RNSandSCENTS

Oh, I don't know... I've made some damn fine soap out of grocery store oils. It's about knowing what each one brings to the table and what happens if you saw off a leg on the table or add a shim here and there.

It's the formulation of the over all and synergy of each one.

Grumpy, I have a sneaky feeling you could make a good bar of soap using a stick of butter!

What percentage of FO are you putting in? Are you using a base or is it a home made butter?

I don't personally use any color stabilizers because its one more "additive or chemical" that is not necessary. It's just cosmetic.

I've also found that when I mix in FO while the lotion is warm, it does tend to separate, so I wait until it cools completely and then I blend it in. You can also let it sit for a bit, then try blending again. It sounds like you've got too much something in there.

The 3 batches that seperated were made exactly the same way as the other 6 batches....only the batches containing a fo with vanilla seperated. The others are just fine, so that leads me to believe that there must be some sort of special way that these oils need to be incorporated into my batch. I will try another batch between clients today and see if it works when I allow it to cool down completely and then add the fo. I am using fo at 1% and adding preservative and fo below 130 degrees per recipe instructions.

I have made 2 batches of Vanilla Bean Noel (WSP) and 1 batch of Pink Sugar (Peak), all three seperated terribly. Now I won't make anymore anytime soon because I need vanilla stabilizer to control the color issues but what do I do about the seperation? I have made six other batches using various fo's with no issues until these two. Is there some sort of secret to holding your batch together to avoid this problem when using fo's with a high vanilla content? I can feel my gray hair count increasing with each batch I put in the garbage. Someone please save me from the dye bottle!!!!

Oh you will be so hooked once you start

Now that's the part I am afraid of!!!!

Soycrazy, ya know what? I'm in an experimental kinda mode right now....not sure how long its gonna last but....think I may just give it a try! What the heck let's see what happens! Now if I can just get that mold I am tryin' to order....I'd be good to go!

I have to correct my post from earlier. The Vanilla Bean Noel came from WSP. Now my old fashioned sugar scrubs are fine BUT my body butter is a problem. Now I have made batches of butters with Vera Wang and Tropical Punch from SOS no problem...testers came back with rave reviews, especially the Tropical Punch BUT this darned VBN *&^%#^*! It keeps seperating. The batch is fine until I add this particular fo and ZAP....I've got snot!!! Now I will admit, I did not put any vanilla stabilizer in it because its only a test batch but would not having it cause the seperation? My understanding of vanilla stabilizer was just to help with the color. Or, is it just this fo? It is a DEAD ON DUPE and I'd hate to not be able to use it but my butter looks more like snot!

'use the bar from the bottom up' ? Just when I thought I heard it all....

I like it Darbla, it's cute!

Hey! 8-GRAN-ONES

What's the name of those at the store I can't seem to find them in the Ikea store

Thanks

The name is called Fira and when I checked they are $14.99. hth

Simplest way explained to me once on this board was -

NaOH is best for bars of soap.

KOH is best for liquid soap.

I read this last night in an old post. Thanks a bunch!

It has to say 100% sodium hydroxide on the bottle. Lowes doesn't carry it in my area so I buy the rooto from a hardware store and it works fine for my bar soap. Chemistry store is pretty pricey though if you can't get it at lowes or a hardware store salt city soap works is pretty cheap https://www.saltcitysoapworks.com/store/store.php?crn=216&rn=382&action=show_detail or true value http://www.idealtruevalue.com/servlet/the-52713/LB%2C-Rooto-No.-4/Detail

Soycrazy....thanks so much for the link! I can buy Rooto at the hardware store and I think I may give it a shot and if it give me problems I will order from Salt City as they are only in NY.

I think I will probably get mine from The Chemistry Store they have both types. Can anyone tell me what the difference is between NaOH and KOH? I have been reading, reading, reading and can only see that NaOH is bead form and KOH is flake form. And I think I read that NaOH is 100% and KOH is 90%. I think one forum said something about KOH being a little easier to keep your batches from being lye heavy....that sounds a little weird to me. So I guess my question is really what is the difference, and, should I get it from a place like The Chemistry Store or AAA, or would Rooto give me the same results? Did any of that make any sense?

