ljhenry Posted March 1, 2009 Share Posted March 1, 2009 About 1:00 this morning, I decided to make another batch of soap. DH was in bed and I could have all the time to experiment that I wanted. Decided on a pumpkin recipe as I had gotten a sample order from Brambelberry and it smelled wonderful. Thought I would made up my own oil mix and run it through the lye calculator. I had seven oils consisting of canola, steric acid, coconut oil, crisco olive and sunflower. (Save the speech) Anyway, I used water and aloe vera for my liquid and added in a little silk, sugar and salt (recipe) to the lye mixture. The aloe half of the lye/water mixture was set aside to add in with oil when I added in the lye mixture. My mold is lined and ready, measured out my pumpkin, my fragrance and my spice. I am prepared to make the best soap ever concocted! I poured in the Aloe and everything was cooled down properly (I tested). Got my spoon ready and started pouring in my lye mixture. What is that on the bottom? Stir, stir, stir. What is that goopy stuff? Oh my God! This stuff is already setting up and I don't have anything in it! A stick blender was useless. Took out part really fast and threw in the pumpkin and fragrance, stir, stir, stir. Threw in spices to smaller batch, stir, stir, stir. Added in some warmed Shea Butter to help to loosen it up (I thought). WHAT ARE THOSE WHITE CHUNKS!!! Anyway, I put the spicy part back in and gave it a stir and threw it into the mold. It got really hot! I was working with 100 degree oil & lye. Today, I check on it and go ahead and cut it up. It is pretty soft. It smells really good and it is fairly a pretty color. Except, WHAT ARE THOSE DAMD WHITE HARD SPOTS?!?!?! I'll post some pictires of it later. I guess I am going to have to give away 4lbs of alot of oils! I am going back to my tried and true recipe and try again. What a mess. I am tired, my arms hurt and my jaws are aching from clenching them. I just wanted to make some pretty soap! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darbla Posted March 2, 2009 Share Posted March 2, 2009 About 1:00 this morning, I decided to make another batch of soap. That was your first mistake. No way am I coherent enough at 1:00 a.m. to do anything as meticulous as CP soap!Tell everyone the white chunks are white chocolate chunks. Or vanilla chunks. You made 'Pumpkin Vanilla' soap and then keep your mouth shut. :lipsrseal Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
singleyellowrose Posted March 2, 2009 Share Posted March 2, 2009 You made 'Pumpkin Vanilla' soap and then keep your mouth shut. :lipsrseal Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ljhenry Posted March 2, 2009 Author Share Posted March 2, 2009 That's what I'll do. Making another one tonight. Not pumpkin though. This is Red Apple. Just waiting on everything to cool off now. Hopefully, it will smell like Red Apple and not rotten apple. haha! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OverSoyed Posted March 2, 2009 Share Posted March 2, 2009 Tell everyone the white chunks are white chocolate chunks. Or vanilla chunks. You made 'Pumpkin Vanilla' soap and then keep your mouth shut. :lipsrseal Too Funny! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mystical_angel1219 Posted March 2, 2009 Share Posted March 2, 2009 Just wow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeInPdx Posted March 2, 2009 Share Posted March 2, 2009 It sounds like your sugar glopped up a bit. Try mixing it with some reserved water and dissolving it thoroughly before adding it to your cooled lye solution. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darbla Posted March 2, 2009 Share Posted March 2, 2009 Ah, so it is actually 'Sugared Pumpkin' soap. I would just be sure I used some of it myself before passing on to anyone else to make sure it's OK.So how did last night's midnight run of red apple go? And what are you doing making these Autumn scents now when Spring is about to burst out in full bloom? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ljhenry Posted March 2, 2009 Author Share Posted March 2, 2009 Well, the pumpkin is still hardening as it is pretty soft. So many soft oils, I guess. Smell ok though. The red apple turned out alright. DH likes it. As for the scents, it's all I got right now. Waiting on my Brambleberry order to come in. DH dowsn't kow yet. I have some flowery scents that are supposed to be for candle and body, but I have been hesitant to use them. Guess I can make a couple of small batches and see how it goes. I'll post some pictures this evening. Got done with the computer I had to reformat and will have time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
singleyellowrose Posted March 2, 2009 Share Posted March 2, 2009 If you make a floral soap, use full water. Add FO BEFORE you add the lye water. Add any colorant you want before adding the lye water. The slowly add lye water and STIR to trace.Florals can be frustrating to soap and that's being nice! They can make you Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ljhenry Posted March 2, 2009 Author Share Posted March 2, 2009 If you make a floral soap, use full water. Add FO BEFORE you add the lye water. Add any colorant you want before adding the lye water. The slowly add lye water and STIR to trace.Florals can be frustrating to soap and that's being nice! They can make you Thank you. I would not have known that. I reall appreciate all the help that I've gotten here. This is the most active forum that I have been on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarieJeanette Posted March 3, 2009 Share Posted March 3, 2009 I see that you added stearic acid to your batch. If not soaped warm enough stearic acid can resolidify in your pot and cause what looks like a fast trace, but it's really just the stearic resolidifying into lumps because it's too cool for it to stay fluid enough. Your finished soap will then be peppered with white 'stearic spots'. I would soap warmer next time you add stearic.MarieJeanette Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
