candlemama

Beautiful! Loving those swirls. I just got my new Uplands slab mold this week and can't wait to try it. I almost got a Woodfields but the Uplands was cheaper. Hope I like it as much as you like yours!

I haven't been using my sample soap a lot because I've made so many batches of HP and CP lately and I've been distracted by those! But the bar in my soap dish seems to be holding up better than my regular EBC white base. I have noticed I still smell the base a little bit, but to be fair I didn't add very much FO. I planned to use the soap on my baby, and I didn't want to put too much FO in it to irritate his skin. It feels nice on the skin, and I still believe the lather to be creamier than my regular white base. Still not as many bubbles. However, I didn't add any liquid soap to the natural base as I do with the regular white base so maybe that's why (I always add between 2-4 TBLS pp of Dr. Bronners because I like lots of bubbles). I would definitely consider buying the natural base over the plain white base if I buy more M&P in the future. I still have about 70lbs, and I've been making mostly HP and CP lately, so my M&P is probably going to last me a long, long time. I am happy with the regular white base, too, but of course the natural base has a nicer ingrediant list. I will start using it more and will report back on whether I find it more or less drying or more or less gentle on my skin, etc.

I bought some of those Ikea molds, too, and they work great! I've got to try making some more bath bombs. My first few attempts haven't worked out so well, and then I got distracted by making soap... But those molds are super easy to use.

Wow, that looks really cool! I love it. How did you make the foamy, fluffy stuff on top? Is that M&P, too? Very creative!

I think they all look just beautiful, even with the fading. Just curious, how long did it take for those DOS to start showing up and for them to spread over the bar? Even with DOS, that bar still looks pretty to me!

Just beautiful! I love all of them. Maybe someday I can make soaps as pretty as those... (I can dream, can't I?!?).

This sounds interesting. I wonder why it doesn't sting your eyes? I love my CP/HP soaps, but man do they ever sting the heck out of my eyes. I heard it's because of the higher ph of handmade soaps. Do you think it's because your liquid soap is diluted, or is it something with your recipe?

Uh, oh... already tried a GM batch a couple of weeks ago. They're curing right now, so I won't get my grubby little hands on them for another month to test them out! I made a higher OO recipe for my baby boys and scented it Baby from WSP. They're FUGLY soaps because they gelled part way. Ugly brown in the middle, and more yellow-cream on outside with some blue marbling. Next time, I'll throw the batch in the fridge to keep them from gelling. Have you tried any other milks? I've read good things about heavy cream, buttermilk and coconut milk.

I'm also new to soap making and took the plunge about a month ago or so. I have about 8 batches under my belt now. I started by reading, reading, reading... There are tons of threads on this forum for beginners, as well as some good tutorials in the tutorial section. I am having so much fun, and I have more soap than I know what to do with! Good luck.

I may try the GG as well. I've been following the threads on GG because those candles are so nice looking, and it seems to be an easier veggie wax to work with than soy. When I need to put in another order at Peaks, I think I'll get some GG to try it out. Gives me an excuse to order more wax!! Thanks!

I have some LX wicks. I tried one size so far, which was recommended by the CandleScience calc, but it was much too big. Hmmm.... I gave up initially because the HTP seemed to do better, but now I think I'll go back and try the LX again. Thanks.

I have been testing IGI 4627 comfort blend and HTP wicks in a round, 14 oz conical container with a 3.44 inch diameter. I'm using one ivory dye chip per pound and 1 oz FO. I've tested several sizes and have narrowed it down to possibly HTP 83 or 93. I also tried 104 and 105, but they were too big. The 93 has less hang up after burning half way through, but the glass is pretty hot on the side the wick is curling. With my HTP 83 testers, I have more hang up but the container isn't too hot to the touch, and the hang up disappears toward the end. I think if I wicked down from the 83, I would have problems with tunneling or drowning but haven't tested it. Regardless of the wick size, once I burn half way through the candle, I am getting some black soot at the top of the container. Do you think I should switch wick types or size, or is this just the nature of paraffin? I have been thinking about adding some soy but don't want to decrease the easy and strong HT I get from this wax with almost every FO I test. What am I doing wrong?!?

Love them! Adorable.