Miss Mary can you tell me what kind of lye you are using NaOH or KOH? Just curious. I can get Rooto brand fairly easy but I am a bit hesitant because of the things I have read here about this particular brand making batches more unpredictable. I just wish I could find a supplier closer than TX.....shipping, shipping, I am so tired of paying for shipping! But at the same time, there aren't a lot of suppliers close to me, heck, we only have 3 suppliers in MD and they don't really carry much and the one who carries Shea is a bit expensive....$38 for 3 #s.....yikes!

Yes the ladies have been really encourgaing and the pics...OMG....I have got to learn to do this. I almost want to jump on a plane and just watch Grumpy & Soapfreak! Unbelieveable!

Correction: I bought my Vanilla Bean Noel from Peak not SOS.

Scented, thanks so much. I think my fear of the lye is just based on my incident with the house fire I was in. Lye in very cold water, very slowly....I think I can remember that. I am going to at least scent the first batch but I still am on the hunt for lye. ACE only has Rooto and not Roebic so I need to order mine, once again. But I am having so much fun with the other b&b stuff I am working on, I'll get to it. Thanks again for the encouragement. And I will have to post pics of my first batch.

You may have to sort of show to her - in a nice way of course - that unused IS what sells. You have to think broadly. If someone thinks of you and types in a common name, you may have literally thousands of people ahead of you in the searches.

Giving a unique but simple name really is the way to go for several reasons. Odds are, it won't be very likely that someone else will take it up in another state causing confusion. Same idea with the 411's and the yellow pages.

You're gonna have to make a decision with her. Go for everyday used words, take the chance to get lost in translation or searching you out, OR go for something that may not exactly be the most popular name out there, but will give you a uniqueness that will keep your customers looking for you easily, and coming back.

Think about it - if Bed, Bath and Beyond with with House Mart - it's just not the same.

If Starbucks went with House of Coffee - it's just not the same.

Your name represents your company, it shouldn't be too bland to where it's a common word unless you creatively put those words together.

You are oh so right about that one Miss Mary!!!! I could not agree with you more!!!

Good to know JacquiO....I have a Dollar Tree that on my walking route so I will have to look. I have not been to Target yet, I have just been using my Pamper Chef spatula.

I don't know but they sure do smell great today....phew! I don't smell the preservative at all now....I used Phenonip. And the fo was Vanilla Bean Noel frm SOS in extreme conc. Thanks for the replies:D

WoW! That's all I can say! The detail....WoW!

Ok maybe I am crazy or tired but I went back and smelled them. They have been sitting out for about an hour or so. Now I don't smell the preservative in the ones I did first. The ones I did last, the preservative smell is not as noticeable:confused: Maybe this insomnia is getting the best of me....but scrubs smell lovely!

One more thing.........is there ANY other name for "handmade/handcrafted" ?! I have racked my brain and tons of books for this one. Maybe I am stuck on those words...

I'm glad you like leenabug:o It is my childhood nickname and I am afraid to use it in business. I am afraid it sounds childish:o But it always makes me smile to hear it.

It may sound childish to you but here is another way to look at it....it's unique. Things that are catchy like Stitches 'N Wicks and Leenabug Stitches 'N Wicks....these are names that will stick. And when you google Leenabug I am sure not much will come up for sure.... And I don't think its childish....I think its kinda cute!

My 2nd round of testers for traditional sugar scrub came back again with positive results but since they were only 1 oz containers I did not put any preservatives in them. Now that I have preservatives I wanted to make them larger. My recipes is as follows:

60% Sugar

38% Oil

1% Fragrance

1% Phenonip

The directions that I have do not tell me to heat the oils...could this be why the preservative is drowning my fragrance? I can smell it but I smell the preservative more. The directions I have say to mix the fo and oils for 2 minutes then add the sugar mix 2 more minutes then add your preservative and mix another minutes. Can someone please tell me what I did wrong? My butters and my lotions all smell fine but I am stumped here....

Late to the party, but I ADORE Rhassoul Clay in a facial soap.

I mistakenly ordered a # of Rhassoul Clay meaning to order Kaolin and have no clue what to do with this stuff.....facial soap.....we'll see.

Thanks for the info!!!

I like The Sewing Chandler and Stitches 'N Wicks....those are nice.