Lifelace Posted December 11, 2007 Share Posted December 11, 2007 Hi everyone! Well I am no longer a CP virgin. LOL YAY!!!! I know I don't post here alot but I lurk every day and really wanted to share! I've been a big chicken and have been putting this off forever because I was scared but this past Sunday I was mad at DH and in a horrible <<to hell with it all>> mood and I decided to CP for whatever reason LOL. I'm quite sure I don't know what I'm doing just yet BUT it's my very first batch and I'm happy with how everything went.Of course everything was going smoothly until I was waiting for my lye mix and oils to cool and went to get my Mr. Doright mold (a 3lbs no-liner one)....Why I didn't have my mold ready before I don't know but I found my mold all unscrewed with no screws in sight. I searched everywhere and ended up having to line a heavy cardboard gift-type box and just used that.I can't find my recipe just now but I put it through SoapCalc and it should be on the soft side with lots of moisturizing and both creamy and bubbly lather. I don't know if this is a bad thing to do but I had some Sodium Lactate here and added that as well to make the bar harder. I used Apricot Kernal, Coconut 76, Palm, Olive, Mango Butter and Castor I think. I added honey powder and ground oats and the scent is Baby Bee Buttermilk from NG which smells basically like an almondy OMH FO. I wanted to keep it simple for now, no colors etc...When I was cleaning up the little crumbs and stuff when I cut the soap last night I took a chunk with my rubber gloves and rubbed it under the water and it lathered like crazy!!! That was the neatest part I think, to see actual SOAP!!!!So when I made the soap I hand stirred for about 30mins then decided to use the stick blender because I was impatient and then things went fast very quickly, like 90 seconds later I poured my soap because the little swirls and drips stayed on the surface like the books say. I think I made a booboo though, I added my FO right after I blended my lye mix and oils, was I suppose to wait after trace? This is all so confusing. Also I kept peaking at it, I know.....I looked like 8 times so the top of the soap is whiteish, is that the ash?I have read and read but then when it came down to it I forgot things like when to add my FO, and to have my mold ready before I start!I dunno if I cut it too soon or not, it was basically like a brick of cheddar cheese, is that good or bad? It looks smooth and creamy, nothing odd going on that I can tell.Please tell me if I did anything wrong? I can't wait to try another batch already! Here is a not very good pic of the little babies waiting!The spots on the soap are oatmeal I THINK. I used a bit too much. That's the only thing that worries me a bit, I read about the dreaded orange spots but I dunno what that looks like. My soap's got lots of orangy-brown spots but I'm hoping it's just oatmeal...now wishing I had gone without!Anyway......here's to <<waiting>>! Thanks girls (and guys) for sharing all your expertise with us newbies! Melany Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barbara AL Posted December 11, 2007 Share Posted December 11, 2007 Your soaps look Great! Those are not orange spots it is the ground oatmeal. I wish my first batch came out that good.Congratulations!!! on your first batch the lye mixing wasn't that bad was it? I kept dreaming of making soaps for about 2 weeks on what I was going to make next, now I dream of swirling LOL!!Barbara Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lifelace Posted December 11, 2007 Author Share Posted December 11, 2007 Thanks Barbara! Nope, the lye mixing wasn't bad at all, it's the fear of the unknown....I had no idea what the lye even looked like and how it would all go but I was calm and cool, nothing splashed and I'm not blinded (knock on wood!) LOL You know what I like about this, I was telling DH that CP is a super clean hobby, there is no mess left after you're done cause you gotta keep it all contained and clean because of the lye! LOL When I do my MP, my candles and other goodies the mess is horrible after. Yep, dreaming of my next batch now! Thanks for replying!Melany Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fire and Ice Posted December 11, 2007 Share Posted December 11, 2007 Your soap is absolutely beautiful and I hope when I do my first soap in a few weeks, it turns out as great as yours. I've been reading these boards for months and months in research for CP and have run into your posts in the B&B section. It's very good to see you back and I'm sure we all hope you will post more often!~ Congrats and I hope the adiction grows! Fire:wave: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
krazeforsoap Posted December 11, 2007 Share Posted December 11, 2007 Congratulations!! The soap looks great!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ruina Posted December 11, 2007 Share Posted December 11, 2007 It looks super! You did a great job. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coco Posted December 11, 2007 Share Posted December 11, 2007 It looks fabulous! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
candlesprite7 Posted December 11, 2007 Share Posted December 11, 2007 Looks good to me too! I'll be trying my first batch of CP soap next month I hope it goes that well also....I'm not afraid of the Lye (I do have respect for it though) i'm just still collecting everything I need...lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
naninkansas Posted December 11, 2007 Share Posted December 11, 2007 Your soaps look really nice. You done good.I think it's fine to add your FO when you did, as long as the oils are not real hot. I've been adding mine to the oils when I blend just so I don't forget to add it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mauimom Posted December 11, 2007 Share Posted December 11, 2007 Very good for a first timer! I am always so paranoid that I will forget something that I always have everything ready before I even measure the lye out. But that is just me, I guess. I tried some oatmeal in one of my very first batches and when I used it I found that it was scratchy. So now if I use oatmeal or almonds, I zap them good in the coffee grinder. (The coffee smell is all right, too.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beau's mama Posted December 11, 2007 Share Posted December 11, 2007 Congrats! It looks really nice.Giving up that virginity feels good, huh? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eugenia Posted December 12, 2007 Share Posted December 12, 2007 Congratulations! You definitely want to grind the oats. I remember my first batch of seeded soap with raspberry seeds. We fondly remember it as the "sandpaper soap", LOL. Oatmeal can be very scratchy too.You can add your fragrance right to the oils, before the lye.Keep up the good work!e Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scented Posted December 13, 2007 Share Posted December 13, 2007 Oh another who lost her virginity! Congrats and where's that next batch? You will know the orange spots when you see them. They already told you those aren't orange spots. Orange spots are orange, but not bright orange and they look out of place, especially on a blue and green bar of soap.I started adding FO to the oil and soaping cool. Guess I understood doing that to help especially when using a floral or known troublemaker ... even a surprise troublemaker really. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ladysj Posted December 13, 2007 Share Posted December 13, 2007 That is some GREAT looking soap WoooHoooo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mystical_angel1219 Posted December 13, 2007 Share Posted December 13, 2007 WOO HOO~ another soap junkie is born! Soaping is very addictive. Like crack.. HA HA!!Great job on the first batch, it looks fabulous! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Meridith Posted December 13, 2007 Share Posted December 13, 2007 Your soap has a very natural look which I like. Way to go!! :yay: My first batch looked like vomited peas. Ah, and I've been soaping for a few years and I still peak. I have no self control. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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