singleyellowrose Posted March 3, 2009 Share Posted March 3, 2009 Dropping the stearic would be a good idea... especially soaping florals.Try this for a recipe:35% Crisco20% Olive20% Coconut15% Sunflower10% CanolaTry not to take your Coconut over 25%. It seems to be drying to alot of people.Try to keep your Canola at 10%. I have never had alot of luck with it, but others have.Make sure you run it through a calc and use at least 5% superfat.If you can find or have on hand some castor, add 5% of that and take 5% off of the Crisco.HTH Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ljhenry Posted March 3, 2009 Author Share Posted March 3, 2009 Dropping the stearic would be a good idea... especially soaping florals.Try this for a recipe:35% Crisco20% Olive20% Coconut15% Sunflower10% CanolaTry not to take your Coconut over 25%. It seems to be drying to alot of people.Try to keep your Canola at 10%. I have never had alot of luck with it, but others have.Make sure you run it through a calc and use at least 5% superfat.If you can find or have on hand some castor, add 5% of that and take 5% off of the Crisco.HTHI think that I will try that tonight and see what happens. Thank you. I kinda thought that the steric acid might be the culprit. Would you at the Castor in at trace? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
singleyellowrose Posted March 3, 2009 Share Posted March 3, 2009 Personally, I would add it with the rest of the oils. I don't add any oils at trace. I have enough to remember, let alone another oil! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ljhenry Posted March 3, 2009 Author Share Posted March 3, 2009 Anywho, I finally have some pictures. Be gentle.:embarasse1. Ginger Pear with whole Avocado Pulp2. Pumpkin Spice (With Vanilla chunks!)3. A bowl of melt and pour that I made to give as gifts for the bathroom.4. Red Apple (My first attempt with using a slab mold and trying to swirl They do smell pretty good and they soap up well. Off to try some floral scents. Wish me luck. Going to try the new recipe above. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
singleyellowrose Posted March 3, 2009 Share Posted March 3, 2009 They look good.. You are doing fine. what FO are you planning on soapin tonite? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darbla Posted March 3, 2009 Share Posted March 3, 2009 I'm just going to say my favorite is the green one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ljhenry Posted March 3, 2009 Author Share Posted March 3, 2009 They look good.. You are doing fine. what FO are you planning on soapin tonite?Don't know, I just checked to see what I've got right now and my choices are Wisteria (small amount), Rasberry (which is light and fruity), Lavender and Sandalwood EO, Lilac, Almond Biscotti (not floral though), and Almond. Think I might save those two for a coffee bar. What do ya think? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ljhenry Posted March 3, 2009 Author Share Posted March 3, 2009 I'm just going to say my favorite is the green one. Thank you, I can't wait to try that one myself. I always try all of them with the left over scraps. I don't waste any of them! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ljhenry Posted March 3, 2009 Author Share Posted March 3, 2009 I just looked at the picture of the Pumpkin. It looks like it has some kind of a complexion problem! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ljhenry Posted March 3, 2009 Author Share Posted March 3, 2009 I think I am going for the Wild Lilac. Gotta mix some light purple coloring for it, I think. DH has been busy making me some wonderful log and slab molds. He's the bomb! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
singleyellowrose Posted March 3, 2009 Share Posted March 3, 2009 What type of coloring are you going to use? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ljhenry Posted March 3, 2009 Author Share Posted March 3, 2009 What type of coloring are you going to use?I use some colors that I have had for a while that seem to work real well. I have blue, green (somewhere), Orange and yellow. I can usually mix up what ever color that I want. It is very concentrated and only a few drops will do. The only one that I have problems with is the blue. It seems to throw a bit of a smell that I have to compensate for. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ljhenry Posted March 3, 2009 Author Share Posted March 3, 2009 OK, I am done I used your recipe and instructions. It is in the oven for right now and I am fixing to go and wrap it up. I hope the color holds up. We'll see. I have a sheep's skin that I wrap my molds in. It works real good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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