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Wow! Where are you purchasing your Pink Sugar FO from?

I got it from Peak Candle.

Yes I do, because it really doesn't matter what I like if the customers like it. If I had my choice I would have nothing but bakery and berry scents...LOL!

I can understand your point, but I don't think I could take it even for a dear customer! LOL I mean seriously! My nose hasn't stopped running, my eye hasn't stopped watering, I look like I am on drugs when I walk out of my apartment:o . I just think I will have to :tiptoe: on this one! LOL:p

Gourmet soy, does that mean that you sell it even though you don't like it?

Am I the only one who finds this scent disgusting? I used it in my first batch of soap and I believe I am having an allergic reaction to it. The scent is just to sickly sweet for me to like. Also, I was expecting a brown discoloration to my soap, but instead I got a bright pumpkin orange instead. Has that ever happened to anyone else?

soap box! i have asthma and copd, but because of the ozone they are taking away our aeresol inhalers cuz of the ozone. well the powders they are replacing them with don't work as well, (they can glop up at the back of the throat and not go all the way into the lungs) but i can live with that EXCEPT in my rescue inhaler, the powder doesn't work well in a full blown attack. soooooo i am a bit scared about switching to powder when that becomes law for albuterol. so far, my doctor marks the scripts so i get the aeresol...but when that is gone, not sure what i am gonna do.

I don't mean to be nosey or even to hijack this post, but I am an RT and I was just having this conversation with a DR last night at work. Are you using a spacer with your puffs? The blue corrugated tubing works, but I would ask your doc to prescribe you a proper spacer. Spacers improve particle deposition up to 80% and you get 80-90% MORE medicine in your lungs when you use them. PM me and I can give you a few names of them you can ask about. You shouldn't have to live feeling afraid that you won't be able to breath!

Check out your local hardware stores. If you can't find it there then check online at www.thechemistrystore.com.

You can also find it at Trader Joe's if you have one in your area.

It seems that the type of soap would change based on what oils you put into it. You could have your super cleansing and your moisturizing, GM, etc...

Funny GA, I kinda like the rose one the best. It looks more natural than a pink colored rose soap. I'd certainly wash with it!

That makes sense Tea, but I suppose I could work with it. Not color it or call it cream top soap or something along those lines.

ETA: Does the saponified cream affect the texture of the bar?

I think it is interesting hearing how everyone's techniques have evolved! 30-40 pounds! Not quite there yet, but I can't wait to let you all know how my maiden batch turns out!

Thanks for the advice. I have always been a "do it text book first then create my own short cuts later" kind of gal and I think I will probably just stick to that for now. But since my kit isn't here yet, who knows what will be going through my head by the time it gets here! LOL One thing I know for sure is that I will be letting you all know how it turned out in the end!

So my CP kit should be arriving soon and I have a few questions about the best way to get started. I have been reading and surfing and watching every tutorial that I can find, and I have noticed that experienced soapers never seem to take temperatures or wait until their oils and lye water are the same temp. I get the premise of RTCP, that the hot lye will melt your oils so you don't have to measure the temps, but I was wondering as a new soaper, should I start out totally textbook and grab some thermometers or not? Is RTCP a technique that should be saved for later when I am more experienced with soaping? What method did you all use when you fist started. I am sorry to ask so many questions, but I just want to be safe AND productive. KWIM?

Thanks CareBear. I figured as much. I just didn't know that it was the sugar that caused it. For some reason I was thinking that it was the milk fat content that caused it. I guess I am showing off my newness. Anyhoo, I am still excited about when I try it because it is from a local farmer who sells daily in my apartment building. That whole local community thing really gets me excited.

Off topic, I am so glad you all are here and willing to share so freely. I have talked to a couple of soapers in my area and they always seemed suspicious and wary. I guess I can understand that because they are also selling their product, but sheesh! They don't have to be so rude you would have thought I walked up to them and asked them for their recs and business plans! It is soaping not a national secret!

