first batch question

[rebeccajo99]

I made my first batch of melt and pour yesterday. At first I didn't like the scent, but now that I keep walking by and sniffing it... it is growing on me. I scented it baby powder...thought that sounded like a good soap scent.

However, it is still really soft. It is in bars, took it out of the mold about 6 hours after pouring and cut it. It is sitting on a drying rack right now.

So my question is... how long should I wait to start testing it and how long until it gets hard.

Thanks

[Candybee]

I found the Essentials by Catalina base to be very soft. It definitely needs an additive to harden it. Some hardening additives are coconut oil, stearic acid, beeswax, or olive oil.

I used the 96 degree coconut oil and olive oil in my first batches and the soft was still a bit soft and pliable. I would also try adding beeswax to this base for sure. But not sure of the % to start out with.

Maybe PrairieAnnie will chime in and advise you on this. She uses this base a lot and knows how to make some mean soapies with it.

[rebeccajo99]

Thanks

I did add 1 T of beeswax to this (per pound). So maybe I need a little more with the additives that I added. hmmm... things to think about.

I wil also start testing the bars that I made even though they are soft. I cut the soap into 8 small bars for testing.

[Candybee]

Not sure about the stearic acid. Its either palm stearic or steric acid. I don't use either so you'll need to research a bit.

I did get my soaps harder with the coconut oil and olive oil. I think if I had added some beeswax in addtion that would have been the ticket.

If you don't like this first batch don't toss out your soap. I save leftovers and rejects in a box and remelt them later to make new soaps. They will keep indefinitely in a box. Just wrap up in wax paper to store and take out when you are ready to reuse them.

[rebeccajo99]

Thanks

I did read about steric acid. It can be used as a hardener, but decided against it. I was hoping that the beeswax would do the trick... something about writing beeswax on the lable sounds more appealing to me than writting an acid. I'm hoping that some people who use this base will chime in and say something as well.

I did test a bar quick to wash my hands. Initial observations... (before testing) great throw, just soft

while hand washing... scent smelled good, but did not leave it on my hands. (still don't know if I want to have a faint scent left on the hands/body or not). Did have a small lather, but would like a little more.

One of the video's i watched demistrated how you can use left over soap from another project for a new bar of soap, but it was good soap, not duds. So you say that I can just wrap this up and maybe use it as chuncks or something in another bar of soap?

[DeAnna_EC]

ive never used that particular base but as far as reusing it...most definitely!!

What i do with the ones that i dont use, wrap in saran wrap so no moisture gets to them, put them in a paper bag or box labeled with the scent name.

If i want chunks i chunk it up and use it with a complimentary scent, or i take an old veggie peeler and peel the soap into curls and use it. You can even grate it on a old cheese grater to get flakes.