SimplyBea

Hmmm - not sure if I can get that here......... I will enquire and see what happens....... what would be a concern with soy lecithin? I have a feeling that is the only one available here..... That sounds really cool - would you mind sharing the recipe for me to try and tweak to use as a moisturiser? thanks!

Hi EdenSong - my supplier did suggest soy lecithin...... how do you find the end result with this? CareBear - I wanted to try and get her to use straight avocado or macadamia oil but when I am not there I am afraid she might spill some and slip - she is also very absentminded and forgetful (dementia) so I am trying to make something for her which is quite easy to use. She uses a moisturiser daily so it would also be more 'familiar' to her daily routine.....

Hi Alan Thanks - my supplier suggested "organic olive e-wax" which I might try - any comments? cheers

Hi CareBear Yeah - I know that we are all chemical compositions.... didn't make myself clear I guess. I am just trying to avoid any synthetically manufactured elements in anything I use nowadays........wherever possible that is..... and I wanted to try making a moisturiser firstly for myself and then for my mum (who has leukemia and I want to reduce her 'toxic load') if I am successful....... cheers

Hi folks I want to try and make a light moisturiser for myself and I keep finding recipes using e-wax..... is there a substitute made out of natural plant maerials without alcohol or other chemically degrading methods??? Or am I talking out of turn here...... TIA

who helped me take the first plunge back in April.......... I am now certifiably ADDICTED !!!!! I get withdrawals when I can't make some soap every couple of weeks and now I have another excuse to keep making soap for the next few weeks as I am going back to Malaysia to see my family in September and of course I have to have something handmade to take back for everyone...... :rolleyes2 So THANK YOU for helping me take the plunge and I am still learning heaps from everyone here and there are soooooo MANY great recipes on the board I am just starting to try out........ so far it has been an adventure in gaining confidence with the Lye solution and LOTS of healthy respect for the process. :yay::yay: addicted to soaping............. !!!!

I have read that there is not much difference in the properties of Olive Oil and Extra Virgin Olive Oil in soap making - is this really true???? On the calculators - Soap Calc and SoapMaker - there is not a different listing for both - am I to assume that it doesn't change the properties of the soap switching between the 2 oils? So far I have been using Olive Oli but was given a can of really nice Extra Virgin Olive Oil (way too much to use just on salad dressings) and am very tempted to do a small batch of soap with it but not sure if it will change the dynamics of th soap in any way....... ??? :confused:

Ann Marie I am so sorry to hear about your loss - I have not really been following posts much and only just saw this one scrolling through. Today is the 5th anniversary of my dad's passing from a heart attack while away on travels on his own and the shock though numbed still leaves pain....... even though we have found some acceptance. I hope you will find some solace and peace in yourself and your husband too ....... take care.... Bea

Well - I tried this last weekend using Cocoa Butter instead of Kokum (didn't have any) and it was EASY!!!! It was only a small batch and perfect for 1st time - cut it up into smaller slices and gave some to colleagues at work - they loved it.... will be trying out a bigger batch in the next few days!!! Thank you for sharing!!!

Hi Jewel Thanks - I had no idea as the beans I used to buy from the healthfood shop/supermarket didn't really have any sort of info and I thought there was just ONE type of vanilla. ;0

Hi folks I want to get some vanilla for my next batch of CP soap but I am now confused as to which variety I should get......... http://www.vanillaplantations.com.au/varieties.htm Anyone have an idea which would be more suitable to soap? :confused: thanks bea

I had a copy of soapcalc on my computer which I downloaded for use offline before they changed their server - it worked fine until TODAY!!!! I don't know what has happened but now it won't work offline and I do NOT like the 'new version' which only allows me to use it when I am online...... does anyone else have the same problem???

Hi Care Bear Thanks for the explanation - it might help..... the link I am thinking of is a spreadsheet from a soapmaker who had worked out the weight by volume of oils used in soapmaking because each oil would have a different density. I ran into trouble with my first batch because I was so confident I would get the 100gm from my 100ml of castor oil and it only rendered 94gm!!! Going to try making my 2nd batch today and playing it safer with the weights and available oils I have now...... thanks

I am pretty sure I have seen a reference to it...... but can't find it now and have been looking for days........ somewhere on some soapmaking page.... there was a link to a conversion spreadsheet/calculator which someone had put together to convert liquid measures of oils to weights..... Please tell me I am not imagining this???? :confused: I just want to have a rough estimate as my last attempt at approximating liquid (ml) to weight (gm) didn't quite make the mark!!!

