Mariposa

If handcrafted soap truly melted skin off we could make millions on a weight loss scam. But now that I think about it how do we know that wasn't soapy water Dorothy threw on the Wicked Witch of The West? Show them your non melted skin, show them the certificate from your doctor affirming that you never had skin grafts because of soap oolidge of your skin. Speak slowly and use pop up texts as often as possible.

I am very fond of dogs but already have 5 so getting a trained guide dog is not the overwhelming goal for me as it may be for others. And there is the whole horrible pain and scarring and lots of surgery that just puts a big damper on the lye splashing the corneas challenge. So yes I wear goggles. Think of it this way a less than thirty dollar investment and the two minutes it takes to put on the goggles could save your eyes. I say that is a win win trade. For those of you who do not wear goggles and you carry insurance for your soaping activity I think if your insurance company finds out you are not following standard safety procedures for working with sodium or potassium hydroxide they will cancel your policy. They want to avoid claims.

First make sure that drain opener is 100% sodium hydroxide. One of the precautions to take when working with lye is to always mix it in a well ventilated area. If you want full details of lye handling precautions you can google the MSDS for sodium hydroxide, as well as doing a search on most soaping forums. Sodium Hydroxide is classified as a corrosive. Meaning you want to have eye (VERY IMPORTANT) protection and skin protection. If you have any type of respiratory (sp) problems or when working with a large amount you will also want to wear a mask. Chemical supply places will have the right type of mask to use. Even if a mask is not needed be sure to be in a well ventilated area and to avoid breathing the fumes. You might have to step away from the lye/water mix a couple of times as the fumes rise. That is normal. It is essential that you learn the first aid steps if you get lye on you. It is not vinegar. Flush with full force cold/temperate water for 10-20 minutes. If you get lye in your eye you follow the same steps. The water flushing must be continous. Also in case of eye injury or a large area of skin contact call 911. Practice proper safety measures and you should do just fine. Happy Soaping.

This is USPS the shipping instructions for corrosives, hope it helps. http://pe.usps.com/text/pub52/pub52apxc_032.htm

There is a butter called Tucuma Butter which has very similar Fatty Acid profile and SAP values to Babassau. I got mine from NDA. I have used it in soap and it does add hardness and lather. But since I have never used Babassau I can not say how it actually compares.

I like to use baby food oatmeal or barley cereal. I also have had success with rosehip, oatstraw , greentea , rice bran, and adzuki bean powders.