LuminousBoutique

imo, target/walmart scales are fine for 1lb test batches.

Thanks guys! Did a few more recently... Fireside, Eucalyptus leaf, NG Cherry blossom (so light!!! cant even smell it), Peaks twilight woods (screwed it up, looks awful but smells OK!) lol Dunno about the velveeta mold! I looked for those Nancy, I wanted some... but I couldnt find them anywhere! This mold is roughly 7x5, and the bars end up 1.25" deep with the 16oz of oils, and 4.5oz water

but what "purity" are they testing for? for virgin cold pressed purity? It doesnt specify, what you've posted. There are different grades, were they testing for a certain grade? I read this awhile ago too, maybe posted here? But I wasnt able to confirm any of it. Great value olive oil was tested in my chemistry class and passed with flying colors... this was 6 months ago.

I do them both, also. If I have a batch I mess up color or starts to rice or overheat and crack, I toss it in the crock and make it HP. Easy peasy!

it should be, if it says 100% OO but you have to read the ingredients to be sure. There are some brands out there that sell "light olive oil" and its not all olive, but you wouldnt know unless you checked ingredients- i think thats where some people have issues sometimes. I know for a fact walmarts OO brand is 100% OO.

yeah I dont trust those brands- restaurant suppliers have proven really helpful for me!

pretty!! I love the colors you got on the burberry for men- I read it as blueberry for men because my eye was so into the blue! hehe I love being able to make new batches and be creative with them, so much fun

Personally I use EVOO, but only because I can get it locally, cheaper than the pomace from CF/SC.

I <3 MMS. very strong, most of them at least, that I've used. So I can get away with less than 6% in some. Hinoki wood for example.. WHEW its strong! They are local for me so despite the higher cost per ounce on most, i dont pay shipping.. im using them more and more lately.. because they can be used in my whole line.

I have to beg to differ just for a sec on the olive oil bar.... Just saying I've been making 100% olive oil bars for 20+ years with my grandma (that and lard is all she ever used) and they are still my favorite bars... I have one in my shower thats been in there for two months- only half gone, another at the sink I wash my face with every night- 2 months old there too, only half gone. They can get slimy if they are kept in standing water but not any more than any other soap, imo. The thing is, I cure my castile 6 months so its hard as a rock before I use it- so for a long lasting bar thats needed. For a long lasting bar of ANY oils/soap.. a nice long cure will help For my skin, there is nothing more moisturizing than a 100% OO bar with a 7% superfat, water discount, and 6 month cure.. but everyones skin is different so it really, truly is, trial and error.

I use paint.net (free, you can find it by googling) to design my labels, then print using avery on microsoft word, works for me!

This might help: http://www.craftserver.com/forums/showthread.php?t=3164 then this: http://www.millersoap.com/soapdesign.html (scroll down to "Choosing Your Oils - Oil Properties of Fatty Acids ") So then you have a good idea of what each of the oils you have on hand can give your soaps. They have a list of oils and their properties just below that. Barbara has you on the right track. More oils doesnt always = better soap. Some of the best soap I've tried has only 4 oils! this is another version of the chart... http://www.millersoap.com/oilproperties.htm a bit easier for printing/reading. This of course doesnt make the recipe for you but it gives you a great starting point. You can look right at what you have and instantly know that that oil may give you lather but will provide no conditioning, so on and so forth. Hope this helps!

I've had no issue with up to 12% in tarts... (although generally I wont use more than 5.6-9%) but i have not tested that in pillars, I use 6.5% in pillars. Why the difference? Really I think its because CS is trying to sell their FO's too.

have fun! my guidelines: NO GAMES. Most poeple hate them. Some like them, yes.. but 99% of the people I've asked have said NO and thanked me for not doing them. I think they are a waste of precious time. Presentations... eh.. I wouldnt call them that, but I dont think they are bad. What I do is set all my product up, and we go through it. I have testers, I pass it around- have them smell it, try it, give them maybe 1 minute (maybe) on what the benefits are and such... then on to the next. We get through everything in about 9 minutes most times, and then I just let them browse as I walk around answering questions. I do take orders sometimes, sometimes someone loves a scent in a candle I dont have in body butter, or finds a soap they love and they want a whole loaf- not taking orders would screw me in those cases so I make sure I'm very clear that I can make custom orders. Then, people purchase from the stock thats there. I DO think its OK to have drinks. I dont think anyone would be so rude to get trashed at an event like that, but if you are concerned about it I think a good idea would be OK to pour for them. Dont keep it "in reach" just offer A glass of wine.. so on and so forth, but remember all that comes out of your bottom line... two bottles of $20 wine, a $40 array of food.. thats $80 you've spent.

Thanks cedar!!

I was really happy to read this!

For sure On etsy orders, I dont. Some shows I dont either.. but on all consignment/wholesale I do. I should start putting it on everything.

ooh nice I'll check it out, its nice not to have to, hehe

I should add my recipe has alot of shea and its pretty soft for a good 24-48 hours, so thats part of the issue for me. I did a shampoo bar recipe in it and it popped right out after 12 hours, Im pretty sure it partially gelled, but much harder so it had no issues, that was nice!

I use a metal 90* angle stolen from the hubbys workshop, lol, and then just eyeball it, works pretty good Thats a good idea with the heating pad for gel! I actually have some in a box that we used to have for our snake... never thought to use them for soap!

I've used lots of them, they work fine. Buttercream, Chocolate Milk, Clean cotton, Coconut, Coconut Lime Verbena, Fresh Coffee, Fruit Slices, Gardenia (accells and overheats), Honeysuckle Jasmine (overheats a bit), Lavender (bleh.. good in soy, not so much in soap. fakey.), Lemon Verbena, Lime Cooler, Love Spell, Mango Papaya, Ocean Breeze, Peach, Plumberry, Plumeria, Strawberry (as a blender), Strawberry Shortcake, Sun Ripened Raspberry, Sweet Pea, Tuscan Melon Apricot, Very Vanilla, Watermelon, White tea and berries all good

yankee candles are in our ross and tj maxx here.

yep me too, messed up my first two batches in it because neither gelled and I just didnt think about it, went to pop them out and oops... half still stuck to the sides! I think in the summer I shouldnt have an issue since it stays around 80* in my soaping room (gah!) but right now im having trouble maintaining 68 in there, so it just doesnt want to gel unless I'm wrapping it in two towels and putting it by the heater vent. stupid winter. hehe

Guess I'm placing an order soon before it gets too much worse, no sense in waiting. I'm buying fifty pounds of beeswax too.. usually I get it 20-30 pounds at a time from a local beekeeper, but he cant sell me any this year.

thanks guys! Barbara I've been using the bottom of my log mold for years and that gave me 4 oddly shaped bars, but I went ahead an bought a silicone mold from Kristy http://www.etsy.com/transaction/41713453 and thats been working great for me! I use 16oz of oils and it fits just perfect!! I have noticed if I dont get a good gel, it doesnt want to come out.. but this is the perfect size mold for those 1oz bottles