Okay...... no CRISCO shortening anywhere I went but I did manage to coma across a vegetable shortening here called COPHA....... The label says Hardened Coconut Oil Soya bean LecithinThere are no percentage breakdowns anywhere I can determine on the label....!!! :confused: The block looks white - like solidified coconut oil and there is no smell..... IF I were to use this, would I put it through as Coconut Oil (hardened) ?? I can't call them as it is the weekend and am not even sure that they would be able to get back to me with the breakdown anyway.....

Thank you everybody for all the input and comments. As I am playing around with different combinations on soapcalc - I am getting an idea of how the different oilscan affect the final result. I guess my main concern was what oils I would be able to find locally and whenever I trawl through all those wonderful soap sites - I see all these really terrific recipes which incorporate Palm or lard and then I get stumped..... but I am sure I will be able to work something out as a basic concept and grow from there..........

It looks really yummmmmm......... and I have a silly question........ will the soap attract ants???

Aha....... I see another 'new addict'........ welcome....... I amitching to make my 2nd batch - just need to find the time (and a recipe to try).......

This is a timely post!!! I bought a glass jar from Ikea last week to use for the lye instead of the plastic jug I was using.......... now I guess I willstick tothe plastic jug or look for a stainless steel one....... Thanks for the input folks!!!

Well.... I am back...... and have found...... Coconut oil Cocoa Butter Refined Shea Butter Soybean Oil Copha(?) - vegetable shortening here in AustraliaThere was a place in Adelaide which sells supplies but it is VERY expensive..... so I have bought a bit of this and that to try out and see what I like and want to get more of....... The 'bars' which I had been drying out on the top of the fridge while we were away look very much better/harder now so that's good!!! We tried some of the soap while we were away and it performed really well with hard water... nice soft lather - lots of creamy bubbles..... :yay: and the soap from the hotel WOULD NOT lather!!!!! :laugh2: SO..... I AM EXCITED !!!!!! :cheesy2: :cheesy2: :cheesy2:

I tried the new one yesterday and it wasn't quite the same, even tried to d/l it to use offline but it wouldn't load properly.......... ;0

Smitten I think it is just Palm Oil in the recipes..... I have also been to that site and saved lots of info to the computer. I will be reading lots of notes which I have printed out and the 2 soapbooks I have on the way to the mainland tomorrow..... and when we get to the shops I will be LOOKING HARD to see what I can find!!!! Can't wait! ~ b ~

I think I might have found a lead...... I might even be blind!!!! A colleague of mine seems to think she has seen Crisco (solid) in the local supermarket (but then, they are a it and miss affair with their stock..... it might not have been there when I was last looking)..... but it seems like it could be available in the bigger supermarkets in Adelaide so I will keep my eyes open. IF I used Crisco soybean oil - would that have the same effect in a recipe that calls for Crisco??? See - THAT is what confuses me because they don't say WHICH oil/product from Crisco..... b

Has anyone had problems accessing their site?? I have not been able to load their pages since yesterday! ;( b

Hello everyone....... I didn't line the mold so I now know better....... luckily I was just using disposable plastic takeaway tubs to see how they would go... now I know.... ! I couldn't wait any longer (we are going away tomorrow for a few days) so I just broke the tubs bit by bit and got the soap out... it was firm but left an indentation when I pressed my finger on it. I managed to cut the pieces up really easy with my big 'chef knife' and the y are now sitting in a try on the top of the fridge with a towel covering them (while we are away). I did try some of the 'bits' that broke off and it is amazing..... the bublles were so soft, large and clear... and there was lots of soft lather!!!! So - I am pretty happy with the mix and the result, I know I will have to wait a while for this to cure and harden properly but I AM SO EXCITED!!!! It is unscented, I wanted it to be the purest and mildest possible, and i am going to take a small bar to give my SIL who just had a baby a couple of months ago - will tell her not to use it for a while.... So - we will go shopping for OILS!!!!! :)