I have been reading about how a batch of soap can overheat with goat milk and honey. I am able to get that old fashioned cream topped milk and I am curious if I used that kind of milk (whole milk of course) would I run the risk of overheating my soap too? I won't be making a milk soap for my first batch but I am wondering because I know that once I start making it, I won't be able to stop so I thought I would ask now instead of posting a disaster story. LOL TIA

Hi Rachel!

Not stupid questions at all. Really good ones actually. :-)

I add sugar because I like to think it adds a little "sum-n sum-n" to the lather. I normally go 1 T. per pound of oils, disolved into whatever the fluid is (mixed REAL well) before adding the lye.

I add salt because it appears to give me a slightly harder log of soap which allows me to handle the soap earlier for cutting & trimming. Opinions vary on whether the additional hardness is temporary or permanent & I don't know 100% for sure myself...but I can definitely tell a difference in those "whoops!" batches where I forgot to add the salt & had to wait an extra day or two before cutting because the log was too soft. If you think of it in terms of the salt bars & how quickly the higher amt of salt makes those babies get rock-hard, it makes sense that this works at least to a small degree.

Best way to see is to try it both ways...with and without the additives. Compare and see if you can tell any measurable difference & if not, you can save yourself the trouble of adding that step into your soapmaking process. Either way, you'll have fun making soap! :-)

What kind of salt are you using? Is it kosher salt or is it plain table salt? Does that even make a difference and should it be considered on the soap calculator?

What is it and why do some people skip it? How do they skip it? Sorry if this has been asked before, I did a search and cam up with 6 pages that didn't give me the answer.

That soap looks like a tasty birthday cake! Don't ask me why I think that, I just do. It is so cute! I can't wait until my mold gets here so I can start learning more about the process by doing! Thanks for posting that pic! BTW what is GM CP soap?

ETA: Duh goat milk I figured it out!

thanks a lot I will check it out now!

I am new to soaping and I am curious as to the safest scents for a first timer to try. I was thinking of just going with Lavender for my first try since I have read that it is pretty stable to use. But after that, I am at a loss. I don't want to spend an arm and a leg trying out scents but the sample sizes are pretty small and I am not sure if they are enough to make a small batch of soap with. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Happy New Year!

Ooops I meant water not lye.

Please forgive me if this has already been asked before, but is there even a difference? From what I understand, superfatting is adding extra oil at the end to increase the richness and a lye discount is starting out with a bit less lye solution to cut the harshness right?

If that is the case, then does it make more sense to just use the normal amount of oils in the begining and put in less lye than to have to add more to the end that you may or may not forget? And if you decide to add extra at trace, then do you adjust your lye discount on the calculator to 0%?

Again sorry if this is a repeat. TIA

Hi Robin! Thanks for the reply. I agree with you. I read a woman's story about how she came to soapmaking and she said that it took her to a zone because all you can do when you make soap is make soap. Focusing on one single task at a time. I kind of like that too. It seems like it would be a very relaxing pastime once you got past the newness of it.

here is the question everyone keeps asking: how do you calculate the size of your batch depending on the size of your mold (or shoe box).

W(in) x H(in) x L(in) x 0.4 = oz of oils needed for the recipe.

is there any way to make this topic as a sticky?

Heeheehee! I just asked this question in another post!

Hello all! I am new to soap making and I am so glad that you are here. I want to try my hand at CP soaping, but I have a few questions before I get started so that I have a better handle on what is needed. Clearly this is a skill that is learned over time and it is always best to start with the textbook information before jumping into the lab!

I have been lurking and surfing and I think that I am going to try out the Beginner kit from Kelsei's Creations. I like the fact that there is enough ingredients to fit the mold you get. I also like the fact that it isn't enough to make HUGE batches.

I have been looking at recipes and I am a bit confused. I am supposed to weigh out my oils first and then I use the lye calculator to determine the amount by weight of my water and lye. But my question is, how do I determine what my initial weight of oils-to-lyewater will become in the weight of soap? Does that even make sense? More simply put, how do I know if I am mking to much/little to fit my mold? I hope that makes sense because I have been wondering that for a while.

Also,is it better to start out stiring by hand and then use a SB after I am familiar with the process?

Thanks in advance for any assistance! Happy New Year!