I was just reading about how to make handmade liquid soap (sort of CP method), and the website said something about turkey red castor oil being the only oil that can be used for superfatting liquid soap as it disperses well and doesn't cloud the soap or seperate. Castor oil is a wonderful moisturizer, and the turkey red version is a modified form. I have no idea if it would work in shower gel, but here's the website if you want to research it. They also sell the turkey red castor oil there. www.summerbeemeadow.com

I am wondering the same thing. I recently have been using 4627, too, and absolutely love it. HT is amazing in everything I have poured so far. What does adding the 444, or any other soy wax, bring to the table? I know a lot of people do a mix, and I haven't been able to figure out if it's for the label appeal of having soy, or if it makes a better candle. Anything that helps me make a better candle...:rolleyes2 Thanks!

Beautiful!! I love the colors and swirls. Very pretty!

let us know what you think when you get them. I almost ordered the grapefruit and green tea yesterday but decided to wait. I've got enough FOs to keep me busy for a while (at least a day or two!!)

I just got my four FOs from Moonworks in the mail today. OOB, they are AWESOME!! Cannot wait to soap them and get them in some candles. I got Harvest Moon, Celestial Sea, Patchouli Raspberry, and Fairy Garden. I am very pleasantly surprised by the Patchouli Raspberry -- I was afraid I wouldn't like the patch part, but it seems to tone down the sweetness of the raspberry into a more complex, grown up fragrance. I think it may end up being my favorite of the four, but it's so hard to choose because they're all so incredible. I'll let you know how I like them once I get them in soap and wax. Hopefully, these will keep me busy for a while so I don't order any more FOs...

Let's see, currently in my soaping closet, I have lots of coconut oil, palm kernel flakes, castor oil, olive oil, and palm oil. I also have between 5-12 oz each of sweet almond, apricot kernel and rice bran oils. About 3-4 oz of shea butter left, about 8 oz of cocoa butter and 12 oz of mango butter. I live near a B&B supplier and can pick up more butters and some other oils, like avocado, if needed. Thanks so much for your help!

You know, I tried looking for some books on B&B and couldn't really find any. I have heard that Soap and Other Obsessions is a good book to use and has lots of instructions on making other B&B products, to include mineral makeup. I haven't had a chance to get it yet. I've made a couple creams, scrubs, lotions and mineral makeup, all by spending hours on the internet reading forums here, elsewhere and suppliers' sites. Snowdrift Farms has some good info, as does LotionCrafters. I followed LotionCrafters' formulary for their GM lotion and body scrub, and both came out fantastic. HTH.

Well, it's no better this morning. After researching on the internet last night, I think I may have had false trace and I overheated the soap. It never cracked, just separated. Guess I need to toss this batch.

Thanks, Barbara. I think I'll keep playing with my recipe and try to come up with a cheaper alternative to a high CB percentage. Do you find with your recipe that the lather is creamy and stable and thick? Thanks for sharing it with me, BTW!

Looks beautiful, as always! I really love those layers. Can't wait to hear how you like the HP beer bars!

I've been a little too proud of my fledgling soap making abilities so had to have a major disaster tonight! I just did a CP batch and made some really pretty swirls finally, smelled great, looked great, no acceleration with FO, traced nicely. Decided to pop it into the oven for a little CPOP since none of my previous batches had gelled for some reason, and I wanted my pretty orange and yellow swirls to be bright. Preheated the oven to 170 and placed them in there for 30 min. Checked after 10 min, nothing. Checked again at 15 min, gel beginning nicely. Checked again at 30 minutes -- complete gel and MAJOR separation, oils leaking out the side of my mold. I quickly pulled the mold out of the oven. The oils smell pretty and are a nice orangey color. No zap, I know because I was cleaning the oil up like a madwoman and forgot to put gloves on first. It's been 30 min, and the soap is still very liquid and dripping oil over the side. I know what I did wrong -- I added some condensed GM in place of water and promptly forgot that milk will heat the soap up a lot. (I'm an idiot.) My question is, do you think this is salvageable, or will it be way too lye heavy? I probably went through six paper towels soaking up that oil, and it's still dripping. I only did a 5% SF. Darn it. So I went and poured a couple candles, hoping at least something will go right tonight! :mad:

I just want to know where you would light it... Can you say flaming?