALWAYS some imperfection on the top) in no way affects the lovely scent or the way it burns. It would appear that my customers at least are more interested in the fragrance than the actual appearance of the candle top. Just my never-to-be-humble opinion.

I mix all the butters, oils and other ingredients together, mix well, add the FO and preservative, mix extremely well, then add the sugar TO the melted oils, etc. last of all and mix well with my stick blender.

How about these? http://www.essentialwholesale.com/product_p/528.htm http://www.midwestbottles.com/index.php?p=catalog&parent=3&pg=1 HTH

YAY to the spigots on the presto pots! Hope the footie gets better soon.

Caution, my foot! Wowsers . . .

WSP also has it: http://www.wholesalesuppliesplus.com/StoreCategory.aspx?CatalogID=2&GroupID=11&CategoryID=8&CategoryName=Seeds+%26+Scrubs As far as roughness is concerned, I would put it in an emulsified scrub, using a smaller amount than say, sugar or even salt, because it is so "scrubby."

Yes, I have KY Soy Whipped Body Butter and I ABSOLUTELY LOVE IT. However, you must expect it to turn somewhat brownish when using any FO containing vanilla, even in small amounts. That will happen regardless of whose lotion/butter you use. It doesn't bother me at all. And why not sell it unscented?

And I believe they have 1/2 oz, too.

I got mine from Millcreek and it's pretty much a ringer, at least to my nose.

Is there no explanation at the vendor site from which you purchased these wicks? Seems like that would be the logical place to get this kind of information.

Your soap is quite beautiful. Good Job!!! I am simply in love with Amber Romance (mine is from Millcreek) and must get my daughter to soap some for me as I don't make soap. Been there, done that, don't have the time to devote any more.

I pour mine at essentially the same temperature for each layer and have never had a problem with the next layer melting the previous one, letting each layer set up firmly. Layered candles are so much fun to do and quite beautiful so GO FOR IT!

Very well said, Donita. I, too, don't like a "loud" fragrance, just the sense that the room smells nice. I burn my candle(s), which are usually no more than 12 oz., in our master bathroom because the fragrance wafts out to our bedroom. If I can detect that fragrance when I walk into our bedroom, then the candle has done its job, in my opinion.

I go to the Dollar Tree and pick up their candle containers AND any heavy glassware they have that I think will make a good candle. Heavy being the keyword. Also, yard sales are great places to pick up heavy glassware cheap cheap cheap and all kinda sizes. The candles I make are usually on the smaller side (usually no more than 3" across) so the 105s and 126s do nicely for me with the KY125 wax. However, depending upon the container and its shape, I will double wick with the 105s. It seems to work for me.

Same here. Works great with the 105s--excellent MP and clean burn.