eugenia Posted February 18, 2008 Share Posted February 18, 2008 I've been making soap for 5 years. You learn new things all the time. Here are a few tips that will get you off to a good start; they took me years to figure out.Using a stronger lye solution makes for bars that are harder faster and do not warp. My regular is 33%, 40% for a castile.Soaping room temperature eliminates a ton of problems. If you want to swirl, take your soap out for coloring when it is barely mixed. It will continue to thicken. If soap is too thick, it does not swirl well.Play with your soap and get a feel for what trace is. That's important. There is thin trace (for swirling) and thicker trace, where you can texture the tops.Perhaps some others will chime in with more.e Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Meridith Posted February 18, 2008 Share Posted February 18, 2008 Have all your supplies right by you ready to go.Never take for granted working with lye. Never soap when in a rush, medicated, drunk, on drugs or angry, etc. When soaping a tougher fragrance, stick with mostly stirring, using the SB sparingly, and soap with lye and temps around 90-100. (that works for me)when adding scrubbies like oatmeal, seeds, jojoba beads, pumice, etc., a little goes a long way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lorrie Posted February 18, 2008 Share Posted February 18, 2008 Don't forget to rerun any recipe that you find threw a lye calculator. It helps ensure that there wasn't any typo's and the older books are known for having higher lye amounts than needed.and don't be scared to ask questions.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CareBear Posted February 18, 2008 Share Posted February 18, 2008 Don't discount water until you know what you are doing, how your recipe acts, and how your FO will do... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarieJeanette Posted February 18, 2008 Share Posted February 18, 2008 Have all your supplies right by you ready to go.when adding scrubbies like oatmeal, seeds, jojoba beads, pumice, etc., a little goes a long way.Boy, do I second that! I added what I thought was a small enough amount of apricot seed meal to a scrubby soap, and it ended up being way too much. It's hard to get a good lather going in that soap because all of the scrubbies get in the way. It was made with 100% coconut oil with a high superfat, too, which bubbles quite abundantly for me normally. Another good tip that has helped me tremendously is checking the ScentReviewBoard website before choosing a fragrance oil. You can save yourself a lot of heartache by reading the reviews on there and avoiding those fragrances that seize when you go to purchase your scents.MarieJeanette Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scented Posted February 18, 2008 Share Posted February 18, 2008 Pulse with the stick blender. Don't have a heavy finger or your soap can move quickly or the SB can burn out. Don't panic, even if you want to. I don't know about not soaping when you're angry lol. If you use powdered dye form, micas, oxides, ultramarines, mix them with some oils from your soap or a small amount of glycerin ... mix well. Black doesn't always play friendly.Don't add sugar or salt to your water after you've added lye, because they aren't going to dissolve. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vio Posted February 18, 2008 Share Posted February 18, 2008 More notes yay!!! I love these kinds of threads. *reading every word* Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Faye_SC Posted February 18, 2008 Share Posted February 18, 2008 Don't add sugar or salt to your water after you've added lye, because they aren't going to dissolve.FOUND THIS OUT THE HARD WAY LAST NIGHT.HAD TO ZAP IT WITH THE SB. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TexasBrat Posted February 18, 2008 Share Posted February 18, 2008 Rub a dryer sheet in your cup before pouring Lye to keep it from clinging to the sides.Don't worry about your bowls and utensils after making soap, clean them up the next day, it's much easier.Bags work great for those who don't want to line with freezer paper.I write my lye amount on a post it note and take it outside with me when making my lye solution. Don't be afraid of the lye, just respect it.Pour the lye into water. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
singleyellowrose Posted February 19, 2008 Share Posted February 19, 2008 If you are afraid you will forget to add the FO, add it to your warmed oils. Only do so if it doesn't discolor.More is NOT always better..especially with colors.Remove your swirl portion (for FOs that will discolor) BEFORE you add your FO.. that way you aren't fighting to get the color you want.Too much TD (Titanium Dioxide) WILL leave a chalky residue.ALWAYS ask questions if you are unsure. The only "DUMB" question is the one you didn't ask!RT (Room Temperature) will become your best friend. But please do not do so until you are comfortable with your recipe. When using a new recipe... use the FULL amount of liquid. Better safe that soap on a stick! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angel91805 Posted February 19, 2008 Share Posted February 19, 2008 There is a new soapers reference thread stickied already. Can these ideas be added to it so that they are all in the same place?Just wondering.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dzeyez Posted February 19, 2008 Share Posted February 19, 2008 Use wire whisk to do initial mixing, then zap with stick blender!