MikeInPdx

I find the kosher salt over at Big Lots! and Dollar Tree.....I usually stock up and add those. Works fine.

I usually just embrace the darkening.

You and me both! I just about panicked when I thought I was going to have to go back to Excel.

If you're worried about drying effects, you can also up the superfat a bit to mitigate any drying effects. My hands are the only dry skin on me, and they respond really well to higher superfats. Of course, a touch of lotion does better yet!

I will third the lard, although you can drop the coconut down to 20%, up the olive to compensate, and still have a lovely soap. I use a 40% lye solution in this case so it doesn't take forever to get hard.

ITA agree. No real difference....buy what's the best size and cost for you.

I'm not CareBear but I think I can help. Basically, you taste the soap. You can wet your finger and rub it across the bar, and then put your finger on your tongue, or you can just touch your tongue to a sliver of soap (what I do). If it tastes like soap, you're fine. If it gives you a "zap" like putting a 9 volt battery on your tongue, you have free alkali in your soap and it's not ready to use yet. Edited because as usual....I can't type!

I agree with the points made on that page. I discount water and typically use 33% lye solution for most soaps, but I use a 40% for my castiles. It makes a huge difference in trace time and the time that you have to wait before you cut it. The only downside to DWCP is that you can easily get soap on a stick with some floral and spice FOs, and that the solution is smoking HOT and super caustic.....extra safety precautions are in order. A lye burn with 40% solution is nothing that anyone wants.

I use individual silicone molds for mine and then oven gel them. I also agree about the powdered charcoal.

It took me several tries to get my grandmother to use my soap. She heard "homemade lye soap" and she wasn't too eager. I wouldn't have been either.....she was used to the lye heavy stuff that was made from wood ash lye. Now she loves it.

Try Peak! Strawberries and Cream is very potent in candles.....I'm going to try some in soap and I will keep you posted. NICE fragrance.

The homemade laundry soap isn't even close to Tide on cleaning, but I rarely get stuff so dirty that I need that kind of power. I make gel, powder, and make it from soap scraps, depending on what I happen to have on hand. They all work fine, although I think the powder has an edge on muddy stuff.

I ignore the sea monkeys and my soap always turns out fine.

Sorry I didn't see this earlier.....I buy all my oils from Shay & Company in Portland....again no shipping, and I've had great luck with their coconut oil. HTH Mike

Hello and welcome to you!