greensoaper

Hi all. Just wondering if anyone here has any luck with this technique http://www.candletech.com/techniques-and-ideas/valentines-day-heart-embed-candles/ If you have, any tips, tricks or suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

Just wondering if anyone here uses cyclo for their reed diffusers. It seems like the safest choice, but I'm wondering how well it works. If you use it, do you have to add any emulsifier to keep the scent mixed in? Thanks.

cocoa butter

If you superfat your soap, I wouldn't recommend using it in your laundry. The oils can get into your clothes and cause staining or a rancid smell. Some folks add extra lye to melted soap scraps for the laundry, but you'd need to figure out how much lye you need to add to bring your soap to a zero superfat. HTH.

First let's address this stearic acid thing, shall we. It's really silly to avoid it because of "natural" issues. Do your friends also turn their noses up when you use cocoa or shea butters? Both are around one-third stearic acid. Even if you're using unrefined butters, it's still not coming to you unaltered. Every ingredient we use has been altered. Now, why are you afraid "to steer to far off the recipe" of a formula that's not working? It sounds like you need to let go of some preconceived notions before you'll really accept help from the knowledgeable folks here. BTW, the only time I've seen a borax/beeswax emulsion work is in a water-in-oil cold cream formula. This is much too oily/greasy for an average lotion. You are going to need an effective emulsifier to make an oil-in-water emulsion/lotion. And don't get me started on "natural preservatives" :tiptoe:

No, this formula is for volume measured in cubic inches. One cubic inch is a bit over half a liquid ounce. Of course, liquid ounce is based on water not oils which have differing specific gravities. It all sounds terribly confusing, I know. It really isn't. A good way to estimate how much oils you'll need is to find the volume the way Spacegirl explained and then multiply that number by 0.4. So, your example would look something like this 1.5x1.5x3.14x15x0.4=42.39oz of oils to fill the mold. Keep in mind that if you use less than full water, you'll need to use more oils to compensate. As I said before, this is only a guide or jumping off point. I know there are calculators that will do this for you, but I hate the idea of being dependent on things like that. Every soaper should learn to figure out what their mold will hold and how to do lye calculations without going to the computer. This is a very math heavy hobby/skill/biz/obsession, so I'm always surprised at how many math haters would choose to be soapers. That is not a dig in any way, just an observation. Kinda like a person who hates reading but decides to become an editor.

Yes, I've soaped beeswax. I've never gone over 10% though. At 10% things moved fast. I can only imagine what it'll do at the rate you're looking to try. I'm just wondering what it is that you're expecting from the beeswax. That info you posted from SC isn't talking about bw in soap, just bw in general. I've only used it in projects where a bar needed to last longer in less than ideal circumstances. Good luck on your project. Be sure and report back when it's done.

I'm so confused. Why are you using beeswax in a shaving soap? Too much beeswax will make the soap sticky and reduce lather. This is the exact opposite of what you want in a shaving soap. Am I missing something?

This "greenie" and many, many others have never supported the biofuel movement. A large portion of the earth's population lives on very little income, this same group gets a large portion of their daily nutrition from their cooking oils (mainly palm and soy). With the growing biofuel movement comes a major shift in the supply and demand scale, prices climb, and the poorest of the poor are the ones who suffer the most. People in places like Indonesia, where most palm is grown, won't be able to afford it anymore. I don't know who ever thought that burning food for fuel was a good idea. Before anyone compares this with candle or soapmaking, there is a vast difference in the amount of oil needed to meet that demand and the amount needed to even begin to supplement petroleum use. Biofuel is such a shortsighted idea. There are longterm solutions to be found. In the automotive industry focus should be on fuel efficiency, electric hybrids/full electrics, and yes...hydrogen power. These are just the thoughts of a random greenie.

I think I know the bacon lip balm that you're talking about. I SERIOUSLY doubt that it actually has bacon in it, but more than likely contains either a bacon flavor oil or it's made with bacon grease. I certainly hope it's a flavor oil, otherwise GROSS!!! There are many freaky flavor oils out there if you look around. I've seen horseradish and bell pepper, so why not bacon? lol The only foods that I've heard of people successfully adding to lip balm are honey and chocolate. Even those are tricky to work with. I'd stick to flavor oils (or essential oils) if I were you.

The best substitute for Asian palm is South American palm. There are no orangutans in S America and the palm crops are being grown on reclaimed plantations, not newly clear-cut forest. These farms are also following NOP guidelines for sustainability and organic farming methods. You will have to pay more for this type of palm, just like a free range hormone and antibiotic free turkey will cost you more than a Butterball. It's all about priorities. For more information see http://www.daabonusa.com/usa/ourphilosophy.html BTW, Daabon palm oil is sold domestically under the Spectrum brand name, but Columbus Foods offers a VERY similar product that is sold as their organic palm. HTH someone

Kinda like selling a "soy" candle that contains paraffin, but still calling it a soy candle? A bit like splitting hairs, eh? I'm not asking if you would call it organic. I'm asking that people stop saying that organic candles (or other such products) can't or don't exist. That's it.

Most of the time cloudy oils are fine. Just make sure that your lye still has some heat to it. If your temps get too cold you could get a false trace. If you're soaping cool, wait to pour and make sure that it's not going to separate on you.

Actually, the OP never mentioned the word soy. Just today I received a sample of certified organic candle wax that I will begin testing shortly. The manufacturer will not divulge what waxes are in the blend just that it is certified organic under the NOP (which is an accredited certification agent) and that it is a veggie blend with the exception of CO domestic beeswax to harden it up. So, since there is a CO candle wax on the market, can we agree that it is possible to produce a candle that can be rightfully called organic?

You know, in my experience skepticism is usually just apathy in disguise.