vberkesch

Hi all, Thanks for all the great advice here!! If you don't mind - one more thing needed! I would like some recommendations from you. I am using IGI4630 at 75% and Ecosoya 135 at 25%. Am I right that I could go to an FO% load of 9% with this wax. Should I use vybar with this wax if I am at a 9% load, or will vybar make my scent diminish. I am just not as happy as I would like to be with my scent throw - and I can't afford to keep trying all the different waxes - can someone tell me what to do for a good scent throw with this particular wax?? Thanks in advance! Vanessa

Hi all, What do you all use to cover your container candles - those containers that do not already have a cover provided? Is something needed to cover them to keep the FO smell in? Tell me what works - I have heard something about avoiding some plastics as they can absorb some of the scent out of the candle...don't want that!! Thanks....this site is great!! Vanessa

Thanks much.....I will give it a try, Vanessa

Hi there, Have a question that I have not seen an answer for anywhere. I have a candle that I don't like how it turned out. Can I remelt that candle - in the oven. Pour the wax back into my pour container - then bring back up to 180 and add whatever to make it a more desirable candle - more FO or more colorant or vybar. Or is this just something that will not work - I was wondering if the FO that is in the candle already would burn off by heating it up again. Any help with this would be much appreciated. Blessings, Vanessa

Greetings all, after reading a lot on the forum, I have purchased the CB 135 ecosoya and the IGI 4630 to blend 50/50. Tell me...It was recommended to me to us vybar for a better throw. Should i use vybar when mixing the ecosoya & paraffin 50/50?? What temp do I add my scent with this mix. And what temp. do I pour with this mix? Thanks in advance for all the help. Vanessa

I love licorice!! Beautiful, I bet it smells wonderful. Did you use Anise EO alone or did you add something sweet with it? Vanessa

Hi there, I shrink wrap all my soap and I also leave the top open for smelling. What I do is totally shrink wrap the whole bar and then make a little cut for an opening on the top of each bar - then go back and shrink wrap that cut and the opening will stretch over the whole top of the bar. I invested in a shrink wrap system and totally LOVE it. www.nationalshrinkwrap.com. they are very good to work with. They have a lot of different supplies, you can call them and they will fit you to what you need the most. Vanessa

TAS, Hi there, Love the curles. Do you ever have trouble with the curles causing air holes in your soap - or does the soap you pour over the curles just fill in all the gaps?? Thanks much, Vanessa

ok, I'm struggling with decorating my soaps. I've been doing well with my log mold, because I make the mountain look and all. Now I have a slab mold and am trying to decorate the tops of the soaps. By the time I pour the soap in the mold, then put my drips of soap on the top to swirl or make twirlies or whatever...THE SOAP IS TOOOOO THICK to get it to look good. I think I am just going past thin trace...........BUT I don't want a soap that is not mixed enough, so maybe my question is...how can you tell if your soap is at THIN TRACE? Anyone have any ideas for me?

Hi all, Can anyone tell me where to get olive oil at a lower bulk quantity price. Seems to be my most expensive soap making oil, I've been purchasing at wal-mart, but wondering if there are other options that you all have tried. Thanks much, Vanessa

So far I have used the vanilla stabilizer in OMH and Gingersnap and I'm sorry to say, but I'm not very happy. Both just don't have the same wonderful smell to the soap. I'm thinking I would rather have brown soap than sacrifice the wonderful smell of the FO's. Vanessa

I have been wanting a harder bar of soap. Tell me if this recipe sounds ok, or is it too drying. 35% olive oil 5% castor oil 32% Coconut oil 28% Lard I did try it. It is a lot harder faster, and needs to be cut within 18 hours. What do you think. Hardness 42 Cleansing 22 Conditioning 52 Bubbly lather 26 Creamy Lather 25 Lauric 15 Linoleic 6 Linolenic 0 Myristic 6 Oleic 41 Palmitic 15 and Ricinoleic 4 Thanks much for your input - Vanessa

The colorful soap is YUZU. Purple & Yellow - Lavender. And the Black and Green - Sandalwood. This is EXTREEMLY ADDICTING - but a clean addiction anyway! Thanks for looking - Vanessa Event.observe($('fullSizedImage'), 'load', function(event) { pageTags.addTagListToImg('fullSizedImage', [ ]); });

Yes I am using BB's OMH

Hi all and I know this has been posted, but having trouble getting my answers still. I DID - Put my OMH soap in fridg to keep cool, when it was done. I DID - add only 1 tbs/lb of oil, of honey I DID - soap cool, at around 80 - 90. I DID - Use the Goat Milk ice cube method. Replace all water. The Lye/Goat Milk Ice cube mixture stayed a beautiful creamy white the whole time. BUT AFTER A WEEK - MY SOAPS ARE TURNING DARKER & DARKER AGAIN, Just like my first batch of OMH. Anyone have any suggestions - I've heard an ivory or tan bar of OMH can be had!! Thanks much, Vanessa

yep used same oils and liquid amounts. I put this batch in the fridg for longer than some of the others. Hmm....wonder if that has something to do with it? Vanessa

Every once in a while i get a batch of soap that is soft. I have a batch right now, i am leaving it to cure & hoping it will harden up. I do not gell my soaps, but they all harden up nicely, with the exception of this latest batch. Can't think of anything i have done differently. I used sandlewood FO. Smells great, no lye holes, no seperation. What do you all think? Would love your opinions, thanks, Vanessa

I always mix my lye mixture a real lot. So I am just still stumped. Vanessa

Hi all, I just had one batch with lye holes and now I'm paranoid about my soap making tactics! I have been testing all the soaps that I have made recently to see if they are ok. I'm getting sick from tasting soap!! They taste bitter, but do not sting, at least not much. I have used my own soap in the bath, and NEVER have a problem with it on my skin. My bad batch had droplets on the surface, i tested these and yes they had lye. Could it be that when I use the refrig method to not gel my soap that these droplets form, but they will seep back into the soap??? I just don't want to give anyone bad soap! Thanks much, any help is much appreciated, Vanessa

Hi again and back looking for your opinion. After having soaped a bit now, but still consider myself a beginner - - I went back to my trusty old Soapmaker's Companion book to see what she said about my NOT GELLING my soaps. She really states in her book that you need to insulate your soap whether you soap cool or soap warm temps. Well...I've been soaping cool (RT) and putting my soap directly into the frig. to prevent gelling. No insulation going on here!! My soaps are turning out beautiful - I like the look of the non-gelled soap, they harden slower than gelled soap, but I can still cut them after 24 hours. Is the whole idea of not gelling a rather new idea? I guess I'm just hoping my soaps are indeed completing their saponification. What do you all think? Thanks much, Vanessa

Thanks so much, this did surely answer my questions! Vanessa

When I add my FO's am I suppose to take out that same amount from the oils in the recipe to make up the difference? I havent been doing that and my soaps have been turning out. I use a 5% discount for the lye mixture. How about when adding honey? Thanks so much...I ask a lot of questions, but you all are soo great here! Vanessa

Nope, it's CP. But, thanks for looking.

thanks much for the advise! I'm thinking I will stay away from the soybean oil! Blessings, Vanessa

So if I put my oils in soap calc with the percentages I'm going to use - if something is not correct will it tell me? Thanks again, Vanessa