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fire and Ice Posted February 19, 2008 Share Posted February 19, 2008 Want to never forget to add your F/O to you soap before pouring? Place the F/O IN YOUR MOLD. You will see it before you start pouring the soap into your mold and you will remember to add it!Always wear you goggles and rubber gloves, even when cleaning up after making soap, if you cleanup right afterwards. Raw soap accidents can happen when cleaning up just like when making soap. If you can leave the mess until the next day, it will be soap and you have no worries.If you opt to use a garbage bag in your mold, make sure all print on the bag is not facing the soap. The printing will come off and show uo in the finished bars! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jbren Posted February 19, 2008 Share Posted February 19, 2008 Read, read, read and then read some more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
topofmurrayhill Posted February 19, 2008 Share Posted February 19, 2008 I would amend one of those previous tips and simply suggest choosing drugs thoughtfully. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kymber Posted February 19, 2008 Share Posted February 19, 2008 A few weeks back I had a Lemongrass and Sage that was instant soap on a stick! I threw the pan on the stove and cooked it on low heat into a transparent glob of mashed tater looking stuff. I didn't add sugar...what does that do for it??? But cooking it on the stove on low worked wonders for it.....it is some butt-ugly soap but at least it is soap. LOL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CareBear Posted February 19, 2008 Share Posted February 19, 2008 adding sugar is supposed to help keep it more fluid. if you decide to add sugar be sure to dissolve it completely in some water first. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Purple Lilac Posted February 19, 2008 Share Posted February 19, 2008 Start a soaping notebook and keep track of recipes, ingred, fo, color, etc.You may think you will remember everything you did for a certain batch but believe me once you start cranking the soap out, the batches seem to run together and you soon forget. I have a pen handy and write notes as I am soaping on my paper I use to cover my counter space, then transfer those notes into my notebook.I also write on the label of my fo bottle if that certain oil caused acceleration etc - that way I have a record if I had forgotten to take notes or the notes get lost. Happy soapin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vio Posted February 19, 2008 Share Posted February 19, 2008 OMG you know I'm new but I have one that I've used twice now and it's worked well for me. If you want to make your lye water up and are scared it might do that "volcano" thing, even though it shouldn't if you add lye to water slowly, mix in the sink. You will get fumes closer to face (so wear a mask) but it's safe just in case anything spills out, it will go in the sink and not on the counter or you. Also, if you do that, (this is where I find this works for me, this way), you can put ice cold water from the tap into the sink around the pitcher with your weighed water. Just below the water line in pitcher so it doesn't float. Then add your lye to the water and it will help bring the temp of the lye water down much faster, so you can use it faster. I tossed in a few ice cubes into the water even (in the sink not the pitcher with the lye LOL), and had room temp lye solution in like a half hour this way. Much less waiting. I did this first, then went on to measure out oils and heat, and the lye water was cooled enough to use pretty fast. No waiting hours for it to cool. Oh and as CareBear mentioned to me, watch out what you set your soaps to cure on. Metals might make DOS happen. If using cookie racks, put paper towels on them so soaps don't touch the metal, as she told me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisR Posted February 19, 2008 Share Posted February 19, 2008 Don't add sugar or salt to your water after you've added lye, because they aren't going to dissolve.I always melt my sugar or salt in an oz. of hot distilled water first to melt it, then add it to my lye water when it cools down.Sugar is supposed to help with more lather and salt is supposed to make a harder bar.If you have a FO/EO that traces a bit fast, add it to your oils & mix well before adding your lye water.I've always stored my soap on a stainless steel rack and never had DOS problems. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CareBear Posted February 19, 2008 Share Posted February 19, 2008 chrome is problematic, and some other metals. good stainless steel seems to be ok based on reports. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crazycacti Posted February 20, 2008 Share Posted February 20, 2008 Don't worry about your bowls and utensils after making soap, clean them up the next day, it's much easier..You know i keep seeing this and I always mean to just let them sit there and clean the next day but it DRIVES me crazy knowing they are there!Think making soap tomorrow-WILL let them just sit there!if it kills me Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CareBear Posted February 20, 2008 Share Posted February 20, 2008 I have doubles (or more) of everything. And to keep my mind clear of it, I stick all my utensils in the soaping bowl/bucket and put it out in the garage. And I get to it when I get to it.Now you all know what kind of housekeeper I am. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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